... stars because I think the brushes are a lot better than I would have expected for a $14 set
I'm giving this product five stars because I think the brushes are a lot better than I would have expected for a $14 set. That's not to say that these brushes are professional quality: as a lot of other reviewers have noted, the larger brushes tend to shed quite a bit—definitely more than some of my Sephora brand brushes—and the construction is a little sloppy on some of them (e.g., there is a gap at the end of one of the brushes where there's no hair!). The hair used in some of the larger brushes is also a little too coarse for my taste.<br /><br />I actually purchased this set because I wanted the case, and I figured I could use the brushes that came inside it as my backup brushes for when my normal brushes are being washed. But I was surprisingly pleased with the quality of some of the smaller brushes, which I've started using for my eye makeup and concealer. These brushes are softer than the larger ones, and they seem to work really well—I've stopped using my Sephora brushes and switched to these instead.<br /><br />I haven't noticed the smell that a lot of other users commented about. Also, the shedding from the larger brushes has reduced with use; I suspect that with more use and a few washes they will stop shedding and they might become a bit softer.<br /><br />TL;DR: These brushes are not mind-blowingly great, but they are well worth the price, and the smaller brushes are some of the better brushes I've ever owned.
Rating: 5 stars