Holiday brushsets over time

[Fizzymartini]

Is it just me, or has the quality of the holiday brush sets really changed over time?

I was comparing my bronze set (from 2004/5? I forget) with the Fringe '06 set, and there are a number of differences:

- Most obviously, they've downsized the number of brushes (5 down from 6), and changed some of the brushes themselves: the Bronze has a 224se, 242se and a 213se, whereas Fringe has the 239se and 219se
- The 226se of the Bronze set is much stiffer than the Fringe 226se
- The Bronze 129se is much fluffier and softer than the Fringe 129se:

(MAC on my Mac! L-R: Bronze 129se, Fringe 129se)​

...not really sure what the point of this post was, but I'm not too happy about MAC downsizing the number of brushes (less for your money, surely!) and decreasing the quality of the 129

Although I quite like the now softer 226.

What are your thoughts?

 

[bruinshorty]

I only have one of the 2005 sets, but honestly, I reach for my cheap-o Target and CVS brushes more. I didn't even bother with the 2006 sets. I have heard that the Tailormade brush sets (summer 2005 I think) seem to be higher quality than the newer ones.

 

[Fizzymartini]

Really? Sucks to that - I saw the Tailormade set in the CCO, but passed it over because I really hated the colour. I just don't think it's right to downgrade the quality of your goods like that... particularly when prices are so high... but I guess that's the nature of business

 

[little_angel]

to be honest, i've never liked the quality of any of the brushes in the sets

i don't know if this is true, but one MA told me they're not even made in the same factory

 

[Fizzymartini]

Hm, maybe that's why the SE brushes are all marked "China", while aren't the real brushes marked "Taiwan" or "USA"? I don't actually own any real brushes, so am not too sure...