Review: Real Techniques Core Collection

If you have any interest in make up at all then you probably heard about two extremely talented make up artists and stunning sisters Samantha and Nic Chapman also known as Pixiwoo. About a year ago Samantha has released collection of make up brushes called Real Techniques. I wanted them brushes since they first came out, however let's just say that I'm not a big fan of online shopping and I have to look and feel before I buy. However about two months ago Sam has announced that they will be available in Boots in UK. Basically I had no excuse not to buy them. So I walk into the store and go straight to the make up brushes section and what I see, one last set, the Core Collection, looking at me and screaming: buy me buy me!!! Ok maybe I'm exaggerating but I got the last set. You can imagine my excitement. So I got home, opened the box and thats when it hit me, those are the softest brushes I ever touched, and I'm not talking MAC 109 or MAC 150 or even MAC 187 soft, but 1000 times softer.

The whole set is very easy on the eye, the brush ferrell is made out of yellow/gold looking metal and rest of the handle is black rubberised plastic, similar to NARS eyeshadows and blushers/bronzers packing. The set comes with a brush case/stand which I don't use, but I think it would be perfect for traveling. I have to admit that since I got this set I practically stopped using other face brushes that I own.

The Core Collection consists of four brushes:

Detailer brush: I have to say that this is the smalles and most precise concealer brush ever, its just amazing for very precise spot concealing or defying and shaping eyebrows with concealer.

Pointed foundation brush: I'm not a big fan of classic foundation brushes, but this is an exception due to the size of it, again it's much smaller than other brushes of this kind. Personally I love using this brush to apply concealer under my eyes and around my nose/mouth.

Buffing brush: Best foundation brush I ever used. I love love using this brush to buff liquid and powder foundations into my face. You literally get a pixel perfect finish with this brush with any foundation or powder. Also its perfect for applying and blending bronzer, both cream and powder. I can do my whole face make up with this brush, right from base, foundation to blush and bronzer. It's my favourite brush from the whole set. I really like the fact that it doesn't absorb any product which means that you don't waste anything and its easy to clean.

Contour brush: Love love this brush for applying both cream/liquid and powder blush but also its perfect for blending concealer under my eyes.

As you can see, I absolutely love this brush set. I have tried many different brushes before(Mac, Dior, ELF, EcoTools, etc) and since I'm really hard to please when it comes to brushes I always find something that I don't like about specific brush, but I just can't say a bad word about Real Techniques brushes. And it gets even better, the Core Collection set is only £21.99. That works out about £5.50 for one brush. B-A-R-G-A-I-N!!! Let's be real, theres no way you gonna find similar quality brushes at this or lower price anywhere else.

More informations:

http://www.realtechniques.com/

UK and international Stockists:

Boots

love-makeup.co.uk

cocktailcosmetics.co.uk

beautychamber.co.uk

BB Creams

There seems to be this BB Cream craze going on around. It seams like every week a make up company is brining out another amazing BB Cream that claims to get rid of wrinkles and cure ance. Let's be real, none of this is true. So what is a BB Cream? Basically its a repackage tinted moisturiser with a bit more coverage and in some cases higher SPF. At least thats what the Western BB Creams are, I can't really say anything about the Asian once, since I haven't tried them. Ok straight to the point, I absolutely freaking love BB creams, I think they are amazing just for an everyday wear. Personally they give me just enough coverage, evening out my skin tone and covering minor imperfections. Also they are great for the days when I need to leave house really quickly and I don't have even a minute to do my make up. Days like this I literally spray my face with some toner, apply my BB cream, fill in my eyebrows with a pencil and I'm good to go. I find that on days when my skin feels normal or bit oily I can use just the BB Cream without using any moisturiser under it or powder over it and my skin looks flawless. I have to admit that I only tried three BB Creams.

The first one was the Garnier BB Cream however I only tried it out in the store on the back of my hand and decided to stay away from it as far as possible. Why? Because of the horrible orange colour and the weird scent. No thank you!!!

17 BB Creams has to be one my favourite make up products of all times simply because it gives a very nice medium but very natural coverage. Also unlike other BB Creams or tinted moisturisers I find that it has a very nice thick texture, but not too thick, its really easy to apply and it actually sits on the skin rather then absorb completely, however it still looks like I have nothing on and it gives this blurred smooth effect on the skin. Its really hard to explain but it just makes you look flawless.

No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Dry Skin...hmm, I have used this for about 3-4 months now and I still have very mixed feelings about it. One day it just looks amazing and the next day it looks very oily in my t-zone and dry and chalky everywhere else. I think thats due to the light creamy texture. If you have any dry skin bits this will make them show which can be very annoying. Coverage wise, it gives a very natural medium coverage, like it covers any redness on my cheeks but it dosen't cover my post ance hyperpigmentation. Also this comes in three versions for Dry/Very Dry, Normal/Dry and Normal/Oily skin

Just one more thing, both the No7 and 17 BB creams will flash back in photography because they have SPF 15 in them.

Garnier BB Cream £9.99 Available from Boots and Superdrug
17 BB Cream £6.99 Available from Boots
No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream £12.95 Available from Boots


So thats just my ramble on BB Creams, I hope this helped you somehow and let me know what you think about BB Creams, are they your must have or are going to pass on them. Let me know below :-)