Whether you are a makeup newbie or a professional makeup artist, a set of good makeup brushes is essential. Often, however, these brushes can get a little pricey. We’ve done the legwork for you by diving into the depths of the Internet, as well as asking our colleagues and friends for recommendations, to come up with a list of local and international brands to find the best makeup brushes you can get in Singapore that are both high quality and value for money.
Best makeup brushes for beginners.
Thanks to its many collaborations with big names such as Disney, Colourpop is one of the most well-loved makeup brands out there. To assist you in applying your Sailor Moon or Mulan makeup looks, the brand also has its own line of makeup brushes. They’re perfect for beginners too, thanks to the low price points. The most expensive brush costs US$9 (~S$12.10), which is considered inexpensive compared to other brands of the same calibre.
Colourpop has a variety of brushes and tools available to help you in every step of your makeup application. The bristles are made of synthetic materials that are soft on the skin, and the brushes also pick up powder products very easily.
A colleague shared, “I’ve always been a fan of Colourpop makeup, from their eyeshadow palettes to foundation and setting powder. I was eager to try as many products of theirs as I can and the brushes were the cherry on top of the cake for me.” She added that the quality is decent as well, especially the blending brushes.
Price: From US$3 (~S$4.02)
Shipping fee: US$9.99 (~S$13.39), free delivery to Singapore for orders above US$60 (~S$80.39)
Contact: Fill in the contact form on its website
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best vegan makeup brushes
For the environmentally-conscious, Ecotools is an ideal option for the best vegan makeup brushes. The cruelty-free beauty brand creates its makeup brushes and other tools out of recycled and renewed materials.
A colleague recommended the Enhancing Eye Set from Ecotools. The set comes with 2 double-ended brushes with 4 brush heads to help you shade, blend, define and smudge. The Shader, Smudge and Blend brush heads are good for eyeshadows, while Define is an angled brush head that works for eyeliner and brows. The Smudge brush head can also be used for highlighting your cupid’s bow. On top of that, she mentioned that the brushes pick up matte and shimmer powders well.
Price: From $7.94
Where to buy: iherb
Shipping fee: Calculated at checkout, free delivery to Singapore for orders above $54.34
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best affordable makeup brushes
Another vegan and wallet-friendly makeup brand, E.L.F’s s products are known to be perfect dupes of those from higher-end brands. While its blushes and highlighters are its better-selling items, its other products shouldn’t be dismissed, especially its makeup brushes.
E.L.F.’s brushes are all made from synthetic bristles. Their best makeup brushes, especially the foundation and eyeshadow brushes, are highly popular among online shoppers, with most reviews talking about how easy it was to apply makeup using these brushes.
Price: From $5.88
Where to buy: Amazon
Shipping fee: Free standard shipping for orders above $1, $2.50 for registered postage
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Long-lasting makeup brushes.
Considering how low its products are priced, it’s almost unbelievable how well Wet n Wild’s makeup and tools perform. Most people would be familiar with the brand’s highlighters and bright lipsticks, but its brushes are also very popular purchases.
A colleague shared that she uses the Angled Contour Brush. She talked about how easy it is to clean and that it is very long-lasting. She added that she has had it for 1-2 years without much shedding from the bristles.
Price: From $2.73
Where to buy: iherb
Shipping fee: Calculated at checkout, free delivery to Singapore for orders above S$54.34
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Wholesale makeup brush supplier with affordable kits.
If you’re shopping online for your makeup brushes, chances are you’ve come across BS-MALL. Their digital shopfront offers a wide range of makeup brush sets for affordable prices, usually under $20. If you’ve wondered about the brand’s quality, or whether it’s legit, we’re here to set the record straight.
BS-MALL is a makeup brush manufacturer that actually makes brushes wholesale for brands. As such, you get decent product quality and value-for-money prices on their makeup brush sets, thanks to their ability to manufacture at scale. If you’ve wanted to commit to a full makeup brush set, but don’t want to splurge, BS-MALL is a good place to start.
Price: From $17.70
Where to buy: Amazon
Shipping fee: Calculated at checkout.
Website
Best makeup brush sets with long-lasting quality
Most makeup enthusiasts would have heard of the brand Zoeva. Aside from eyeshadow palettes, the brand also prides itself on its makeup brushes.
Here’s a pro-tip: While its brushes usually cost about $20-$25 on average, it also has brush sets that are cheaper than buying each item individually. The Rose Gold Complete Brush Set ($147, U.P. $210) includes nine of their most popular brushes, allowing you to achieve a full makeup look with just one collection. These brushes can total up to $197.40 (U.P. $282) when bought separately, so you’re looking at a 25% discount with this set.
Price: From $18.90
Where to buy: Sephora
Shipping fee: $6, free delivery for orders above $35
Sephora: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Zoeva: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best local makeup brushes
“Support local” is an idea we can all get behind. Some of the best locally-made makeup brushes in Singapore come from 13rushes. Each brush is carefully handmade by the brand’s stable of craftsmen. Since they’re handmade, the bristles are only trimmed at the ends, leaving the tip untouched for maximum softness on skin. The brand is firm on its stance against animal cruelty as well, so all its brushes are made with textured synthetic bristles.
