I'm about to buy a second one. This is the exact brush I had been hoping the 239 would be. $25 in America.
Don't know what the bristles are but they are dense with a long and thin 'head' not like the 239 that is slightly wider.
The thinner head allows for a more concentrated application of eyeshadow and I don't get a dusty ugly outer v that stretches all the way to my temple anymore. It packs on eyeshadow so densely and fallout is less with this brush than it is with any other (for me).
Works so well with pigments aswell, the colour payoff is amazing using this as compared to when I use any other brush. The brush head is also firm, it doesn't bend and 'swish' around as much as other brushes do, I'm guessing that's why it's so good at packing on colour.
I haven't used this for concealer yet but I plan to; I know it'll make a great brush for that.
This brush is worth the money, you would literally only need this brush and 217 for eyeshadow if you're a newbie/novice at make up. I am so glad I've found it, I can now do 3-4 colours on my eyelid without them mushing together and looking gross. This has helped my eyeshadow application go from 'meh' to 'WOW'. A must have!

I received this brush for Christmas and have been using it to apply paint pots (as an eyeshadow base). It covers a large area of the lid and spreads the product nicely. I've been cleaning it everyday so the paint pot doesn't build up in the brush and it has been holding up nicely

Use this for powder eyeshadow. Think it works quite well to pack on color. High quality - seems worth the investment.

I use this brush to apply cream concealer under my eye. I could also use this for paint pots but I have yet to try this. It does a good job at placing color where I want then lightly blending it out. No need for an extra concealer blending brush. After using this I can set my concealer under my eyes straight away.

I much prefer the 239 for application, even though it's a little wide in the crease, I find this one a little grainy with it's application. I've had mine for years, didn't like it, tried using it for concealer, which didn't work either. So it just sits in my brush jar.

This brush is an absolutely must have for me. It is as multi-purpose as it gets for an eye brush. The 242 is great for cream eyeshadows and bases, laying on color all over the lid and putting shadow in the lower lash line and diffusing it . I love love love this brush because one brush literally does three things, helping to limit the number of brushes in my collection and making them easier to find. A close alternative would be the 239, which is made of goat hair, slightly fluffier and white in color. I prefer the 242 to the 239, although the latter is much more popular. I think the 242 does just as good a job at laying down color as the 239, better at cream eye bases and putting down color on the lower lash line. The 242 is thinner and has a soft feel when used in the lower lash line so it doesn't drag the skin at all. Sonia Kashuk's small eyeshadow brush is the closest dupe I've found to the Mac 242 and I've compared the two in application. The 242 handles cream base products much much better as well as putting color in the lower lash line.

Great brush to apply eye shadow. I tried it today at MAC store but it was too expensive to purchase, over $30. I will try to find a cheaper option.

Good for packing on the color. I like this brush a lot, actually. Even if it's very one tone.

It has a lot of area, so it's perfect for applying color to big areas of the eye.

All over the lid, for example.

I am in love with this brush! I have had it for a few years and it still works as great today as it did the day that I got it. Not one hair has fell out, which is amazing for as often as I clean it. This brush is ideal for packing color onto the lid and works well for applying highlight under the brow as well.

I bought this brush while I was at MAC last week because well, I'm kind of addicted. I got this as kind of an impulse buy and I'm so glad I did. I know you really can't go wrong with any MAC brushes, but some are far better than others. I wonder now how I got along without it when I am putting eyeshadow on my lids or using one of my paint pots, this brush is an absolute dream. I'm not sure what I could say that hasn't already been said but I wanted to let it be known how much I love this brush. i also feel like i coukd have it for quite a long time without it fraying or falling apart, its very well made. I will repurchase soon.