# Favorite eye shadow brush?



## lms6241 (Apr 3, 2008)

I have 239 and I really like but I don't want to spend $$.  Do you have a favorite less expensive eye shadow brush?   _* Edited the thread's title to reflect the original post. _


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## xoleaxo (Apr 3, 2008)

why don't you check out NYX brushes?  i have one ($4) that is kind of like the 239.. i was really surprised at how much i liked it!  you can find them in some drug stores or on cherryculture.com


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## BeautyPsycho (Apr 3, 2008)

What about Sonia Kashuk (Sp) @ Target. I heard good reviews!


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## flowerhead (Apr 3, 2008)

yes, the body shop eyeshadow brushes. i use the blending & shadow brushes, they are just as good as mac's.
the blending one is large & fluffy but still dense, so it's great for blending out shadows & highlighting, and the shadow brush is small & very firm so it's good for packing colour on.


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## GlamYOURUs (Apr 3, 2008)

My fav is the wet & dry shadow brush from Bare Escentuals. I can't live without it. lol


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## InRetospeck (Apr 16, 2008)

Now that you have the 239 (the best brush to start with) you really should just invest in the 217 or the 224... trust me in the long run you would not regret it.  You would spend that on a shirt or shoes that would not last you half as long (meaning you take care of it).  Trust me MAC brushes are worth it.  And having the 217 (picks up more color) 224 (picks up less and can really blend ) help take your eyeshadow to a different level.  

I know that everytime I pay for a MAC brush I am getting what I paid for... something hand made and that is going to last me a LONG TIME!


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## newagetomatoz (Apr 16, 2008)

My all-time favorite eyeshadow brush is mark.'s eyeshadow brush.  I believe it sells for $5 + tax, and it is so worth it!  Somedays I use it for my entire shadow application!  I've had mine for about six months now, and there hasn't been any shedding or bleeding, just wonderful application!


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## jin1022000 (Apr 24, 2008)

I personally think Sephora have some good quality eyeshadow brushes nowadays. (clinique has some good ones also)


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## chihullomac (Mar 1, 2012)

I totally agree, once you invest in your brushes you will not regret it and the price you pay will be totally worth it!


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## meleftie (Mar 5, 2012)

I have slowly being building my MAC brush collection and have found a few other great brands.  My MAC 217 I love love love.  I use the 239 but have found other similar dupes for less $$.   Louise Young has a crease brush though that is TDF!


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## afulton (Mar 5, 2012)

The 217 brush is by far my absolute favorite.  I have about 10 of them.


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## deidre (Mar 15, 2012)

MAC 242

  	I got this brush through a swap and wasn't overly excited about getting it, but it's awesome!  It's super soft, perfect for packing on color, and not too big or fluffy for my small eyelids.


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## 27dots (Mar 18, 2012)

217


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## shellygrrl (Mar 19, 2012)

Less expensive brush for what purpose? Packing on colour? Blending? Crease work?


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## GlamQueen21 (Mar 20, 2012)

272 brush will always have a place in my heart. Even though MAC should bring that brush back!


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## BadLeslie (Mar 20, 2012)

I agree about the 217 and 224. My personal favorite is the idiotically LE 226. The 219 is a nice addition too, although its not the softest brush out there.  With a 239, 217, 224, 226, and 219, your eyelids can rule the world.


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## meleftie (May 8, 2012)

BadLeslie said:


> With a 239, 217, 224, 226, and 219, your eyelids can rule the world.


  	I agree completely with this post - tried so many brands and these are by far my fav MAC (and eye) brushes!!


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## macupsjf (May 16, 2012)

#109 for foundation and #224 for almost anything (deep connection with this brush lol.) These are my favorites!


