e.l.f. Cosmetics Pointed Foundation Brush

The greatest thing about makeup brushes is that they can be used for whatever you want. For example, this one is marketed as a foundation brush but I've used it for both contour and highlighter (with two different brushes, for obvious reasons lmao). The bristles are soft, dense, and tapered, which makes it easy to get into the hollows of the cheeks for precision and on the tops of the cheekbones. I've never used this for foundation so I can't attest to how it would perform in that situation but for highlighter and contour, it's a winner!

I love foundation brushes like these but usually its hard to find one that doesn't shed because of the pine-cone shape. So far, I haven't seen any shedding, only great blending. I use it for foundation, as well as concealer with a lighter had for better blending. You could probably even use this for contouring. Can't go wrong with this one!

I got this brush specifically for setting my concealer but I hate how it's so dense. I hadn't thought about using it for highlighting until I read the reviews so I'll try that but I feel like it's just too harsh on my face, I don't really like it but I still use it since I don't want it to go to waste.

This brush is really soft and really well made, but I wouldn't call it a foundation brush. It's really good at blending concealer in tight places like around your under eyes but it's not good at applying or blending foundation all over your face. Even if you use the side of the brush to apply foundation I feel as if the density of the bristles and how compact everything is makes it difficult to get an even, and less blotchy application. It would probably work better as a contour brush though!

I love this brush for spot application of cream/liquid foundation, just where I want the foundation, not all over my face, it makes the foundation blend into my skin perfectly. I also use it for contouring with powder blush and bronzer, the pointed shape is excellent for that purpose, and the hair brush is firm yet has a soft feel on the skin. Also love that it is taklon, not animal hair, and it does not shed at all. Always shop cruelty-free!