Hey, can I borrow your hot tub/DeLorean time machine for an hour? Pretty please?
I need to get back to 2017 or, really, any time before MAC revamped their brush line and changed so many of their classic brushes. Like this one: the 224.
If you say “yes,” I’ll babysit your cat or bake you brownies. What do ya say? Deal? 🙂
MAC 224S Synthetic Tapered Blending Brush ($34)
I wish I could stock up those old 224s because — HELLO, CRANKY PANTS — this new version is scratchy and stiff, several of the bristles have fallen out, and the ferrule is already loose.
Such a bummer, too, because the old-school 224s are beasts. I have two that are more than five years old and still going strong, but they’ll have to be replaced sooner or later.
If MAC doesn’t bring back the O.G. non-synthetic version, or otherwise fix this one, my plan is to eventually spring for either another NARS #42, which is $32 and BOMB, or the Chanel blending brush, which is $36.
Oh, well.
❤️ 1 out of 5 hearts.
Did you know? Tapered eye brushes like this one are useful for applying sheer washes of color to the lids, as well as for blending shadows together.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Have you considered the Hakuhodo J5522?
Hi Kim,
No, but if it’s life-changing and if I can get a hold of it easily here in the US I totally would! Where did you get yours?
I think all Hakuhodo brushes are life changing!! They just makes my makeup go on too much better.. but Japanese artisan makeup brushes are my new 2018 obsession. I buy my brushes on https://hakuhodousa.com.. There are also very reliable personal shoppers in Japan that custom purchase (CP) as the Japan brush prices are cheaper than the US and in the end even with the CP charge (~10%) + shipping if you order a couple of brushes you end up saving money. If you are interested and want some brush recs let me know.. that is literally the least I could do based on all the life changing advice you’ve given me for >8 years now!!
I would LOVE some recommendations! Anything you love for eye makeup blending/application would be great, as I’m pretty happy with my face brush situation. 🙂
My must have eye brushes are:
J5522 – great for all over lid color, buffing edges, setting paint pots/eye primers etc.
J142, J146 – crease blending (basically same shape but 146 is smaller). I have hooded eyes so like having both 🙂
J5523 – MAC 217 dupe but 100x better.. make that 1000x better
J5529 – not essential but nice to have for outer corner detailed work
J521H – The most precise brush if you want to tightline.. its so teeny
Koyudo C011 – The softest lower lash smudgy brush ever.. Not Hakuhodo and I order from cdjapan
The only brush that I think MAC makes better than Hakuhodo is the 239.. but that’s discontinued now and I’m kicking myself for not picking up backups.. RIP MAC239
I get most of mine from the US website. The website is sometimes crazy to navigate because there are sooooo many brushes, but you get the hang of it. The only downside is the flat rate shipping cost, but you get it sent priority mail. I usually purchase two or three at once.
J5522 It’s amazingly soft, so give it a try!
https://hakuhodousa.com/
Awesome, thanks Christina! What other brushes can you recommend? My birthday is coming up so it looks like I might need to treat myself. 🙂
I am Canadian and ordered from Hakuhodo US and I was so pleased! I love my 3 J5523 (MAC 217) brushes. Great prices and quality. They also shipped it unmarked and valued at 15 dollars so I didn’t get dinged with duties! Even with exchange and a small shipping fee it was totally worth it. I would do it again.
Yeah, I’m not so happy with so much of MAC these days. But changing those workhorse brushes is a nightmare. And the website! Why let me put something in my cart and only tell me there are none in stock when I go to check out.
Boooo it’s a shame they changed things for the worse. Rumors are that they’re revamping the eyeshadow formula too this year. You might like the Wayne Goss eye brushes
Yeah, the eyeshadows in the MAC Girls palettes are supposed to be the new formula from what I recall!
Really? Doesn’t that formula sometimes bother your eyes? Eek. Time for me to get back ups and then I’ll have to look elsewhere once I run out… Mac is being very disappointing for me lately.
It’s a shame they changed to all synthetic. I don’t care what they say, I have not found a synthetic brush other than for my face that I love. I cannot use synthetic eye brushes–they’re just not as refined as natural hairs.
I totally agree with you on these new synthetic brushes from MAC. Boo! Not liking the switch 🙁 I actually tried my nearest CCO to see if they had any old brushes but I only found one. I didn’t need it but bought it anyway because… unicorn!
I’m enjoying reading the comments with all the recommendations especially on hakuhodo as I’ve always wanted to try them but that website has so many brushes and I loathe to pay shipping… then again, I did that once by ordering some items from Zoeva. International shipping! Including a set of eye brushes which are nice and reasonably-priced, just not mind-blowing.
In the interest of contributing, I second the Wayne Goss recommendation. All the Wayne Goss brushes that I’ve purchased are wonderful. The small crease brush is particularly useful for blending and super soft against my aging lids ?. At some point, I’m considering getting a Wayne Goss eye set. The chikuhodo z-10 is another love.
I second (or third?) the Hakuhodo recommendation or if you want a return policy or to just try one brush with free shipping I recommend Wayne Goss on Beautylish. It is actually suspected that his brushes are made by Hakuhodo. They are a bit more expensive, but you can get free shipping and returns with Beautylish whereas Hakuhodo has a flat rate $9 (I think) shipping fee. You can’t go wrong with either brush and I agree with all of the brushes Kim recommended above.
Mac 224 would be the most similar to Wayne Goss 16/ Hakuhodo J5522 and Wayne Goss 03 would be the same shape, but in squirrel hair. Mac 217 would be similar to Wayne Goss 18/ Hakuhodo J5523 and Wayne Goss 06 would be the same shape, but in squirrel hair. I honestly love my Wayne Goss and Hakuhodo brushes WAY more than Mac. Mac seems absolutely scratchy in comparison and the goat hair Wayne Goss or Hakuhodo brushes are either the same or even better at blending. Squirrel hair will get you a much softer wash of color and will be less aggressive at blending than goat, but is good if you have sensitive skin. The only brush I haven’t found a suitable or better dupe for is Mac 239.
I cannot recommend Sweet Makeup Temptations’ blog enough for help with brushes. This post is a review of a Wayne Goss set, but it has comparison photos of Mac, Hakuhodo, and Wayne Goss: https://sweetmakeuptemptations.com/2017/06/19/wayne-goss-new-eye-set/
Hi Karen,
Hope you are keeping well? I’ve not commented for a while so apologies about that. I have never tried Hakuhodo myself but have heard great things, especially from a girl called Hailey on YouTube. She recently did a video on her favourite high end brushed and went into a lot of detail on some Hakuhodo ones that she ones. She is a makeup artist and is really cool, think you would enjoy her videos a lot. Anyway, I’ve left a like below in case you wanted to check out her video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV51PjJh8Wg
Hope that helps :).
Tory x
I was wondering how how the new MAC synthetic brushes compared to the old and now I know. Dear Hubs asked if I needed him to pick anything up at that brush place I like in Tokyo and I said no, I was good for brushes. Guess I need to start a list for the next trip to Tokyo.
Darn, why do companies discontinue perfectly good products? Is it just to find cheaper source materials to increase profit margins? Do they all do this? Or is it just ones owned my a certain parent company?
I won’t buy another MAC brush. You just can’t get an eye look with a synthetic that you can with natural hair. And their synthetics have kinda always sucked anyway. BTW, you look so beautiful in your icon pic.
Oh no, they revamped it? That totally passed me by!
I’m sorry to hear that. I hate it when faves are changed or discontinued. 🙁