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## colormeblue (Jan 24, 2013)

#217 and even though they discontinued it I still love #222


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## Jessmc (Jan 30, 2013)

[h=2]Oh how I miss the 222. Luckily I have two. I'm pretty obsessed with the 286 & 217 right now though. Oh and if your looking for a 226 dupe, Merle Norman has one identical.[/h]


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## Nativenewyorker (Sep 26, 2013)

I love the 217 brush. I was hesitant because of the price, but after reading reviews online I decided that it was worth the investment. Applying eye shadow with this brush was a revelation! I can't believe the difference this brush makes. My eye makeup never looked so good. I understand now what a difference a quality brush can make when it comes to applying eye makeup. I know that this brush will last a long time and the initial money spent was well worth it.

  Just for reference, I also have the 219 pencil brush. Lowe Cornell has a great dupe for the MAC 239 with its Maxine's Mop brushes. I have also used a few Sigma brushes. But there is just nothing like the real thing!


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## sugarchampagne (Oct 2, 2013)

its a tie for me between the 224 / 286


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## mistress_murky (Oct 3, 2013)

the 263 for lining and filling in eyebrows. I have never found an angled brush from any other line that I like as much. 

  I picked up a sonia brush from Target, and it's just okay. I really like the sephora house brand brushes for shadow though.


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## lilchocolatema (Oct 12, 2013)

This is tough! I love the 217 because it's firm enough to blend and apply shadow, but I also love the 213. Perfect for applying a wash of color over the eye.


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## underablanketofstars (Dec 15, 2013)

Mine is 239,in fact I have two!!


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## mimapapillon (Sep 15, 2014)

the shader of ZOEVA is the same !!! i love it and it is very inexpensive ! I don't have  the 239 but i would like have it


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## Jennifae (Sep 15, 2014)

I moved this thread to Cosmetic Discussion since the original post is not limited to MAC. eace:


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## DILLIGAF (Sep 15, 2014)

LIke most have said I love my MAC brushes my favorites being the 217 and the 226. For cheaper brushes the best dupe for the 239 I've found is the Loew-Cornell 270 Maxine Mop paintbrush in 3/8. Its the same size and white goat hair as the MAC brush how ever it retails for $4. I have several of these brushes in my brush collection. You used to be able to easily find them at Michael's but I've noticed the 3/8th size is very difficult to find in stores. There are plenty of art websites that carry them and for even less. Anyone else have any experience with this brush? How did you get on with it?


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## DILLIGAF (Sep 15, 2014)

Comparison of the paintbrush and the MAC 239. The MAC is slightly denser and the paintbrush handle is longer.


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## QUEEN B (Sep 15, 2014)

Mac 217 for sure


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## Jessylovesglow (Sep 16, 2014)

For me the MAC 217 is the best


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## katred (Sep 16, 2014)

I really like the 239 for brighter colours, because nothing I've tried gives me a more concentrated application. As an all-purpose brush, I have to share the love for the 217. I actually prefer the Tom Ford blending brush, but it's more expensive. I'm also a big fan of the Hourglass shadow brush. It's a good choice for when you want to build up colour, as it applies in light, even layers.

  I agree with those who've said that good brushes are worth the investment. For years, I just bought cheap options and when I finally made the leap (to Mac as a starting point), I was amazed at how much better the application was and how much softer many of the brushes were.


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## Zebula (Sep 18, 2014)

I love the Mac 217 and 242. I read somewhere that the Bdellium Tools n°776 and 777 would be dupes for the Mac 217 and 239.


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## Julie Mahieux (Nov 27, 2014)

Hi girls, 
  i don't know if you now the brand Zoeva?
  It is a german company that makes amazing brushes for an affordable price.
  You should check there kits. They are amazing. 
  https://www.zoeva-shop.de/de/


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## infinitize (Dec 5, 2014)

Honestly, its really worth investing in the higher end brushes. 
  MAC is actually the lowest I'll go because in the long run, its actually cheaper that way. 
  Even if brushes were to look the same, they perform differently and lasts for a different amount of time. 
  I've had my MAC 219 (I sold 217 and 239 because I liked Chanel and Hakuhodo brushes better) for 2 years and its still as good as new and performs really well.


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## mizzjennyy (Nov 8, 2015)

Yeah mac 217 and 242


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