Archived Post

Is there a beauty tool you would get a backup of if it was discontinued?


Is there a beauty tool you would get a backup of if it was discontinued? Share!

shu uemura’s eyelash curler! MAC 239!

Thanks to reader Starfish628 for today’s question idea Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

58 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Lotus Avatar

Yes!!! A few!
1. Marc Jacobs Bronzer Brush: It’s so well constructed, soft, perfect for tapping translucent loose powder against the face! And everything else, but it’s so expensive, I’ve not indulged because other brushes work great for whatever.
2. Hourglass Ambient Brush. And I have bought three. I love them.
3. It Cosmetics (oh what’s it called??) the French one for blush is amazing!
4. Q-tips & cotton rounds: Necessary.
There are a few other brushes, some RT, some Bobby Brown, MUFE or mac, and a metal lash comb!!!? Tweezers!

The MJB bronzer brush is also SUPER for Metrorites! Best splurge brush buy ever. Ever.

Stephanie Avatar

I wish I had the opportunity to buy the MAC 222 before it got discontinued. I received the brush as a gift and it’s absolutely wonderful! Does anyone have any suggestions for dupes?

Kat Avatar

I’d say brushes, like the 239 and 217, but more realistically, Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus foundation in NW10. I can totally see that being discontinued unfortunately. Mac discontinues products for no apparent reason, plus there aren’t many of us ghosts, at least not as many as there are non-ghosts. Besides that, Urban Decay’s Brightening and Tightening Complexion primer.

Now I’m gonna have nightmares that all my favorite products were discontinued!

Isabel Avatar

Hi Christine,

Long long time reader, 1st time poster 🙂 🙂 🙂

mac 217 + mac 239 + kevin aucoin eyelash curler

Ola from Lisboa (Portugal)

ps – thanks a lot for all your hard work and timely and very honest reviews! You are my top reference and have saved me a lot of hard earned money trough these years!!! keep up!!!!!

Mariella Avatar

I seriously regret never having got a MAC 222 brush (I think that’s the # – it’s similar to the 224 but with white bristles and a bit firmer). Stuff that’s available now – MAC 217 and 239 and the RT brushes – mostly the stippling one, the domed shadow brush and the 2 sets I have (travel and essentials – can’t recall the names). And a Tweezerman slant edged tweezer.

Dany Avatar

Chikuhodo Z brushes (already got backup for Z5), even if they are not discontinued, so I wouldn’t use the only one too much. Have to protect those delicate bristle!

Eliz Avatar

Ditto on both the Shu Uemura Lash curler and the MAC 239. In fact, I just had to purchase a new Shu curler and your free shipping on any order code came in quite handy – thank you! I would add fluffy loose powder puffs from Chantecaille as they are perfect for applying any powder product. And, the bareMinerals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush. I’m also loving my new Laura Mercier Cheek Colour Brush as it is incredibly soft and has yet to shed. So, apparently I need to hope that most of these tools stick around as it would get expensive fast to have to hoard backups.

xamyx Avatar

I still regret not grabbing a second Sonia Kashuk Duo-Fiber Kabuki Brush, which was LE & I found on clearance… I also wish I grabbed a second SK Face Brush Kit (the one with the mint bristles & black/white floral handles); I use at leasr 2/4 brushes from this set daily!

Leticia Avatar

MAC 217, 239 and 213; the Real Techniques Eyeshadow Brushes kit (I really use all brushes of this kit, for either eyeshadow or concealer), the RT Stippling Brush and some white and pink nail files I get at Sally’s, which are perfect :)!

Cat Avatar

Is a z-palette considered a tool? =) I’d definitely pick up another large z-palette if they were being discontinued.

Christine, which Shu Uemura eyelash curler are you referring to? I see at least two types available on the Shu Uemura website. Also, if someone isn’t familiar with the various brands of brushes on the market and how they perform, how would you advise them in going about purchasing new brushes? A brush that is one person’s HG brush might not work well for someone else… right? It’s a bit overwhelming with so many options available these days. :-/

Christine Avatar

The regular one! (Not the “new” one – haven’t tried that one!)

