best eyeshadow brushes

15 Best Eyeshadow Brushes for Flawless Eye Makeup Application

While many makeup brands seem to focus on presenting you with brush sets, we thought it would be more beneficial to hone in on the individual options. When we buy brush sets, usually, we only use some of them, making it rather pointless to spend money on eyeshadow brushes that you’ll never use. If you’re serious about your makeup application tools, then we are happy to welcome you to look at our guide to the best eyeshadow brushes below below.

We’ll highlight the top tools and we will also provide you with a few helpful shopping tips, which will make the selection process easier!

Before You Choose

To start with the guide, here are a few things to remember as you shop for brushes:

  • Bristle Type. While it may be common for brushes to contain real animal hair – or so-called “natural fibers” – in the makeup world, synthetic fibers are actually still the best. Aside from being a product that is cruelty-free, you can also avoid any potential eye irritation due to fur allergies.
  • Take Inventory. Before you run out and buy new brushes, it’s always a good idea to take a good look at what you already have first.

Do you have any brush that has been losing the bristles that you would like to replace? Are any of them already worn down and therefore working less effectively?

This step is necessary, because it will help you to replace what you actually need to replace, and add what is missing!

Brush Head Details

When choosing eyeshadow brushes, you might want to consider a few things below:

  • Brush Head Size. Remember that specific brush tips are shaped in certain ways with a design that will help you achieve particular drawing and blending techniques. Larger eyeshadow brushes with soft, flexible bristles are great for applying the product over a large surface area, blending, or also adding color to your creases. While large brushes with dense, stiff bristles are great for applying primer and cream shadow over the eye. Moreover, some of them will also double up as a concealer brush as long as you clean them properly. Meanwhile, smaller brushes are used for the precision detail work. For instance, it will be useful for you add small amounts of color to a very concentrated area of the eye.
  • Brush Head Shape. The size and the shape definitely tie in together, but here, we are actually thinking more on the side of the actual bristle shape. Some have pointed out tips for more precise application along the crease, while some are angled to help you achieve more specific blending techniques. Some are round or C-shaped, which will help you reach into particular areas for even application. Furthermore, if you’re interested in eyeshadow brushes, then you might need to find out what the primary function is, and also the type of eyeshadow you can use. For instance, you can use some brushes for dry or cream shadows, while others can only be used for a single type of eyeshadow.

Top 15 Best Eyeshadow Brushes

After understanding what type and size of brushes you can use, below we have a list of the top eyeshadow brushes you can pick to create a flawless eye makeup look.


best eyeshadow brushes

1. Duo Eye Shadow Brush Blending Eyeshadow

This brush is all you need for creating a professional and polished look. It combines the shader brush for packing on shadow and blending brush for applying a transition shade to the crease. The combination of both brushes will definitely make blending and diffusing harsh lines easy, using just one simple yet useful tool. Furthermore, it will also give you professional results like high-end brushes at an affordable price.


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best eyeshadow brushes

2. Profusion Cosmetics Small Firm Eyeshadow Brush

Profusion firm eyeshadow brush is designed to allow you to smoothly apply, set, define, blend, and smudge your eyeshadow evenly. You can do all of them throughout your eyelids in order to get the desired natural flawless finish. Moreover, you can also use it to create a sharp and precise line on the upper or lower lash lines with gel, cream, or even powder eyeshadows.


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best eyeshadow brushes

3. Bon-clá Eyeshadow Smudge Brush

The flat headed smudging brush like this one can be used to seamlessly blend your makeup perfectly. It is suitable for smoothing lines drawn by an eyeliner pencil, with a final result of achieving a smooth transition effect. The brush is not only features a high quality birch wood handle that is easy to hold, but it also features the chrome plated copper ferrule, which is sturdy and will definitely keep hair fibers firmly in place.


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best eyeshadow brushes

4. Honest Beauty Blend & Smudge Brush

This double-ended brush features a blending and smudging function that will give your eyeshadow that smooth air-brushed effect. It is designed to blend, smudge, buff, and build with extra precision. Moreover, it’s important for us to tell you that this  product is cruelty free, plus it works for all skin types. Last but not least, it is made of renewable bamboo and synthetic brush that is better and more friendly for the environment.


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best eyeshadow brushes

5. Julep With the Right Tools All-Over Eyeshadow Brush

This next item is a perfectly tapered oval-shaped brush, which is best for maximum color payoff and minimal dusting. This brush is ideal for all-over eye application, where you can build the eyeshadow to achieve the desired finish. You can use it to apply light eyeshadow and for intense color, and you can do it easily, too! Simply wet the brush to get the optimal pigment payoff, and voila! you’re all set.


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best eyeshadow brushes

6. MAKEUP BY MARIO EF 1 Makeup Brush

This Makeup By Mario brush is made with a custom blend of synthetic and vegan fibers, plus 100% FSC-certified birchwood handles. This brush features a soft and flat brush head for targeted application of cream formulas and shadows. Furthermore, the fluffy hairs on the other end are also come as the perfect features for blending, setting, and not to mention, diffusing.


