 |
Bare Escentuals id Flawless Application Brush
by steve4oo
Make up brushes have only recently been introduced to me since my friend has been training as a make up artist. She managed to give me the hard sell on them and I went to purchase a relatively cheap foundation brush for my liquid foundation a few months ago. I was really surprised at the difference it made, so when the lady working for ... Bare Minerals recommended that I buy one to apply Warmth (reviewed separately), I was keen to do so.
Bare Minerals are an American branded company who specialise in mineral based products (if you couldn't have guessed!) which they claim have no detrimental effect on your skin and that you can in fact sleep in their products. Each different product has its own natural mineral formulation specially designed for the skin with their exclusive ingredient, Active Soil Complex.
As mentioned above, I was happy to purchase a brush to go with the product I was buying - in my experience they can make a good difference to the application of make up. The one I had purchased previously for my liquid foundation was only a few pounds, so to my mind, a pretty expensive one is bound to work wonders (I know there is a saying for that!).
I was informed that this brush allows for light to medium coverage of a product which is perfect for me as I don't like any make up to appear too heavy. The bristles take a nice semi round shape which I thought would provide a nice even coverage, and the bristles are made from goats hair so they are pretty soft and kind to the skin. The name of the brush is printed onto one side of the handle in white (clearly visible against the black handle) and above this is a silver area which meets the bristles. It feels quite sturdy and well made. Similarly, the bristles are quite compact so they gather a fair amount of product on them.
The lady who worked for Bare Minerals showed me how to use to brush effectively in order to apply Warmth, using the swirl, tap and buff motion. I found that this gathered plenty of the product onto the bristles, and the 'tap' part ensured it didn't go over my face in any areas that I didn't want it to. The brush is very light and so this makes application as easy as it can be. Again, due to its weight, it is easy to control the movement and the way in which the product is dispersed. This allows for accurate application which is important for the kind of product I am using it with.
So, the first foundation brush I ever purchased I only paid a few pounds for. I was quite surprised to find that this sells for £19. I'm not entirely sure that I can justify the price even though I enjoy using the brush. This made the brush cost as much as the blusher/bronzer product that I bought which seems a little overpriced. You can purchase this from Bare Minerals directly, including on their website, as well as many third party retailers.
As pleased as I am with this brush and the way in which it allows me to apply my product, the price makes it really difficult to recommend. I can't imagine a cheaper brush would do any less of a good job at applying make up (if anyone has any views/experience on this, please let me know!). On this basis, I feel I can only give it 3/5 Dooyoo stars because as good as it is, the high price just can't be justified. I'm not sure quite what I was expecting when I purchased it, miracles, perhaps? In future I will stick to the non branded ones.
Read the complete review |
 |
Real Techniques Starter Brush Set
by sarahhhx
I have been watching 'Pixiwoo' on YouTube for a few years now and when Samantha chapman mentioned she had brought out some new make-up brushes that would be available in Boots I practically ran to Boots to buy them. I have always listened to their recommendations and thought they were amazing at what they do, so I knew for a fact that ... Samantha chapman (part of Pixiwoo) wouldn't bring out some rubbish brushes.
The eye brush set is called the 'starter collection', which means the main brushes you need for applying the eye make-up.
On boots it says: '. This Starter kit starts you off with the essential tools for creating eye definition.'
The box that the eye shadow comes in list exactly what eye shadow brushes do what, which is very helpful because some people who buy the set might not have much knowledge of make-up brushes and just know the very basics.
The price of the brush set is £21.99, which for the quality of the brush and the amount of brushes you get, you really cannot go wrong. I would normally have to pay individually around this price for a MAC brush.
On the box it says, "Boost your look with effortlessly enhanced eyes. Eye definition does high definition with my essential starter set: look pixel perfect even in harsh light, ultra plush talon bristles"
The eyebrush collection
The starter collection has five eye brushes, which comes in a black case. This handy case can be made into a stand (the directions of doing this are on a tag on the case. The brushes are made from synthetic talon bristles. When you feel them you can tell they are of excellent quality as they feel so thick and look well cut.
