Makeup Artists Swear by These £10-Something Brushes, And We’re Obsessed

If you have ever found yourself in a situation where you've had to apply your base or eye shadow with little more than your fingers and the miniature brushes included in the compact, you’ll understand the importance of a good makeup brush. Without the right tools, your finished makeup look risks looking patchy and unnatural. However, with that being said, really good quality makeup brushes can be eye-wateringly expensive.

And why should our bank accounts have to suffer in the name of a flawless base? A couple of years ago, when I realised that a likely reason that my makeup always looked so unnatural was that my application was all wrong, I did some research into upping my brush game. As I scrolled the internet, I shed a single tear over the prices of some of the brushes that experts were recommending.

That was until I stumbled across a video whereby celebrity makeup artist, Lisa Eldridge, recommended a little known German brand, Zoeva. After a little more digging, I discovered that actually almost every big makeup artist in the business was a fan of Zoeva brushes, from Cate Blanchett’s right-hand makeup woman, Mary Greenwell, to my personal Instagram makeup guru Lisa Potter-Dixon. Naturally, I put in an order.

First of all, I just want to say that Zoeva brushes genuinely are very affordable given their quality. Seriously – most of the brushes come in at under £30. Most impressively, you can actually get a complete brush set, including face, eye and lip brushes, for £115 which is just a fraction of what you might pay for other brands. On top of all of that, Zoeva brushes have totally revolutionised my makeup routine. Since adding them to my collection, my makeup game really has improved tenfold. They’re fluffy but dense, soft and gentle, and generally make applying makeup a total dream.

So, if you’re desperately seeking some new brushes to add to your beauty arsenal that don’t cost you an arm and a leg, keep scrolling for the Zoeva brushes that you should have on your radar (and they all cost less than £20).

This is by far one of the best all-rounder brushes I own. It buffs foundation into the skin seamlessly, but it is also a great blending brush for contour and blush.  

When you’re strapped for time, it’s totally acceptable to apply your under-eye concealer with your finger. However, when it comes to applying a full face, you’ll be blown away by just how much more natural your coverage looks when your concealer has been applied with a brush. This one is dense, making it perfect for packing on under-eye cover up.

Achieving the perfect smoky eye is a breeze thanks to this precise brush. The dense nib makes applying darker shades along the lash line for a more intense look a total walk in the park.

This little guy is a firm makeup artist favourite and is regularly raved about by makeup maestro Lisa Eldridge. Having painted the faces of Victoria Beckham, Keira Knightley and Emma Roberts (to name just a few), it’s safe to say this versatile sculpting brush is a winner.

If you don’t consider yourself much of a whizz when it comes to applying eye shadow, this brush makes the whole ordeal a lot easier. Perfectly sized and suitably fluffy to create the perfect crease definition, it’s a must-have in my collection.

Blush brushes of this calibre usually come with a hefty price tag, but this angled cheek brush is seriously affordable. Perfect for applying loose powder, blusher and bronzer, it’s a total multitasker.

Next up, 13 under-eye concealers that don't crease or settle into lines.