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best eyeshadow brushes

7. MAKE UP FOR EVER 216 Medium Precision Eye Blender Brush

This brush from Makeup Forever is a medium and rounded brush used to smudge along the lash line and in the crease. It features dense fibers to pick up product for high color payoff and intensity. In addition, it also features straight fibers, which can be used along with loose and pressed eyeshadow powders, as well as pencil eye liners. Even better, this one also comes as the ideal brush with the perfect shape for smudging.


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best eyeshadow brushes

8. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Plush Eyeshadow Brush 240

Fenty Beauty offers an ultra-plush, fluffy eyeshadow brush, which was designed for easy, all-over application as well as flawless blending. This brush was specifically made to quickly sweep across your entire lid. Plus, it will blend shadows for a soft-focus effect, too! Designed with soft, synthetic bristles, this brush evenly lays down and diffuses pigments to the eyelids and blends them smoothly.


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best eyeshadow brushes

9. Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable All – Over Eyeshadow Brush

This one comes from Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez. It’s a cruelty-free eyeshadow brush, which comes in a perfect shape for easy blending. With a unique dense and angled shape, this brush has a shape that mimics your fingertip for maximum control. It is definitely fluffy enough to blend seamlessly, yet firm enough to give you better control. Moreover, the bristles are super soft and densely packed to work perfectly with your favorite eyeshadow formula.


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best eyeshadow brushes

10. SEPHORA COLLECTION Makeup Match Crease Eyeshadow Brush

This one another choice of environmentally-friendly brush product, which comes from Sephora. It’s a vegan brush with a slightly tapered head, which allows you to easily apply powder or cream eyeshadows to eyelid creases and contours. With its slightly tapered head, this brush is able to deliver targeted application, plus blending for a defined and contoured crease. Furthermore, the soft and synthetic fibers also work well with all formula types, ranging from cream to powder.


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best eyeshadow brushes

11. Wet n Wild Essential Eyeshadow Brush

The pro line of Essential Brush is not just lovely to see, because it also features ultra-plush synthetic fibers that pick up and distribute powder pigment effortlessly. Plus it comes along with handles designed for the utmost precision. This shadow brush features soft founded bristles that pick up pigment effortlessly while sweeping the perfect amount across the entire lid. Last but not least, the comfort-fit handles are specifically designed to make applying makeup a breeze.


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best eyeshadow brushes

12. Clinique Eyeshadow Brush

Clinique Eye Shadow Brush features the perfectly size and shape, which makes it easy for you to apply eyeshadow exactly where you want it. Aside from having a soft brush that has a gentle touch for applying shadow on lids, this brush can also be used for highlighting the area under the brow bone, too. Moreover, you will be happy to hear that this brush also has an antimicrobial technology to keep it clean. 


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best eyeshadow brushes

13. NYX Professional Makeup Pro All Over Shadow Brush

This medium eyeshadow brush is great for applying sheer color or layering. Plus, it will also be a great brush for applying or layering eyeshadow and glitter. This vegan brush feels soft on your eyelids and applies your eyeshadow palettes like a dream. Best of all, it is also cruelty free so you can feel good when using it.


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best eyeshadow brushes

14. ULTA Small Shadow Brush #42

This is a versatile eyeshadow brush that allows a more controlled color application to any desired area of the lid. It is ideal for precise eyeshadow application and detail, especially since it is made of premium natural hair and wood handles. In addition, this brush is best used with powder eyeshadows, but you can use it for shimmer eyeshadow as well. 


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best eyeshadow brushes

15. e.l.f. Cosmetics Eyeshadow ”C” Brush

A soft synthetic hair brush that is absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. It is medium in size, offering more control for precision blending. Moreover, it works well with powder eyeshadow, which will help to create the perfect smoky eyes look. Even better, the bristles are also packed densely and firmly to prevent shedding.


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Which Eyeshadow Brush is Best?

To be fair, the answer basically depends on various factors. Not only depends on the brush materials, but also its based on the shape and your overall eye makeup goal. Not to mention the size and materials of the wand, which also plays an important role for that matter. In overall, the best eyeshadow brush would be the one that is most comfortable for you to use, and give you the best and most desired result.

How Many Brushes Do You need for Eyeshadow?

It also depends on your needs and expertise level. But if you are a beginner, then you need at least four types of eyeshadow brushes, which are a flat eyeshadow brush to place the base color, a crease brush to create details on the crease, an eyeliner brush to deepen the shadow on the lash line, and lastly, a fluffy brush for blending.

What is the Purpose of a Firm Eyeshadow Brush?

The main purpose of a firm eyeshadow brush is basically to pack dense color on the eyelid. This type of brush is great to place base color and intensify the eyeshadow color. Moreover, you can also use this brush to apply eyeshadow base or primer allowing you to have a smooth and even application.

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