I am getting my first makeup brush set. I am so excited!Here is what I plan to get from Mac if I decide to go with them. Do you have any recommendations for adding brushes or skipping any?

Face
109  small contour brush                   
168  large angled contour brush
187 Duo Fibre Brush 
116  Blush Brush
195   concealer brush
182  buffer brush 

lips
316

Eyes
204  lash brush
208  angled brow brush
217  blending Brush
219 pencil brush 
224   Taper Blending Brush
239   Eye Shader Brush 
249  Large Shader Brush 
263    Small angle brush
266    Small Angle Brush   

Here's my recommendation: you're waisting money.

You do not need all those brushes. You are spending money for a mac brush when you can do the same for a cheaper brush. If you are spending more than 25 bucks for a set you're wasting your money.

Coming from someone who uses makeup every morning

I have a large powder brush, a small powder brush, blush brush and a lip brush. That's it

I would agree with Annah. I only use three brushes - face powder, blusher and eyeshadow.

Well here's my consenting opinion... MAC makes great brushes. And are a good bang for the buck. If some find them expensive checkout Hakuhodo brushes and get back to me. Oh... I use makeup every day too... And have done so for the last 6 years (as if that means something?  ).

Back on topic... My MAC favs are the 239, 217, and 219 for eyes. The 209 is a good liner. The 208 is great for brows. For face, I like the 134 powder brush. The 187 works great for highlighting or some liquid foundations. I've got several others, but these are the ones I use the most. For foundation, it depends on the type, sometimes I like a sponge better than a brush.

I agree with JennX, MAC makes great brushes indeed.
You definitely do not need every brush under the sun to start out. Get the basics and then build out your set as you find you use them/need others. You'll save yourself a lot of money that way
The ones that get the most use for me are my 217, 242, 210, 208 and my 190 for foundation

And yea, I use my makeup every day too, rofl

My first brush set was MAC. I remember spending 35-50 dollars on one Brush. It seemed that MAC was the unofficial transgender brush brand and everyone and their mother was telling me to get these. Being new at everything, I obliged.

Four months later I was giving a set of brushes from Sephora as a Christmas Gift. The entire set was 15 dollars cheaper than one MAC Brush.

After trying both, I saw absolutely no difference whatsoever in the quality and the results of my makeup. None. No one else noticed either

To get on a Geek Level, buying a MAC brush is like buying an Alienware computer. For a $4500 Alienware computer with the same specs/hardware/cpu...virtual carbon copy you can get the same PC for 1500 dollars with a different brand.

You're spending gobs of money just on a name. Nothing more. My current brushes are even made from the exact same fiber and fiber consistency of a MAC brush.

Quote from: Annah on September 23, 2012, 12:37:57 PM
My first brush set was MAC. I remember spending 35-50 dollars on one Brush. It seemed that MAC was the unofficial transgender brush brand and everyone and their mother was telling me to get these. Being new at everything, I obliged.

Four months later I was giving a set of brushes from Sephora as a Christmas Gift. The entire set was 15 dollars cheaper than one MAC Brush.

After trying both, I saw absolutely no difference whatsoever in the quality and the results of my makeup. None. No one else noticed either

To get on a Geek Level, buying a MAC brush is like buying an Alienware computer. For a $4500 Alienware computer with the same specs/hardware/cpu...virtual carbon copy you can get the same PC for 1500 dollars with a different brand.

You're spending gobs of money just on a name. Nothing more. My current brushes are even made from the exact same fiber and fiber consistency of a MAC brush.

Not sure of the transgender association with MAC? Ru Paul was a MAC spokeperson a few years back, but he is not TG? I know many drag queens that are MAC fans, but not sure of the TG implication otherwise. And as far as being overpriced, if you check around at most of the other major cosmetic brands, MAC brush prices are very much average in today's marketplace.

Anywho, if you are buying natural hair (sable, goat, and squirrel hair) brushes at the prices you mention, great. But I'd check again, as they more than likely are synthetic, or are made of a different type of animal hair. Also synthetic brushes aren't bad, many high end brushes like Hourglass for example are synthetic, but even among synthetic brushes, there can be a world of difference can exist.

If someone wants to save some $$$, checkout www.sigmabeauty.com. These are about the lowest price/quality ratio brush I'd recommend. There maybe others out there, but I've tried most every brand of brush out there.

it wasn't meant to be an implication on transgender and MAC. And yes, I know RuPaul is a drag queen and no, I did not say what I said because RuPaul represented MAC.

I said what I said because when I was looking for advice on makeup, it was pretty much unanimous that the transgender community I was part of when I first transitioned all swore by MAC this and MAC that. Kinda like a lot of Hipsters are into iMAC computers : a lot of transgender people are into MAC makeup.

My current brushes are the same quality and they are not synthetic. Even MAC synthetics are way too expensive.

This is something that we'll agree to disagree on because I think MACs are just expensive in brand name only 

Quote from: Annah on September 24, 2012, 07:42:13 PM
it wasn't meant to be an implication on transgender and MAC. And yes, I know RuPaul is a drag queen and no, I did not say what I said because RuPaul represented MAC.

I said what I said because when I was looking for advice on makeup, it was pretty much unanimous that the transgender community I was part of when I first transitioned all swore by MAC this and MAC that. Kinda like a lot of Hipsters are into iMAC computers : a lot of transgender people are into MAC makeup.

My current brushes are the same quality and they are not synthetic. Even MAC synthetics are way too expensive.

