I have always fancied MAC 217 (and yes, I'm feeling a wee bit British today). It is a cult favourite in the beauty community. Over time, since it has been so popular, other companies tried to create brushes that posses the similar shape, and try to achieve the similar results that MAC 217 will give to its users. I couldn't help but acquire a few of these counterparts. So it's only appropriate if I give my two cents on them and see which ones are worth getting, and which ones are not that great.
MAC 217 Blending Brush
Of course, we must start with the original,
MAC 217. It is my very first MAC brush. I still remember I was so excited to get it from the MAC counter near my university. I must say, over the past few years, although the numbering has worn off, the brush itself is still going strong. One interesting fact about my
MAC 217, it is made in Japan, which is different when comparing it to other brushes company, where majority of them has factory in China. By the way, I have also had MAC brushes that are made in France
The
MAC 217 bristles are made out of white goat hair, which are not as white as they were few years ago, but they are still as soft, which makes it feels luxurious on the eyelids. I guess most important part of this brush is its shape. It does not have super long bristle, and it's flared out to the top into a dome shape. It is quite stiff and full, but at the same time it is very soft, which makes blending very easy.
I love that it is multipurpose. Although it is meant for eye shadows, you can also use it for your concealers. I have done that before, but I have unless you want to pick some white hair out from your face and damage your brush, I would use other brushes for concealers. For some strange reason, it doesn't shed when it's used to blend out cream eye shadow. Anyhow, I prefer to use the MAC 217 purely as an eye shadow (powder or cream) brush, which it excels at. I like that it is a one-brush-does-it-all brush. When I'm feeling lazy, I'll use it to apply lid colour and crease colour, use it for blending out the colours, and of course, apply a highlight colour as well.
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| From top to bottom: bdellium #776, MAC 217, Sigma E25, Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow Brush, Sigma E25 (Travel) Handle/length comparison |
MAC 217 Blending Brush
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| MAC 217 Blending Brush |
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| MAC 217 Numbering (faded) |
I love that it is multipurpose. Although it is meant for eye shadows, you can also use it for your concealers. I have done that before, but I have unless you want to pick some white hair out from your face and damage your brush, I would use other brushes for concealers. For some strange reason, it doesn't shed when it's used to blend out cream eye shadow. Anyhow, I prefer to use the MAC 217 purely as an eye shadow (powder or cream) brush, which it excels at. I like that it is a one-brush-does-it-all brush. When I'm feeling lazy, I'll use it to apply lid colour and crease colour, use it for blending out the colours, and of course, apply a highlight colour as well.
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| MAC 217 Brush Head |
Pros:
- Soft bristles for your delicate eye lids
- Long lifetime brush makes your investment worth it
- Very very minimal shedding
- Stiff dome shape that makes applying and blending out colour easy
- Long handle provides you the options of the amount of control you want with the brush
- Accessible where you can find it at any MAC stores, counters, or buy it online
Cons:
- Quite expensive as it costs US $22.50 / CA $27
- The whiteness of the bristles is not as long lasting, it can get stained from, say, cream products
Battle of the Brands: MAC 217 and its alike
I have always fancied MAC 217 (and yes, I'm feeling a wee bit British today). It is a cult favourite in the beauty community. Over tim...
February 20, 2012 •
Battle of the Brands, bdellium tools, Bobbi Brown, Brushes, MAC, Review, Reviews, Sigma •
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