Do you think lower quality eyeshadows can look better with the right eye brushes? Any eye brush suggestions?

[Bronwyn]

Do you think lower quality eyeshadows can look better with the right eye brushes? Any eye brush suggestions?

Like, if something is not that pigmented, or sheer, do you think a decent eye brush can improve the eyeshadow look? Also, do you have any good eye brush recommendations?

 

[shellygrrl]

Sometimes a base colour (e.g., a paint pot, or an eyeshadow pencil, or another cream eyeshadow) will help with pigmentation issues. So will packing the colour on. And for packing colour on, if you want a MAC brush, get a 239. (You could also go with a 242.) A white base can help make some less pigmented colours pop a bit more. I've not tried them as bases, but either the Chromagraphic Pencil or the Chromaline in Pure White may work if you want MAC. (Outside MAC, NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk is a much-loved product. They also make a white eyeshadow base/primer in pot form.) Black bases can help with jewel-toned eyeshadows, I think. (e.g., Chromagraphic Pencil or Chromaline in Black Black, or Blackground Paint Pot within MAC; NYX JEP in Black Bean or Maybelline Color Tattoo in Drama Black outside MAC.) Sometimes you can use virtually every eyeshadow brush in your arsenal and the eyeshadow will still be terrible. In that case, I'd recommend tossing it.

 

[Bronwyn]

Sometimes you can use virtually every eyeshadow brush in your arsenal and the eyeshadow will still be terrible. In that case, I'd recommend tossing it.

Thanks for the tips! It sounds like I should look around, and see what works best for some sort of base. That defs makes sense that some shadows are simply duds. Thanks for taking the time to go into detail about all this

 

[naayla2012]

Tbh I have tried lower priced Eyeshadows and I don't think they are as good enough as mac or urban decay, they aren't pigmented enough, if you trying to do a smokey eye for me personally it doesn't look how it's meant to and a mess

 

[Erica53094]

Wet n Wild are lower end and tremendously pigmented. Actually I think MAC e/s stink as do UD. Just a preference thing. They don't blend easily or have that great of staying power imo. Oh well You can damp your eyeshadow brush and then apply the color to get a more intense color. Color Pop and Makeup Geek are lower end and having a lot of buzz now.

 

[shellygrrl]

Wet n Wild are lower end and tremendously pigmented. Actually I think MAC e/s stink as do UD. Just a preference thing. They don't blend easily or have that great of staying power imo. Oh well You can damp your eyeshadow brush and then apply the color to get a more intense color. Color Pop and Makeup Geek are lower end and having a lot of buzz now.

Using an eyeshadow wet is another option, but either scrape some pigment off the pan or take your colour from the side of the pan to avoid sealing the eyeshadow. (Mineralized or baked products can be used wet without issue. And there are a handful of standard eyeshadow formulas that work wet without sealing.)

 

[Jayjayy]

I totally agree with the suggestion to use a base, and add on a good blending brush. I always reach for my MAC 217. I have countless "dupes" but it is by far my favorite.

I do think a few mid-range eyeshadows can really help pull together any eye look. For example, the majority of Wet n Wild eyeshadows I own are either too soft or harder to blend. So I combine them with 1-2 MAC shades that I know work and I have no trouble creating great eye looks. Coastal Scents hot pots are among the best lower-end eyeshadows IMO if you'd rather build a collection to find out what you like first.