GUEST POST: Two Budget Dupes for the MAC 217 Brush Under $15

For the first time on G&GB, I HAVE A GUEST BLOGGER! Steph from The Fantasia (a fav of mine) is here today to give the lowdown on two dupes for the infamous MAC 217 because who doesn't love a good budget dupe, amirite? (Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to admire her product shots for this post)

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Starting off your makeup brush collection is a daunting and intimidating process. Do you invest in them or sacrifice quality for price? Do you go with the high-end brand, or start out with the lower price point? Which brand? Which brush? Can you really get both quality and price? The list of questions only gets longer and longer!

One of everyone’s favourite brush is the MAC 217 Blending Brush ($28, available here), which at $28 a piece made me cringe at the thought of initially investing in it. Trust me, the 4.7/5 rating and 92% repurchase rate on MakeupAlley doesn’t make it any easier to resist. Fortunately, I’ve found 2 dupes that are about half the price of the MAC brush, and after trialing both for more than a year, I’d say they are strong competition to the real thing!

1. Sedona Lace EB09 - Universal Blender (USD$14)

L-R: Sedona Lace EB09 - Universal Blender (USD$14) and MAC 217 Brush (CAD$28)

The Universal Blender EB 09 went on to become my all-time favourite eye brush almost instantaneously. When I first read about how this brush is both a shader and blender brush in one, I was very skeptical and dismissed it as a marketing ploy. However, when I actually tried using this brush as both shader and blender brush, I haven’t looked back. It has a slightly tapered head which makes the sides perfect to apply eye color. The rounded head is perfect for blending out the colors. With this brush, you can easily do your eye makeup using just one brush. The only problem is of course, it gets dirty quicker, so I bought backups of this brush since it seriously is an amazing budget brush! You can read more of my thoughts on Sedona Lace brushes (especially the sets that come with this brush) on a previous post I've uploaded.

L-R: Sedona Lace EB09 – Universal Blender (USD$14) and MAC 217 Brush (CAD$28)

2. Sigma Beauty E25 - Blending Brush (USD$14/CAD$16)

Sigma Beauty E25 - Blending Brush (R)

Sigma Beauty is highly known for popularizing the synthetic flat top kabuki brush (F80) and their amazing array of brushes. One of the brushes that has been around for the longest time is the E25 - Blending Brush ($16), the mini-version which you would use to get with a purchase of over $30 (These days, the free gifts rotate). This brush has been compared so many times to the MAC 217 brush and rightfully so as I own both brushes, and can hardly tell the difference. I consider this brush as one of those 2-in-1; the flat head allows for depositing colours on the lid while the tapered head blends the product out evenly. The E25 is a fantastic brush to take with you when you’re travelling. This brush is one of no-fail, and beginner-friendly brush, and functional for any kinds of eye makeup looks.

You can read my reviews on the Sigma Beauty E25 as well as the E35 brush on the review post I've uploaded a couple of weeks ago! Canadian readers can purchase Sigma Brushes from ObsessedLook which offers free shipping in Canada!

  Have you tried the MAC 217 blending brush? Do you have any particularly favourite dupes that you have tried before? Have you tried any of these dupes? 

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Share with me comment section or through Twitter or Instagram!