I love getting the chance to take a peek at what’s in the kits of celebrity makeup artists. Their arsenals are always filled with the best foundations, primers, eye shadow palettes, and even skincare products. The items in their collection that I often nerd out the most over, though, are their brushes. Each artist has their own unique taste and preferences when it comes to brushes and they know best because, well, they’re the ones that use them the most.
So, echoing that sentiment, who better to ask for gift recommendations in that realm than the pros? There’s always a plethora of makeup brush gift sets to choose from once the holidays roll around and I asked a couple of makeup artists for their picks. Keep scrolling—these are the sets they’d buy for a friend.
“This vegan set is a great gift [that’s] under $20 and includes four brushes to achieve an everyday look plus a sponge.”—Sara Talias, makeup artist
“This is the perfect brush set for travel or to carry in your purse. The compact quilted velvet case is beautiful and practical. Includes brushes for foundation, blush/bronzer, crease, and the famous CT smudger brush which is essential for any holiday smoky eye.”—Talias
“The ultimate luxury brushes, the Sonia G brushes make a beautiful gift for a close friend. The brushes are super soft and the handles are gorgeous. The pro eye set makes for precise application and seamless blending.”—Talias
“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.”—Talias. “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
“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! From travel sets to singles, this gift is always a hit. My favorite is the Capri Vegan Brush Set!”—Gabbay
“Morphe’s set by Ariel Tejada is one of my favorite collaborations of all time. All of the brushes in the set are mindfully made for use of a full face of glam. The blush brush alone is worth the hype for the entire kit, but trust that you’ll use and love all of the brushes in this kit.”—Gabbay. As a bonus,celebrity makeup artist Allison Kaye also recommends this 12-piece set ($98) of Ariel Tejada’s Morphe brushes. “Ariel is famous for doing makeup for Kylie Jenner and his looks are always stunning, so you know his design for these brushes is epic. I love how this set has face and eye brushes and would be everything someone needs if they had no brushes!”
“It Cosmetics’ Beautiful Together Set has three luxurious brushes for the face: a foundation brush, a contour brush, and a setting powder brush. The bristles are so soft and fluffy and blend out makeup beautifully. For around $50, it’ll impress without breaking the bank!”—Gabbay
“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
“For a super-fabulous price, you can have every brush you’d ever need. And I love how it comes in a roll! Great for packing up and travel!”—Kaye
“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 great price!”—Kaye
With an almost a perfect five-star rating on Sephora, this vegan seven-piece brush set provides every kind of brush you’ll need for a fully glamorous look all while not even hitting the $50 mark.
I love the gorgeous mahogany shade of these eye brushes. If you’re also a sucker for a good aesthetic, buy this six-piece eye brush set for yourself or a friend if you’re feeling generous.
Artis brushes are totally unmatched. They’re some of my favorite makeup brushes because they have the ability to blend out any kind of makeup so seamlessly that you’ll look airbrushed. The brand’s oval brushes are designed to work well for foundation, highlight, blush—you name it! Since it is a bit pricey, I’ll be buying a set like this for my sister or very close friend.
As far as budget brush sets go, Morphe offers some of the best. I’ve been using the brand’s brushes for years, and to this day, I still can’t believe the quality offered for how inexpensive they are.
E.l.f is another brand that impresses with its budget-friendly formulas, but its makeup brush set is equally as inexpensive and is still high quality.
If you want your friend to think you spent way more money than you did on their gift, opt for this incredible 15-piece find on Amazon. It even comes with an expensive-looking vegan leather case to keep them all neatly in.
Snag this limited-edition set from Tarte while you can! It offers five brushes including a large powder brush, angled cheek brush, domed complexion brush, fluffy shadow brush, and flat shader brush.
I’m a big fan of Patrick Ta products and next on my list to buy (for others and most likely myself) is this gorgeous rose gold brush set. I love that it also comes with a body brush for any kind of body shimmer you’d like to rock this holiday season.
Talk about money for value—this brush set includes a staggering 27 brushes for just $30.
It’s easy to see why this is Amazon’s best-selling makeup brush set. It covers all your makeup needs and the $13 price tag doesn’t hurt either.
