Best Cruelty Free Makeup Brushes for Gifting

Best Cruelty Free Makeup Brushes for Gifting

I’m always asked for makeup brush recommendations, so today I’m sharing the best cruelty free makeup brushes for gifting. The right blending brushes have really helped me to improve my makeup application technique. These are best sets and individual brushes to help elevate your makeup game.

Pr + Purchased by me.

All brushes are cruelty free and vegan. Some brands are also eco-friendly.

Urban Decay Pro Makeup Brushes for Gifting

The Urban Decay Pro Brush line is my go-to these days. I bought a ton of brushes from the collection this summer and fell in love with them. They’re very elegant looking, with long textured handles. The super soft synthetic hair is made from recycled plastic bottles. They’re very easy to clean. In addition to being cruelty free, vegan, and chic, they’re also eco-friendly. (check out my review)

My must-have brushes

• Tapered Blending – This replaced my Goss 6 brush because it’s perfect for blending in the crease and feathering out color to create a seamless gradient.
• Iconic Eyeshadow – The best multi-purpose eyeshadow brush and definitely worthy of the iconic name. I’ve been practicing doing my makeup with it and you can pretty much do an entire eye look with just this brush. You can use it to pat color on the lid, sweep color into the crease, blend it into the transition, etc. It’s wonderful.
• Detailed Smudger – I prefer this for applying shadow to the lower lid or to smudge a color along the lash line.
• Tightline – Best at smudging liner right at the roots of my lashes.
• Moondust – Perfect for packing color onto the lid.
• Angled Lip – I know this is a lip brush, but because I have hooded eyes, I also use it as a lid brush, it works especially well at the inner lid for my limited lid space.
• Large Eyeshadow – I use this to apply my eyeshadow primer to my entire lid.
• Large Blending – This makes everything perfectly diffused.
• Diffusing Blush – This is the best blush brush for my face shape. It’s the perfect size to apply blush between contour and highlight.
• Flat Optical Blurring – I just bought this brush. It’s supposed to be the best for giving you full coverage with your foundation.
• Optical Blurring – Great for applying foundation.

 

Urban Decay Most Wanted Brush Set
The Urban Decay Most Wanted Brush Set is made up of three double-ended, cruelty-free brushes in a zippered travel case. The zippered case is pretty, purple and black swirled smoke and roses. This is limited edition. I’m not gonna lie, I bought this brush set for myself because I wanted the brushes and the makeup bag.

Makeup Geek Makeup Brushes for Gifting

I love the Makeup Geek brushes and they’re an affordable, indie alternative. The brushes have a bronze gunmetal ferrule and espresso tinted handle. The fibers are all synthetic. (see my review)

My must-have brushes

• Pencil – Best for lining around the eyes, smudging out color.
• Defined Crease – Perfect for the smoky dome shape on hooded eyes.
• Bent Liner – One of the best ever for gel liner.
• Soft Dome – The best for blending and applying a transitional color.
• Pointed Crease – Good for blending.
• Chiseled Cheek – Really great for contouring the cheeks and chin.
• Face Buffer – Great for applying powder to the face.

Makeup Geek Eye Brush Bundle – $49
The Eye Brush Bundle comes with the soft dome, outer v, bent liner, pencil, small crease, pointed crease, and dual-ended brow brush.

Makeup Geek Face Brush Bundle – $45
The Face Brush bundle comes with the angled stippling, rounded blush, face buffer, angled contour, and cheek highlighter brushes.

Real Techniques Makeup Brushes for Gifting

Real Techniques, founded by Sam and Nic Chapman (the Pixiwoo sisters from Youtube), is an awesome brush brand. I’ve bought, used and gifted their brushes many times. They’re perfect for someone who loves color, since many of the brushes are purple and pink.

