Travel Makeup Brush Set – 5 Brushes with Folding Mirror Case

Five brushes that fold into their own mirrored case, so the whole thing is about the size of a phone. A full face in a handbag, with somewhere to actually look while you do it.

The mirror is the part people underestimate. Most travel brush sets leave you doing your makeup in a car window or a train toilet.

What's in it

Five brushes covering the essentials — a base brush, a smaller one for concealer, a blusher or powder brush, and two eye brushes for shadow and blending. Soft synthetic bristles, which matter for travel because they don't shed and they don't mind being packed flat.

Who it's for

• Anyone who does their makeup somewhere other than at home
• Handbag top-ups — you'll actually carry this, unlike full-size brushes
• Weekends away, where a full brush roll is absurd
• A gift, honestly — it's the sort of thing people are pleased to be given

Being straight about it

These are travel brushes. The handles are short and the heads are smaller than your full-size ones, which is the entire point and also the compromise — blending a full face with a mini brush takes slightly longer. Nobody should replace their main brushes with these.

Looking after them

Wash them every couple of weeks with a gentle shampoo, reshape the heads while damp, and lay them flat to dry rather than standing them up. If you have the USB brush cleaner, they'll fit its smaller collars.

Don't pack them damp — a closed case with wet brushes in it is how bristles start to smell.

Questions we get asked

Are they synthetic or natural? Synthetic — better for liquid and cream products, and they cope with travel far better.

Does the mirror scratch? It's protected when closed. Don't post it loose in a bag with keys.

Will they shed? Not if you wash them gently and don't scrub the bristles against your palm.

Is the case sturdy? Firm enough for a handbag. It isn't a hard case, so don't sit on it.