Depending on your foundation formula, coverage goal, and personal preference, the best foundation brush is totally subjective. However, this makeup brush by Japanese makeup artist-loved brand Koh Gen Do checks just about every box. It's dense, providing adequate, buildable coverage, yet remains super soft, so there will be no "stiff" feeling. This brush works for every single type of foundation formula and creates the most airbrushed, even finish.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, cream, powder
  

Glowing Customer Review: "If I could, I'd rate this brush 6 stars! When I first used it, I was amazed by how easily it helped me apply my foundation and how natural it made it look on my skin. The brush was so soft and easy to maneuver."

If you've never tried an oval-head palm foundation brush like this one, it's time you experience its magical blending abilities and the velvety finish it delivers. Seriously, when I say this brush literally t-r-a-n-s-f-o-r-m-s the way my foundation looks, I'm not joking. I have truly never experienced such a gorgeous application—i.e., skin-like, even, and so freaking smooth. But the best part? I can apply foundation to my whole face in less than eight (eight!) seconds—no cap, I timed it.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, powder, cream

Glowing Customer Review: "This brush is worth every penny. I was a professional performer for many years and I’ve used every kind of makeup application tool you can think of, and this brush is the best I’ve ever used. Gives an airbrushed look."

Celeb-loved makeup artist Patrick Ta has worked enough red carpets and high-profile events to know what it takes to make your skin look good under the brightest lights and harshest settings. The rounded end of this foundation brush has a larger head, allowing you to cover more skin quickly, and it is perfectly shaped for expert blending and buffing. Meanwhile, the tulip-shaped end is great for loose/pressed settings and finishing powders for a smooth-as-hell application.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Cream and powder

Glowing Customer Review: "I love a double-sided brush as my go-to multitasker to get the job done. The most unique part about this one is that it is BUTTERY SOFT. The bristles are super fine and are non-shedding. The buffer side is the perfect size and density for cream foundation and not too stiff but also structured enough to deposit and buff out any imperfections smoothly. I enjoy using the fluffier side for highlighter and setting concealers."

I'm willing to bet a million bucks that you've heard of the super-viral underpainting foundation technique by Miss Queen herself, Mary Phillips, who uses the method to give Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner their ridiculously perfect skin. Here's a refresh: Apply your contour, concealer, blush, and highlighter and blend it all in. Then, take a special kind of kabuki brush, like this one by Nars, that's super fluffy yet dome-shaped and *really softly and lightly*, sheerly apply a liquid foundation, building it up layer by layer. Need a visual? Check out Mary Phillips' TikTok video.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid

Glowing Customer Review: "Application is always seamless and I feel like the shape of the brush itself is extremely versatile depending on what type of look you are going for and which products you are using. I have had this brush for over four years and have never had a problem with it shedding. "

Because cream foundations are so thick, it's easier to run into a cake-y-looking application when using one. However, if you use the right cream formula (my fave is Hourglass Vanish Foundation Stick), and most importantly, the right tool, a cream foundation can leave the smoothest base compared to its liquid and powder counterparts, IMO. A short, flat head like this Tom Ford favorite is so great for cream products because it is designed to not deposit too much product, allowing you to build coverage where applicable.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Cream

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the perfect brush if you are looking for a tool to buff foundation into your skin. It doesn't drink up foundation like a beauty blender will. The density is ideal to give an airbrushed look to your foundation. If I need my skin to look AMAZING, this is my go-to brush to apply foundation."

Powder foundations differ from regular setting/finishing powders because they are more pigmented and designed to give more coverage. Because of this, setting powders are typically applied with a fluffier brush, whereas powder foundations are best applied with a flat, wide top brush, like this one by IT Brushes for Ulta, that allows for buildable coverage where you find you need it.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Powder

Glowing Customer Review: "This is a great brush for pressed powder. You can concentrate on an area for more coverage with smaller strokes/circles or go broader with larger sweeping strokes."

This paw-shaped foundation brush lives up to the hype of the beauty claim of "your skin but better." Designed to be used with liquid products, it clings to the contours of your face while providing the precision of a traditional foundation brush and the diffusing effects of a professional airbrush.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid

Glowing Customer Review: "This brush works wonders. Beautiful, smooth application. The brush shape allows you to get deep into all the spots that need coverage and it perfectly pats on and layers your makeup. The brush itself was also so soft I almost felt bad dirtying it with my foundation. Love this brush, must have."

