An 18-piece brush set: the six you will actually use, why synthetic is the right choice, and how to keep them

This page contains affiliate links. MoreThanMy earns a commission on qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Researched. We have not used this one long enough to give you a verdict, and we would rather say so than invent one. What follows is how it works, who it suits, and what it will not do. When we have used it properly, this page carries the verdict and the date.

BS-MALL 18 Piece Makeup Brush Set

Eighteen brushes sounds like a lot, and it is. Most people who own a set this size use five or six of them every day and reach for the rest occasionally. That is not a reason to avoid a big set — it is often cheaper than buying the six you need one by one — but it helps to know which ones are doing the work.

The six that do most of the work

A dense, flat-topped or rounded face brush — for buffing foundation into the skin.

A large, fluffy powder brush — for setting powder or bronzer, applied lightly.

An angled blush or contour brush — for cheeks and the shadows under them.

A small, flat concealer brush — for patting concealer onto spots and under the eyes.

A fluffy eyeshadow blending brush — the single most useful eye brush, for softening edges.

A small, flat eyeshadow brush — for packing colour onto the lid.

The rest — a spoolie for brows, an angled brow brush, a lip brush, a pencil brush for the lower lash line, a fan brush — are specialists. The listing says the set comes with labelled instructions, which helps with the ones you do not recognise yet.

Why synthetic

According to the listing, the bristles are synthetic and dense. That is the right choice for most makeup today. Synthetic fibres do not absorb liquid and cream products the way natural hair does, so they waste less foundation, apply it more evenly, and wash clean more easily. Natural hair still has a place with some loose powders, but for an all-round set, synthetic is the practical choice — and it is animal-free.

On "no shedding"

The listing says the brushes do not shed. A few loose fibres in the first couple of washes are normal for most new brushes. If a brush keeps shedding after that, the glue at the base has let go, and it is time to replace it.

Washing them

Foundation and concealer brushes weekly; eye and powder brushes every couple of weeks. Wet the bristles only — not the metal ferrule where they join the handle — work a little gentle shampoo or cleanser into them, rinse until the water runs clear, squeeze out the water, reshape, and dry them lying flat or bristles down. Water running into the ferrule loosens the glue, which is how brushes start shedding.

Dirty brushes spread old makeup, oil and bacteria back onto your face, and apply fresh makeup unevenly. Clean brushes are most of what makes a cheap set perform well.

The case

The listing says it comes with a soft travel case. Useful for keeping brushes clean and their shapes intact in a bag. Let them dry completely before they go back in.

What it will not do

It will not teach technique on its own, though the labelled guide helps. It will not keep performing if the brushes are never washed. And it will not need all eighteen for an everyday face.

The product

An 18-piece synthetic brush set for face, eyes, brows and lips, with a labelled guide and a travel case. A good first full set, or a way to replace a tired collection in one go.

The one people are searching for is the BS-MALL Makeup Brush Set, 18 Pcs, with Case.

BS-MALL 18 Piece Makeup Brush Set

We do not print prices here, because a price we typed last month is a price that is wrong today.

Written by JamieG in Garner Town, Tennessee.