7 MAC Eye Brushes You Need In Your Arsenal
204 Lash Brush ($11.00) is perfect for grooming brows, grabbing mascara, and combing out lashes. It’s sturdier than disposal wands to boot!
208 Angled Brow Brush ($19.50) is my go-to brush for all my eyelining needs. It doesn’t matter that it’s labeled as a “brow brush,” because it’s excellent for thin, precise lining. It’s angled and stiff enough to use for upper lash lining and tightlining. Everyone raves about the 266, but I prefer this over the 266 when lining my upper lash line! (If you have the 263, it should be just about as good–though it’s $20).
219 Pencil Brush ($23.00) is a must-have if like to smudge your eyeshadow or wear eyeshadow as liner. It applies and deposits color easily on the lower lash line, but it can also smudge or smoke out liner (with or without shadow) in just a few seconds.
224 Tapered Blending Brush ($28.00) makes crease-work a breeze. Blend out harsh lines with a soft, wispy motion with this fluffy, blending brush. Add ultra-rich, pigmented shadows in smoother, subtler layers–and never worry about going too heavy. (By the by, the limited edition 226 is even better, but the 224 will do if you can’t get your hands on the 226.) I find the 226/224 works better for me than the 217 (too fluffy).
239 Eye Shader Brush ($24.50) should be the first eye brush you purchase. It is beyond phenomenal, and if you really want to, this is one brush that can do it all. It is up to the challenge of replacing every single other eye brush you own. Soft to the touch with a nice density of bristles, it’s has enough fluff to easily pick up eyeshadow color, but enough density to pack on the color on the lid. The size is ideal for applying eyeshadow from the lid to the crease to the lower lash line. In fact, you may want to think about owning multiple 239s. (I have five–yes, five!)
249 Large Shader Brush ($27.00) is the best brush for applying creamy products to your eyes. I am always using this whenever I’m applying paints, paint pots, fluidlines, etc. as a base. It’s flat, firm, and holds its shape while still picking up plenty of product. What I love is it picks up product, and it doesn’t all get stuck in the bristles.
266 Small Angle Brush ($19.50) is an oft-raved about brush, usually when speaking about fluidline and lining, but it is also excellent for filling in brows. It’s thicker than both the 208 and 263 (my choices for lining), but if you’re going for thicker liner, this will definitely be a must-have. Talk about making cat-eyes easier!
* Please note that these are my picks for essential brushes based on my experience, brushes not included may be valuable, but they are not brushes I find myself using often enough to call them essential.
What eye brushes would you deem as your essential set?
Four Ways to Wear Carbon Eyeshadow
Lightly above the crease to add just a little drama to any look without looking over done.
All over the lid for a deliciously rich and dark smoky eye in pure black.
To add depth to color by enriching the intensity and darkness. And matte texture always adds something special, too.
On the outer V, just to add smoke where there’s already fire…
What are your favorite ways to wear Carbon?
Have you ever stared at the ever-lovely Goldmine eyeshadow wondering what you might pair it with? Here are six fun ways to use one of my favorite eyeshadows:
Paired with Golds and Orangey-Coppers, Goldmine helps to brighten any look.
To Make the Natural Easy, try using Goldmine as a way to add pop and color to subtle, natural shades of beige and brown.
Kick Up Your Look by pairing Goldmine with bright chartreuses and yellows for a very bold, summery eye.
Perfect For Diffusing Color when you’ve used a bold shade like blue, green, or teal. Try blending Goldmine just above the darkest color to help fade the color to your brow bone.
Try Lightening Darker Colors with Goldmine to get a unique color combination. Layering Goldmine over browns often gives you a nice mix of natural and shimmer.
Make Green, Not War by layering Goldmine over your favorite teal or blue shade. It is an easy way to get an amazing gradient of color going.
What’s your favorite way to wear Goldmine eyeshadow?
To Impersonate a Mermaid by using Freshwater with aquas and crystalline blues to evoke images of the ocean and siren calls.
Go Bold With No Regrets in a sinfully rich and dark smoky eye that’s all blue and nothing but. Shamelessly smothered in the hues of blue and navy blue for a night out!
Lightly In the Crease to help add just a *touch* of dimension and color.
Make a Smoky Eye Pop by turning gray to a gray-toned-blue. It’s an eye look without a lot of color, but it isn’t so monochromatic either.
With Teals because it goes so perfectly with them. Yep, blue with teal–obviously not for those afraid to wear some color!
To Create Jewel Tones with its richness in that perfect medium blue that’s dark and yet not overwhelmingly so. Pair it with greens and teals and aquas.
In the Crease to really amp up any look–it’s such an intense dark green, which makes it perfect for adding drama.
Get Neutrals to Pop by just adding a hint of the forest-y green shade amongst more neutral/natural shades.
To Complete Your Greens and round off your collection thereof. I know you have your pastels and your medium-spring-happy greens, but have you your more forboding, deep green?
Deep Smoky Greens with Humid to help intensify any green-themed smoky eye. Line with black to really make the colors stand out!
As a Liner to make a subtle eye pop or finishing a muted olive-green eye.
With Reflects Glitter to give you an almost shimmering-water-effect that is both stunning and irresistibly fun to try!
Pair It With Golds and you can never go wrong. Humid is an excellent match for any golden-toned shadows, be them gorgeous golds or warmer greens or antique browns.
After hearing your feedback on this recent look, I thought about what other color combinations have I tried thinking they wouldn’t work…
- The Black Smoky Eye | Completely and utterly black-based through and through. I never thought this much black would come out looking anything but awful.
- Festive “Christmas” Eye | Red and green don’t blend well, and could you really wear Christmas colors? At least around the holidays… it worked!
- Non-Bright Teal | I was inspired by the brown and teal hearts on my shirt, and I wondered if it would translate in a look. I didn’t have much faith, but I liked the result!
- Too Multi-Colored | I use a lot of colors in my looks, but they’re often in the same color family, just different shades–what if I used a ton of colors from different families?
- Barbie Loves MAC | As soon as I saw the promo for it, I loved it! But I mean, would it really work? The model was pale and porcelain (I am far from it), but could you get the colors to blend together similarly? (Shh, I like mine better!)
