Any sort of soap will help lift acrylic paint, especially that which hasn't cured for very long. Soap alone, though,
may dry out natural bristles.
Plenty of soaps include moisturizers, but many don't. If you've ever washed yourself at different times using bar soaps like Dove and Irish Spring, for example, your skin will show the difference. Soap, by design, strips oils - it's an emulsifier, meaning it binds to them... and then rinses away, taking the oils with it. Oils are what keep hair 'springy' and resilient. If they're not replaced, you're doing as much harm as good to your bristles.
That's why dedicated brush soaps, like Master's (my weapon of choice), are so popular - they remove the gunk
and preserve the natural hair fibers. You can achieve a similar effect by using a harsher cleaner and a restorative (e.g. low-concentration rubbing alcohol and hair conditioner), but I, at least, firmly believe that the purpose-formulated products work better than the DIY solutions, in this case. Considering the minimal cost of a bit of brush cleaner vs. the longevity of the product and the improved performance and lifespan of brushes cleaned therewith... I'd wager that most experienced painters would call it a no-brainer.
If you choose to use whatever soap you have, in the mean time, either method will work; wet brush on dry soap or dry brush on wet soap... both will let you work up the required lather.
As far as the original post's question is concerned... you've opened a whole can of worms, even if you don't realize it. Hobby branding is just branding - tons of industries have companies that buy and re-brand stuff, every business that advertises spins and targets its message, etc. If you want the best tool
and value for any hobby-job, the
last thing you want to do is search based on that very specific criterion. Cutting is cutting, sanding is sanding, etc. Plenty of variables, there, but something designed to cut soft plastic cuts soft plastic, whether you're talking about electrical wire sheathing or the gates on a model kit.
If you're handy, you can also take merely decent tools and turn them into absolute gems. Sometimes, a high-end tool has specific features or high-tech materials that make it awesome. Other times, it's just a simple machine that has tight tolerances and good quality control. Clippers are a great example of this. Some pricey Xuron shears have a slight bypass that is supposed to give a cleaner cut. They're built to their specs with tight tolerances and quality materials. Harbor Freight flush cutters use middling quality steel, loose tolerances, and a crappy surface finish. Sometimes, they have that bypass cutting feature, but it's purely by accident and doesn't exactly work as 'intended.' However, the mediocre steel is more than a match for styrene and any slop/play in the jaws can be taken out with a few whacks from a hammer (peening a rivet
can have art to it, but "hit it with a hammer" gets you most of the way there). If you have any skill with a whetstone/diamond paddles, you can true up the arms, sharpen the jaws, and have a $3 tool outperforming a $20 one. You might also win the 'tool lottery' (what I call shopping at
HF) right out of the gate. Assuming you don't, it means modification and refining which is, of course, not a route for everyone, but I feel it bears mentioning.
As far as specific recommendations go, I'll vouch for Vallejo's Model Air range, both for airbrushing and using the old 'hairy sticks.' When it comes to Game and Model Color paints, like any brand, there are gems and duds. Overall, though, I rate them highly. I have limited experience with Army Painter's Warpaints, but have yet to be disappointed. P3 and Reaper MSP are well liked by those that have used them, but I can't comment based on any personal experience. On the 'fine arts' side of things, I've found Golden to be fantastic, both for mediums and for actual paints. Liquitex... I've had terrible luck with paints and split results with varnishes and mediums.
YMMV, as always.
For brushes, I swear by Rosemary & Co. I've yet to try the much-vaunted Raphael 8404s or W&N S.7s, but considering the price I pay and the quality I get in my R&Co. series 99s (red sable) and 33s (Kolinsky sable)... I'm not sure I'll
ever be able to make a direct comparison. I'm quite happy where I stand.
For epoxy putties, just skip ANY game or 'hobby' company's offerings - you'll be paying more for less, likely packaged in a less than optimal configuration. Greenstuff is, as mentioned previously, originally called "Kneadatite." There are alternative epoxy putties with various working properties, but ALL of them are best when packaged in divided or completely separate containers. Those conjoined strips that are sold in short lengths are 1) heavily marked up and 2) partially useless, due to premature curing along the contact area.
TLDR: If you're in it for the long haul, try a bunch of different products (as time and money allow) and find your own favorites. If you have the sensibilities (not 'sense' - there's no magic, here, and not thinking in this way doesn't make you a lesser hobbyist or person), reduce every task to its most basic form and select the best tool for that job. If you're completely lost and just want specific suggestions, then just toss my votes in with all the rest of them. 
).