If you look at any celebrity “get ready with me” video, there is one makeup brand you’ll spot time and time again—and that’s Hourglass. From Hailey Bieber to Sofia Richie-Grainge, there is one particular Hourglass product the A-list can’t get enough of—and no, it’s not the iconic Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balms or the cult Veil Hydrating Skin Tint—it’s the Hourglass makeup brushes that are quietly perfecting their makeup looks.
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With their impossibly soft bristles, sculptural design and inconspicuously chic chocolate chrome handles, Hourglass makeup brushes, along with their serious blending sorcery, have become the quiet heroes of countless celebrity makeup routines. You’ll often spot at least one in Hailey Bieber’s TikTok beauty videos, while Sofia Richie-Grainge, Gracie Abrams and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley also count themselves as fans, too. More often than not, Hourglass brushes are the secret behind the diffused finish we all covet.
These vegan and cruelty-free makeup brushes are made from high-grade Taklon bristles and feel as premium to use as they look. I’ve been using a handful of the brushes over the past few months and can attest to their performance; they still look and feel as good as new, even after using them almost every day, and they truly make my makeup go on like butter. However, I’d be remiss not to mention their price tag—these luxury makeup brushes don’t come cheap. So, I tried all the best Hourglass makeup brushes to help you decide which are truly worth the investment. Consider this your formal introduction to the exact makeup brushes that beauty insiders can’t put down. Your most luxurious makeup application awaits…
The Best Hourglass Makeup Brushes, Tried & Tested
1. Hourglass Veil Powder Brush
Hourglass
Veil Powder Brush
The Hourglass Veil Powder Brush is what Hailey Bieber uses in her video (above) to apply a mixture of her Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid and her foundation. She uses the large, fluffy side to buff the combination into her skin after applying her contour hack (AKA, underpainting). The result? Sofly diffused, buttery makeup. I’ve tried this trick myself using the brush and can confirm it really works. But, this brush is equally good at what it was designed to do—and that’s powder application. The larger side is great for dusting over powder or applying powder bronzer, while the smaller brush is great for targeted powder placement around the nose and chin, or to apply highlighter or blush to your cheeks. I’d say this is one of the best Hourglass makeup brushes, as the dual-ended brush means you get two brushes for the price of one (which takes the sting out of the price tag, slightly), and it can be used in several ways.
2. Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush
Hourglass
Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush
If you’re stuck on which Hourglass makeup brush to add to your collection first, then I’d highly recommend investing in this foundation brush. After all, if your foundation is expertly applied, it quite literally forms the foundation for the rest of your makeup to apply seamlessly too. I’ve tried countless foundation brushes, and each and every one, without fail, sheds and leaves annoying hairs stuck to my base. Except this one, which you can tell is expertly made and designed.
There is a lot to like about it. Firstly, the densely packed bristles of this brush effortlessly buff cream or liquid base products into the skin to leave a second-skin effect. The angled shape is also genius; it mimics the shape of your fingertips, which allows you to tap and buff in your foundation with the ease of a pro MUA. The size is nimble enough to reach into the nooks of your nose while still large enough to quickly blend around your cheeks and forehead. It’s also beautifully weighty to hold. I’ve also added another to my collection to blend cream contour and cream bronzer products, and it works like a dream for controlling the placement while blending. Just try it, you won’t regret it.
3. Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Edit Brush
Hourglass
Ambient® Lighting Edit Brush
This is another of Hourglass’s dual-ended makeup brushes, and it’s one that I reach for a lot for bronzer, blusher and highlighter. If you’re a fan of the cult Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palettes, then this is the perfect brush to go alongside. It features one larger, fluffier brush on one side, which is my go-to for bronzer and blush, and a tapered brush on the other that is great for targeted powder or highlighter application. For this reason, I think this makes it one of the best value Hourglass makeup brushes, as it ticks off a lot of uses in your makeup bag, plus it saves space when you’re travelling without needing to pack separate brushes. The brushes are super soft and never fail to expertly buff my cream or powder complexion products into my skin.
4. Hourglass Vanish™ Seamless Finish Concealer Brush
Hourglass
Vanish™ Seamless Finish Concealer Brush
This concealer brush is a newer addition to my brush collection, but now I wonder how I got by without it. This is the perfect concealer brush. It’s larger and fluffier than most concealer brushes I’ve tried, plus it features the same angled shape as the foundation brush, which makes it so easy to blend concealer, whether it be around the under-eye area or on blemishes. Because the bristles are dense, it takes all the legwork out of blending for you, while the slightly fanned shape means it fits snugly under the eyes while remaining nimble enough to conceal around the nose, too. I dot a little concealer onto my skin and use this brush to tap the product into my ski,n and it really does make your concealer look undetectable.
5. Hourglass Nº14 Detail Setting Brush
Hourglass
Nº14 Detail Setting Brush
In my opinion, this is one of Hourglass’s most underrated makeup brushes. The Detail Setting Brush is ideal if, like me, you want to selectively target areas with powder. As someone who loves a dewy look, but has an oily T-zone, this precise powder brush means I can strategically apply powder to the areas I’m prone to unwanted shine without dampening down the glow elsewhere. For this reason, I now always carry it in my bag for powder touch-ups. While larger powder brushes have their place, sometimes you don’t want a huge powder brush that deposits tonnes of powder and leaves your skin looking flat. Instead, this one is long and tapered for precise powder placement around the chin, nose and forehead (even under the eyes) and allows you to enjoy a glowy complexion while targeting the slicker areas of the skin.
6. Hourglass Nº6 Tapered Blender Brush
Hourglass
Nº6 Tapered Blender Brush
This is one versatile eye makeup brush. The large fluffy eye brush is ideal for applying eyeshadow all over the lids or can be used to blend and transition two eyeshadow shades together. It works just as well with powder or cream eyeshadows, making it easy to get a softly diffused eye look. It may be on the pricier side for an eyeshadow brush, but it will serve you well whenever you’re applying eyeshadow, whether it be for a soft daytime look or a smokey eye.
7. Hourglass No.9 Domed Shadow Brush
Hourglass
No.9 Domed Shadow Brush
If I could recommend another of Hourglass’s eye makeup brushes, it would be this one. While the Nº6 Tapered Blender Brush is ideal for applying eyeshadow all over, this one is better if you also like to define the crease of your eyes. The domed shape fits snugly into the crease of your eyelid, while the dense bristles effortlessly blend any eyeshadow to create soft, controlled definition without compromising the pigment of your eyeshadow. It’s great for adding a light touch on the lower lids, too.
8. Hourglass No.2 Foundation/Blush Brush
Hourglass
No.2 Foundation/Blush Brush
If you’re someone who prefers a dedicated brush rather than a dual-ended situation, I hear you. The No.2 Foundation/Blush Brush is the latest makeup brush I’ve added to my Hourglass collection, and I really rate it. You’ll notice that it’s described as a foundation and a blush brush, and it excels at both. The fluffy, medium-packed bristles mean it’s great for stippling in a skin tint or foundation to a buttery finish, but it also makes light work of expertly applying powder products such as bronzer or blusher to your cheeks.
Shop More Hourglass Makeup Brushes:
Hourglass
Vegan Brush Collection
Want to upgrade your entire makeup brush collection? This set makes a great investment and has everything you need, with 17 Hourglass makeup brushes housed in a sleek storage case.
Hourglass
Vegan Travel Brush Set
This edit is great for travelling and has seven Hourglass makeup brushes inside—everything you could need for flawless base and eye makeup application.
