July 15, 2009

Beauty Battle: MAC 224 Versus MAC 217


Gather round kids time to battle some brushes! I get alot of questions about which is the best blending brush for creating good eye looks. When I first started out with MAC I was recommended two brushes from a Specktra member that changed my life (and I’m sure yours if you own them). The 217 and 224 are recommended far and wide by MAC lovers everywhere as the perfect brush for blending color to a fine finish. They are two of my very favorite brushes and I probably wouldn’t want to face the makeup world without either.


Placing them in the ring together to battle it out isn’t such a fine idea as they are both very good brushes and should both be in your arsenal but who follows rules anyway! Might as well stir thing up.

Our beauty battle will begin after the jump as I pit the MAC 224 up against the MAC 217. Who’ll be the victor? You’ll see have to read to find out more!

As I mentioned above both the MAC 224 and the MAC 217 are incredible blending brushes but of course one has to be the winner in this battle. Which will it be?


In this corner we have the MAC 224 which is a fluffy shadow brush specifically designed to blend out shadow color particularly in the crease. I wouldn’t recommend it for applying color directly to the lid but it’s a treat for blending shadow out especially if your contrasting shadow within the crease or towards the V of the eye. I reach for it often when blending and find it does a very good job of gently blending color together without creating a muddy mess. It’s $28.50 price tag is well worth it however the MAC 217 has a bit of an advantage with a cheaper price tag.


The MAC 217 is smaller compared to the 224 with fluffy bristles that are just a bit more denser. It works incredibly well at blending within the crease or all over the eye. It’s small size makes it a shoe in for fitting over the eye socket for a seamless blend. At $22.50 it’s $5.50 less than $28.50. With it’s cheaper price tag and ability to blend colors evenly while fitting nicely into the curve of the eye this could prove to be a major kick in the 224’s face.


Picking between two incredible brushes like these is a difficult task but I award the final knockdown to the MAC 217. It’s smaller size fits my crease quite well and allows me to blend easily without creating fall out which I find happens with the 224. It fits neatly all over my eye particularly my crease. It blends shadow like a dream and allows me to press as lightly or as hard as I like without having to worry about screwing up the entire eye look I am trying to accomplish. For the most part I think it’s advantage is the smaller length of the bristles when compared to the longer ones of the 224. For controlled application and blending the 217 wins this beauty battle hands down!

What do you think?

Does the MAC 217 or the MAC 224 win your beauty battle?

Tell the Muse!

4 Comments

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Punita

    I weirdly enough never thought to compare them and pick a winner. I don’t think I could decide, both are extremely useful. If I HAD to? I might pick the 217 for being cheaper. The 224 IS extremely useful, and might be the BETTER brush… but barely better than the 217, so why not save a few dollars?

  • James Clark

    I have both brushes and a few smashbox equivalents of the 224 and I have to admit I love the 217, I use it instead of an eyeshadow brush to put color onto the eye, it works really well. The 224 is excellent for blending and working the crease but for me the 217 is the winner.

  • Lisa

    I just bought a 217 and a 224. I know I’m keeping the 217, but I’m not sure re: the 224.

    I see that you mentioned shadow fallout. Is it that bad? Do you think there’s a decent dupe for the 224? I’ve read so many mixed reviews that I’m just not sure.

    Thanks!

    PS: I’ve got hooded eyes that aren’t super large. I want really good blending.