Essence new range: eye brushes.

Essence also brought out two new eye brushes recently. because i already am so fond of their blush brush (which i used as a foundation brush back then, when i haven't yet discovered my faible for the BeautyBlender), i didn't have to hesitate buying these.
both come in this "flashy" packaging, they have matte black aluminium ferrules and plastic handles (which don't feel very sturdy...).

the Eyeliner Brush (1.25€) is of royal blue synthetic fibres. it's stiff and comes to a very fine edge. you can draw the thinnest line with this. for me, it's almost too thin. it's created to go with their new gel liners, but because it is so dense and stiff, it grabs too little product to apply as a rich coloured line. i have to dip into the cream liner few times to build up the intensity and to make the shimmers visible.
it's too thin to use as a brow brush, but i think it will be an awesome lip brush!

Ebelin Professional angled brush - Essence Eyeliner Brush - Sigma ss266 - Louise Young LY30

look how thin the lines can be.

the other brush is called Smokey Eyes Brush (1.45€). i initially think of a pencil or smudger brush when i hear this name, imlicating a smoked out liner and intense colour around your lashes. but nope, this is a rounded, fluffy short blending/crease type brush. it's made of very soft natural hair, which is dyed royal purple :/  (??). so at least i can easily detect it in my brushes-glass. fortunately it doesn't bleed purple dye while washing it. it also doesn't shed.
i was surprised how soft and gentle this is, but sadly the softness makes it lacking in flexibility or bounce. so it's not really suited to place an intense colour, in the crease or right near the lashes for a dramatic and defined smokey look.  but it's good for a "normal" smokey eye, and this is done much more often so in fact it's more useful that way.
it's a nice normal crease brush for people with smaller lid space, like a MAC 222 with shorter bristles (although the 222 is stiffer).

MAC 217 - Essence Smokey Eyes Brush - MAC 219 - Sigma ss219 - Hakuhodo B533BkSL brush - Da Vinci small round blender 4194

all in all i have to give both brushes two big thumbs up, for the innovation, for relatively good quality, for good function, and of course for the price tag.
have you tried them? how do you like them? does the "look" of these brushes shy you away?

at least an eyemake up i did with both brushes (i also used the MAC 242 partially.) the smokey eyes brush for crease work and blending, the liner brush for the eyeliner.