The 12 Best Eyeshadow Brushes to Create Gorgeous, Effortlessly Blended Looks
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Your eyeshadow application is about to get a whole lot easier.
InStyle / Kristin Kempa
While makeup brushes are optional when applying your complexion products (some prefer blending foundation, tinted moisturizer, and other cream products with their fingers), eyeshadows are a different ball game. The eye is a smaller area, but that doesn’t mean creating a perfectly blended smoky eye is a simple swipe-and-go process. The eye area has sharp angles, a few contours, two lash lines, plus a whole lot of shading and blending across the lid, crease, and lash line to create a soft, diffused look. “Using proper eyeshadow brushes is important when it comes to creating more advanced looks such as a smoky eye or blended crease using multiple colors,” says Sara Edward Wayne, an LA-based makeup artist and CEO of Outlaw Cosmetics.
To help you find the best eyeshadow brushes, we conducted hours of research to compile this list with expert recommendations, all while considering various shapes and bristle densities for blending, defining, and smudging the compact eyelid real estate.
Best Overall: Ilia Blending Brush
What We Love: The brush handle is lightweight, making it easier to control blending.
What We Don't Love: It's fluffy, so it won't work well for precision work like applying shadow in the crease.
How much do we love the Blending Brush from Ilia? Let us count the ways. For one, its round, fluffy shape makes it an excellent choice for buffing a transition shade into your crease. We love that the feather-light handle is constructed of FSC-certified, ethically harvested wood, and that the synthetic bristles don't feel scratchy or irritating on the eyes. But perhaps the thing we adore most about this brush is its versatility: It works for a range of eye shapes and sizes, and can be used for more than just eyeshadow (use it to spot-set areas of your face with setting powder, or to apply highlighter onto your cheekbones, tip of the nose, or cupid's bow).
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Eye contour, eye crease | Vegan: Yes
Best Budget: e.l.f. Essentials Eyeliner Brush
What We Love: This applies eyeshadow very precisely, even if you have long eyelashes that have the potential for getting in the way.
What We Don't Love: With multiple washes, the outer bristles may flare out.
What's small, flat-tipped, and less than $5? The e.l.f. Essentials Eyeliner Brush, of course. The bristles are firm and dense, so you won't feel the need to dip back into your eyeshadow to pick up more product. What really makes this brush stand out, though, is its straight edge, which is great for getting super close to the lash line and defining the eyes. The bristles are also just long enough, meaning you won't lose precision (especially helpful if you have long eyelashes).
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Lower lash line, upper lash line | Vegan: Yes
Best Blending: MAC 224 Synthetic Tapered Blending Brush
What We Love: The medium size and dome shape makes it ideal for all eye sizes and lid surfaces.
What We Don't Love: The brush isn't the softest.
MAC Cosmetics remain the go-to brand for professional makeup artists—and those of us who love to get creative with our eye makeup. Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist, is a fan of the MAC Cosmetics 224 Synthetic Tapered Blending Brush, noting it's a staple in her kit. It's especially good for blending eyeshadow in the upper crease since the bristles are long in the middle and shorter along the sides, which makes for beautifully diffused shadow overall. The $36 price point may seem high at first glance, but MAC brushes are durable, of high quality, and well-known to last several years and through multiple washes (meaning you won't have to worry about the bristles shedding or the handle falling off).
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Crease | Vegan: Yes
Best for Small Eyes: Merit Brush No. 2 Double Sided Eyeshadow Brush
What We Love: This has both a fluffy and tapered end to help with multiple steps of your eye routine.
What We Don't Love: Because it's dual-ended, it can be tricky to store this brush.
Some may see pencil brushes as nonessential, but you'll quickly realize how versatile they are once you have one in your collection. Our pencil brush of choice? The Merit Brush No. 2 Double-Sided Eyeshadow Brush. It features two ends: A fluffy side best for blending areas like the crease and outer V-shape, plus a more tapered side for areas like inner corner highlight and lower lash line. The vegan, synthetic bristles feel soft around the eyes, too.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Inner corner, crease, outer lid | Vegan: Yes
Best for Creases: Sephora Collection PRO Crease Brush #26
What We Love: Since it's synthetic, it works well for both cream and powder eyeshadows.
What We Don't Love: While it's great for diffusing, it's not dense or tapered enough for precise blending.
