3.28.2016

Are Brushes On Ebay Worth It?


Hey you! I hope you had a great Easter. Mine was a whirlwind. I drove to my hometown to see my family. My sisters came over to my Mama's, and my oldest sister brought her kids, so I got to love on them. I stayed in my pjs pretty much the whole day, and laughed so hard until no sound came out and I got a headache. It was the best. Unfortunately, the weather was supposed to be really bad, so I left early Easter morning to drive back to Atlanta to avoid it, so my actual Easter was spent alone with me on the road, but arriving safe and sound. My mom quit giving us Easter baskets when we were 10 or something, so I'm secretly jealous of y'all who still get them as adults! ;)



Now one of my traditions when I visit home is to bring my mom and sisters (and sis-in-law) lots of beauty goodies. I'm talking bags of stuff, that either wasn't right for me or that I have too much of. Sometimes mascara is even in there--my favorite--can you believe it? But the conversation turned to makeup brushes. The older of my two sisters loved one I gave her for Christmas, but she wondered did the price really make a difference? What about brushes on Ebay? They look just the like expensive ones, but at a fraction of the cost. Aren't they the same?


Over the years I have tested several sets, and at one time I was even going to do a This or That on them, but never got around to it. My opinion? No. They aren't the same. But is that a bad thing? Let's discuss:

Price--Instead of paying $10-$20 per brush (or more), you can easily get brushes for as cheap as .99, with sets averaging $4.

Shipping--Most of these come from China, so they can take a month or more to get here.

Appearance--Many of them look like their knockoffs from appearance, but you can tell they are different. It's nearly impossible to find out any info on brush bristles. But, a lot of times you can choose the color of the handle or ferrule (metal part), which isn't usually the case with other brushes.

Feel--Surprisingly, and this depends on what you order, the feel of the EBay brushes has been very soft. In some of the eye kits, a few brushes weren't, but for the most part they are.

Quality--This is the kicker. The brushes I've tried aren't just up to the quality I'd expect, but they are for the price. Sometimes they are lighter. Sometimes not as dense. The handles can be instantly shifty, with the glue separating. The bristles come out after a few washes.

all brushes pictured are from Ebay

Overall, you are getting what you pay for. I have not experienced any "dupes" for other brushes. These brushes have fallen apart faster than others I've used but some of them are still around. But if you are looking for cheap brushes, Ebay is an option. If you are looking for an investment or something that lasts, you might want to look elsewhere.

Have you ever purchased brushes from Ebay? Did you love them?



PS: Happy birthday to my Grandmother!

40 comments:

  1. I've never thought to look at brushes on Ebay. I feel like they are something you should invest in so they last. Thanks for sharing this!

    Jill
    Doused In Pink

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't thought to buy brushes on ebay but you said it perfectly - you get what you pay for!! xo, biana -BlovedBoston

    ReplyDelete
  3. I never even considered buying brushes on ebay. I guess I am a brush snob, because I really love them and with good care, have lasted me a really long time. As always, you get what you pay for! Glad you made it home safely, the weather was really icky.

    Xoxo,
    Whitney & Blaire
    Peaches In A Pod


    ReplyDelete
  4. i've bought a lot of brushes on ebay. and they are pretty good! The dupes for the real techniques ones are excatly like the originals -- i can not notice any difference by looking at them or by using them! :)

    xoxo
    the-not-so-girlygirl.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've always been leery of ordering brushes off ebay, because as you said you really never know what you are going to get. I'd much rather pay a little more for quality.

    ReplyDelete
  6. huh who would have thought. i end up getting any cheap brushes at target or whatever if i'm in a pinch but i think i use like 3 brushes total so i rarely need much ha. glad you had a good weekend laughing til you cant any longer! the best!

    xoxo cheshire kat

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am a firm believer in "You get, what you pay for", so I never looked for brushes on eBay or Chinese beauty supply sites. Even though I have found the occasional gem at the drugstore, there at least I can touch and feel it before purchasing, and I can get information on the material.
    My mom still gives us easter baskets (more Easter parcels at the moment), and I am 37.

    Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking

    ReplyDelete
  8. I didn't even know eBay had brushes but they have everything else so why not? I have a few expensive brushes and a few cheap ones and I agree, you can definitely tell a difference! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great review gurlie! I had no idea eBay had brushes like this, but I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. Good to know and Happy Birthday to your grandmother <3
    Green Fashionista

    ReplyDelete
  10. I never even thought to get my brushes there.
    I do good to pay for anything other than cheap ELF brushes :) haha

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great review, Elle, and so good to know! I never knew eBay sold brushes, but the cheaper brushes I have bought in the past haven't been all that great. I totally agree that you get what you pay for. Have a great Monday!

    xo, Rachel
    A Blonde's Moment

    ReplyDelete
  12. I didn't even know there was a big selection on eBay. I'll still save up and get quality brushes!

    xoxo,
    little luxury list formerly Chic 'n Cheap Living

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your Easter weekend sounds like fun, although bummer about having to go back early Sunday. Our weather was bad on Sunday too--what is it about that!? I've never even thought of ordering makeup brushes on Ebay. I like to see them in person though, so I probably wouldn't order them there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have seen a few reviews on these eBay brushes popping up online recently and many said they are happy with the quality so thank you for this honesty, Elle. Always know that I can count on you to give the real low-down on everything. xx

