Review: MAC 217


Here's a review on MAC 217.

PRICE: Around P1,300.00
Bought From: MAC, New Eastwood Mall
Other Locations: MAC Powerplant Mall; MAC SM Mall of Asia; MAC Trinoma; MAC Glorietta 4; MAC Ayala Center Cebu

THE VERDICT:

Over 4 years into beauty blogging and more than 10 years of being a makeup lover and I still don't have a single pricey brush brand in my collection. Surprised? Well, I've been contented with Suesh and Charm that I didn't feel the need to buy pricey brushes-my trusted local brush brands have good selections and they kept on improving throughout the years so I thought, why bother? Since I live and breathe makeup, I realized, I guess it's time for me to own at least one pricey brush for the sake of trying. One time, I was strolling in Eastwood mall and I passed by MAC's pop-up counter and all of a sudden, I remembered my beauty blogger friends telling me that they've got awesome brushes so I bought one on a whim. I went for this brush, MAC 217, because it has earned that Holy Grail title in many beauty blogs here and overseas-I even asked my friends for recommendations and they kept on referring this brush so I bought it, based on suggestions. Boy, I felt like a newbie that time! LOL!

I digress. They said that MAC 217 is often imitated, but never duplicated, and one of a kind, hence it's a favorite by many makeup lovers from pros to enthusiasts. Well, I AGREE! Click READ MORE and find out why!


MAC 217 IN DETAIL

The handle has very good quality: It feels really solid, as if it is carved from a chunk of wood yet it is so lightweight. However, its size is not travel- friendly and it doesn't come with any protector or case--you get it as it is. I'm currently storing it in a cylindrical container to preserve its shape. It's P1,300.00, you know? :D

This brush is made from Goat hair, the ideal hair to use with powder products. Indeed, this thing is wonderful: It blends eyeshadows into each other easily, quickly, and effortlessly: I can just slap the eyeshadows right on my lids, do around 10 swirls with this brush, and I'm good to go. If compared with my blending brushes from Suesh and Charm, I like the medium height of this one better as I find that the latter brands only have either short or tall blending brushes. (Don't get me wrong, I love my Suesh and Charm brushes too, but this one is just different) There's something about the height of this brush that it lets me achieve better- looking color gradients even with minimal effort. It acts like a broom, sweeping the eyeshadow colors right to wear you want them to be. Regarding density, it's as dense as the blending brushes of Suesh and Charm. Also, this brush has shed around 2- 3 hair strands during the initial wash, but not anymore in the succeeding washes.

Apart from its excellent height, I also think the secret why this brush has awesome blending powers is because of its shape: It's not too fanned out (prevents the colors from being dusted off my lids) and not too tapered. (prevents the colors from being too concentrated) The bristles are semi-soft and not at all flimsy, yet non-scratchy. The circumference of the brush is quite universal and will fit any eye shape. 

I made a good choice with this brush. Sometimes, I only use this one for the base, middle, crease, and highlighter colors because it's that brilliant and good! However, it's not without its limitations: You'll have a hard time using it on your inner and lower lids, but I have my smaller blending brushes to take care of that for me.  If you're going to ask me now what particular costly brush to recommend, get this! In fact, I wanna buy two more! :D

MAC 217 RATING


Post a Comment

19 Comments

  1. I love my MAC 217. Like you, I don't buy pricey brushes, I'm contented with Artist Studio, Elf and lately Charm. But this one is just DA BOMB when it comes to blending eyeshadows. It's worth the hype and worth the price :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've heard alot from this particular brush from MAC; and oh boy I haven't noticed it's nakakalulang price! And little did I know na this is your first pricey brush pala.

    I believe that blending brushes are the most important brush in a woman's purse. Sad thing is that it is very rare to find in some local makeup brush kit available in the market. I want to try this but I guess my pocket is still not ready to buy such brush because of its price. So far, my most favorite brush (I currently have) is the blending brush from MakeupbyToni, manufactured in Singapore. Too bad they don't have stocks here in the Philippines and wouldn't produce anymore. Btw, thanks for this review, Ms M! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the recommendation Ms M. Siguro one day I'll have a Mac brush but right now I want to get a Charm brush set. My housemate has the Vegan set and the brushes deliver wonders. I'm getting addicted to touching the larger brushes actually lol.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mac 217 is a great brush but kind of pricey, since a make up enthusiast/lover cant have enough brushes.. ha ha I just purchased the brush set HOPE series by makeupbytoni.. Im still waiting for it to arrive cause I have heard and read good reviews about that brush set.. But i think 2 sets are left, and it will be discontinued but Toni will come up with another brush set!

    ReplyDelete
  5. this brush really sounds great,hmmmm i should go check this one out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Purple: Yes you should! I highly recommend it!

