Cheap Makeup Brush Alternatives!

Hey guys!  I recently uploaded 2 makeup tutorials on YouTube - one for a smokey eye and one for a natural eye.  If you watched both of those videos you will see I use the same brushes every single time I do my makeup.  Here is a pic of some of those brushes:

Sigma E-40:  This is the brush I use when I am laying down a midtone crease color.  This is typically the first thing I do in my eye makeup, the first brush I use.

Sigma E-25 or MAC 217:  I use either of these brushes to pack eyeshadow on my lid.  They work exactly the same.

MAC 212 Push Brush:  This is the brush I use to line my lower lash line with a dark shadow.  (The first step in my under eye, I later go in and blend it out with a lighter shade).

Makeup Geek (or MUG) Outer V Brush:  I use this brush to smoke out the outer corner of my eye.

Posh Pencil Brush:  I use this brush to blend out my lower lash line.  This is after I lay down that darker shadow with the MAC 212, I will go in with a lighter shadow with this brush and blend things out.

The only other brush that I ALWAYS use is the Sigma E-45 (to deepen the crease).  I did not include that brush in this post because there is no dupe for it in this blog post.  As far as the rest of the brushes go, there is a set of brushes you can get at Walmart that work so similarly to these it ain't funny.  They are the Deluxe Eye Duo Set.

I found a couple of different photos of them online, so the packaging may vary slightly at your Walmart.  When I purchased both mine and the set I got for my mom they were in the black packaging, just so you know.  Anyways, here is a shot of them out of the package:

These brushes are AMAZING.  So soft and such a good quality, you'd think these were high end brushes!  Duo brushes, or brushes that have brushes on both ends, are so handy.  With just 3 brushes you could create ANY eye look you wanted.  I labeled the 'dupe' for each brush in the picture below:

Keep in mind, while not all of the brushes are 'dupes', they perform so similarly!  When I say 'dupe' what I am meaning is...this is the Walmart brush you would use in place of the brush I am using.  They will give you a similar effect.  The brush that is most similar to the E-40 is almost exact.  The opposite end of that brush is a pencil brush, you would use this just as I do the MUG Outer V brush and the Posh Pencil brush.  You get a really nice spoolie (eyebrow brush) on that middle brush, and on the other end is a stiff angled liner brush.  You would use this the same way I use the MAC 212 Push Brush.  And then on that first brush there, the stiffer kind of dome shaped brush you would use to pack shadow on your lid, and on the other end is a SUPER soft big, blending brush.  I love to use this at the end to just blend everything out.  Such a great brush!

(E-40) As you can see, these two brushes are SO similar.

While not necessarily shaped exactly the same, you would use this end of the brush the same way I use the E-25.  Both pack colors on your lid effortlessly.

Shaped very similarly to the Posh brush.  Note:  the Posh brush is from KMart, so this brush itself is super affordable.  But, in case you can't find it or don't have a KMart near you, this is the brush you would use in place of it.

Again, the MUG brush is not made exactly like this one, but this brush will give you the same effect.  This is the brush you would use the same way I used the Outer V brush.

You will see the brush you get in this set is angled where as the MAC 212 brush is flat across, that is the only difference here.  Both brushes are thin and stiff and you can use them the same exact way.

Alright guys, I hope that gives you an idea of how you could use these brushes.  I actually have a travel makeup brush set that I purchased from Sigma, but I keep these brushes in that set as well.  They are SUCH a great quality and they really are all you need do a complete eye look.  If you are not looking to spend a whole lot of money on some good brushes, these are an EXCELLENT option.  I don't remember right off how much these were, but I wanna say around $10.  You can't beat that!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week everybody!