Sculpting Must-Have.

Real Techniques –

Sculpting Brush 

‘Featuring a wide, angled head, specifically designed to help create defined contours, the sculpting brush is a must-have in your makeup bag to enhance your natural features, or to modify the shape and look of your face. Use with cream or powdered bronzers to define and contour the hollows of the cheeks. Apply a light sweep of blush for a soft rosy finish’ 

– Real Techniques

Core-Collection.

Real Techniques -

Core Collection

Ok, so these may look familiar to a lot of you. They’ve pretty much taken over every blog site at some point or another. Even though I own many of the individual ones, I didn’t see many reasons to pay for the collections, because initially I didn’t think I would use many of them. However, everyone keeps raving about the buffing brush included within the set, and the contouring brush also looks pretty good.

The Real Techniques Core Set consists of four base brushes (indicated by the orange handles):

Buffing brush - The world and they mama looooooooove this brush for foundation, and I have to agree that it is fabulously well-balanced in density and flexibility, which makes it perfect for blending liquid foundations. Even if you prefer another brush for liquid foundation, the Buffing brush is your ticket to a natural finish, blending out excess product for a far more natural look. I love this brush as much as the rest of the world.

Contour brush - A beautifully dense, small-headed face brush perfect for contouring with bronzing or highlighting powders. The tapered end makes it brilliantly precise for accurate application of product to define your features. It is arguably too densely packed and short to act as a blending brush for cheek products but it applies colour brilliantly.

Pointed foundation brush - I surprisingly like the smaller size of this brush, as it makes a great concealer tool. However, I would probably be sitting in front of my mirror for an hour if I chose to use this for foundation. It definitely has a place in this collection, though, as it's a great basic brush.

Detailer brush - It's tiny, it's flat, and it’s tapered. You can't really ask for any more in a concealer brush, but I find this brush redundant for my makeup routine. I have yet to find a perfect place for this brush within my routine, however I’m determined to find the perfect way to use it.

Other features that make this brush set standout is the softness of the Taklon hair used in the brushes, and also the little 2 in 1 stand and case. The set as a whole is clearly well thought out. As a collection, Real Techniques combines innovative new brush shapes with basic tools in an affordable set. Overall, these are the best brushes I have ever used. They’re affordable and incredible; they’re just as good as any other high-end make up brush. Another great thing to mention is how easily they are to clean. I give them a really good, deep clean once a week, to keep them in good condition, and they wash amazingly and dry super fast.

EVERYONE WHO DOESN’T OWN THESE BRUSHES REALLY SHOULD DO!

This collection retails for £21.99, even though you can sometimes pick it up cheaper with offers online and 3 for 2’s within Boots. I actually got it for £15 when HQHair.com was having a massive discount moment. Two more brush sets are available along with many separate brushes from various worldwide online retailers and selected, larger Boots stores for those within the UK.

Mini Haul.

This is just a little haul showing you what I’ve bought recently. There are a few clothes items, which I haven’t included. However, I may do a little post about them at a later date as a one off.

So here we go:

- Real Techniques Core Collection

- Chanel LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES Glossimer in 131 Mica

- Chanel LE VOLUME DE CHANEL mascara (sample)

- 17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer

- Purple Superdry Orange Label Zip Hoodie

- Converse Ct Lite Ox Optical White

Individual reviews will be coming up soon. 

Hope you all had a nice bank holiday weekend.

Expert Face Brush.

Real Techniques -

Expert Face Brush

When Samantha Chapman released her Real Techniques brushes I have to say I jumped on the wagon straight away. I think it took me about a week to decided the Stippling Brush had to be mine, mainly because it was unlike any other make up brush around at that time, and also because there was that much praise about it...I sort of felt left out! HOWEVER, now its looking a little sorry for itself, and lets face it...everyone needs a new foundation brush, and due to my Urban Decay one being a nightmare to wash, I wanted a special one for special occasions, when I wanted my make up to look flawless. Therefore, after some serious googling I came across a lot of talk about this Expert Face Brush, I know everyone loves the Blending Brush from Real Techniques, however its only available within the Core Set...and I wouldn't get any use out of any of the other brushes, therefore I cant justify it. Anyway due to having some trusty Boots points saved up I thought I would get one and try it.

The Boots website describes this brush as 'a wider, ultra firm face brush and a must-have beauty makeup accessory that will help to create a flawless base on your skin. The more time you spend on this first step of makeup application, the better the results at the end.' Where as the Real Techniques Website states 'ultra firm and broad for application and blending of cream or liquid foundation, look pixel-perfect even in harsh light, ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand cut and 100% cruelty-free'.

The bristles are soft and feel so gentle and luxurious on your face. The brush is ultra film and broad, allowing smooth application and making it easy to blend your foundation. I've got to admit the first few times I used this brush with my various liquid foundations I was a little disappointed as it seemed to create a lower coverage and a less air brushed finish than my stippling brush. However, I now know that's because I was trying to use it as if it was the buffing brush in big circular buffing motions, but in fact they are totally different brushes very different in shape and created for different purposes. Once I realised this I tried using it more like you would a regular foundation brush, by dipping it into product on my hand and applying it with small paint brush style strokes blending as I went and now I absolutely love it! Using it this way made foundation application so quick and easy and left my face looking more flawless and airbrushed in no time.

Also, even though you don't use buffing motions with this brush, the dense and broad brush head seems to really get the foundation to sink into my skin instead of just leaving the product sitting on top, which the stippling brush had a tendency of doing. 

So yes this has replaced my beloved stippling brush in my foundation routine at the moment (although I do still love and recommend the good old stipple) and in my opinion it's another resounding triumph from the lovely Samantha Chapman! Has it completely got rid of my need to try the buffing brush? I would be lying if I said I still didn't want to see what all the fuss was about, but now I'm so happy with this one I'm pretty sure I don't actually need it!

So have you tried RT Expert Brush, if so what are your thoughts on it?