This is something that we'll agree to disagree on because I think MACs are just expensive in brand name only 

this. The only other people I see who push for Mac so hard are youtube beauty gurus, but they're a bit wonky and not all that. It's the same thing with shoes too, like Air Jordans aren't that much better, but they've cultivated a brand and that's why people wait out in the cold to spend 200$ on those things.

Hi Solentone;
I agree with Annah; this is far too much.
This is what I use:

A Powder Brush - from Guerlain
A Brownzer brush
A blusher brush - contoured
Three Eyeshadow brushes (1 broad, 1 blender; I angled)
An eyebrow brush and comb
An Eyeliner brush (very fine)
A lipstick brush
A fondation sponge

Then in my makeup bag in my purse, I have:
A powder brush - small
A small blusher brush
A makeup applicator
A lipstick brush
A foundation sponge

Thats it. Even I probably have too many, but I take a while to get my make-up just flawless as it is I find very important to give a perfect image when out.
Hugs
Judithlynn

Quote from: Ave on September 24, 2012, 07:45:00 PM
this. The only other people I see who push for Mac so hard are youtube beauty gurus, but they're a bit wonky and not all that. It's the same thing with shoes too, like Air Jordans aren't that much better, but they've cultivated a brand and that's why people wait out in the cold to spend 200$ on those things.

exactly

Quote from: Ave on September 24, 2012, 07:45:00 PM
this. The only other people I see who push for Mac so hard are youtube beauty gurus, but they're a bit wonky and not all that. It's the same thing with shoes too, like Air Jordans aren't that much better, but they've cultivated a brand and that's why people wait out in the cold to spend 200$ on those things.

I do a lot of painting so I have a lot of paint brushes and there is rarely much of a difference between an uber expensive brand name brush and a cheap no name brush of the same kind and material.

Brand names mark up their prices because people will buy them based on the name. They are all made in the same third world factories anyways.

I would say stay away from all makeup until you learn how to use eye liner and lipstick.  Most feminine makeup in my opinion and that of some others.

The only brush I own is a hair brush. I do use a foundation sponge. Eyeliner, mascara and lipsticks are the only makeup I sometimes use.

Quote from: Tesla on October 01, 2012, 01:43:55 PM
The only brush I own is a hair brush. I do use a foundation sponge. Eyeliner, mascara and lipsticks are the only makeup I sometimes use.

most of us use a brush to apply the foundation powder. If you don't use a powder over your foundation, you will sometimes get a "greasy" effect after a few hours (hence the expression, "I need to go powder my nose.") I also use a brush for the blush. Foundation without blush can give you a flushed out appearance.

But yes, one does not need a brush for everything.

Quote from: Annah on October 01, 2012, 02:10:47 PM
most of us use a brush to apply the foundation powder. If you don't use a powder over your foundation, you will sometimes get a "greasy" effect after a few hours (hence the expression, "I need to go powder my nose.") I also use a brush for the blush. Foundation without blush can give you a flushed out appearance.

But yes, one does not need a brush for everything.

Oops, I got that confused. I use my fingers for foundation and the sponge for the powder. But not much else. My mother's the same.

Strictly speaking, you can put on a full face of makeup without any brushes, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. Applying foundation with a sponge vs a stippling brush vs a flat foundation brush can yield all different results. I think that particularly if someone's getting really into doing different eye looks it's totally worth it to spend some money on good brushes if they can afford it. It's not really fair to just say that MAC brushes are always overpriced and overrated and thus nobody should ever waste money on them. From a practical standpoint, a brush is a brush and makeup is makeup, but if somebody's into playing with makeup and doing fun creative things with it beyond a utilitarian standpoint, it can be fun to try different products and see what works. Obviously there's a balance to be struck, but if somebody's excited about getting some nice MAC brushes I don't think there's any harm in encouraging them while maybe suggesting a few lower priced dupes.

I forget what brand of brushes I got, (eta: "Ecotools") but it's in most department stores and sold either individually or in a couple different set combinations.

It's a green and tan package, the pouch is a khaki fabric, and the packaging really emphasizes the "green" (recycled/renewable) source of material. I didn't get it for that reason though...I got it because it had all the brushes I'd need (blush brush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, eyebrow comb/brush, and one other which I haven't used yet) and it was like $9.95US (eta2: close, it lists on the link for 12.95).

It works for me.     If I ever get to "pro" status I'll look into MAC and other big-name brushes...But I'm more of a K-Mart gal anyway...

Quote from: Angel in the Snow on October 01, 2012, 09:30:38 PM
Strictly speaking, you can put on a full face of makeup without any brushes, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. Applying foundation with a sponge vs a stippling brush vs a flat foundation brush can yield all different results. I think that particularly if someone's getting really into doing different eye looks it's totally worth it to spend some money on good brushes if they can afford it. It's not really fair to just say that MAC brushes are always overpriced and overrated and thus nobody should ever waste money on them. From a practical standpoint, a brush is a brush and makeup is makeup, but if somebody's into playing with makeup and doing fun creative things with it beyond a utilitarian standpoint, it can be fun to try different products and see what works. Obviously there's a balance to be struck, but if somebody's excited about getting some nice MAC brushes I don't think there's any harm in encouraging them while maybe suggesting a few lower priced dupes.

there's a difference between getting a couple mac brushes and spending 600 bucks on a list of them

If you live in a place that has discount art stores like Blix, then you can find the same brushes (brush wise) with plain wood handles for less than half the cost.  If the plain wood handles bother you stain them or paint them - consider it a craft.