Zebra Mildliner Highlighter Brush Pen, 25 Pastel Color Set with Original Pen Case Review (2026)

Who this 25 color set fits best

This set is built for people who spend a lot of time in a planner, bullet journal or study notebook and want a wide range of gentle, low contrast colors for color coding, headers and highlighting without the harshness of standard neon highlighters. Each pen is double ended with a brush style tip on one side and a fine marker tip on the other, so the same pen can rough in a soft lettered header and then underline or add small notes. With 25 shades and a dedicated case included, this is really a collection tool as much as a lettering tool, aimed at users who want variety and organization in one purchase rather than someone chasing bold, saturated brush lettering colors for finished art pieces.

What the Mildliner brush tip and ink offer

The brush end works like a small artist's brush, allowing thick or thin strokes depending on pressure, while the fine tip end gives more consistent, controlled lines for writing or underlining. Zebra's Mildliner ink is translucent and designed for layering, so colors can overlap without turning muddy or blotchy, which is part of why the line is popular for study highlighting as well as lettering. The ink is also described as acid free, archival and mildly water resistant, and it is formulated to avoid bleeding through typical planner and notebook paper, an important detail for anyone using these on both sides of a page. The 25 pastel shades span pinks, blues, greens, golds and grays for broad color coding options.

Living with a large pastel set

Having the included pen case matters more here than it might seem, since a 25 pen set can otherwise become disorganized quickly in a pencil pouch or drawer, and the case keeps colors visible and easy to grab mid lettering session. Because the brush tip is on the shorter, firmer side compared with a true watercolor style brush pen, expect subtle rather than dramatic thick and thin variation, which actually suits the soft, muted Mildliner aesthetic many planner users are going for. The mild, translucent ink also means these pens double as highlighters for text you have already written, not just as standalone lettering tools, which adds versatility beyond pure calligraphy practice.

How it compares with other pastel brush pen sets

Against the Tombow Dual Brush Pastel 10 pack, which our data ranks higher here, the Tombow offers a more flexible, longer brush tip with better thick and thin range, while the Zebra set answers with more than double the colors and a dedicated case for a similar price bracket. Compared with the Zebra Mildliner No Bleed 15 pack, a related rival in the same family, this 25 color set adds ten more shades and the case, at a correspondingly higher upfront cost. If dramatic brush lettering contrast is the priority, the Tombow pastel set is worth a look; if color range and tidy storage matter more, this larger Mildliner set is the stronger choice.

Verdict and who should pick something else

Scoring 8.6 out of 10 in our data, this 25 color Mildliner set earns its place for planner users, students and journalers who want a big, organized pastel palette with brush and fine tips in one box. Choose it if color coding, gentle highlighting and soft lettering headers are your main use case. Look elsewhere if you want strong, dramatic thick and thin contrast for expressive brush lettering, since a longer bristled brush pen such as the Tombow Dual Brush line will flex more under pressure, or if you only need a handful of colors, where a smaller Mildliner pack is more cost effective than this full 25 piece set.

Frequently asked questions