You know that old adage, ‘A Craftsman is only as good as his tools’? Well, it applies to makeup too. If you don’t have the right tools, then it can be extremely difficult to achieve the right look when applying your makeup. Whilst many professional makeup artists will favour high-end brands, there are now a whole host of high street and middle range options to choose from. Read on for a guide to the best high street makeup brush lines out there:
Widely lauded as a great, less expensive version of MAC, Sigma are known for the high quality of their brushes which are all hand sculpted. They have a comprehensive range of brushes so you’ll be guaranteed to find just the right brush to suit your needs. You can find Sigma Brushes online at Love Make Up and Cocktail Cosmetics.
Real Techniques brushes have taken the beauty world by storm. Created by Samantha Chapman of Pixiwoo fame, the Chapman sisters quickly became known for their indepth makeup tutorials on YouTube. Their channel is still active, but Samantha has branched out on her own to launch this fantastic range of brushes. Loved by YouTube beauty gurus around the world, the range isn’t the biggest but is perfectly formed. Real Techniques brushes are sold at Boots and most online beauty retailers.
A great option if you’re vegetarian or simply environmentally conscious, EcoTools are known for their wonderfully soft brushes which are 100% cruelty-free and are made and packaged in many recycled materials. The handles are made of bamboo and the bristles are made of synthetic taklon so not only will they look the part, but are also extremely effective. You can find EcoTools at Boots.
The least expensive of any of the brush lines mentioned here, ELF offer a great range of brushes at extremely affordable prices. Choose from two different lines – their regular ELF brushes and their Studio line which is slightly pricier (although still inexpensive). The only noticeable difference between the lines is the packaging – the quality is pretty standard throughout and in my experience, pretty great considering the price. available online at the ELF website.
Japonesque only produce makeup brushes and tools – and they happen to do it very well. Their range is extremely extensive, and they’ve remained a cult favourite of makeup artists and beauty lovers for many years. Not only is their line of brushes both high performance and great value for money, but they also offer a whole host of other tools and accessories such as eyelash curlers and train cases. Purchase Japonesque brushes at John Lewis and HQHair.
If you’re looking to really invest in your makeup brushes, then MAC and NARS are hard to beat – however they don’t come cheap; expect to pay around £25 per brush, way more than the affordable high street lines. If you’re overwhelmed with choice with all the different brush ranges available, then stay tuned for next week’s post on the perfect makeup brush kit with individual brush picks.
