MAC Keepsakes In Extra Dimension Brush Kit Review
The MAC Keepsakes In Extra Dimension Brush Kit ($52.50) is a new limited edition MAC Holiday 2014 Makeup Brush Set that includes four, travel size brushes and a makeup bag for stashing them.
I’m always terribly excited about the MAC Holiday Makeup Brush Sets as they are a fairly good value and I find some of the travel brushes are just as nice as their full size sisters! But…in the last few years MAC has been slacking off slightly but in the case of the MAC Keepsakes In Extra Dimension Brush Kit you get a mixed bags for reasons I’ll explain below! Quality is good here with a few quirks along the way!
The brush set comes housed in a zipper, glittering black bag that has a cameo zipper pull. I love the bag! I love everything about the cameo/Victorian charm of the Holiday Collection. It’s quite a lovely theme they went with this year. However, I was disappointed that the bag’s sparkly glitter was an issue! The glitter gives the bag a very rough texture so it feels kinda scratchy and irritating on skin. I also hated the fact it shed chunky flakes of black glitter all over my hands. The cameo is very pretty but made from a flimsy plastic.
As they say, “What’s in a name?” I ask because the brush set is entitled “In Extra Dimension” implying that maybe these brushes are best used with In Extra Dimension Blush or In Extra Dimension Eyeshadow or Skinfinish perhaps? I think the blush formula from the In Extra Dimension Collections doesn’t need a special brush for application but perhaps the Skinfinish and Eyeshadow could use a fibre brush for application!
These aren’t fibre though…! These actually have very dense bristles with dual colored bristles. I wouldn’t call them bad but if you want a brush with “floppier” bristles these aren’t for you. Those who desire soft bristles but density in those bristles will like this set. I kinda sorta like the idea of the dual colored bristles as it enables you to use the brushes with two different shades per a side. So say you have gold eyeshadow and blue…you can apply the gold with one side of the brush and blend the blue in with the other side. It’s kinda a cool concept when you think about it! The bristles of each side are actually made from natural goat hair and this end can be used for powders and pigments. The opposite side is sytnethic which can be used to blend out shadows, pigments, etc…!
The set includes:
- 127SE Split Fibre Face Brush
- 128SE Split Fibre Cheek Brush
- 234SE Split Fibre Eye Blending Brush
- 235SE Split Fibre All Over Eye Brush
The handles are made from a light black plastic but are quite sturdy. I experienced no issues with shedding on any of the brushes but I did feel I got the most use from the two shadow brushes versus the face and cheek brush. Both the face and cheek brush have shorter bristles and seem best suited for use with contouring or perhaps bronzers. I prefer a busier brush for blushes and powders and if that’s what you like too you might find that these brushes aren’t great for the task due to the short, dense bristles. However, if you do a lot of contouring work or you like to buff powders, blushes, bronzers onto your skin you these are a great fit for you!
MAC 127SE
MAC 128SE
MAC 234SE
MAC 235SE
I have to admit that MAC Keepsakes In Extra Dimension Brush Kit is a good value but it has a few hurdles and hiccups along for the ride. I like the dual sided brush concept, I loved the shadow brushes as they are good sturdy brushes that do well applying and blending out brushes. However, I had mixed feelings about the face brushes in this set which brings the value down considerably for me as I feel like I won’t use them as much!
This year’s brush sets are shaping up well in terms of quality but do shop these well prior to indulging as you might find that the value isn’t as great as to be expected if you aren’t using ALL the brushes in a single set!
These launch shortly from MAC and will be on counters, in store, and online for purchase.