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Makeup is a lifesaver for so many people! Just think about how much worse off people would be if they didn’t have a way to improve their appearance. As shallow as that might sound, it’s the truth! We feel good if we look good! And you know what really makes you look good, in addition to the actual cosmetics? The tools you use to apply them of course! Makeup brushes are an essential part of makeup artistry and you as a user will need the right brush kit at your disposal in order to get a particular, desired look. Best ELF Makeup Brush sets in the Current Market
A brand that makes brush sets is e.l.f and although they aren’t the most premium brand, they provide a pretty good value proposition for their brush sets and it’ll definitely be a good offering that is right up most people’s territory.
I know it is a lot of work to go through brush sets and what not and even more so if you are generally clueless about all this! Fear not, for I have you covered and will go over a comprehensive list of different brush sets to help you decide on a brush set suitable for you.
A lot of the quality brushes come in sets so it is important to consider the impact of a set
Table of Contents
Best ELF Makeup Brush Sets Reviews
1. elf Makeup brush sets-12 Piece Brush Sets
A rather comprehensive brush set, it includes brushes for facial makeovers and eye makeup and even a few detail brushes to let you build up details in your appearance. Twelve is a lot of brushes, trust me and for a general purpose brush set, it should more than suffice for most people.
The brushes each have their own set of instructions so that you know all the nitty-gritty details about how to use them. Safe to say, you won’t be messing up application unless if you’re too much of an amateur.
Sadly, there is no separate holder to keep all of them so you’ll need to get one yourself. It will be shipped in a thin, plastic bag for carriage.
The brushes in this set are:
Blush/bronzer brush, Defining eye brush, Foundation brush, Eyelash and brow wand, Blending eye brush, Lip defining brush, Smudge eye Brow comb, Sponge eyeliner brush, Eye shadow brush.
PROS:
• Gives you very comprehensive coverage of brushes that will let you cover a lot of bases in terms of what you can do with them. Whether that be eye makeup, face makeup, contouring and detailing, you will be able to do a bit of all of them.
• It isn’t a really expensive set, given everything you can get. As long as the bristles are quality, which they should be, you are in for good returns on your spending.
CONS:
• You’ll struggle to get detailed makeovers done with this set. As a general purpose and rather budget friendly set, can’t really expect to get many detail brushes on board.
2. Studio 11 Piece ELF Makeup Brush Set
A black-themed brush set with eleven different brush sets, this is a slightly more unorthodox brush set with coverage for some facial brushes and some eye makeup brushes.
It comes packaged along with a black cover that lets you carry all the brushes on you in a rather small form factor. The black cover is also quite pleasing to the eye and adds aesthetic points to any dressing table. Maybe you can even use it as a fashion accessory, it’s that fancy!
Coming in at a good price, this offers yet another good value proposition for the price and will be a popular choice among a lot of buyers.
Brush list:
Eyeshadow brush, Angled Foundation Brush, Complexion brush, Concealer brush, Small Angled brush, Small Precision brush, Small Smudge brush, Blush brush, Fan Brush, Contouring brush, Powder brush.
PROS:
• For a well-rounded set, it even managed to include a few detail brushes, which is always a plus.
• Coverage for eye makeup and basic face makeup is quite comprehensive and should give you considerable leverage regarding how much you can get done using this.
CONS:
• It is not going to be the best set in terms of quality and durability. The bristles are all synthetic so the application may be a bit of an issue. I mean, they had to cut corners somewhere, right!? Otherwise, not too many issues are there.
3. e.l.f. 10 Piece Brush Set
Another even number set on offer from e.l.f, this brush set is of good quality, better than many of the budget offerings and is going to give you decent coverage of eye brushes and face brushes to get a holistic and well-rounded look.
The lack of detail brushes must be noted but if you’re not really a high-level makeup user, it shouldn’t be an issue for you.
It sadly does not come with a casing to carry it around. You better have one ready! They are durable but best to keep them protected. You are putting time and money into them so you should really make sure they are well.
Brushes:
Blush brush, Concealer brush, Foundation brush, Eye shadow brush, Brow and comb brush, Smudge eye sponge, Eyelash and eyebrow wand, Lip defining brush, Eyeliner brush, Flawless face brush
PROS:
• It is a good starter kit and will provide decent coverage for people just setting their first foot into the murky world of makeup artistry. A good number of eye and face brushes are here.
• The brushes are the most basic ones for the most part, with the exception of a few and you should be able to pick up the very basics of makeup application with a set like this.
CONS:
• It won’t be the most comprehensive coverage provided by any brush set. It’s missing a few brushes if you’re thinking about complete coverage for all situations.
