Favourite Things: MAC #129 Blush Brush

The thing about brushes which I keep hearing people say is, "They're a good investment."

So bearing this in mind, I bought my first set of basic brushes from a MAC Holiday collection a few years back for about RM200-odd. And with it came the MAC #129 blush brush. And mind you, these were the first brushes I had ever gotten. They're really good for starter kits.

It made me feel just a little more like a makeup maven. *smugness*

Three years on (I think), and I am still incredibly in love with my #129.

Despite accumulating different brushes over the years, I find that I still reach out for my #129 the most when it comes to applying blush. Because I know it gets the job done, and it gets the job done well.

However, I did notice that my short-handled #129 was starting to get a wee bit scratchy and when I stared hard enough at it, I found that it had SPLIT ENDS. Yes, split ends. By golly, I never knew brushes could have split ends too!

So what's a girl to do but get a #129 back-up right? I went back to MAC, and this time I wanted to get the full-size MAC #129. I didn't want to get another set because 1) I already have most of the brushes which come in sets, and 2) I find the quality of the full-sized brushes very much superior to those in the holiday sets.

So I ended up walking out of MAC with a long-handled MAC#129, #217 and #228. Hehe, BRUSH HAUL! =)


And boy when I say long-handled, I mean long-handled. From tip to tip, it measures about 20cm. While I was initially a little worried that the long tail might get in the way, I am happy to report it did not and it took very little getting used to.

And isn't there just something about long-handled brushes that screams "professional"? =P


As for the brush itself, the pony-hair is very, very, VERY soft. It's definitely softer than the short-handled one, which I believe is made from pony-blend. I'm not tossing it out yet though, as it's still usable and definitely more travel-friendly.

I generally find the #129 great for applying the base colour, for the pop, and for buffing in the blush. So basically it's a great all-rounder blush brush. (However, I think I've found my #129 a great partner, which I'll be reviewing tomorrow.)

I also noticed that the short-handle brush is made in China, while the long-handled is made in Japan. No offence to anyone, but somehow "Made in Japan" assures me of quality.

I've only had it for about two weeks now, and I've washed it once. It did not bleed, but has shed a little bit. Nothing major, so I'm guessing it's the initial breaking-in. However, if the shedding continues, I will update and I will turn up at MAC looking very disgruntled.

After all, for RM130, you definitely expect some quality. But for now, it's all love baby!