Review: Real Techniques Brushes

Recently I purchased both of the Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman makeup brush sets. These brushes used to be exclusive to online websites so were pretty hard to get but now they are stocked in most Boots stores so it couldn't be easier to get your hands on them. The first brushes I knew I wanted were the Core Collection (orange handle) which I had seen used so many times by Sam and Nic from Pixiwoo and the second was the Starter Set (purple handle).

Firstly, I love the design of the brushes. They are lovely to hold because they are so lightweight and they feel really sleek. They all have flat bottoms to them which allows you to stand them on your desk. This is great if you just use a couple daily so they are there for you in the morning however if, like me, you have a vaster collection of brushes it can be quite awkward to get them all to fit into a holder. They also come with a brush stand (as pictured above) which is useful if you like to have your brushes on display. It can also be doubled up as a travel case that folds in half so that your brushes aren't damaged while on the go which I think is a brilliant addition.

~ Buffing Brush ~

This brush by far is my favourite out of all the real techniques brushes. I solely use this brush for foundation whether it's liquid, compact or mineral and it looks great being used with all three. First, I stipple it onto my face then use buffing motions to create a really flawless finish to my skin. I have heard others use this brush for bronzer and setting powder too.

~ Contour Brush ~
Funnily enough I use this brush for contour. I love the way it is small enough to fit into the hollows of your cheeks. You would imagine that with such a small brush it would leave a harsh line however the really soft taklon (synthetic) bristles allows your makeup to be beautifully blended. This too is one of my favourites.

~ Pointed Foundation Brush ~
I have to admit out of all of these brushes, this is the only one in which I have yet to use. I have never used the 'paint it on' style foundation brushes and would be interested in giving it a go however this brush just seems too small. I would be scared that my foundation would start to set before I have fully blended everything. In saying this I will try it out at some point which may force me to eat my words but at the moment I don't want to use anything other than the buffing brush, that's how much I love it! I have heard that some like to use it for concealer so keep that in mind too :)

~ Detailer Brush ~
This teeny tiny brush is for the little details that finish off your makeup such as concealing small areas or using it as a lip brush. I tend to use it with a light eye shadow for highlighting the inner corner of my eye because it is the perfect size. It also works as a perfect lip brush however I only tend to use a brush for applying lipstick when it is a darker shade so that it lasts longer on the lips.

~ Deluxe Crease Brush ~

I think after the buffing brush this would be my favourite. I always used to use my ring finger to apply concealer however I have been loving this recently. It is just like a mini version of the buffing brush which just seamlessly applies your concealer. It is marketed as an eye shadow brush which I have yet to use it for because after seeing the Pixiwoo tutorials with them using this brush for concealer, I haven't used it for anything else. 

~ Base Shadow Brush ~

As the name suggests, this brush is used for eye shadow. I really like to use it for just a sheer wash of colour as well as putting a darker colour through the crease of my eye to add subtle definition. Many have compared it to the MAC 217 however I haven't got that brush to confirm the similarity.

~Brow Brush ~

I don't do my eyebrows on an every day basis however when I feel like they need a bit of filling in I do use this brush. I find its a bit wide for the ends of your brows where you may want a stronger line but for filling in random sparse patches it is perfect. I also use this sometimes for applying colour underneath my eyes with eye shadow as well as above the  top lashes.

~ Pixel Point Eyeliner Brush ~  

When I first saw this brush I was a bit disappointed as it looked to chunky for gel eyeliner which is what I intended to use it for. I gave it a shot expecting a really thick messy line however the bristles all clump together with the product which actually allows a really thin line if you use a light hand. I also really like it for applying gel liner onto the top and bottom water lines as it tickles much less than a thinner brush. 

~Accent Brush ~

Lastly is the accent brush which I didn't really know what to use for at the start. After playing around a bit I have found you can use it for a load of different things which include highlighting the inner corner of the eye, applying eye shadow to the lash line as a liner and smudging out kohl eyeliner. It's a really great multipurpose brush which comes in useful when doing your eye makeup. 

