Dieggy Ventures: SG Authentic Mac Brushes

Hi! So it's been a while since I've last posted here but I'm back with a vengeance! I got tons of things to blog about because I've been quite busy with school and my makeup gigs and testing out different products!

So, I'd like to come back to blogging with this review of the 16-piece Mac Brush set I got from @prettyangelshoppe from Instagram. :)

The thing with @prettyangelshoppe is that the seller remains kind despite her assertiveness. Anyway, I've gotten other products from her and so far I haven't had a negative reaction to them, so yay! Also, I cannot stress it enough that they have the fastest courier ever! I often pay for things at lunch time and the packages arrive usually in a little more than 24 hours.

To start, here's what it looked like when the set arrived 3 weeks ago:

Now, it looks like this!

Lol, so yeah it shows how it's been used over and over again because it's just a breeze to use! Don't worry though, I clean the hair of the brushes thoroughly. Anyway, do you see in the pictures of when the set arrived? The case comes with a lengthy detachable strap to make your life easy. It's also the perfect set for me because it's not too much that I get confused on which brushes to use when I'm under pressure and because it takes quite a long time for me to clean my brushes.

Let's move on to the specific brushes and their uses!

This is a large fluffy brush and has saved my life many times when retouching clients! It's sooooo soft and it buffs setting powders and compressed powders onto the faces of people so well. I really love it! I give this brush a 7/10.

So this is supposed to be a duo fiber brush but this one particularly is a bad brush because the first time I used it, it felt so soft and it had no hair fall at all! But when I started cleaning it, I guess the glue gave out and now, I don't want to use it. If you want pics of what it looks like now, I'll gladly send it to you but I don't want to include it here on my blog. I give this a 2/10 because I still used it 2-3 times before it became unusable. I also used this in one of my videos but back then it was still very new and didn't show signs of falling out. :(

This is what I use to put on foundation and sometimes even the concealer! This is also one of my favorites from the set because it's so versatile and clients love it as well because it's so so so soft. Compared to my Elianto foundation brush and given that it's a replica, it's doing its job well! I give this brush a 8/10.

Blushes are very important to complete the looks of clients and this brush does an average job doing that. It's not that bad but I feel like it can do better. As you can see, the strands are also not in good shape already. But, it's still a good brush to have. I sometimes use it to contour cheeks! So, I give this brush a 5/10.

It looks weird, right? But this is a good foundation brush to have. It's not a necessity but it's a good brush to have in your kit especially when you're working with models/clients who have defined and *naturally* sculpted faces. Try it around your nose area, it works wonders! I give this brush a 6/10.

Okay so this eyeshadow brush is pretty basic but I like it because it's flat but not too flat and it blends well! I also like how it helps me use it only for dark eye shadows because it's black. I'm kind of OC that way. I give this brush a 6/10.

This is a fatter version of the brush above. It's also bigger and white, obviously. Anyway, it makes it easier for me to have light and dark colored eyeshadow brushed because it helps me be more organized and less likely to panic in times of pressure. This is also a good brush to have in your kit because of its size. It helps you get the product onto the eyelids quicker. I give this brush a 6.5/10.

Okay so this is a blending brush as well. I use it on the crease area and whenever I want to blend edges even more. It's also an average brush. I give this brush a 6.5/10 as well.

nother square brush, you ask? Well, this is great for concealers! It lets you get into those nooks and crannies with ease! I give this brush a 7/10.

This is an angled eyeshadow brush but I don't use it on eyeshadows. I use it to blend when contouring the nose! Hahaha, spell versatility? :)) Anyway, I give this brush a 6/10 because it's not a necessity especially when you're already used to contouring noses with your fingers which I think is a great technique.

Ahhhhh this is the moment I've been waiting for. This angled thin brush is the most useful and the best brush out of the bunch! I use it from my eyebrows to my eyeliner to my lips! The length of it is so perfect and it there are no falling hair! I love love love love this brush! I give it a 9.5/10!

See below

I use these brushes for lips! I give them both 6/10.

I use this one with the Naturactor Concealer in 171! They're a match made in heaven lol. But once, I used this for the lips as well and it works great! I give this a 7/10.

Yey! A review of this Naturactor concealer is coming up!

These are additional brushes that complete the set. They're teeny tiny lipstick brushes! I give them a 4/10 because I don't like working with short brushes that much and because they get ruined when inside the cap which is quite ironic.

Let's do some Math:

7/10

2/10

8/10

5/10

6/10

6.5/10

7/10

6/10

9.5/10

6/10 (x2)

7/10

4/10 (x2)

96.5/160

= 60.3125%

Not bad, right?

All in all, I think that the brush set is a good buy. It's not overwhelming but it's still a lot.

I know that most people are skeptical about the replicas made but it really depends on the user because if you can buy the originals, by all means, do! But if you can't, and you're not that picky, you can opt to buy knock-offs! It's your prerogative on how you're going to take care of your belongings and how you choose to spend your money so whether it's original or replica, as long as you use your things with love, I think you'll be able to utilize every skill you have and just do you your best!

Also, I'd really like to emphasize on the fact that there are tons of great brushes out there. One of my favorite kabuki brushes was from Guangzhou, China last year and I bought it on a whim! Up to now, it's still so soft and it's a must-have in my kit. This goes to show that even non-branded brushes are still good to have because you'll never know which ones you're good with and which ones you're not. In short, just experiment and be open-minded! :)

Here's a totally random but related video I made as well: