My Most Used Real Techniques Brushes

Since starting my blog I have pretty much transformed the way that I apply my make up. To think I just used to apply my foundation with my fingers and eye shadows with those little spongy applicators is a bit horrifying, anyway let’s not think about those dark days and focus on what I use today.

Make up brushes can be expensive. I for one was shocked when I found that one single brush can cost at least £20 so when the Real Techniques Brushes came on the scene with great review after great review I knew these were the ones for me.  

First of all I love that they are colour coded, Yellow for complexion, Pink for finish, purple for eyes and White are the duo fibre range. They also state on them what they are for so no faffing around looking for your 578754 brush, maybe it’s just me but I just find numbers a bit off putting.

So here are my top picks:

Duo Fibre Face Brush: this feels so soft! I use this to apply my powder and set my foundation and concealer. I don’t like a heavy, cakey look so using this gives me the light coverage I require to matte my oily areas and still leaving a natural finish.

Buffing Brush: this is the most amazing brush to apply your foundation with. It effortlessly buffs your foundation evenly into the skin leaving no streaks. You are guaranteed a flawless finish with this.

Blush Brush: I've never had a brush that is shaped like this before and it seriously feels like it was made for my cheeks. I'm sure it does this for most people haha, but the angle is perfect for adding that rosy glow and is so easy to blend, it never seems to grab too much product.

Brow Brush: I used this as you would expect, to define my brows. I like how easy this brush makes it to get the desired precision looking brows.

I use these brushes on a daily basis and haven’t yet found the need to purchase higher end set.

Are you a fan of Real Techniques? What brushes do you to apply your make up?

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Currently Loving...

Mac Soft and Gentle ♥ Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm ♥ Bourjois Happy Light Primer ♥ Origins Drink up Mask ♥ Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush

I received Mac mineralize skinfinsh in Soft and Gentle last year for Christmas and it still looks like I've barely used it! I tend to reach for highlighters a bit more in the winter months to give my complexion a bit of a boost, Soft and Gerntle is perfect because it adds just the right amount of glow without covering my face in glitter.

Once again the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm makes an appearance on my blog. This stuff transformed my skin, I cannot rave about it enough. I recently repurchased this and the packaging is slightly different but the product is still as good as ever. Love love love.

I purchased the Bourjois Happy Light base serum when my Laura Mercier primer ran out and I have been really impressed. I love Bourjois as a brand, the Healthy Mix being one of my favourite foundations ever so  I had high hopes for this primer and it hasn't disappointed.

The Origins Drink Up Mask has been on my wishlist for so long and I'm actually kicking myself for not buying it earlier! It smells incredible and leaves my skin looking and feeling great. I use this 2-3 times a week in the evening its amazing how much brighter my skin looks in the morning. Big thumbs up! 

The Real Techniques Duo Fibre face Brush is my new go to powder brush, the bristles are ridiculously soft. I use this with my Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder to create flawless finish, its like the 2 products were made for each other.

Have you tried any of these products? What are you loving at the minute?

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Currently Loving...

Nars Deep Throat Blush ♥ Origins Ginzing Eye Cream ♥ Maybelline Color Tattoo On and On Bronze ♥ Benefit Total Moisture ♥ Rimmel Kate 107 Lipstick ♥ Real Techniques Blush Brush

Deep Throat by Nars has to be one of the most beautiful blushes I own, it's a gorgeous warm coral colour with a very subtle of shimmer, its a bit more wearable for every day then the infamous Orgasm. This has been my go to every day blush for about 2 months now and I cant see it being replaces anytime soon.

The Real Techniques Blush Brush goes hand in hand with Deep Throat, it's like they were meant to be! The brush is so soft and applies the blush effortlessly, you really cant go wrong with real techniques.

Just as I ran out of moisturuser I received this little pot from Benefit for my birthday and I have to say i'm impressed. I've no had much luck with Benefit makeup but the skin care has been much better. this moisturiser leaves my skin so soft, I like to use it before bed.

No eye cream had really knocked my socks of until I tried this bad boy. The Origins Ginzing Eye cream is fabulous and just make you look do much more awake in the mornings, I couldn't be without this now.

The next to products are one's I've fallen back in love with. On and On bronze is stunning and so good at keeping your eye shadow in place. The name Colour Tattoo couldn't be more perfect as this stuff just doesn't budge!

