I'm not the only one who religiously reads reviews before making a purchase, right? To be honest, reviews often push me to hit the order button, but they can also stop me in my tracks completely if they aren't looking so positive. One type of item I always scroll through the reviews on before buying? Makeup brushes.
Sure, I get a lot of recs from celebrity makeup artists, but to make a well-informed purchase, it's a good idea to get the extra perspective. That's why I've done both this time around. The arsenals of celebrity makeup artists are always filled with the best foundations, primers, eye shadow palettes, and, of course, brush sets. Each artist has their own unique taste and preferences when it comes to brushes, and they know best because, well, they're the ones who use them the most.
Not only did I take a peek at what brushes they'd personally give to their friends this holiday season, but I also made sure the brush sets they chose were a hit with shoppers, too. For their best-rated picks, keep scrolling.
Best Makeup-Brush Gift Sets, at a Glance
- Best Overall: Sigma Beauty Essential Travel Brush Set
- Best Affordable: Real Techniques Makeup Brush & Sponge Set
- Best Splurge: My Makeup Brushes Capri Vegan Brush Set
- Best Multitasking: E.l.f. Cosmetics Ten Out of Ten Makeup Brush Kit
- Best for Travel: It Cosmetics Your Superheroes Full-Size Travel Makeup Brush Set
The Best Makeup-Brush Gift Sets of 2026
Best Overall: Sigma Beauty Essential Travel Brush Set
"This comes with a brush holder that works great to hold brushes for everyday use and travel. Sigma's brushes are long-lasting and affordable. This set is under $100." — Sara Talias, celebrity makeup artist
"For the avid traveler, Sigma's essential travel brush set comes with a mix of both face and eye brushes along with a protective cup to protect and keep brushes in good condition through any flight. Their bristles are super soft and these brushes last forever." — Judi Gabbay, celebrity makeup artist
Pros: Good for sensitive skin, waterproof handle, good for beginners and pros
Cons: Expensive for the number of brushes
Material: Synthetic bristles, solid polymer-based handles
Brush Count: 8
Customer Review: "I purchased this set almost 3 years ago, and I still use these brushes daily! This is a PERFECT set, especially for traveling. This set has went with me on 5 different trips now and they work just as well as the day I received them. I highly recommend if you're looking for a well-made travel brush set. The only adjustment I would make personally with this set is, omitting the foundation brush for either a concealer or a detailing brush instead. (But that is just me and the brushes I tend to use way more than the flat foundation brushes)."
Best Affordable: Real Techniques Makeup Brush & Sponge Set
"This vegan set is a great gift [that's] under $20 and includes five brushes to achieve an everyday look plus a sponge." — Talias
Pros: Affordable
Cons: Brushes may be rougher on sensitive skin
Material: Synthetic bristles
Brush Count: 5
Customer Review: "The two brushes pictured on the right..I use every single day. Concealer and blush. Better than the high end makeup brushes I have used. So happy I tried these, and they have held up well to weekly cleaning."
Best Splurge: My Makeup Brushes Capri Vegan Brush Set
"For a personalized touch, I love My Makeup Brushes. Not only are these super soft brushes great for blending, [but] they can [also] be engraved with your name or the person you're giving them to as a gift! My favorite is the Capri Vegan Brush Set!" — Gabbay
Pros: Soft, vegan, brushes for a variety of needs
Cons: Expensive
Material: Not listed (vegan)
Brush Count: 9
Best Multitasking: e.l.f. Cosmetics Ten Out of Ten Makeup Brush Kit
"This set has everything you'd need to create a full face look. Great for someone on a budget. E.l.f. is known for great products at a lower cost!" — Kaye
Pros: Comes with a good amount of small and large brushes, affordable
Cons: Doesn't blend liquid formulas as well as others
Material: Synthetic bristles
Brush Count: 10
Customer Review: "You can't go wrong with this brush set. It has everything you need and more! I got these on sale about a year and a half ago and they're still holding up great."
Best for Travel: It Cosmetics Your Superheroes Full-Size Travel Makeup Brush Set
"No need to bring every single brush you own when traveling, as it's best to keep packing light, so this set is perfect because it's specifically made for travel. You can do everything you'd need with these particular brushes! Perfect for the girl on the go. I also find that It Cosmetics brushes are very luxurious and still a great price!" — Kaye
Pros: Soft, good for travel
Cons: Not as many big brushes
Brush Count: 6
Customer Review: "These brushes improved the look of my makeup. It looks literally flawless with this kit!"
What to Look for in a Makeup Brush Set
Everyone's preferences are different when it comes to makeup brushes. The first thing you'll want to look for is the type of bristles your brush set has. You can opt for natural hair brushes (made from animal hair) or synthetic-bristle brushes. This is something important to pay attention to, especially if you're vegan and prefer not to use real animal hair in your brushes. Natural hair brushes are better for powder- or talc-based products like setting powder or blush, while synthetic brushes are better for cream or liquid products like foundation and concealer. Synthetic brushes are also denser and provide more of an even application because they don't have pores in the strands like natural hair brushes do. Synthetic brushes also tend to be easier to clean product out of for this same reason.
In terms of what type of brushes your makeup brush set should have, we recommend having at least the basics—a foundation brush, concealer brush, two eye shadow brushes (one for blending and one flat brush for lid application), and a blush brush. Of course, your set can include more if you like creating more intricate looks, but these five basics will always get the job done.
How We Chose
As with all of our buying guides at Who What Wear, we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To find the best makeup brush gift sets, we leaned heavily on expert insight and our knowledge as beauty experts. We also considered several factors, including material and brush count. We're aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of needs and preferences, so we made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were also kept in mind when creating this list.
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Since 2006, Who What Wear has been a digital fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publication and community where people can discover the latest brands, trends, and must-have products to help define and evolve their personal style. Think of Who What Wear as your most trusted style and shopping resource.