In this blog, it's all about sharing and caring. Although I've used the ELF professional eye shadow brush for a while now, I did not do a formal review yet. Well, it's better late than never and I hope you'll enjoy.
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| E.L.F Professional Eye Shadow brush ($1) |
So, what makes it so wonderful? Jump to find out!
Since I can't tell you without showing you some pictures, I guess I'd better show them to you first:
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| Close-up at the brush heads. Despite the difference in color, these two brushes are the same. The white one is the standard version while the black one is the "Back to School" edition at Target |
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| 1. Loew-Cornell 3/4' Maxine's Mop; 2. MAC 239SE; 3. E.L.F Professional Eye Shadow brush |
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| Thickness comparison 1. Loew-Cornel; 2. MAC 239; 3. E.L.F |
1. The bristles have the same height as MAC 239's:
If you notice, the Loew-Cornell, albeit being a good dupe of MAC 239, is a bit longer. The ELF eyeshadow brush has the same height, which makes it easier to apply eye shadows.
2. It is a bit thicker than MAC 239:
When it comes to makeup brushes, I'm all about comfort. If it does not feel nice on my skin, I would not use it. The thickness has its own advantage: it offers some cushion and firmness to the brush without taking away the comfort.
3. It is not scratchy or poky:
The main reason I don't use either the L-C or MAC 239 is their abrasive nature. While these two brushes pack up eye shadows quite nicely, they are as scratchy as my scrub pad. The L-C, being a painter's brush, is scratchier than MAC 239. When I switched to this ELF brush, it was a relief. I actually enjoyed applying eye makeup again. Also, as it is not stiff goat hair, this brush blends quite nicely. Those who use MAC 239 knows you can't really blend with it. All you can do is pat and go. The ELF brush gives you options to pat and go or blend, which makes it more versatile.
4. It has tapered sides
When I used the L-C brush, sometimes I felt like I didn't apply my eye shadows correctly. Then, one day when it was drying, I used MAC 239 and things just changed. All of the sudden, the outer corner of my eyes just looked a bit sharper. However, as MAC 239 is not that comfortable to use, I continued looking for an eye shadow brush that could do it all: has tapered sides, can blend well, feels comfortable, and is affordable. This ELF brush fits the bill nicely.
The black brush is as tapered as MAC 239 while the white one is even curvier. With this ELF eye shadow brush, my makeup applications have become easier. The outer corners look more defined and I don't have to use too much product for the application. This brush picks up eye shadows (regular and mineral) very well. The first time I used it, I was surprised at how well it performed. And I still do.
At a dollar each, the ELF Professional eye shadow brush is a steal. While I've reviewed many basic eyeshadow brushes, this is so far the best. Believe me when I say this: you can pay more for a different brush but you won't get anything better than this. The only downside is the quality control: ELF does not have the best QC in the world when it comes to their brushes. You can buy 10 brushes of the same category and they would all look different. I find going to stores that sell ELF such as Dollar General or Target is useful. That way, I can actually touch the brushes and choose the best out of the bunch. It takes time but when I get out of the store, I know that my brush is a real performer.
How about you? Do you like this brush?
Disclosure: I bought the above products for my own personal use. Since the quality exceeds my expectation, I decided to write a review.
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