MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush Review

I thought I wrote this review years ago. But I was going through my brushes and decided to double check and no review popped up...so here we are. 

MAC claims:

The 239 Eye Shader Brush is a soft, dense brush ideal for shading or blending eyeshadow. It has a rounded edge with smooth, firm, fine fibers and can be used to build or press intense color on the lid. M·A·C professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

Brushes are my vice. And once upon a time I wanted the entire MAC brush collection. Now that they are all synthetic....I don't want them all anymore. A select few that were already synthetic are on my list. But other than that, MAC did me a huge favor. This is one of the brushes that was previously natural (goat hair) and now completely synthetic. I have the old version. Which I'm sure shows up in Cosmetics Company Outlets. 

Also there are similar brushes to this one in many brands...so if I ever purchase any of those, I can use this review for comparison.

The MAC 239 is a must have brush for me. It's great for packing shadow on, adding some color  under the eye. You can even turn it sideways and blend a little. It's pretty thin and small enough that you have a lot of control.

The MAC 242 (synthetic) is better to pack on shimmer shadows. This doesn't do too bad, but that one does better. This one works well with pigments, matte shadows, etc.

I notice I get less fallout with this vs some of my less expensive options. Also depending on how I pack it on, I feel like shadows can last a little but longer on the eyelid.

It was $25, which I think is worth it. I've had it years and  years. Washed it multiple times and it's still like new. Maybe a bit discolored. 

If I only had to pick two brushes to use the rest of my life- I would pick this and the 217 (possibly the 221). But luckily I don't have to pick and I can keep them all.

MAC 233, MAC 239, MAC 242, ELF Shader

For comparison, I have an old Elf Shader. It was only $1. I don't like the cut and it's a bit scratchy but it was only a buck. It can certainly get the job done. I have the MAC 233. Which doesn't hold pigment the way it should..again it works but it's not my favorite. Although it is cute. And the MAC 242. Which excels at shimmer shades but doesn't pack on matte shadows as well.

This was worth the $25 to me.

Tutorials from MAC showing the brush in action.






What are your two must have brushes?

Random: I've used up two more eyeshadows...and a bronzer. I've had the Covergirl Ebony bronzer for years and was saving it-but it's time to move on to other things. The two shadows I used are Urban Decays Sidecar- the glitter bomb shade that is pretty but I hated the glitter fallout and Too Faced Piano Keys. An unflattering matte white. 21 eyeshadows down-9 to go!