The brushes in the core collection are: a 'Base shadow brush', a 'Deluxe crease brush', an 'Accent brush', a 'Pixel-point eyeliner brush' and a 'Brow brush'. All the brushes have purple handles.
On the box there is a picture of the YouTube famous 'Samantha chapman' on there so you can have an idea of what she looks like. And if you are interested in watching her and her sister Nicki Chapman's videos just search 'Pixiwoo' into YouTube or Google.
On the eye shadow brushes it states the brand: 'Real Techniques' on them.
Eye brush purposes
1. Base shadow brush- Applies a smooth, flawless foundation of colour.
This brush feels very soft, it is a fairly good size so it can cover the base of the eye more. It is very easy to use as it can be simply used to add a splash of colour or base on to the lid.
This brush has been created specifically for base eye shadows. However, It could be used for adding a splash of colour as stated before. For a base colour I recommend something light. A lot of make-up brands have brought out eye primers or eye shadows that are specifically for a base. I would recommend the lightest colour you have as a base like a nude colour that wont tamper with the rest of the colours you add, unless you want it to.
This eye shadow is good for applying cream base eye shadows as it has thick bristles so it blends the cream nicely.
2. 'Deluxe Crease Brush' - This brush is designed for cream, powder eye shadows and also concealer. I tend to use it for concealer as I find it much easier to apply using a brush. It is very soft like the other brush and is a good size. It makes applying concealer easier because you can blend it in better than using a finger. I always use this brush, because I wear concealer everyday and because it blends the concealer well it makes it look less caked. Despite using the brush for concealer remember that it can be used for eye shadow as well, it is a great multi purpose brush.
3. 'Accent brush'- This brush is designed for precision detailing, spotlighting, highlighting, and smudging according to the 'real techniques' website. It can be used on the lips as well as eyes (another multi purpose brush) I would definitely wash the brush if you were to do this after every use if you are swopping from eyes to lips. I do tend to use this brush to smudge my eye shadow at the end of my eyelids. It smudges my eye shadow in well so the colour I apply at the beginning of the lid and the eye shadow colour I apply at the end blend in well together. It is also good to use as a highlighter brush for highlighting areas such as the brow bone and the starting point of the eyelid. It is a great brush but it isn't in my eyes a necessity in my brush kit, I could quite easily live without it.
4. Pixel point eyeliner brush- "Tappered cut is ideal for dense or fine eyeliner application." I personally on't like this brush and wouldn't use it to apply my eyeliner, I find it very difficult to apply my eyeliner with because its quite thick. I usually use gel liner just for my top lid and because I like the eyeliner to be thin there it doesn't really work well because it is too thick for the job.
5. The brow brush- The name gives it an away( for the brows.) Distinctively defines eyebrows. This brush is my least favourite of them all. It is far too thick for me to apply my Benefit brow set. Which is in powder form. I never use this brush because of my eyebrows been too thin to use it, not that there really that thin compared to most peoples. For those people who have thick eyebrows it would be quite a good brush to have but unfortunately for me I would prefer to stick to the free Benefit brow brush instead which is much thinner.
The stand/case
The stand is something that I really liked the idea of, but to be honest I'm not entirely convinced it isn't as good as I thought it would be. The brush case no longer even stands up properly anymore and when it did it seemed fairly pointless really. However it does keep the brushes clean and I would prefer to have one than not because of this. So I'm definitely in between on the case idea. It isn't as good as it's made out but isn't not too bad either.
Conclusion
Great set of eye brushes, good quality and very useful to have. The price is exceptional and the quality is really good. I definitely recommend these brushes and my expectations have well and truly been reached!!! Must have!