You say new… so I presume you have some already? I would consider what shapes you have, which ones you actually like (maybe you like the shape, but the quality of the bristles is low, etc.), which ones you don’t like AND why (too big? too small? scratchy? handle is too long?) and try to see what brushes would fix those problems.

I very much agree that my favorite brushes may not be your favorites! There are some brushes that are more universal than others, but even those can sometimes not work for all (say if you have really small eyes or large eyes, then “universal” may feel too big/small).

Cat Avatar

I do have some brushes. My favorite is my Wayne Goss #4 brush. It’s soft, and it picks up and deposits product like a dream. That’s what I’m really looking for — soft, effective brushes. I have some by Coastal Scents that I don’t like at all. They are a bit stiff and just don’t deposit product well. I also have some Chanel brushes and have been very durable but I’m not screaming praises for them, if you know what I mean.

I’m not very familiar with the quality/feel of many of the major brands and I don’t have many places near me that carry some of the higher-quality options. Therefore, besides MAC and Sephora, I make purchases online. (Sephora can, at times, be a little overwhelming for me with the bright lights, music playing and, most of the time, a rather crowded store.)

I hear a lot of people talking about MAC brushes… so, they must be some of the better brushes on the market, right? I’ve never even seen a MAC brush in real life! LOL I’ve only been to a MAC counter twice now and the same SA *helped* me both times. She seemed really disinterested and offered up no advice or product recommendations. I just bought what I went there to buy and left.

I guess the bottom line is… I want a few soft brushes that deposit product well and I have no idea where to start, unless I want to order more WG brushes online and hope I like them as much as the #4. <<<— I don't!! 😉 Are MAC brushes really worth me checking into? If so, I will go and pay a visit to Ms Disinterested again… :-/

Christine Avatar

If you like Wayne Goss brushes, I probably wouldn’t bother with most MAC brushes. There may be some classic MAC brushes worth considering (like the 239, which is still a favorite for me), but brands like Hakuhodo, Chikuhodo, Wayne Goss, etc. are all on a different level — most notably when it comes to face brushes.

Hakuhodo makes some great eye brushes, and a lot of them are actually cheaper than MAC eye brushes of similar size/style. The only issue is unless you live in LA or go to a trade show, it’s hard to see them in person. And shipping isn’t free 🙁

In general, I’m unimpressed by brushes from brands like Chanel, Dior, Guerlain, etc. Some of the high-end (but not designer) brands seem to be okay, like Bobbi Brown and MAC, but the best are usually Japanese brands. Tom Ford’s brushes are really lovely, though equally pricey, but that’s a more “mainstream” brand that does them well.

Cat Avatar

I’ve been meaning to thank you for your detailed advice for.. wow… five months! (Where does the time go?!?) Life got in the way of doing much of anything.

Thank you SO much. I really appreciate all of the information. It looks like I’ll be adding a few more Wayne Goss brushes to my collection in the future. =)

Mimielle Avatar

Chikuhodo Z-10 eye shadow brush. I’m thinking of getting another so I’ll have one for light colors, one for dark. It never tugs or pokes my delicate under-eye skin when blending there but it’s dense enough to get it DONE. I’m a convert to their Z line brushes and am collecting them slowly but that’s my prize.

Kim Avatar

My picks are MACs 239, 217 and my fav brush of all time MAC 226 (LE). On a side note, I really don’t understand the concept of LE brushes. Why can’t they make it part of their permanent line? I’ll have to grab another 226 the next time it gets re-re (?) released! 🙂

ishma Avatar

This is a random question but can anyone kindly tell me if there is a dupe for Nars blush Crazed. I’ve looked everywhere and it’s not in the dupe list either. Thanks in advance. 🙂

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!