4. e.l.f. Cosmetics Studio Makeup Brush Black
Another comprehensive brush collection from e.l.f, this kit is found in eleven pieces and is the 2nd black themed collection on this list from the same brand and it even has a similar case to hold all the brushes, like the previous one. Maybe e.l.f have a thing for pretty, black brush sets!
It has good coverage of face brushes and eye brushes, with the face brushes coming it mostly at big sizes. Big brushes are good for diffusion so I imagine e.l.f are trying to provide something of good quality in this offering.
The lack of a detail brush, as in with most others on this list, remains an issue but one that most users can go without as most of the basic use cases are covered. If you really need it though, you can get a good quality one to go along with this set.
Brushes:
Although it is a set of 11 pieces, there are 7 unique brush pieces, followed with duplicates of a few. The 7 are Concealer brush, Fan Brush, Eyeshadow brush, Powder brush, Angled foundation brush, Complexion brush, and Blush brush.
PROS:
• At a fair price, it provides a good number of quality brushes with quality bristles and on top of decent coverage, getting quality products is always a plus.
• A few duplicate brushes are provided, meaning you will always have backups of certain ones.
CONS:
• Only 7 unique brushes are quite limiting in terms of the overall look you can get. It is workable but definitely not recommended!
5. Professional ELF Makeup Brushes
A very basic brush kit, this set from e.l.f only has six brushes and yes, that isn’t a lot but these brushes are of good quality and have the bristle quality and handle to prove it.
It comes packaged in quite a solid box with transparent plastic on top to show off all the brushes. It should provide decent protection in the carriage of the brush set.
Like most basic sets, it has one brush for each critical area; eyes, crease, foundation, lashes, brows, pretty much. One can be plenty in certain situations too so you best not underestimate it.
Given the limitation in brushes, you probably won’t be doing anything particularly detailed with this so you best know this beforehand. Don’t come complaining if it isn’t enough brushes for you! You were warned beforehand, my friend!
PROS:
• It’s a fairly straightforward kit that most people can use, even if the brushes are of good quality. Usually, these kits have slightly worse brushes but having good brushes is always a positive in my books!
CONS:
• Given the limitation in brush quantity, it’ll be useful in very specific cases or when you’re trying to do your makeup on the fly and don’t have time to do stuff with multiple brushes. However, you will more often than not, find the number of brushes to be somewhat limiting.
6. e.l.f. Cosmetics 19 Piece Brush Collection
A very comprehensive brush set this time around, this 19 piece kit from e.l.f is full of quality brushes and will let you do a whole host of things from basic makeover bases and typical eye makeup to the more advanced stuff with the detail and precision brushes.
Individually, these are all mediocre but workable brushes and they let you do everything, an important part of makeup.
Comes in a black theme and although it isn’t quite the looker, it will still look quite fine with all the other black sets in your table. The case holder is also black and has that textured leather look which should mean decent protection or your brushes on the travel.
The set isn’t that portable, given how big it is but who carries around that many brushes with them anyway?! It’ll be on your desk most of the time and do most of what you’ll ever want to do.
Brushes:
Contouring Brush, Selfie Ready Foundation Brush, Flawless Face Brush, Blending Brush, Crease Brush, Eyeshadow “C” Brush, Eyebrow Duo Brush, Small Precision Brush, Angled Eyeliner Brush, Stipple Brush, Powder Brush, Blush Brush, Flawless Concealer Brush, Fan Brush, Highlighting Brush, Mascara Fan Brush, Complexion Brush, Concealer Brush
PROS:
• You’ll struggle to find brush sets that are quite as comprehensive and have this many different brushes. 19 is a bit overkill but it leaves no stone unturned and this might be the only brush kit you ever need to use.
• Brush kits of this kind typically tend to cheap out on the brushes but here, no sacrifices were made in quality. It comes at a premium but it will definitely be worth your money.
CONS:
• You could make a case that most people, except for some really expert users, won’t be using all 19. Considering that it doesn’t come cheap, you would ideally want to use all the brushes at your disposal.
7. E.L.F. Cosmetics Studio Brush Collection
Another black themed brush set from e.l.f, this kit is another high premium brush set and all eleven brushes on this list use very good quality handles and bristles and just the polished finish of the body of the handles ooze premium. You pay a premium so you better get premium!
The bag it comes along with isn’t anything special, just the kind you’d want to carry all those brushes around. They aren’t exactly small so yes, it will be a bit of a bother to carry around all these brushes, even if the case is quite thin.
The case is water-resistant and in general, the bristles are also quite easy to clean up so you won’t have too much trouble with the buildup of gunk and debris if you clean them.
Brushes:
Eyeshadow “C” Brush, Complexion Brush, Small Angled Brush, Small Smudge Brush, Fan Brush, Powder Brush, Angled Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, Small Precision Brush, Blush Brush, Contouring Brush.