Read the complete review |
 |
Real Techniques Starter Brush Set
by jimmychoogirl
I have been into makeup for many years now and although I own many different make up brushes I still continue to add them to my collection. My most recent purchase was this 'Real Techniques starter brush set' which is a selection of brushes designed to apply eye make up. Real techniques brushes are designed by Samantha Chapman, who along ... with her sister do makeup tutorials on YouTube. I had only even previously owned one Real Techniques brushing before buying this set, the stippling brush, and was very impressed with both the quality and how beautifully it applied make up, so I had high hopes for this set.
==~~Price and Availability~~==
These brushes are more commonly available in Boots stores, particularly the larger ones as I have found that the smaller ones don't stock these brush or they have just one or two different brushes available. They are also available on the Boots online store, along with the Real Techniques website where they cover the full line. I have also seen a few sets of these in eBay at a marginally cheaper price.
This set costs £24.95 for 5 brushes, which I think is a very good price. Especially so when considering that these brushes are used by professional make up artists and are therefore of professional quality and some other branded brushes can cost this much per brush!
==~~The Brushes~~==
As previously stated there are five brushes in this set. Them being; pixel-point eyeliner brush, accent brush, brow brush, deluxe crease brush and the base shadow brush. They are all synthetic brushes which means you can use both powder based and cream based products with them. I really like the fact that they are a metallic purple colour as it makes them stand out and is different to the usual brush, I also like the fact they are extremely lightweight.
===The Deluxe crease brush===
This brush is the one that I perhaps use most out othe whole set, it is the largest brush in a domed like shape where the bristles are very tightly compacted. Although this is describe as the 'crease brush' I actually found it difficult to use in the crease of my eye and I think this due to the fact that the brush is slightly too big and therefore it creates a false crease line. However, due to its soft bristles and large size I do find that I can b,end out eyeshadow I have previously applied with this brush to create a much softer look
I really like this brush for applying concealer; due to its larger size it can blend in make up such as concealer under the eyes far better than it can actually apply an eyeshadow. I really like the fact that even when applying cream based products with this brush, such as that if a concealer there are very few brush strokes left, creating a flawless look. I also like the fact that the brush really blends the make up in and find that I use much less make up when using a brush than when using my hands as it seems to go much further when using a brush. I have never had any problems with any of the bristles falling out of is brush, which is another bonus. Although it is designed for use with both powder and cream products I do find that this particular brush works much better with that if cream based as I find that it doesn't transfer powder products quite as well.
===The Accent Brush===
This is the smallest brush in collection and is a fairly flat headed, yet rounded at the edge. It is very similar in shape to the MAC 239 brush, but on a much smaller scale. This is perhaps my favourite brush in the collection due to the fact it is very much a multi purpose brush and I have therefore found it the most versatile. Unlike the deluxe crease brush, I personally find this brush to work much better with power based products and when doing so I find that the brush is able to pick up just enough product, so that it doesn't overload which would end up in fallout.
Due to its smaller size its great for applying makeup underneath the eye, or in the inner corner which often larger sizes brushes can not. I find that the small size gives a really crisp, smooth line of eyeshadow and as previously stated there is almost no fallout when using this brush. I do however find that sometimes find that due to the fact the brush handle is very thin and small it can sometimes not sit quite right in the hand and can be a little difficult to get a grip on it that is comfortable to hold, nonetheless it still remains one of my favourite brushes - which also doubles up as a great lip brush!
===The Base Shadow Brush===
This is another brushing that I use on a daily basis, it is slightly smaller than the deluxe crease brush and is a slightly less rounded shape. I find the bristles on this brush to be especially soft and are in a tapered shape. This brush worked great for applying both cream and powder based products and find tha alike the accent brush it picks up just the right amount of product to ensure that there is very little or no fallout. This brush creates very soft eyeshadow looks, which almost makes the brush great for blending out previously applie eyeshadow and I find much of the properties of this brush very similar to that of the MAC 217.
