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Having the best makeup brushes in your beauty bag can make all the difference in your makeup routine. Just like a great artist uses a brush to create a museum-worthy painting, we wield our makeup brushes to create perfectly contoured and blended makeup masterpieces.

Indeed, the best makeup brushes can help us create everything from a dramatic smoky eye to an airbrush-like finish with our foundation -- while the wrong one can leave us looking like a blotchy mess. But what should one look for when choosing a makeup brush?

Our readers have tried and tested just about every foundation, eye shadow and contouring brush on the market and ranked them with just about every beauty need in mind. Whether you're looking for a budget makeup brush, a cruelty-free option or one that will withstand constant usage without shedding a single bristle, we have you covered with this comprehensive roundup of the best makeup brushes for every makeup fanatic (or newbie).

Image via Getty

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Best Makeup Brush No. 14: Clinique Powder Foundation Brush, $35.50
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.1*

Why it's great: Readers call this "soft and luxurious" foundation brush "perfect.". It "has lots of bristles" and gives a "smooth application," making it "worth the price." It also reportedly "makes powder go on like silk."

Agree? Disagree? Write your review for Clinique Powder Foundation Brush here.

Buy Now on Amazon

*At time of publication

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Best Makeup Brush No. 13:  Bare Escentuals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush, $20
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.3*

Why it's great: Readers rank this concealer brush one of the best makeup brushes because it applies concealer "evenly" to cover imperfections like under-eye circles, blemishes, fine lines and other "not-so-pretty spots." The brush feels "very comfortable" around the eyes, is "excellent for blending" and is "very easy to use." Its "firm" bristles help deliver maximum coverage, giving skin a "flawless" look without a "cake-y" finish.

Agree? Disagree? Write your review for Bare Escentuals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush here.

Buy Now on Amazon

*At time of publication

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Best Makeup Brush No. 12: Too Faced Kabuki Brush, $34
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.3*

Why it's great: Reviewers love this "adorable" and "amazingly soft" synthetic makeup brush. They say it "picks up and distributes both loose and compact powders very well." "It buffs powder on beautifully, and minimizes pores like nobody's business," raves one reviewer. Another says it "applies bronzers and blush perfectly" and "feels heavenly on your skin." Readers also appreciate that this brush "fits perfectly in the palm of [the] hand" and "doesn't shed at all."

Agree? Disagree? Write your review for Too Faced Kabuki Brush here.

Buy Now on Amazon

*At time of publication

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Best Makeup Brush No. 11: E.L.F. Studio Contour Brush, $3
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.4*

Why it's great: The best makeup brushes don't have to break the bank. When it comes to this $3 E.L.F. makeup brush, readers say they "can't recommend [it] enough." It's made with synthetic fibers, but users insist that it feels as soft as higher-quality, natural-hair brushes. One member calls it "the best thing since sliced bread."

Agree? Disagree? Write your review for E.L.F. Studio Contour Brush here.

Buy Now on Amazon

*At time of publication

Having the best makeup brushes in your beauty bag can make all the difference in your makeup routine. Just like a great artist uses a brush to create a museum-worthy painting, we wield our makeup brushes to create perfectly contoured and blended makeup masterpieces.

Indeed, the best makeup brushes can help us create everything from a dramatic smoky eye to an airbrush-like finish with our foundation -- while the wrong one can leave us looking like a blotchy mess. But what should one look for when choosing a makeup brush?

Our readers have tried and tested just about every foundation, eye shadow and contouring brush on the market and ranked them with just about every beauty need in mind. Whether you're looking for a budget makeup brush, a cruelty-free option or one that will withstand constant usage without shedding a single bristle, we have you covered with this comprehensive roundup of the best makeup brushes for every makeup fanatic (or newbie).

Image via Getty
BY ALLIE FLINN | SHARES
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