My must-have brushes

• Base Eyeshadow – It’s perfect for applying your base eyeshadow shade to the lid or for softly blending. Also good for applying a light transition color.
• Setting – This is the best at applying highlighter. It’s also for setting powder. It’s my go-to highlighter brush.
• Duo-Fiber Contour – I love this for contouring the cheeks and it can be used for blush too.
• Stippling – I find this is best for applying a thin layer of foundation.
• Accent – Perfect for applying eyeshadow to my tiny lids. Most lid brushes are too big for me.
• Smudge – Great for applying color to the lower lash line.
• Powder Bleu Brushes – the absolute best brushes that Real Techniques has made (see  my review)

Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection Deluxe Illumination Set
The Bold Metals Collection Deluxe Illumination Set has the 100 Arched Powder Brush, 102 Triangle Concealer Brush, 200 Oval Shadow Brush, 201 Pointed Crease Brush, 301 Flat Contour Brush, 300 Tapered Brush, Miracle Diamond Sponge and brush stand.

Real Techniques Filtered Face Set
The Filtered Face Set is an $80 value set. It comes with the miracle complexion sponge, miracle sculpting sponge, miracle mini eraser, buffing brush, contour brush, domed shadow brush, duo-fiber eye brush, shading brush, setting brush, lip brush, stippling brush and brush cup.

Real Techniques Illuminate + Accentuate Set
The Illuminate + Accentuate Set lets you sculpt your features with a bronzer brush, contour brush, domed shadow brush, shading brush, smudge brush, miracle complexion sponge and miracle mini eraser sponge.

Real Techniques Essentials For a Flawless Face Set
The Essentials For a Flawless Face Set has the precision contour brush, large foundation brush, square lip brush, full coverage eye brush and dual-ended expert sponge.

 

Real Techniques Multitask Set – $19.99
I’ve been lemming this set because of the new face brush. It’s an angled cut face brush for contouring or blush. It also has a cheek brush for highlighting, contouring or blush. The eye brush can be used to apply crease color, highlight the browbone or softly smudge along the lower lash line.

Sigma Beauty Makeup Brushes for Gifting

The Sigma Beauty SigmaTech fibers are synthetic fibers engineered to outperform animal hair brushes. They don’t absorb cream or powder products, they’re antibacterial, hypoallergenic and will maintain their original shape and color even after multiple washes. The handles are made from sustainable wood. They have a ton of brush gift sets and I’ve listed a few below.

I use Sigma brushes daily for my hooded eyes. They make a ton of great small brushes that fit my eyes.

My must-have brushes

• E06 Winged Eyeliner – This brush is the reason I can do winged eyeliner. It’s the best! It’s so tiny and precise that it’s perfect for getting along my lash line and creating the base of a wing. I also like it for when I only want to tightline my eyes.
• E36 Blending – This brush is the best brush for hooded eyes! It’s small and fits perfectly into the socket to help diffuse color. Use it to deepen the crease or to blend out the transition.
• E25 Blending – This is very similar to the goss 6 brush, so it’s great for blending. You can also use it to pat color on the lid.
• E21 Smudge – I use it to apply highlighter precisely under the eyebrows, to smudge shadow at the lower lid, to cut a crease, or to line.
• E30 Pencil – This is a good pencil brush.
• E40 Large Blending – This is great for making sure you have a seamless gradient of color in the crease.
• E47 Shader – I like this to highlight at the inner corner, for blending out the lower lash line, and for blending the outer v.
• F88 Flat Angled Kabuki – This is great for applying foundation to the face. It’s worked for me with tricky creams, powders and liquids.
• E32 Exact Blend – Good for adding a pop of color to the outer corner or precise blending.
• E38 Diffused Crease – Perfect for blending the crease and transition together.

Sigma Beauty Performance Eyes Kit – $58.80
The Performance Eyes Kit comes with the E11 eye liner, E16 tightline, E17 waterline, E21 smudge, E36 blending, E46 inner corner, E47 crease, and E56 lid.