Alike the deluxe crease brush this brush also works very well with cream based or liquid based products, in particular that of concealer. It again creates a very flawless finish with minimal brush strokes and again find that I only need a light coverage of the product to achieve a flawless finish when using this brush. I also find that when using a concealer to cover blemishes with this brush it again creates a flawless finish and works to hide the blemish, whereas some brushes I have used in the past just tend to push the concealer around.
===The Brow Brush===
This brush as suggested by the name is used for the brows, despite this like many of the brushes in the set I have found it is again a multi purpose brush. This is an angled brush, where again the bristles are tightly compacted, however are quite wide set which means that it is very hard to apply gel eyeliner with this brush, like you can with some other angled brushes. The bristles are slightly firmer on this brush, which actually works in the favour of this brush as it makes it much easier to sculpt browse and give them a natural finish.
I really like the size of this brush and find it sits very comfortably in my hand; making it very easy to use. I find that unlike some angled brushes I have used in the past I am still able to create a natural looking brow with this brush, which I think is due to the fact that although the bristles are firmer they are still soft so they do not create them harsh, drawn on strokes. However, I do find that sometimes this brush does not transfer the shadow quite as well as some of the other brushes and find that I do have to work it into the brush a little more than what I have to do with the other brushes.
===The Pixel-Point Eyeliner Brush===
This is by far my least favourite brush in the set and is the one that I get the least use out of it. I think this is due to the fact that it is described as an 'eyeliner' brush, yet I find it almost impossible to apply eyeliner with which is due to both the size of the brush handle and the shape of the bristles. Similar to the accent brush, the handle on this brush is again very small and skinny which again is hard to get a grip on due to is sitting uncomfortably; this makes it very difficult to apply something as precise as gel / liquid eyeliner. I also find that there are 'too many' bristles, in that it is is far too large to apply eyeliner, therefore creating a thick, uneven line of eyeliner. The bristles also seem to be a little too soft to apply eyeliner, meaning that as soon as you try to apply eyeliner they tend to splay out.
Although, unfortunately, I am disappointed in this brush I have found that it can be used to apply eyeshadow to the underneath of the eye or to the inner corner, though does not do this anywhere near as efficiently as the accent brush. Due to the fact that finding a use for this brush is very hard, I do tend to end up avoiding this brush, which is a shame as I do love all the other brushes in this set.
I have washed all these brushes numerous times now and find that they come up as food as new each time. The bristles have all remained in their original shape and are still just as soft as when they were new. They are extremely easy to clean due to them being synthetic which means the make up products do not tend to cling to bristles as much. I do find that the name of the brushes (the name if the brush is written down the side of the brush) does tend to rub off and although it is not that big a deal, I would prefer it if it didn't rub off.
The brushes also come with a case/stand to keep them in, I'm not really a fan of this as the quality is not all that great and it is fairly cheap looking, however it does keep them in place and makes them easier to carry round due to the fact they each have their own 'space' to place them in. I also find that it is a little flimsy and although it does double up as a stand I do find that it can sometimes collapse or is very easily knocked over. Nonetheless, it is very slim and therefore fits very easily into my bag and keeps all the brushes together.
==~~Overall~~==
Overall this set is not without its weak points, them being the pixel point eyeliner brush and the stand, though I feel the quality of the other products far out way these and are of much more superior quality. I would recommend this setter for both professionals and starters as I personally feel it is fairly affordable for most people and the set is definitely worth the price - I would even pay more for this set I love it so much! Most of the brushes in this set have fast become my everyday brushes and when doing makeup on others using the brushes (I am currently in training to be a make up artist) I always get comments on how soft they are and how nice their makeup looks when using them.
After having great experiences with both this set of Real Techniques brushes and my Stippling brush I definitely intend on buying more from this range and therefore, despite the fact one brush was a little disappointing, award this set 5 stars!
***this review was written on my tablet and has not yet been processed so very sorry for any odd word replacements of funny spellings/ sentence but as soon as I get home I will process it properly!!***
Read the complete review |
