So I thought I was in heaven when I found a dupe for $9. But I digress the E25 is definitely softer, even when it's not as ideally clean as it should be.

With two of them (and one at a fraction of the price) I can alternate between the two while the other one is being cleansed. I use the brush so often, I can't have it on the counter drying and not be able to use it (Gasp! Unthinkable!). I don't have a problem with this, but sometimes I'm in a hurry and forget to clean it. Now, I have discovered that if I wash my brush often, it doesn't get scratchy, but I have to do the deep cleaning (as in using baby shampoo not brush cleaning spray). As much as I adore my 217, I feel it can sometimes be a bit scratchy (not crazy scratchy, but just a tiny bit). Here's why, it's softer and a bit fluffier. I have the travel sized E25 and I think I may actually like it better than my original 217. The first one I ever got was the Sigma E25 ($9) is less than half the price of the original MAC brush. There are now some great dupes out there that will save you lots of cash. If you are like me, and just love your 217, or if you've been wanting to try it but just couldn't justify the price (what if you didn't like it after spending that much?), you are in luck. In fact, the only MAC brush I own is the 217, and that was after an intense (and failed) search for a suitable alternative.īut now, I'm happy to report, you don't have to pay $22 for one brush.

As much as I love MAC, I just couldn't bring myself to shell out the money for a brush I could find somewhere else (that was also a good quality and friendlier on my wallet). Fluffy blending brushes, shader brushes of all sizes and densities, angle brushes, liner brushes, pencil brushes, you name it, I could find one that I didn't have to spend a fortune on. For all my other brushes, I could easily find an alternative that wouldn't cost as much. For the longest time, I couldn't find a cheaper alternative. It's the one brush I reach for that I can use for a complete eye makeup look. I can use it with powder shadow and creams. It's stiff enough to pack on color, yet fluffy enough to blend to perfection. If you are a beauty junkie, you have probably heard all the fuss over MAC's 217 blending brush.

Mac brush cleaner dupe