Real Techniques

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The brand famed for their makeup brushes has now branched out into the color category with two new palettes. I had high hopes for these seeing that Sam and Nic are deep into the YouTube community and have a sense of what consumes want (at least I hope they do; with over a million young women giving you real time feedback you better). The brand just released two makeup kits designed to create a day or night look based on your preference. Each have four eyeshadows, a gel liner, blush, highlight, and two lipglosses.

modern natural makeupkit
real techniques modern natural makeupkit (1) This collection is the softer, daytime kit that has neutral shades and light colored lipglosses. The shadows are buildable and pretty smooth. the lightest color (Quicksand) is a bit chalky but the other three are pretty good. I didn’t care for the blush or highlighter and the glosses are a little sticky.

night owl makeupkit
real techniques night owl makeupkit (1) The name says it all! From nude to plum this lets you create a slightly smokier look. I was a little disappointed by the black shade since it was soooo sheer but a quick spritz of Fix+ on a brush allows you to intensify the color when applied. Royal Orchid (the purple) and Midnight Sapphire (blue) are my favorites.

My final verdict? These are okay. Would I pay $25 for them? No. The shadows are smooth but the packaging leaves much to be desired and nothing really makes the shadows stand out. The kits left me wanting more. I’d recommend getting Makeup Geek products over these since those guys are pigmented!

The makeup kits retail for $25 and are available now on realtechniques.com.

tools of the trade: top five foundation brushes

Monday, November 4, 2013

While a foundation brush isn’t absolutely necessary to apply your makeup, I’m a big fan. I refuse to use my fingers because I have oily skin and do not want the oils from my fingertips to mix get on my face. A brush allows you to control the foundation and properly blend to avoid streaks. If you struggle with oily skin, it’s best to use a brush so you don’t mix the oils from your fingertips with the oils on your face. More importantly, I love the flawless application a brush gives me.

Here are my top picks that I use on a daily basis.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush ($9): after seeing SO many YouTube beauty gurus rave out Real Techniques brushes, I decided to cave in during an Ulta sale. The Expert Face brush is firm and easily blends liquid foundations. I typically use a flat top foundation brush but this was able to change my mind simply because the curve of the bristles easily blends foundation around my nose.

Bdellium Tools Green Bambu 957 Precision Kabuki ($14): THIS IS THE BEST FOUNDATION BRUSH ON THE PLANET! Sorry (not sorry) for the CAPS but I truly am obsessed with this brush. I bought at The Makeup Show in NYC a few years ago and it has not left my side. It’s small enough to go in my makeup bag but packs a serious punch. Foundation goes on flawlessly. My face looks airbrushed as the brush picks up just the right amount of product. Bonus: the bristles are oh, so soft! My only gripe is that it’s flat top so I have to really buff it in around the curves of my face.

Shiseido Foundation Brush ($30): super luxe, this bite sized brush lets me use less product with great results. It’s slightly angled bristles allows for a streak free finish, especially around the nose area.

COVER FX Liquid Foundation Brush ($38): the newest addition to my brush family, this brush hasn’t let me down. The bristles are densely packed, which can make it seem like I’m working extra hard to apply product but overall - I’m lovin’ it.

Sephora Collection Pro Buffing Brush #62 ($48): this is one of the only brushes that I use that isn’t a short handle (weird observation I made while writing this post). The long handle does bother me a bit but it allows for a solid application. It does pick up a lot of product so be careful when using.