    Shireen | Reflection of Sanity

    ReplyDelete
  15. I always get nervous about ordering stuff on ebay but I am with you on believing that you get what you pay for. Love that you bring home goody bags for your sisters, I bet they are always excited to see you!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm glad you got to see family this weekend . . . in the end, as long as you celebrated together, the day doesn't matter!! And I'm so floored by how much brushes cost anyway . . . I've never bought cheap online ones but it's tempting! Ha!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've seen them, but I've never bought any. I bought a set from BH Cosmetics and they were terrible. They shed like crazy and feel apart after 1 wash. Never again! Happy Birthday to your Grandmother!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I haven't tried any, but was debating it because I need a few new ones. Now I know to avoid them! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I tried many brushes from ebay and no, the quality is not the same as other expensive brushes, but yes, they can do the job. I am very pleased with those I ordered cause you get what you are paying for, my only problem is they break so easily. I dropped some of them and they got detached so I threw them away and ordered more! Great review :)

    Yiota
    Pinkdaisyloves.blogspot.com.cy

    ReplyDelete
  20. So glad you got some great family time in! I have never shopped for brushes on ebay and never knew there were ones on there! I am more of an investment brush girl.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I haven't tried any ebay brushes but I have tried many different brands and I think its easy to find good affordable brushes in the US and to skip out on the ebay ones. I would be so mad if I waited a month for brushes and they fell apart quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  22. It never crossed my mind to buy brushes off of Ebay...but you are right, you get what you paid for. Besides, I couldn't wait a month for my order to arrive...no way! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Very cool post and tips, I haven't bought on eBay yet! Oh, happy birthday to your grandmother, Elle! =D

    NEW POST on http://whattostyle.blogspot.com/

    xoxo,
    Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  24. I haven't tried any of the Ebay brushes, and I really appreciate that you tested them out.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I've never tried Ebay brushes, but I think that paying for "real" brushes would be worth it. That is so sweet that you bring home beauty products for your family to use. My mom stopped doing Easter baskets for us a long time ago...and I'm pretty sure that when she used to do them they were never terribly elaborate. I think they consisted of some plastic eggs and some candy. Some people seriously go all out now! I hope your grandma has a happy birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have bought brushes on ebay and have had really great experiences . But I'm not a huge fan of the cheaper brush sets. They tend to not work as well.
    Beautetude

    ReplyDelete
  27. This happened to me when I ordered a Mac brush set from Ebay not realizing it was a knock off from China but you're right you get what you pay for. Mine weren't horrible but you could tell the quality was a little cheaper than the real deal.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Um, I want to be one of your sisters! :)

    My sisters and I totally do that with clothes. Half of my closet is hand-me-downs from my sisters. ;)

    I haven't tried the Ebay brushes before, but honestly... other than a brush for blush, I don't use brushes at all. I use the Beauty Blender for most things and my fingers for the rest. I'm probably missing out, aren't I?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Aww happy bday grandma! I've never bought brushed on eBay, thanks for sharing! I would think that for the price they are good brushes.. And maybe for a not very professional person like me hahha

    ReplyDelete
  30. I am picky about my brushes, thankfully I've gotten some good ones through Ipsy and, of course Sephora. I think I will pass on these EBay brushes! I am glad you got home before the weather hit. Happy belated Easter! Family is the best!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. My Mom stopped giving me an Easter basket ages ago too. So jealous of people that still get them haha!

    Sounds like it's worth it to spend more on brushes :)

    xo,
    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  32. happy birthday to your grandmother :)
    i have never thought about buying brushes off ebay. i mean, you can good ones for fairly cheap in normal stores so i guess i never felt the need. i generally don't buy things off ebay unless i can see the 'real' photo, you know, like an actual person took an actual picture, not a stock photo.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I haven't purchased any brushes on eBay before! I think I'd be too scared of wasting my money and then wishing I would have just bought ones I knew were good. One time I was going to order some a sigma brush set, and then another brand that's similar (and cheaper) was having a sale so I orders those instead. I regretted it instantly!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Ebay brushes are really hit or miss. I just received an Artis dupe set that I want to try out. I know they won't be the same but I'm curious to see how they feel.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I've never bought brushes from Ebay, but this is good to know!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great post! I'd been thinking about getting some brushes from eBay. Think I'll just save up my money and invest.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I don't shop on ebay very often because I'm always concerned that there's no recourse if there's a problem or it would be difficult to have the seller make it right. I am using very affordable, but amazing quality brushes now and thankfully, the company has a great guarantee. I have purchased other things, usually things I can't find elsewhere, on ebay. Very interesting post. You've given me things to think about in terms of shopping behavior

    ReplyDelete
  38. I have always wondered about this and I would LOVE if you do a this vs. that!

    xx Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes


    ReplyDelete
  39. Would love a This vs That post too... I'm pretty clueless when it comes to what makes a good make up brush as well.......

    ReplyDelete
  40. Admittedly, I would not buy brushes / beauty tools or anything related to beauty/make-up, really, from Ebay either. First of all, I don't think it's particularly fair to the brands who create the original ones. Secondly, I can't help wondering how these were produced, whether or not they were exposed to chemicals and agents (because I know from the facts that some stuff may look absolutely harmless and yet cause problems)... Besides, brushes in particular tend to shed like there's no tomorrow. :) On a different note - glad to hear you had a lovely Easter break, only wish I could dive into one of your beauty bags, too. ;)

    ReplyDelete

I respond to comments via email, so make sure I can respond!
For a faster response, please use Twitter or email: elleseesyou@gmail.com

More ways to keep up with me: Bloglovin, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram , Youtube or email: elleseesyou@gmail.com

You made my day by visiting! See ya tomorrow :)

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned are purchased by me unless stated.
All pics, thoughts, etc, are mine unless otherwise noted. Publishing or redistributing any content from this blog is strictly prohibited. Please seek permission first. Thank you.




Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...