Overall I really like these brushes and I think they are amazing quality for the price. As an added extra everything about them is cruelty free which is never a bad thing in my eyes. Also, some brushes tend to eat up product as so much gets lost into the hairs however these don't seem to do that. I have washed both sets once so far and they wash well and have kept their shape without loosing any hairs. The only negative point I can find is that you can't buy the brushes separately. I love that they come in sets initially however if I was to loose one brush or if I wanted a back up, it would mean I would have to purchase the whole set again.

I hope you enjoyed this rather long post. I hope it makes up for the lack of posts lately as I have been ill. I blame it on all of my looming exams :( Have you tried any of the Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman brushes, if so, which are your favourite? 

Hayley xxx

April Favourites

Above are two of my favourite brushes for the month from Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman. The top one is the Contour Brush which enables a really great, well blended contour and bronze. The one below is the Deluxe Crease Brush which for me, is the best brush for concealer because it's just like a mini buffing brush which blends concealer under my eyes seamlessly. In a few posts time there will be a review all about these brushes and others in the collection so keep your eyes peeled :)

I bought this Bourjous felt-tip eyeliner a while ago on a whim but never really used it because gel eyeliner had taken over. However, I have found that the pointed shape means that you can just place the pen on the outer corner of your eye and pull inward to create a perfect mini wing. I am not a fan of long winged liner but I feel just a little stubby one can really make your outside lashes look much fuller so I have been loving that look this month!

On an every day basis, teamed with the eyeliner I use the No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara because it gives me full, thick lashes but nothing too crazy for the day time. The actual brush itself is really unique and I tried to photograph it but it just came out as a black blob. One third of the wand length ways are shorter plastic bristles, the next third has long bristles for more length and then the last third has sort of small paddles which really add volume. The tip of the wand also has bristles coming out of it like a ball so its great for building up the outer lashes. It's pretty hard to explain so I guess you'll just have to do and take a look at Boots but I really love this mascara for both the wand and the consistency as you can layer it without it looking clumpy or spidery.

I know what you're thinking...'Why on earth would you wear bright pink eyeshadow?' I thought exactly the same thing when I received this sample of one of the No7 Stay Perfect eyeshadows in Antique Rose No#42. I thought it would have been more of a blush colour however when you swatch it, the pink hardly transfers which leaves a lovely neutral golden shade which is actually really subtle and nice for every day wear. I will include swatches at the end of my this post if you really don't believe me :P

Lastly, this is the Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip Cream in the colour Cotton Candy. I bought this last month because of the really opaque colour but once I got home I was hugely reluctant to wear it because of  the smell. It's a really sweet, sickly, vanillery, strong smell which some people may love but I think it just smells too artificial. I do love this thought because of the colour and the consistency. It applies really creamy then once it drys it doesn't transfer like a lipstick which I really look for in lip products because I don't want to have to check my lips and teeth every few minutes for colour. I want to get more of these but at the moment they only do two other colours. Do you know of any other brands which do a similar product?

As i promised before, here are a few swatches of the products I mentioned. The first is the eyeshadow and as the photo shows it's a great all over lid, sheer wash of colour which I love. The next one is the felt tip liner and the last in the lip cream. As you can see, the colour is so opaque and rich!

I hope you have enjoyed my second ever monthly favourites!

Hayley xxx

Recent Purchase: Zara Wedges

Readers of my blog may have already seen these before as I featured them in a recent 'wish list' blog post which you can read  here. I have been wanting a pair of black wedges for what seems like forever so when I saw the Zara T-Bar Wedges on Anna's blog, I knew they were for me. 

I have yet to wear them out but from just walking around the house they are super comfy because of the platform and wedge. I am only around 5ft 5 so I feel I need the extra height when I am on a night out and that is what these wedges give without the pain factor as when you take away the platform, the heel is only around two or three inches. These shoes also come in bright orange and electric blue which I was so tempted to get but I stuck with black as they are so classic and will go with anything. 

