My New Favourite Brushes | Real Techniques

For years now I have been using the same Barbara Daley and 17 brush sets to apply my makeup. The eye brushes from the sets are quite good, but the face ones don't quite cut it. The cheeks brush from 17 probably would be okay for blush (although I previously used it for foundation), but it just sheds fibres everywhere, and I can easily pull out large chunks of bristles. It's probably half the size now compared to when I first got it.

I felt that new makeup brushes were not only necessary, but verrrry overdue, and so I decided to invest in the ever popular brand that is Real Techniques by Sam and Nic Chapman. I bought their Core Collection, which includes four brushes all specifically designed to do a different job on the face, and I must say, they do their jobs well.

Let's start with appearances and quality. All brushes in the range that were created to give a flawless base (so the brushes you would use to apply foundation, concealer, powder etc.) have a coppery-bronze handle, which not only looks really pretty, but I think is an excellent code to help you pick out and distinguish between the different brush uses. The eye brushes are purple, and the finishing 'touches' (bronzing, blushing) are pink.

One of the things I like most about these brushes are their density. They are really light when holding, but there are so many bristles packed in that you can really buff in foundation, or allow you to pick up a good amount of product if you want to. There is nothing flimsy about them at all.

They also are super soft! None of the brushes scratch or prickle your face, they're gentle and lovely to use on your skin; amazing quality.

The Core Collection is a face/base set and comes with a travel case to protect the brushes from damage. I love, love, love the buffing brush so, so, so much. It was the brush I was most excited to use, and rightly so. It's very dense and satisfying to use when buffing, and it applies my foundation so much better than the 17 cheek brush used to. 

The contour brush intrigued me; the name is quite deceitful, as it actually is supposed to be used for applying highlight to the tops of the cheekbones. I suppose highlight is a part of contouring! The  brush is very light and gentle and gives a beautiful application of powder highlight, because it's not too firm, if you know what I mean.

For me, the pointed foundation brush is too small to apply foundation; it would make the job tediously long. I think it's better suited to either blending concealer under the eyes and on blemishes, or setting those areas with powder. 

Finally the detailer brush has to be the diddiest, cutest brush I've ever seen. I think it's perfect for adding an inner corner or brow bone highlight!

Get your hands on these brushes if you can; they're absolutely wonderful

❤️