The 7 Best Foundation Brushes, Tested by Byrdie Editors and MUAs (2024)

TL;DR

Out of all the foundation brushes that we tested, the BK Beauty 101 Contoured Foundation is our best overall pick thanks to its super-soft bristles, excellent blending and buffing capability, and overall impressive design and quality. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Real Techniques Expert Face Makeup Brush is affordable and effective for smooth foundation application.

Finding a foundation that truly suits your complexion and preferences is half the battle to achieve a seamless makeup look. The other half is not underestimating the tool you use to apply it—it can significantly affect the outcome. And, just like foundations, there’s a wide variety of makeup brushes out there, and they won’t all perform the same way.

To find the best options available, we conducted extensive research before selecting 25 to put to the test. Then, we headed to The Lab and evaluated each brush based on its design, durability, performance, and ease of cleaning.We also sent the brushes home with our testers to use over six months to see how they held up in the long term. Keep reading to see the best brushes that continue to impress us.

Our Top Picks

What We Like

  • Brush head is fairly large and can get application done quickly

  • Handle feels comfortable in the hands

  • Buffs and blends smoothly

What to Consider

  • Not ideal for precise blending in small areas of the face

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you frequent BeautyTok, chances are you’re familiar with this beloved foundation brush. Not only is it a fan-favorite and an editor-favorite, but it also received extremely high praise during our test. The ergonomic design features a rounded and slightly angled brush head that works to buff and blend foundation across the skin quickly, whether it's liquid, cream, or powder. It’s relatively large compared to others we tested, so while it’s not ideal for targeting small crevices on the face, it does a fantastic job of creating a smooth veil of coverage in just a minute or two.

The synthetic bristles are incredibly soft to the touch and they’re packed with the perfect density. They’re not so loosely packed that they create streaks on the skin, but they’re also not so dense that the brush feels hard or just moves the product around. Lastly, we were incredibly impressed that absolutely no brush hairs frayed or shed during application or while we were washing it.

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Nikki, tester with dry skin: "The brush gave even, streak-free coverage that blended into my skin beautifully. It was very easy to blend the foundation, and it did a good job at buffing and creating a perfect finish."

What We Like

  • Fairly wide, short handle is comfortable to hold and stands up

  • Compact design

  • Great for blending foundation as well as other cream products

What to Consider

  • Can leave minor streaks if not thoroughly blended

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Another slightly more affordable option that we were impressed by is this one from Saie. With a fairly short and chubby design, it’s compact, easy to control, and can even be stood up on your vanity. The bristles are soft and delicate on the skin, and the minimally rounded top makes for smooth buffing and blending.

We noticed that it created very minor streakiness when swiping it across the skin or not taking a moment to thoroughly blend foundation, but this is easily avoidable by using circular motions to blend and taking your time. Aside from the nice design and super soft bristles, we love that it isn’t just great for applying foundation, it’s also excellent for subtly sculpting your cheekbones with cream bronzer or contour thanks to the medium size.

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Stacey, tester with dry skin: "The bristles are soft to the touch and feel pillowy. I would use this brush not only for foundation, but also other products like cream blush or bronzer."

What We Like

  • High-quality for the price

  • Shape is great for foundation application and sculpting

  • Creates a smooth finish

What to Consider

  • Brush head is relatively small and takes some time to blend the entire face

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Real Techniques has been making affordable and high-quality brushes we love for many years, and this one is among the best in their line. The handle is sturdy and easy to grip, and the bristles are soft and gentle on the skin. Because the bristles are tightly (but not too tightly) packed, they’re able to effectively buff in the foundation, creating a smooth, even finish. We also appreciated that the brush didn’t soak up a ton of foundation and the hairs didn’t fray or shed one bit.The brush head is relatively small, meaning that it takes a bit of time to blend across your entire face, but this also means that it’s excellent for applying liquid highlighter or contour in more targeted areas.

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Michelle, tester with combination skin: "The brush gave great coverage and blended the foundation beautifully and evenly. The shape of the brush head seemed to allow for the perfect application of foundation and gave a smooth finish. It held onto a very small amount of the foundation and transferred the rest nicely onto the skin."

What We Like

  • Works nicely with liquid and powder formulas

  • Large flat-top design blends foundation quickly

  • Creates streak-free finish

What to Consider

  • Can be hard to clean the white bristles clean

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A lot of brushes are best for applying liquids, others are best for applying powders, but some, like this one from IT Cosmetics, are great for both. With a large, dense, flat-top design, it works to pick up and buff powder formulas into the skin beautifully. We also loved how nicely it blended out liquids—just a few swipes allowed us to blend liquid foundation across the face with a smooth and streak-free finish. And because the brush head is pretty large, it gets the job done quickly. Although it’s pricey compared to other options on our list, the nice quality (think no shedding or fraying), and how well it works for multiple formulas make it a worthwhile investment—especially if you wear powder foundation consistently. Do note the white hairs can be difficult to keep clean.

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Stacey, tester with dry skin: "I was very impressed with the coverage this provided. It glided on seamlessly and evenly and blended easily without streaking. It only required a few swipes for the product to be fully blended."

What We Like

  • Effective for precise application

  • Handle is sturdy and easy to grip

  • No shedding or fraying

What to Consider

  • Soaks up a lot of product

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: No

“Flat foundation brushes are used like a classic paintbrush to get a good amount of product applied directly to the face, but really aren't designed to work the product into the skin,” says makeup artist Kasey Spickards. Because of this, flat foundations brushes have been used by makeup artists on models for television, photoshoots, and runways since they often yield sufficient coverage.