So in a nutshell I absolutely love these shoes and the best thing about them is that they were only £29.99!! They are still available in most sizes if you want to check them out :)

Hayley xxx

Nails of the Day #3/ OPI Nail Envy Review

Today's NOTD post isn't too exciting colour wise however I haven't had anything else on my nails for the last week. Above is the infamous OPI Nail Envy and I wanted to try this as for the past six or so months I have had colour on my nails every single day which seemed to be taking it's toll. Before that, my nails were in perfect condition and I only painted them for special events however I have found that my nails and just not as strong and tend to flake now I paint them regularly. I am not saying my nails were ever in terrible condition but more like they needed a bit of TLC :) 

Following the instructions, I applied two coats on the first day then one more every second day for a week. After that I took the nail strengthener off with my normal nail varnish remover. Now, the results I got were down to either of three things. One, I left my nails free from colour for a week which improved the overall feel and look of them. Two, I managed to kid myself into seeing good results. Three, the product actually does what it says on the tin! I would like to think the latter as the Nail Envy is £18 for a 15ml bottle which I think is extortionate even for OPI! What I did notice was that my nails grew at an amazingly fast rate! After four days of it on my nails I felt like I needed to cut them so if you suffer from brittle nails that are hard to grow maybe give it a go?  

Overall I am impressed with the Nail Envy but I am not sure I would have purchased it if I didn't get it free as part of the Boots 3 for 2 deal. I will be using it as a base coat as the instructions suggest but not as a top coat because I want to make it last! I am really interested to hear your opinions?

Hayley xxx

Recent Purchases

I had been eyeing up the three items I recently bought for a long time and always put them on my wish list but never took the plunge because of the prices. However, it was the last day of the Boots 3 for 2 deal and of course I convinced myself that it would be cheaper in the long run to get them now... I ordered online and the Boots delivery was great, I have a blog post on it here.

Left to right: OPI Nail Envy, Real Techniques Starter Set,
Real Techniques Core Collection

If you have read my previous blog posts, you'll know that I have been wanting to try the Real Techniques blushes for a while. Straight away I put the core collection in my basket and was looking at the other brushes when I saw the starter kit. I had heard that the deluxe crease brush was really good for concealer and I thought that I may as well get the set so that I could then get rid of some of my other brushes that weren't as good quality. I am going to do a review of these brushes soon because at first I had no idea what I would use them all for but I have now used every single one and love them (except for the foundation brush which seems stupidly small?).  The core collection and starter set were £21.99 each which at first seems quite a bit for brushes but when broken down are only around £5 each. As I had my next item free (if it was under £20) I looked for something that I could treat myself to and something that I wouldn't normally buy because of the price. That's when I saw the OPI Nail Envy. Normally, I would never spend £18 (!!!) on a nail hardening base coat however as the product was essentially free I thought why not.

Unfortunately the 3 for 2 deal has now ended, however Boots are always doing similar deals. I hope you liked my mini haul, I should have a few other things to show you within the next week when they arrive along with a few reviews :)

Hayley xxx

Online Cosmetics Website Review: Boots

Before I buy from a website I always try and find reviews to make sure that:

1. I trust giving my money to them

2. They sell genuine products

3. Their delivery service is decent

4. They have a good returns policy

The above didn't really apply to Boots because it is an extremely well known store where most people in the UK venture to for high street makeup. This means I wouldn't typically buy online however it was the last day of the three for two offer and I didn't have time to go into town. Also, as my purchase was over £40 so I got free shipping which is never a bad thing!

If you are an advantage card holder then you will already have an account so it is really easy to buy online and even if you don't it only takes a few minutes to set one up. I'm not going to tell you what I bought just yet because the next post I plan put up is a mini haul :) My order was dispatched two days after I placed my order and came the next day which is pretty good seeing as they probably had a lot of last minute orders.

Website Positives:

A lot of products stocked

Free shipping when you spend over £40/ £2.95 for standard delivery

Normal delivery within 5 working days

You are able to track your order

You can order your purchases to your local store which I think is really useful if something is sold out in your Boots but not online 

There is a 28 day returns policy

Website Negatives:

Only delivers to the UK

My package was delivered to my porch because no one was in therefore it got soaked. Luckily the products weren't wet

I hope you find these kinds of post useful because I know I do :) There will be another one soon reviewing cheapsmells.com which is a discount cosmetics website.

Hayley xxx

Nails of the Day #2

This is just a quick post showing you guys what I have on my nails today. It's Berry from Barry M and I featured it a couple of posts back in my favourite spring nail polishes. It's such an easy colour to wear as I find that it is subtle and really feminine. It took me two coats to achieve the colour below and has lasted for five days which I think is pretty decent for such a cheap brand!

Hayley xxx