Last is my trustly Rimmel Kate 107 lipstick, a real blogger fave and rightly so. The colour is so striking and it stays on my lips for hours, I'm quite lazy when it comes to topping up lipstick so when they have amazing staying power I know I have a winner.

What products are you loving at the moment?

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The Dream Team: Real Techniques and Dainty Doll Cream Blushes

Wearing Paper Roses by Dainty Doll

I purchased some Dainty Doll Cream Blushes from Fragrance Direct a couple of months ago now and I found myself in a bit of a tiz as I had no weapon of choice to apply them with! I asked on twitter what brush would work best with cream blushes and I had the same answer from so many people…the Real Techniques Stippling Brush, obviously.

The Stippling Brush was literally made for cream based products so teaming it with my Dainty Doll Cream Blushes is pretty much a match made in heaven. The brush is so soft but also dense so it applies the blush with ease, it picks up just the right amount of product for perfect precision and leaves a flawless finish. I know people like to use this brush for Foundation too but I think I’ll stick with my trusty Buffing Brush for now.

Today I opted for Paper Roses by Dainty Doll which is a gorgeous pastel pink shade perfect for us pale ladies, it leaves you with a lovely rosey cheeked fresh faced look.

I also Picked up Orange County Girl with is more of a peachy toned blush which I think is going to be my most reached for shade on my holiday.

The stippling Brush was the perfect blush for me, what brush do you use for cream blushes?

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Haul: The Beauty Bits

Real Techniques Blush Brush and Stippling Brush

I wanted the stippling brush to apply my cream blushes and it just so happened that the brushes were buy one get one half price in Superdrug so it would of been rude not to pick up the blush brush too right?

MUA Pistachio Ice Cream, Barry M Blue Grape and Mango

The Famous Essie dupe and these gorgeous Barry M colours are perfect for summer.

Natural Collection Waterproof  Mascara, DrJart BB Cream, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I'm so excited to try this DrJart BB Cream! The mascara was only a bargainous £1.99 and the concealer is a staple in my make up bag.

M&S Shower Gel, Nivea Face Wipes

I picked this shower gel up while I was in the queue at Marks and Spencers it smells delicious. I'm not usually one for face wipes but on holiday they are a must.

Mini Nspa Shower Gel, Aussie shampoo and Conditioner, Nivea Deodorant L'oreal Salt Spray

Asda have a great deal on miniatures at the moment, 4 for £3! The Salt spay was down too £2 and I want to stop using so much heat on my hair so I can't wait to create a textured Holiday look with this.

As promised here are my new beauty purchases for my holiday. What are your holiday essentials?

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Stars of 2012

I can't believe I'm writing this post as not too sure where 2012 has gone! Nevertheless I thought I would put together a post dedicated to those products that I have had a love affair with this year.

Skincare

Since this time last year my skincare routine has had a radical makeover, long gone are the days where I can only be bothered to use face wipes to remove my make up, oh no, I'm an absolute skincare fiend! These are the products I believe that have transformed my skin this year.

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser. After receiving a sample size of this I've never looked back, the formula is so gentle it leaves my skin feeling great. I use this every morning and if you have oily/combination skin I cannot recommend this enough.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser. Who knew you could find such a fantastic high street version of Liz Earle! I am a fan of Liz Earle Cleanse and polish don't get me wrong, but this stuff works exactly the same and is bigger and cheaper. I use this every night and it removes every scrap of make up.

No7 Beautiful Skin Purifying Mask. Another No7 product but I had to include it. An essential for pampering my skin I cannot tell you how ridiculously velvety soft this leaves my skin feel, its like an exfoliator and mask in one, you really need to try it to understand the level of softness I'm talking about here. I love it, I use this about twice a week for a little skin treat.

Caudalie Beauty Elixr. A product that I was so hesitant to buy but can no longer live without. I love a multi purpose product and this is great as a toner, for setting your make up and for just giving my skin a boost through out the day.

Liz Earle Moisturiser  I love this stuff, I use if every night and it really helps my skin recover while I'm sleeping. I also use this before I do my make up to go out in the evening to really prep my skin.

Make Up

As with skincare my make up routine has had a massive re vamp, priming my skin? Applying foundation with a brush? Thank goodness I found the light.

MUA Undressed Palette. An amazing alternative to the Urban Decay Naked palette. MUA eyeshadows really are among the best out there, they are so pigmented and easy to blend, I cant actually remember when I reached for another Palette.

