I've been on the hunt for some new make up brushes for about 6 months now. I've got a good basic collection, composed almost entirely of Real Techniques (which I don't think anyone would deny are brilliant for the price) - but really, their collection is pretty limited beyond basic face and eye brushes. I knew I wanted a blending brush for eyeshadow, and while the MAC 217 is a favourite of make up lovers across the land, it's a little out of my price range for a single brush at £18.
So, the dupe hunt began! I spent a while debating between the Sigma E25 at ~£10.50, the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Brush at ~£6.95, and the Bdellium Tools 776 at ~£7.95. I read all the reviews, all the 217 dupe blog posts, and then after settling for the Bdellium offering I couldn't find it in stock at a good price for the life of me. sigh. But after just giving up the hunt for a couple of weeks, I read a review on brushes from a brand called Zoeva, including the 227 as a supposed dupe for the 217. I'd never heard of them previously, due to being a German company. But boy, am I glad I did find them.
Although Zoeva offer a wide range of make up products, their brushes are their shining star. They offer a fantastic range of 50 individual brushes, and a selection of different sized sets to boot. I actually picked up my purchases from Love Make Up since shipping from Zoeva is pretty pricey and £7.50, but to get the full range of products you'll have to go through Zoeva's official site. So, what did I end up with?
In the end I managed a rather restrained order of only 3 brushes. From L-R, they are the #322 Brow Line, the #312 Detail Liner and, the one I set out for, the #227 Soft Definer.
The 227. It's everything I wanted, really. It's soft, it's fluffy, IT BLENDS! I've yet to see how it holds up to washing, but the outlook is good based on other reviews. Of course, I don't actually own a 217 to compare it to, but I'm more than happy with this little number.
The 312. I bought this to replace the little brushes that come free with the Maybelline gel liner. A freebie they might be, but I actually really like it - though they don't hold up too well to prolonged use and washing. I couldn't really tell from the site just how fine this is, but it's just perfect for my go-to winged liner - a very fine brush with super sturdy bristles. Perfect.
The 322. My old angled brush I'd been using for my brows was getting beyond tatty, so lured in by the curious shape I thought I'd give the 322 a go. At first I was concerned it might be a tad wide, but on use it's perfect for a strong brow, with nicely defined edges and a good arch. You could use it for a more subtle look as well, by just brushing you product upwards through the brow with it. As someone who could forgo all other make up in the name of brow products, I'm pretty chuffed with this.
I'm really impressed with these brushes, which offer great quality and a massive variety at brilliant prices. Oh yeah, the prices! Wait for it y'all; for these 3 brushes I paid a truly bargainous £5.50 each for the 322 and 312, and £5.95 for the 227. So, for less than the price of ONE MAC 217, I got myself three fantastic brushes. Plus, they were cheaper than any of the other dupes I found, and yet the brand is still relatively unheard of. Did I mention all the brushes come in these super handy pouches?
Useful as fuck. My next purchase list is already growing, and I'm now after the 231 Petit Crease brush and the 111 Flawless Cover brush, which I have zero use for but OMFG LOOK AT THOSE CRAY CRAY BRISTLES.
So go forth, and buy Zoeva. There will be no regrets.
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