There are people who will go on and on about the benefits of investing in an expensive set of makeup brushes, claiming that the money spent upfront will guarantee years of good use. I am not one of those people. I have yet to find a luxury brush that feels or behaves any better than a cheap brush I pick up on Amazon, which has made me something of an expert when it comes to finding the best makeup brushes on a budget. After years of product testing, I divulge the top affordable picks I've found on Amazon, ahead.
With that said, there are some measures you can take to ensure your brushes last and continue to work their best. It's important to make sure you're washing your brushes on a weekly basis if you're using them every day. You could pay money for a brush cleaner, but if you're on a budget, a mix of two parts dish soap and one part olive oil is a good DIY option you can whip up at home. The dish soap cleanses the brushes while the olive oil conditions them, so they stay nice and soft. Wet your brush, swirl it in the soap until it suds, and rinse, repeating until the water runs clear. Then leave your brushes out to dry for 24 hours on a dish towel (or even better, hang them on a brush drying rack).
If you're using the dish towel drying method, it's especially important that you lie your brushes flat. One of the most common mistakes people make while washing their makeup brushes is placing them to dry upright, which can cause the water to drip down the handle and break down the glue holding the brush together. Lying them flat or hanging them upside down on a brush tree also ensures the brushes will maintain their shape.
In other words? Take good care of your brushes, and they'll take care of you and your face. And now, scroll on for the best cheap makeup brushes you can buy on Amazon.