This vegan fluffy brush is great to keep on hand after applying your upper crease, transition, and brow bone shadows since it diffuses everything together and eliminates any harsh lines. As with all 30 of the brushes in the Sephora Pro Collection, the handle on the #26 brush is tapered and makes for a steady grip—perfect for those with a shaky hand. We love that this brush can be used for marrying crease colors together for a traditional smoky eye look, or for quickly popping on a crease shade for a minimal eye look. Another thing we love? You won't have to worry about the brush losing its integrity even after multiple washes, which makes it great for both makeup artists and eyeshadow enthusiasts.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Upper crease | Vegan: Yes
Best for Beginners: Sigma Beauty Glam ‘n’ Go Mini Eye Brush Set
What We Love: You can create nearly any eye look you want with this mini eyeshadow brush trio specifically designed for travel.
What We Don't Love: Given the smaller size of the brush heads, you’ll need to wash them after each use, especially if you want to wear a bright shade one night and a neutral the next.
Most makeup brushes aren’t made for travel—but this supremely curated eyeshadow brush set from Sigma is not only intended for long weekends and extended vacations alike, but it doesn’t compromise the high quality materials or construction we’ve come to expect from the brand. This no-nonsense trio includes a blending brush, pencil brush, and eye shading brush, all in a travel-friendly mini size, along with a discreet black makeup bag to store them in so you can stay worry-free about the bristles snagging or becoming unruly. We think this trio is a great entry for eyeshadow beginners because you’ll get everything you need in these eyeshadow brushes (one for all-over base color, one for blending, one for precision and smudging) to create a wide range of looks without an overwhelmingly huge brush set.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Blending creases, painting lash lines, all-over color on lids | Vegan: Yes
Best for Hooded Eyes: Hourglass No. 11 Smudge Brush
What We Love: Because the brush is small and short, it's great for those with hooded eyes.
What We Don't Love: If you're more of a natural makeup wearer, you may not have a use for this brush.
Thanks to its short, tapered shape and densely packed bristles, the Hourglass No. 11 Smudge Brush is perfect for sultry smoky eyes or grungy looks that require intense eyeshadow colors. We love that it picks up a decent amount of both cream and powder products, and that it can be used to smoke out your eyeliner, smudge your lower lash line, or even apply your brow bone highlight—the choice is yours.
Bristle Material: Synthetic taklon fibers | Intended Use: Lash line, outer V | Vegan: Yes
Best for Mature Skin: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tapered Lip and Liner Brush #3
What We Love: It can also be used to shade brows or apply lip liner, courtesy of the ultra-pointed tip.
What We Don't Love: Keeping the delicate pointed tip bristles perfectly intact is stressful.
Crafted with incredibly soft bristles and one of the most pointed, focused brush head shapes we’ve ever seen, this stiff tapered number allows for total control and precision around the upper and lower lash line, preventing product from sliding into creases or fine lines. With a thicket of densely packed bristles, the brush head is firmer than it appears, making for easy and swift applications from the inner corner of the eye to the outer cat wing without dragging or even a single skip. Use it with powder, cream, or even a gel formulation, and you’ll find the same result: A neatly drawn, thick-looking lash line that enhances a smoky eye or worn solo for a soft lined look.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Upper and lower lash line | Vegan: Yes
Best Set: Morphe Vegan Pro 5-Piece Eye Brush Set
What We Love: This comes with a brush holder that you can take with you on the go.
What We Don't Love: We’d love to see a smudging brush in this set.
This five-piece brush set from Morphe has all the basics you need for a range of eyeshadow looks without making you feel overwhelmed. Within the set you'll find a packing, smudger, soft pointed, medium pointed, and flat domed brush—all housed in a brush tin with a lid that can easily be used for travel (or for storing on your vanity). The brushes are soft, don't shed, and can be used to pack on an all-over lid shade, contour the crease, and apply eyeliner.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Lid, crease, lash line | Vegan: Yes
Best for Glitter: Makeup By Mario E4 Eyeshadow Shader Brush
What We Love: Pack on the pigment, glitter, and more with ease.
What We Don't Love: Glitter and metallic finishes can settle into the bristles, so be sure to clean it after each use.
Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic reinvented the modern smoky eye with the iconic come hither eye looks he created for Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Chrissy Teigen, and his best-selling eyeshadow brushes are so good, they basically do all the hard work for you. This large, paddle-shaped eyeshadow brush is a must-have for beginners for its straightforward use—with long strokes, simply swipe your eyeshadow from the base of the lash line to the top of the brow bone for an all-over wash of color. Wear it solo for a one-dimensional look or layer darker shades on top and blend into the crease for a striking smoky eye. But the best part is the way the packed brush head holds both shadow and glitter, preventing dusty fallout or flecks of sparkle from landing on your under-eye.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: All-over lid color shading | Vegan: Yes
Best for Cream Eyeshadow: Tarte Cream Shadow Brush
What We Love: The bamboo handle is a nice touch and more aesthetically pleasing.
What We Don't Love: The dome shape doesn't really allow for diffusing shadow in the upper crease.
Cream eyeshadows are great as a base layer because they extend the wear of powder eyeshadows and make for more precise, patch-free application. It's made with silky-smooth synthetic bristles that'll apply cream products evenly without feeling scratchy on the eyes. Plus, the brush hairs are crafted for longevity and resist breakage.
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: All-over lid, crease | Vegan: Yes
Best for Smoky Eyes: Real Techniques Eye Shade + Blend
What We Love: Real Techniques brushes are insanely plush and soft, which is great for sensitive eyes.
What We Don't Love: The brushes may be too big for those with hooded or small eyes.
Smoky eyes, you've met your match. This set from Real Techniques comes with a trio of brushes to make applying, contouring, and diffusing your eyeshadows a breeze. The flat lid brush helps lay down a cream or powder base eyeshadow while the crease brush helps define and blend the upper and outer crease. As for the angled brush, it can be used for smoking out your eyeliner or to fill in gaps in your eyebrows (plus, you can flip it to the spoolie side to comb through your brows).
Bristle Material: Synthetic | Intended Use: Eyelid, crease | Vegan: Yes
What to Keep in Mind
Natural vs. Synthetic Bristles: Synthetic hair brushes are usually constructed from man-made materials such as nylon or taklon. They retain their shape well and absorb less product, which is why they work so well for both cream products. Natural hair brushes are derived from animal hair and are typically more expensive. "I prefer natural brush hair because it grips the shadows better in my opinion, however, most brands have switched to synthetic hair," says Dresher. "I prefer to use synthetic hair brushes with cream and use natural hair brushes with powder."
Brush Head Shape: There are several types of eyeshadow brush shapes, and each is made for a specific purpose and step. For instance, a brush intended for an all-over base color, glitter shadows, or rich pigments is usually flat with densely packed bristles to grab and hold the shadow, says Wayne, while a brush with long, loose bristles that feel soft and fluffy rather than firm and stiff, are best to blend and diffuse shadows between the crease and lid for a smooth transition between the two. "A blending brush is what's going to piece your look together, either to blend a darker shade into your crease or to blend out a smokey eye," says Wayne. A smudger brush is characterized by short, dense bristles and a rounded or flat-edged tip—great for applying shadow to the often hard-to-reach lower lash line. Finally, a pencil brush has a small, dome-shaped tip that can help with targeting smaller areas like the inner corner and lower lash line.
Bristle Density: Generally, says Wayne, "the denser the brush head, the more pigment it’s going to distribute onto lids." For rich pressed pigments and shadows packed with glitter or sparkles, go for a small, flat-top brush with bristles packed so tightly it feels firm, to get a wash of color that is true to the shade in the eyeshadow pot. Fluffy brush heads aren’t intended to deposit color onto lids, but will help diffuse several textures, shades, and finish together for a soft and smooth final look.
Your Questions, Answered
How many eyeshadow brushes should you have?
According to Dresher, you'll definitely want your kit to have a flat shader brush to pack on shadows onto the lid, a pencil brush to darken the outer corner or highlight the inner corner, and an angled brush for lining the eye on the upper and lower lid. A tapered fluffy blending brush for the crease is also essential.
Do you wash eyeshadow brushes after each use?
"Ideally, brushes should be cleaned after every application to prevent bacterial growth," says Wayne. "A good antibacterial brush cleaner in a spray bottle works well in between applications, and giving your brushes a good deep clean with a mild soap such as baby shampoo and warm water and letting them air dry overnight is recommended weekly."
Why Shop with Us
Michelle Rostamian is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience covering all things beauty, makeup, and skincare. As a makeup brush lover, she knows the importance of having the right tools for makeup application, especially when it comes to precise eye looks. For this story, she researched the best eyeshadow brushes of all types and for all uses. She also interviewed Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist and Sarah Edward Wayne, a makeup and lash artist and CEO of Outlaw Cosmetics.
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