Skill is something you can buy. Beginners should use high-quality makeup brushes. I truly believe that. A friendly Mac beauty advisor told me that brushes in sets are of lower quality, so I collect Mac brushes one by one at department stores, even if they're expensive. I now have over 10. They fold in half, so I can fit them in my pouch, and they have just the right amount of stiffness—I highly recommend them! Regarding Mac brushes, I recently saw a video by Lulu, a MAC Senior Retail Manager and MUA who appears in Mac's official YouTube videos. She explains the correct brush usage and care, so I highly recommend watching it! I've used a variety of brushes, including Morphee and Real Techniques, but in the end, only one brush remains in my collection. Other than that, my tools are almost entirely Mac. I even bought a case and found a discontinued makeup box, so now I own almost all Mac. It was a brand I coveted in my 20s, but now... I'm grown up...