Aside from designing its own line of brushes for every step of your makeup application process, it also collaborates with other brands. One major brand it has partnered with is Sanrio, on a range of brushes featuring Gudetama. It has also collaborated with local makeup artist Larry Yeo on a collection of universal do-it-all brushes that work perfectly with liquid or cream products.
A colleague recommended the foundation and eyeshadow brushes from the brand, stating that they are good value for money.
Price: From $15
Shipping fee: Free standard shipping
Contact: Email support@13rushes.com
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best drugstore makeup brushes
You might have seen Real Techniques brushes in Guardian stores or on online sites that call it one of the best dupes for beauty blenders and foundation brushes from high-end brands. Its reputation is well deserved, as the makeup brushes allow you to apply your foundation with minimal streaks.
It also has brush sets that are suitable for beginners or those looking to assemble a basic makeup kit.
“I got the [Everyday Essentials set] for Christmas and it is amazing. Easy to clean and all amazing quality. They are the only tools I use in my daily makeup routine. You can use most items for more than one step,” one reviewer shared.
Price: From $15
Where to buy: Guardian and Amazon
Shipping fee: $8, free delivery for orders over $40
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best face brushes
You may know Innisfree better for its reasonably priced skincare products made with natural ingredients, but the K-beauty brand also has a wide range of makeup tools and brushes.
One of its bestselling brushes is the My Foundation Brush, which comes in 2 varieties: Glow and Cover. The Glow brush is for dewy foundations to give you a glowing look, while the Cover brush is for matte foundations to give you an even foundation application.
“It doesn’t leave any streak on your skin and blends out effortlessly beautiful,” one reviewer mentioned.
Price: From $24
Where to buy: Innisfree stores, visit its website for a full list of locations and Shopee
Contact: Email cs_sg@innisfree.com
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Best K-beauty makeup brushes
For fans of K-beauty who are looking for more options when it comes to makeup brushes, there’s also 3 Concept Eyes, aka 3CE. The brand’s bestselling item may be the Velvet Lip Tints, but it also has some of the best makeup brushes including a multi-functional pink kabuki brush and the popular Eye Smudge Brush.
A reviewer on Sephora stated, “The brush comes in a cute pink colour and the bristles [are] soft to use. Picks up the powder and easy to apply onto the face. The price is a plus point! This size is good for travelling and it comes with a mini pouch.”
Price: From $13
Where to buy: 3CE Official Store on Shopee Singapore
Shipping fee: $1.49
There are tons of makeup brushes on the market, and if you’re a beginner, the large array of options can sometimes be overwhelming. For those who are just building their beauty kit, here’s a breakdown of all the essentials you need to help you get started:
If you’re the type who likes to buff and blend their foundation in quickly, a kabuki brush or a rounded, buffing brush would be perfect for you. Kabuki brushes are densely packed with bristles, making them much fluffier than other makeup brushes. Their dome shape makes it easy to distribute and diffuse products, creating a smooth finish evenly. They’re also great for applying product too.
Alternatively, if you want a more precise application, you can go in with a flat foundation brush and apply your foundation in thin, even layers before blending them all out with a beauty sponge.
When it comes to concealer, smaller brushes allow for a more targeted application. You’ll want to look for something that’s flat and about the same size as your eye socket so that you can easily tap in your concealer and spot conceal under eye dark circles. They should also be made of synthetic bristles–this keeps the product from being absorbed into the brush.
There are two brushes you’ll need for eyeshadow: a flat brush and a tapered fluffy brush. The flatter brush is made with short and dense bristles to easily pick up and pack on product, allowing for a more pigmented colour payoff.
Meanwhile, the tapered fluffy brush is better at diffusing eyeshadow and removes any harsh lines to create a seamless blend.
This brush is optional if you use eyebrow pencils, but for those who prefer brow pomade, an angled brush and spoolie are essential to creating the perfect arched brow shape. Use the spoolie to neaten out your brow hairs, and then go in with the angled brush to outline your desired shape before you start shading them in. If there are any harsh lines or colours, simply blend them out with the spoolie.
Blush brushes are usually designed in a dome-like shape and are typically about small to medium-sized. They should be able to fit within the area of your cheeks, keeping them beneath the cheekbones and above the contour line.
A contour brush is shaped at an angle to fit the curves of your facial features. The angular shape helps to precisely add definition to your face where needed–the sides of your forehead, jawline, and below the cheekbones–for a subtle yet sculpted look.
Like its namesake, fan brushes are designed in the shape of a fan. They aren’t as densely packed as most makeup brushes and instead feature soft and feather-like bristles. This helps to diffuse the intensity of the glitters within the highlighter to create a blurring and natural glow.
Powder brushes are probably the largest and fluffiest out of all. They’re dense enough to pick up product but are also relatively loosely-packed to distribute an even layer of powder for a soft matte finish.
Remember to tap off the excess first before dusting on powder to prevent your makeup from appearing too cakey.
Save your money for the next Disney or Hello Kitty makeup collection with these affordable makeup brushes that will help you achieve any look you are aiming for.
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