Review + Comparison - Mac 214 Brush vs Coastal Scents Chisel Shader vs Nars Smudge Brush

Left to Right: NARS Smudge brush, MAC 214 brush, Coastal Scents Chisel Shader brush

A few weeks ago, I bought the NARS Smudge brush with a 20% off coupon, the MAC 214 Short Shader brush with a gift card & the Coastal Scents Chisel Shader brush with a 30% off coupon. I'm too cheap to pay retail, so I always wait for a sale before I make a purchase. Plus, I use gift cards and Ebates to get cash back, whenever I can. =)

NARS #15 Smudge Brush - bristles are denser, firmer, thicker & shorter than the MAC & Coastal Scents version

MAC 214 Short Shader Brush - bristles are less denser, less firmer, less thicker & longer than the NARS version, but denser, firmer, thicker & has a flatter tip than the Coastal Scents version

Coastal Scents Chisel Shader Brush - bristles are less denser, less firmer, less thicker & has a more rounded tip than the NARS & MAC version 

Left to Right: NARS Smudge brush, MAC 214 brush, Coastal Scents Chisel Shader brush

I usually use a pencil or contour brush, such as the Coastal Scents Sable Contour brush, to add eyeshadow on my lower lash line. Pencil/contour brushes don't irritate my eye area, however, I find that they give me poor control since these types of brushes are thicker and wider. So I decided to try the NARS Smudge brush, MAC 214 brush and Coastal Scents Chisel Shader brush. These short shader/smudge brushes work better than the pencil/contour brushes because they give me better control and precision. All 3 of these brushes are firm, dense and thin. They are great for detail work, especially for adding eyeshadow on the lower lash line. However, they all scratch my skin when I use them on my lower lash line. I'm assuming that I just have a sensitive eye area because when I rub my fingers through the bristles, they feel soft and not scratchy at all. However, I'm still going to return the NARS and MAC brush because I can't bear the scratchiness when I use them on my lower lash line. As for the Coastal Scents brush, I can't return it, so I'll just use it when my pencil/contour brushes are dirty.

Bottom Line: Even though these 3 brushes have minor differences amongst them, they all essentially work the same. They give great precision and I highly recommend the Coastal Scents version (since it's the cheapest and there is always a sale), if you can bear the scratchiness, but please keep in mind that it only felt scratchy when I used it on my lower lash line. It did not feel scratchy when I used it on the rest of my eye area or when I rubbed my fingers through the bristles. Also, I didn't experience any shedding, funky smell or dye bleeding with any of the brushes.

Note: The NARS #15 Smudge brush measures 7 inches and retails for $26. The MAC 214 Short Shader brush measures 6 inches and retails for $24.50. The Coastal Scents 253 Chisel Shader brush measures 6.25 inches and retails for $3.95.

Have you tried the NARS, MAC or Coastal Scents version?

What brush do you use to add eyeshadow on your lower lash line?

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