Sigma Beauty Basic Face Kit – $83
The Basic Face Kit comes with the F30 large powder, F40 large angled contour, F50 duofiber, F60 foundation and F70 concealer.

Sigma Beauty Baking Kit – $84
The Baking & Strobing Brush set has the F06 Powder Sweet, F42 Strobing Fan, F79 Concealer Blend Kabuki, F89 Bake Kabuki, and P89 Bake Precision.

Sigma Beauty Best of Sigma Beauty Kit – $92
The Best of Sigma Beauty Kit comes with the F80 Flat Kabuki, P88 Precision Flat Angled, F64 Soft Blend Concealer, E57 Firm Shader, E38 Diffused Crease, E34 Domed Utility and E21 Smudge brushes.

Kat Von D Beauty Makeup Brushes for Gifting

Kat Von D Beauty does not have very many brushes, but the few brushes they have are stylish, beautiful, and perfect for gifting.

My must-have brushes

• Shade+Light Eye Contour – Really the best for creating a cut crease and blending. Comes in a cool coffin case. Very goth chic.
• Lock-It Edge Concealer – This is the best concealer brush for around the eyes, nose and brows with concealer or foundation. I love it.
• Lock-It Edge Foundation – This is a must-have for full coverage liquid foundations.
• Lock-It Setting Powder – Great for baking and setting around the face.
• Lock-It Precision Powder Brush – Specifically for use under the eyes.
• Shade + Light Face Contour – It’s supposed to be perfect for contouring and highlighting the face.

EcoTools Makeup Brushes for Gifting

When I first started getting into makeup, I had one set of ancient MAC brushes, so I bought some ecoTools brushes. I was pleasantly surprised that brushes from the drugstore could be so eco friendly, cruelty free, vegan and good quality. These brushes are made with sustainable bamboo handles and synthetic taklon bristles.

My must-have brushes

• Large eye – Perfect for applying your base shade.
• Petite eye shading – The best lid brush for hooded eyes.
• Smudge – Great for the lower lid.
• Highlighting – Good for highlighting at the inner corner and blending.
• Angled crease – Good for the outer lid / outer crease color.

EcoTools Forever Favorites Collection
The EcoTools Forever Favorites Collection has the skin perfecting brush, detail concealer brush, airbrush concealer brush, micro blending brush, full powder brush, full shadow brush, blending brush, angled liner brush, seamless stippling brush, highlighting brush, define brush, large base blender, perfecting detail blender and mini detail blender.

EcoTools Essentials Set – $10.99
Comes with the large eye, angled crease, petite eye, highlighting and smudge brushes. I’ve included this brush set in many giveaways on my blog, plus bought it for friends and family who expressed an interest in makeup.

 

Other Makeup Brushes for Gifting

 

Too Faced Teddy Bear Hair 5 Piece Set – $65
This adorable set has – powder, contour, all-over eyeshadow, blender, and liner brushes. It also includes the heart print bag with teddy bear zipper pull.

Royal and Langnickel Moda Perfect Mineral Professional Makeup Brush Set
The Moda Perfect Mineral Professional Makeup Brush Set feels amazing! I was able to touch these brushes at CosmoProf this summer and was really impressed with their quality. This is an excellent brush set that’s very reasonably priced.

MODA Prismatic Face Perfecting Makeup Blending Brushes with Handles Set
The Moda Prismatic Face Perfecting Makeup Blending Brushes with Handles Set is absolutely stunning! I love the mermaid-inspired rainbow handles and the plush bristles.

 

 

With so many brush brands out there, I know it can be hard to choose a set of brushes. Hopefully this guide will help you narrow down your list for the best makeup brushes for gifting. The ecoTools brush sets are the most budget-friendly option. If you want to splurge on a brush set, try Urban Decay or Sigma. Both Real Techniques and Makeup Geek have affordable brush sets for under $50. You could also put together your own gift set with individual brushes.

Will you be buying any Makeup Brushes for Gifting this year?