PROS:
• Premium product for those premium makeovers. If you need a high-quality makeover job, these are just the tools to get that done. This is going to be a brush set that lets you get some really premium looks on and draw out good details, even with the lack of too many detail brushes.
CONS:
• For the premium you are paying for this, you better be really good at this makeup jig! Otherwise, you’re really overpaying for brushes where you could do most of what you already do with a much cheaper option. Make sure you’re good is what I am trying to say!
8. e.l.f. Cosmetics Essential Brushes
This brush collection comes with six different brushes and a brush cleaner makes up the 7th piece in this list. Again, it is a pretty basic and straightforward set of brushes but of decent quality and bristles. It is quite mysterious why so many of the brush sets are like this but hey, I am not complaining about good brushes!
The addition of the cleaner lets you clean up without the availability of a cleaning kit, something that a lot of people don’t have. The solution works well enough to get your job done. It’s a nice inclusion all around.
The six brush sets will mean that you are restricted to what you can do in terms of versatility but it’s still going to let you do a lot. Don’t underestimate it by any means!
Brushes:
Blending eye brush, Eyeliner Brush, Total Face Brush, Concealer Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Blush Brush.
PROS:
• Does a bit of everything although it does not specialize in anything in particular. A good set for a starter kit or someone who wants to try a good brush set to start off.
CONS:
• Quite limiting an option, a particularly pressing issue given that you pay a premium for it.
• The lack of eye brush variety could be a big issue for some people.
9. e.l.f. Brush It Up Set 1 Ea
A very small, four piece set that is going to be one of the most basic brush sets as it gets. With two options for eye and face each, you are really going to get this only if you are a beginner and need something to get going. Most people who know a little about how to navigate around makeup will be better off with more comprehensive sets.
The brushes are okay, for starter brushes they are quite good but they are not among the best. At the starting level, that is par for the course and here, it isn’t something that I imagine should even affect the purchasing decision at all.
Brushes
The four brushes in question are Powder brush, Blush brush, Small angled brush, Eyeshadow brush.
PROS:
• This is as basic and standard a set as it gets. It is good for anyone wanting to travel with it and for people who want to learn about the very basic application of makeup, starting with the most basic brushes.
• It’s very easy to use! Sometimes, that can be a good thing, especially when you’re starting off.
CONS:
• 4 is perhaps a bit too few! Realistically, you’ll only use it for a short period of time. These brushes have a flat learning curve so you’ll be able to move on to better brushes in no time.
10. E L F Cosmetics Silver Brush Collection
The last kit of brushes on this list, this is silver themed brush collection. This is not a cheap set by any means but for whatever reason, the included case isn’t particularly fancy, not that it should be an issue.
The brushes fit in quite nicely into the case and are well protected inside it as well. It isn’t the sturdiest but it should more than suffice. The silver theme of the handles somewhat goes well with the case, if that is something you care about!
The contents of the inside, the brushes, are a good mix of brushes for eye and face makeup. IT won’t let you do the really detailed stuff but it should be more than enough to let you do the basic stuff and do them well enough.
Brushes:
Eyeshadow “C” Brush, Complexion Brush, Small Angled Brush, Blending Brush, Fan Brush, Powder Brush, Small Precision Brush, Crease Brush, Flawless Concealer Brush, Blush Brush, Eyebrow Duo Brush
PROS:
• Another well-rounded brush set that should let you do most things that you would want to do and do them well enough. Nothing special but quite solid.
CONS:
• The lack of being able to do things with detail and precision is a bit of an issue. Not that it is a deal breaker.
Things to consider for purchase:
So I have gone over a lot of different sets with a different purpose and use cases. Granted, not all of them might be to your liking. Heck, you might not be perfectly content with any! It’s all personal preference after all; we all have our specific wants and needs and need product sets that meet those needs specifically and that isn’t always easy to come across. Therefore, one good guideline to follow is to find factors that you will have to consider before you decide on a set and to see how well a particular brush set meets those factors.
Usually, for a brand like e.l.f, you will want to maximize the value proposition, except for perhaps the most premium brush sets, which, if you are after them, you’re probably not a regular person anyway! Those exceptions aside, from this piece of information, you can probably tell that price and perceived value will, therefore, be quite a vital factor of consideration in purchases. E.l.f are not the most premium brand around and therefore, getting the best bang for your buck is an essential part of choosing a product set. So moving on to consider factors:
Price:
Yes, like most other things in this world, good things cost money! And although e.l.f do have some nifty product sets at decent prices you will have to pay the premium to get premium. However, I understand that not everyone has an infinite budget that they can spend on brush sets so if those are beyond your acceptable price, you can more than do well with the offerings that are within that range. It will need some hunting out but the products are there, I am sure!