Interestingly, we did find that this particular option soaked up quite a bit of the product, which isn’t typical for flat brushes. While this did make the brush a bit harder to clean, we still found that it delivered great coverage with a smooth and even finish. The bristles are very soft and a bit fluffier than a lot of flat foundation brushes, which helped to create a lighter more airbrushed finish. Though it’s not ideal for buffing product into the skin, the slightly fluffy bristles make it easier to blend than others with a similar design. We also appreciated that the shape of the brush allowed us to apply foundation in hard-to-reach areas, like the crease of the nose and around the eyes.

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Stephanie, tester with acne-prone skin: "The round but fan-like shape makes the application process seamless, and I only needed a few strokes and one to two layers of the product for full coverage. The bristles are also quite soft to the touch, and the feeling is like a plush velvet on my face."

What We Like

  • Teardrop shape contours to the face

  • Handle is sturdy and easy to grip

  • Blends evenly without streaks

What to Consider

  • Soaks up a lot of product

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: No

This brush thoroughly impressed us during our test for various reasons, the main one being how great the design is. The handle is extremely sturdy and comfortable to hold, but it’s the teardrop-shaped brush head that sets it apart. The top is pointed, which makes it easy to blend foundation into crevices on the face, and the bottom portion is larger and rounded, allowing you to blend larger areas of the face efficiently. And because the entire brush-head has a rounded, dome-like shape, it helps you achieve a smooth, streak-free finish.

The bristles feel super soft and gentle on the skin, and we didn’t experience any fraying or shedding during the test. While this brush did soak up quite a bit of the foundation which made cleaning it a bit of a pain, this also means that it prevents you from overapplying and ending up with a cakey finish.

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Mandy, tester with combination skin: "I like that the brush head is slanted and shaped like a triangle/tear drop to effectively cover the curves of my face. The bristles are soft to the touch and smoothly spread the foundation, and I was able to fully blend the foundation all over my face easily."

What We Like

  • Small oval shape makes it easy to blend small areas of the face

  • Sturdy, chic-looking handle

  • Extremely soft and gentle bristles

What to Consider

  • Brush head is small and takes some time to blend the entire face

Bristle Type: Synthetic | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Hourglass makes some incredibly luxe makeup, and their makeup brushes are equally as high-quality. This one is fantastic for foundation application and is effective for blending liquid formulas across the skin and in hard-to-reach areas, thanks to a compact brush-head. The shape of the brush is an oval with pretty densely packed bristles—it was designed to mimic fingertip application which allows for precision and control.

We absolutely adored how well it worked to create a seamless blend, and the bristles are arguably the softest out the brushes we tested, making it nice for those with sensitive skin. While the small design does mean that it take a bit more time to blend foundation across the entire face compared to others on this list, it’s certainly large enough to get the job done with a bit of patience.

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Amy, tester with combination skin: "The small size and the oval shape of the brush allowed for an even application and distribution of foundation. The bristles are so soft to the touch that it reminds of me of animal fur, and I was able fully blend the foundation all over my face."

What to Look for in a Foundation Brush

  • Shape: The shape you should choose depends on the foundation formula you’re using and the look you’re hoping to achieve. For powder foundation, we recommend a dense, flat-top brush. If you’re looking to really buff out and blend liquid or cream foundations, go for a semi-firm buffing brush. And if you need something that will place product on your face precisely, try a flat brush.
  • Bristle Type: Makeup brushes either have natural bristles (made from animal hair) or synthetic bristles. While natural hair brushes are great for applying powder products and creating a soft, airbrushed finish on the skin, synthetic bristles have come a long way and are now usually just as soft and effective, not to mention, less expensive.
  • Density: In addition to understanding the type of bristles, it’s also wise to understand the density, or how tightly they’re packed together in the head of the brush. Usually, the more dense the bristles, the better a brush will be able to move product around and buff it out. More loosely packed bristles will create a lighter, more soft finish.

How We Tested Foundation Brushes

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We believe in using the products we recommend, so we prioritizetestingthem in real-life settings and in our NY-based Lab.

  • Foundation Brushes Tested:25
  • Testing Period:6 months
  • Methodology:Foundation brushes were tested on our own faces in the comfort of our own homes and in our NYC-based Lab over six months.
  • Factors Considered:Design, durability, performance, and ease of cleaning.

FAQ

  • What is the best way to apply foundation with a brush?

    There are multiple ways to apply foundation with a brush, and the best way to figure out what works for you is to experiment a bit. If you need some guidance, try celebrity makeup artist Taylour Chanel's method. “I personally like to apply the foundation to the skin with a flat brush, then buff it in with an angled or contoured brush,” she says. “The flat brush isusually dense and doesn’t use up too much of your product, and the angled brush can distribute the foundation product evenly across all areas of the skin while also creating a diffused, soft-focus effect for a natural skin-finish.” In terms of what motions to use when blending, Spickards recommends using a combination of swirling and tapping motions all over the face to work the foundation into the skin.

Why Trust Byrdie

Alyssa Kaplan is an experienced writer in the beauty industry and product tester specializing in cosmetics. She’s been using and testing foundation brushes for years, and she’s tried several on this list for herself. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry. Alyssa is an associate commerce editor at Byrdie, where she covers all things beauty.

Alyssa also spoke to experts to discuss important things to consider when purchasing a foundation brush. Those experts included:

  • Taylour Chanel, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with clients like Hila Klein, Tiffany Haddish, and more.
  • Kacey Spickards, a celebrity makeup artist who’s worked with clients like Kamie Crawford, Remi Bader, and more.
The 7 Best Foundation Brushes, Tested by Byrdie Editors and MUAs (2024)
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