    Jamie: Hi there and welcome to TBJ! Yes, I do agree with the pricey part, but with the way it delivers, I could say that it's well worth! I have heard lotsa good things about Toni's HOPE brush kits and I'm kinda' interested, but I figured, I have around 100 makeup brushes and I only have one face so I won't be needing more for now. :D

    Kris: Yes! Charm is a good brand for starters. I still love my charm brushes up to this day. :)

    Desire: Hi there! If you get the chance, then buy this brush since I kinda' remember you mentioning that you're a makeup artist. You won't go wrong with this one! Yeah, sad to hear that Toni's brush went out of stock just before I tried it! LOL! Thank you for reading my review. :)
    '
    Yette: Hey there! :) Ditto! This brush is a magic wand! :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. it actually looks like a brush for chinese painting only less pointy at the end. :) i have yet to invest in make up kits so for now this will be in my wish list. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like mac 217 brush that much that I have 4 of them... I also like mac 239 and I owned 3 of them... and mac 224 which i owned 2...

    ReplyDelete
  9. aww now i remember from your shiseido workshop na the most versatile brush a woman can own ay ang blending brush, heheh, pag nahiligan ko siguro ang pag apply ng eyeshadow then i might go for this one, for the meantime, ok na ko sa charm flat top brush !

    btw miss m, im seriously thinking na bilhin ang brow zing ng benefit, although nakakaguilty ang price (Nanghinayang nga ko don sa shiseido tapos eto halos same price tas sa kilay lang? pero you and liz are really good endorsers kasi, ill check it sometime sa glorietta, kasi i still cant get over sa kilay mo from the workshop! lol)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gosh! so pricey for a brush but I can feel how you're satisfied with it. I need to practice more on make up to better appreciate pricey brushes!lol!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes you're right Ms M :) Kaya nga lang I don't have enough moolah to buy a brush that's worth more than a thousand. If I have already, I'll buy first a complete set of makeup brushes since I only have 6. That fact alone won't seem like im a Freelance MUA. hahha

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've always wanted this brush but whenever I'm at the store I always change my mind and buy something else haha. I think I will try sigma first but if the dupe from sigma won't work out, I'd definitely put this back on my to buy list. The fact that it fits all eye shapes makes it a holy grail indeed but it is too pricey for my budget :(

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have two of these and the Sigma dupe. I like this more than the 224

    ReplyDelete
  14. owning a MAC brushes is a wow,this is good as I read some of reviews.though pricey, it worths.:)

    ReplyDelete
  15. as they say, you get what you pay for.

    kaso for me impractical pa to invest for a mac brush since i only use brushes naman for personal use

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow it's made of goat hair?! I actually asked my sister who is a fanatic of mac products, she said this isher favorite too. Obviously the price is as its finest haha because this brush is assembled using the finest quality material.
    She said this is great for blending, all over lid application, shading and everything! Super soft!

    ReplyDelete
  17. i dont have MAC brushes pa at the moment thinking that MAC is for pro MUAs so im contented with what i have.. Ellana creasing brush, my blush brush from marionnaud i bought from watsons and elf e/s brush from elf.. im lucky to have the set of charm from ms rowena, but this post inspire me to have one.. so better to save for this one =) *note: will be included on my wishlist!*

    ReplyDelete
  18. Aesthetically Savvy: Hi there, Carl! :) Now I know why makeup artists like you love this thing! :)

    Ohms: True that! :D

    Jaja and Jec: I just invented in a pricey brush now, now that I am more confident than ever in applying makeup. :)

    Josie: Yes, goat hair. :) She couldn't be wrong! This thing is awesome! :)

    Hxero: Hi there and welcome to tbj! Thanks for sharing! Awesome collection you got there. I wanna buy more MAC brushes too. :)

    Desire: Lol! :D

    Eloise: It's one of my faves, but now, I'm using MAC Fluidline Brow Creme in Dirty Blonde. :)

    Detsy: Or maybe you could buy it first and it'll help spark your desire to do better makeup. LOL! Enabler mode. ::D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Aesthetically Savvy: Hi there, Carl! :) Now I know why makeup artists like you love this thing! :)

    Ohms: True that! :D

    Jaja and Jec: I just invented in a pricey brush now, now that I am more confident than ever in applying makeup. :)

    Josie: Yes, goat hair. :) She couldn't be wrong! This thing is awesome! :)

    Hxero: Hi there and welcome to tbj! Thanks for sharing! Awesome collection you got there. I wanna buy more MAC brushes too. :)

    Desire: Lol! :D

    Eloise: It's one of my faves, but now, I'm using MAC Fluidline Brow Creme in Dirty Blonde. :)

    Detsy: Or maybe you could buy it first and it'll help spark your desire to do better makeup. LOL! Enabler mode. ::D

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think of this post! :)