Quality of bristles:
Now, this is one aspect where you are somewhat limited, Other than the most premium sets, e.l.f brushes tend to lean towards using synthetic bristles instead of natural ones. A part of this may be attributed to the fact that they are one of the more animal safety focused brands but also since synthetic ones are cheaper to make, they will be in the bulk of the brushes you come across. I know, natural bristles might be better for application and feel better on the skin but it’s the price you pay for the quality stuff! And hey, if animal safety matters to you, you won’t mind getting synthetic bristles, will you? It is but a small price to pay in the broader scheme of things!
Case:
Cases are important if you want to carry your brushes around and in this regard, I can say with confidence that the cases are of pretty good size. They are usually big enough to accommodate all the different brushes that need storing but at the same time, are not even that big. The thin, long-form factor of the cases makes it very suitable to just stow away inside your luggage or bag and the design of these bags is such that they will be quite a low key. Find the reviews on makeup brush cup holders and professional roll organizers to safeguard your lovely brushes.
Coverage:
This refers to how many different types of makeup application and product you can cover with a particular brush set. If you are a novice, you will want to stick to the simpler and straightforward brush sets and learn to use the basics such as foundation brush and eyeliner. Afterward, you could graduate to the precision and detail brushes. They will have a much higher skill ceiling and learning curve so the other side of the coin here is that getting those brush sets early on means that you can take your time to learn them from earlier. Then, of course, you also have to consider how much you actually want to do as part of your conventional makeover.’
Warranty:
This is one department where e.l.f, for the most part, tend to lack completely and do not really offer warranty for any brush set. You might be able to get it from third-party retailers but even for some of the really premium products, you will not get any warranty. In one aspect, that might mean that they don’t really expect you to have any issues with the products which, if true, definitely adds to the desirability of e.l.f brushes and would be a great testament to their quality control. However, perfection is difficult to achieve and having that warranty period would be useful even in some really rare cases.
Usage guide:
If I was going to go over how to use every single brush here, we would be here all day. So here’s what I would suggest instead. The internet is full of reviews and content about makeup brushes, e.l.f included, and you should be able to get firsthand experience regarding what the user experience is like.
Makeup brushes, despite differences in design and quality, will all be used in the same way, really! So you would be using e.l.f brushes a bit like how you would use all your other brushes. However, I will make a note of mentioning that certain sets came with a cleaning solution to let you clean off bristles in between uses. Just mix the solution with some water and let the bristles of the brushes stay in to let gunk and particles dissolve. Pretty straightforward!
FAQs about ELF makeup brush sets:
What does Elf makeup stand for?
Answer: The three letters of ELF stand as E=Eyes, L=Lips and F=Face.
Are elf makeup brushes synthetic?
Answer: Yes, elf makeup brushes synthetic.
Are elf makeup brushes vegan?
Answer: Yes, elf makeup brushes vegan.
Are elf makeup brushes cruelty-free?
Answer: Yes, elf makeup brushes cruelty-free.
Q.1: How do I get warranty on brush sets from e.l.f?
Answer: For most of the brush sets, e.l.f does not explicitly provide a warranty. You might be able to get a warranty from the retailer that is selling the particular brush set because they are often obligated to provide a warranty but otherwise, you might be out of luck. Warranty is a department where e.l.f are somewhat behind and they do not really clarify their warranty policies all that well in their product pages. Some improvements definitely need to be made in that regard!
Q.2: How do I know what each brush does in a particular set?
Answer: Well, a lot of the brush sets do come along with instructions. This won’t be true for all the brush sets and especially not the really basic kits but the premium and bigger sets do have instructions for the unique or special brushes. Instructions are easy to read and interpret and quite easy to carry out so you shouldn’t have issues following instructions. However, if you are someone who needs to be spoon-fed instructions, then you will have to refer to the internet for instructions. Nowadays, the internet pretty much has everything that you could ever need. You can definitely find instructions on how to use a foundation brush or blush brush there! DO some of your own research, it isn’t that hard!
So there you have it, a thorough rundown of e.l.f brush sets that are going to be a possible option for buyers of makeup brushes. I know, that was a lot of information to digest and you can take your time to process all of this and understand what each factor means and its impact. But after you are done, do some looking around, go through the products that I have spoken about in this guide and afterward, try to match a particular brush set to your needs. I am sure with some reading and understanding of how things work, you will have this all figured out in no time!
Final Thought
Makeup can be a bit complex but after you get into the practice and get some hands-on experience, you’ll start to nail it in no time! All you need to do so is the right tool kit and in this regard, the right set of brushes to help you achieve that and you should be well on your way to makeup mastery! E.L.F. Cosmetics is with you in the makeup mastery journey. Now tell me, when are you opening your own cosmetic brand?!
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