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase. I have tried a few different high street primers but this little pot of loveliness wins hands down. It smells delicious and holds my make up in place for the majority of my day

Max Factor Eye Brigtening Mascara. I do love a mascara and has to be my favourite of the year. Its fantastic at creating volume and length but doesn't clump, leaving you with lovely luscious lashes.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush. This has probably been the most significant change in my make up routine. I use this brush to apply my foundation and it gives a completely flawless finish. I could never go back to just applying with my fingers and if you don't own this brush, why not!!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. This will cover your blemishes. Fact. For £4.19 its a wonderful product that I can't live without.

Hopefully while you are reading this I am in a Country pub, snuggled up by a log fire with a glass of mulled wine. I hope you had a great Christmas and got lots of new beauty products you cant wait to post about!
 

Beauty Blogging Influenced Products

Oh hi bandwagon, mind if I jump on? The products above are no strangers to the blogging world and while I have always loved trying new products and buying pretty things there are a few items that I have purchased just because other bloggers say they are A-ma-zing.

Liz Earle was the first brand I discovered through blogging. I couldn’t believe how many different blogs raved over her skin care, I’d never even heard of a hot cloth cleanser before and the concept really excited me. Last Christmas my sister got me the Daily Essentials kit and I completely fell in love. My favourite product would have to be the skin repair moisturiser, I use this every night and I love how it makes my skin feel. Next I really want to try the Eyebright and Deep Cleansing Mask, any more suggestions?

Ahh the Caudalie Beauty Elixr, never have I changed my mind about a product so many times! At first I didn’t really want to like it, then I did, then I thought  didn’t but at the moment I love this product, I use it after applying my foundation but before my powder and I think it gives my make up a really natural finish. I also find the scent really relaxing; it definitely has a safe place in my everyday routine.

MAC 215, Sigma f65, I’m sorry what? Make up brush numbers confuse the hell out of me I don’t know what number I need for my eyes!? Enter Real Techniques, the best value for money make up brushes ever. Fact. I adore these, the brushes are name so it’s pretty self-explanatory what they are for and they are colour coded; orange for your base, purple for eyes, and pink for a perfect finish. While these brushes are around I have no need to purchase any others.

I think beauty boxes are a great way to find new products and brands so when I heard about Glossy Box and saw some of the products people were receiving I immediately signed up. I did receive a couple of gems in my boxes including a Deborah Lippman nail polish and Burberry lipstick but after a few months I unsubscribed. I just found that half the products I received I haven’t used and I couldn’t justify spending £12 a month on sample perfumes and mini shower gels. I still enjoy reading other people received in their boxes but no product has really jumped out at me and don’t think I will be signing up to another box again soon.

I've only recently joined in on the Essie hype, after reading post after post about the colour Mint Candy Apple I kinda got a bit put off, the excitement just wasn't really there for me. However show me it a discounted price and I'm there. After purchasing some from Fragrance Direct I can see why everyone loves them, gorgeous colours and great staying power. I still haven't cracked and bought Mint Candy Apple though haha.  

Do you own any of these products? What products have bloggers influenced you to buy?

I'm so happy its Friday, I'm of out on the town with my friends tonight so it may get a bit messy. I have headache tablets at the ready for tomorrow morning! Bad news is I've woke up and pretty much lost my voice, this might please some but I'm feeling very sorry for myself :( 5 o'clock needs to hurry so I can finish work. I'm so close to finishing my Christmas Shopping too, just a couple of bits left for my mother and then I can rest. What are you up to this weekend?

Why do you wear makeup?

 Hellooo you lovely lot, today I am jumping on the bandwagon of another tag: ‘Why do you wear makeup?’ When I first saw this tag I though good question! When did I go from being a fresh faced youngster to covering my face in slap every day? I suppose its part of growing up and trying to grow old gracefully.

When did you begin loving make-up? I think like most little girls I was always intrigued by makeup. I remember getting my first little make up set for Christmas and trying to copy my mum. Needless to say I ended up looking like a clown with bright blue eye shadow, red lips and ridiculously round red circles on my cheeks; thankfully I think it’s safe to say I have come a long way from those days. At school I would wear the cheapest foundation I could find and a bit of mascara. I had no idea how to properly apply foundation so you can just imagine my lovely orange face with my lily white body, no wonder I never had a boyfriend! It wasn’t until maybe two years ago that I would say my obsession started. I wanted a new foundation and decided to have a look on the internet to see what was best. Low and behold I discovered a whole community on the web of cosmetic lovers, reading review after review I couldn’t get enough of searching for and buying new products. So you might say I’m actually pretty new to the makeup world.

