3 Makeup Brush Brands I'm Obsessed With: Cruelty-Free Only!

These cruelty-free brushes are a gamechanger in your makeup routine!

Okay, so I can go on a RANT about brushes. I can't stress enough how vastly important it is for an amazing makeup application. It’s your tools. An extension of your fingers that can create endless works of art. It's what changed the makeup game from being a very difficult tedious task to making it possible for anyone to do makeup artist-worthy looks with ease. Remember those small little cotton applicators that came with eyeshadow palettes and how horrendous they were/are? I remember watching super old Michelle Phan (the OG YouTube makeup guru!) videos and she’d literally use art brushes for acrylic paint for makeup. That’s how rare great brushes were back then.

So with so many choices nowadays what do you pick? You could go to any beauty store and purchase random ones and hope for the best. Or you can save way more money and confusion by listening to an expert in the makeup world! And trust me because I have used my share of brushes in 10 years. What I’ve done for you is given you a list of my TOP 3 economical, animal fur-FREE, beautiful brushes that I personally use for film and beauty makeup.

And as always because I'm a cruelty-free artist only, all recommendations are FUR FREE. The fur industry is a nasty one that I won't get into but if you're curious here is a short video on how tortuous it is.

#1 Real Techniques: The Absolute Best Brush Sets

Real Techniques is my TOP brand for my makeup business and beginners. What I love about these is that the handle is not traditional wood. So if you're like me who is constantly washing their brushes it's helpful to have non-wooden brushes so they don't crack. They also never shed and as long as you take care of them they'll last you a really long time!

#2 Eco Tools: Eco-Friendly + Budget Friendly

Eco-tools are amazing because of what they do for the environment. They've created some innovative products that are traditional but with a planet-friendly twist. My favorite products from them are their eye brush sets and the beauty blenders that are plantable!

#3 ELF: A Few Hidden Gems

Elf is great because they're a budget-friendly brand AND they have some awesome hidden gems. And I say that because not all of their products are a hit. But their foundation brush is *chefs kiss!*

Client Question:

What do you think about beauty blenders?

Personally, I'm not a big fan of beauty blenders. I think they're a tad overrated and they soak up a ton of product. I don't use them because it's unsanitary for a makeup artist to use them on various clients due to the absorption of bacteria and germs.

But if you're not using it on a lot of clients I would say it's okay just as long as you wash them thoroughly. Also, make sure to use them damp with water squeezed out completely ON TOP of your already applied foundation. This helps set it and blend it nicely!

Client Question:

How often should I wash my brushes?

The correct answer is that you should wash your brushes every day you use them, BUT I understand how unrealistic that is, assuming you're not a makeup artist needing to clean them for sanitary reasons. So my rule of thumb is if you can't really see the color of the bristles you probably need to wash them. Remember you don't even need to do a deep clean either, you can use a spray and wipe them down after each makeup session! Here are a few of my favorite tools for cleaning brushes!