Tinted moisturizers, BB creams, CC creams, or any of the three are designed to give you the same benefits of face cream while still applying a tiny bit of coverage. The thing is, using a makeup sponge will likely absorb most of the product, leaving you with very little color deposit on an already lightly pigmented formula. That's why I like to use a brush that doesn't soak up too much of the tinted moisturizer, yet, unlike your fingers, it is great for building up the pigment. This cult-favorite brush has one side that features a plush concealer brush and the other, a fluffy foundation brush fabulous for tinted moisturizers.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, liquid-cream, cream

Glowing Customer Review: "I don't know why I waited so long to buy this! Hands down the best brush. It makes your skin look flawless. I have tried many other brushes but this is the best one. This does the work for you!"

This lil viral sensation—which features an angled cut and straight bristles for maximum coverage—blends liquid foundation like a dream. "I don’t know WHAT magic this brush has," @thejackieflores said in a TikTok video that has amassed over 100,000 likes. Oh, and did I forget to mention that it's legit eight bucks?

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the best foundation brush I have used to date, and I have tried a lot ranging from really cheap, to really expensive high-end brushes. It's very easy to clean and maintains it's shape which has been a real problem for me with other brushes purchased in the past. This brush dries quickly too - I leave this to air dry and it's good to use again within 2-3 hours."

The stiffer bristles of a paddle foundation brush like this one help push the product into the skin and create a more 'opaque' finish when using liquid foundation, Di Meo explains. The flat shape makes it easy to reach hard-to-blend areas of the face (i.e. the sides of the nose and in between the brows). "Use it like you would a flat paintbrush—up and down strokes or stippling motions to lay the product down," Di Meo says.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, cream

Glowing Customer Review: "I bought this brush 7 YEARS AGO (!) and was told it would last a lifetime if I kept good care of it which I did. This brush applies my makeup flawlessly and still looks like it did the day I bought it. Most importantly, the brush performs like it did on day one. If I ever lose it I'll certainly be repurchasing it. "

Reiko Brown recommends investing in a good, long-lasting foundation brush like this one, as makeup sponges absorb product, so you'll end up spending more money on replacing your foundation in the long run. (I'm no financial expert, but that logic checks out.) She suggests using the flat side of this tool to "pat coverage down into the skin and the sharp edge to evenly apply to tight spaces."

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid

Glowing Customer Review: "Excellent, it's extremely soft and I'm very satisfied with its ability to spread the foundation product."

If you watched the OG beauty gurus—yes, I'm talking major YouTube nostalgia—you'll definitely recognize this flat-top foundation brush. It was all the rage (do people still say that...?) back then, and for good reason! The densely-packed synthetic fibers make blending a breeze and are *key* if you're looking for super full coverage. Fun fact: Jaclyn Hill used the Sigma F80 in one of her first-ever foundation routine videos, which now has...4.6 million views.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, cream

Glowing Customer Review: "I too heard about this brush from YouTube video reviews of foundation, and I'm in love. Using a stippling effect achieves a great, semi-airbrushed look. Blends concealer and creme blushes/highlighters/contours amazingly. My favorite part is that you can use the brush lightly damp or with facial mist and blend out any areas that are too thick or need blending."

Fun fact: A fluffy, stippling foundation brush like this one is perfect for "whisking" cream products into the skin to create a "diffused" finish, Reiko Brown says. I love this Sonia Kashuk stippling brush because it combines affordability with quality and accessibility. (Say that ten times fast.)

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Cream, liquid

Glowing Customer Review: "This is now the third day that I have used the brush for foundation application and holy moly, it is exactly what I needed. It applies the foundation with just enough coverage for any red or discoloration (I have rosacea, so red dry patches), but it allows my skin to shine through. I can still see freckles and beauty marks, but my rosacea is perfectly covered. The texture of the brush allows me to not over-apply and creates such a smooth overall appearance."

Don't let the high price point scare you off. This unique foundation brush is the ultimate bang for your buck item. One end has a gel tip that blends liquid and cushion products like a sponge...but it's much easier to clean and doesn't absorb your foundation. Meanwhile, the chic red synthetic brush is perfectly balanced with density on the inside and flexibility around the edges, making it compatible with creams, powders, liquids, and gels. A true multi-functional queen!

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Cream, powder, liquid, gel

Glowing Customer Review: "This is a brilliant brush, superior to [other brands] foundation brushes. Wonderful foundation blending with nothing retained by the bristles. The soft end imitating the finger is also very good for applying concealer. It is a pleasure to use every day. This is now my favorite foundation brush."

Di Meo says this foundation brush is a must-have in her kit because the short bristles help "control and build coverage." She uses it for liquids and powders and recommends using circular motions to buff the foundation in or stippling motions to build coverage.

• Bristle type: Synthetic
• Foundation formula(s): Liquid, powder

Glowing Customer Review: "I lost my original brush while traveling and promptly repurchased it since I liked it so much. I have historically preferred using a beauty blender, but I am starting to prefer the control I can get with a brush. This brush is very soft, very dense, and easily blends out cream face products like foundation or contour."