How do you feel without make-up? It’s actually quite scary how low my self-esteem is without it. At school I was a bit of a chunk and wore my glasses every day. Then came the time when I lost a bit of weight, got contact lenses and started to really make more of an effort with my makeup. It really is amazing how different I started being treated, people approached me more, making friends was easier even boys started to talk to me! It’s sad to say but I do think make up has a lot to do with this and when I don’t wear makeup it kind of takes me back to my ‘invisible’ days where I had no self-confidence what so ever. (Jeeez don’t I sound chirpy today, this was supposed to be a fun tag!)

What do you like about make-up? I love the way it’s so versatile. You can completely change the look of your face, you can cover up the bags under your eyes and I just think it’s quite fun experimenting. My makeup is usually quite natural but I love being able to give advice to my friends and help do theirs. And I love how it makes me feel. It such a good feeling getting ready for a night out and looking in the mirror thinking ‘yeah, I scrub up alright’ J

Three 'Holy Grail' items

♥ Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer. A bargainous product for only £4.19 my blemishes and bags are hidden incredibly. A must for a bad skin day.

♥ Mascara. I am a mascara addict. I’m quite lucky to have long eyelashes any way but I think that it give your face a a great finish. My current favourite is Max Factor Eye Brightening mascara, this product can do no wrong for me.

♥ RealTechniques Buffing Brush. I can’t believe how long I went without this using brushes makes such a difference when trying to create a flawless look. Such a simple item with amazing results

Have you done this tag yet? does make up give you as much confidence as it does me?

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman are no stranger to the blogging world, I think the majority of beauty bloggers own at least one or have them on their wish lists. To be honest this time last year make up brushes had never bothered me, I would use the free ones if I got them with a product but never thought about actually purchasing good quality ones. Well thanks to blogs and You Tube that has all changed and I know see the importance of brushes.

I received the Core Collection for my birthday back in July. I didn't do a review on these just because there are so many amazing reviews out there I didn't really think mine was needed.

However, I thought I would bring your attention to the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I have been using this to apply my foundation every day since July, it comes everywhere with me and after I came back from holiday I stayed over at my boyfriends parents house as mine is 2 1/2 hours away from the airport. The following day when I arrived back at my house and went to apply my make up I couldn't find my beloved buffing brush anywhere! This then lead to my mad panic of  'How the hell do I apply my foundation without it!?' Do I use my fingers, do I use a cheap brush? I actually cannot believe how lost I was!

After a lot of faffing and panicking I finally found the brush after remembering I had already used it earlier that day. Idiot.

Anyway the point of this ramble is to say I actually don't know what I would do with out this brush, it applies my foundation effortlessly and give it a flawless finish. The brush is so soft yet dense it buffs the foundation in beautifully.

Real Techniques Brushes can be purchased from Boots here, the Core Collection is £21.99 for 4 brushes which is amazing value for money.

Do you own any Real Techniques brushes? How do you apply your foundation?

My Every Day Foundation

Revlon Colorstay Foundation - Combination/Oily

180 Sand Beige

I have been using this foundation for about a year now and thought it’s about time I confessed my love for it. I have combination skin, the majority of my skin I would class as normal but the area around my nose and chin is quite oily so finding a good foundation can be quite tricky. I can’t stand it when I look in the mirror around lunch time and think ‘Why did I bother?’ because it’s all slipped off. 

Thank goodness for REVLON COLORSTAY Foundation.

The first thing that attracted me to this foundation is the fact is designed for combination / oily skin; it was the first brand that I noticed that had actually tailored their make up for different skin types.

The product comes is a sleek 30ml glass bottle, it unfortunately doesn’t have a pump so I tend to dip in a cotton bud and dab it on my face, then I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to give a Flawless finish. It does sink in to the skin quite quickly so I tend to apply it in sections; I start at my nose where I need the most coverage and then work my way outwards.

 This foundation has mega staying power. I put this on in the morning at about 7.30 and by 17.00 at the end of work my face still looks fresh. The only time I ever need to add a touch up is at times when my chin has a couple more blemishes than usual but other than that I am very happy with the result and the way it makes my skin look.

This foundation retails at £12.49 which I am happy to pay, and can be found in Boots and Superdrug.

Have you tried Revlon Colorstay? What’s your current everyday foundation?