Real Techniques are a staple on my beauty dressing table, from the Bold Metals, to the individuals and sets, they’re a reliable – and budget-friendly – choice when it comes to make-up brushes, and the new Real Techniques PowderBleu is a stunningly welcome (and cruelty-free) addition to the range…
At the beginning of the year came the Multi Tech collection (see my post about these innovative brushes here) a set of brushes that made a multitude of make-up applications easy peasy, and now it’s time to move over for the latest trend. Guru’s Sam and Nic Chapman have recognized the insta-popularity of powder products and created a collection of six stunning brushes designed to pick up and distribute powders for luxe, on-trend and long-lasting looks.
Let’s just start with the design, these are beautiful brushes! Midnight blue ombre with matching deep blue bristles. Of course the brushes are also synthetic, and are totally cruelty-free, which is almost hard to believe as the brush ends are so super soft and tight, with a high bristle count for the ultimate in luxury application.
There are six in the collection; the Soft Complexion Brush B03 (£22) with domed, dense head for blending and buffing powder foundations for buildable wear, and shine-free finish – I found this perfect for the Bare Minerals foundation. The Soft Powder Brush B01 (£22) with large tapered head for full face application which suggests bronze and highlight – I actually like this one for setting powder for fine, soft finish. Possibly my favourite, the Soft Finishing Brush B02 (£22) has an extreme, tapered head for precise application of blush, which I like for highlighter, especially for the tip of the nose. The Soft Shadow Brush B04 (£15) is the only eyeshadow brush in the range, but it’s perfectly versatile for building colour, and blending out. It’s also a great tool for precision highlighting for cupids bow, brow bones and nose tip. Don’t be put off by it’s large and slightly overbearing appearance, the Soft Kabuki Brush B05 (£25) is wicked for buffing in powder and surprisingly gets into trickier areas with ease despite its larger size. The tapered edge makes it a great option for contouring too. And finally, the Plush Powder Puff (£12) a retro-cool and velvety soft puff for tapping on your preferred amount of powder.
I always say that make-up brushes are so subjective, and what one person will love, another may not, but the great thing about the Real Techniques range is that they are so affordable in comparison to many other popular options out there – and this certainly doesn’t compromise on quality. If, however, you could only pick one brush, I’d go for the Soft Finishing B02 brush, or Soft shadow Brush B04.