Beaut Brushes: Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman

It's pretty simple, brushes make or break your overall application of makeup. Just like an artist needs their tools, having the right, and more importantly quality brushes will not only help aid the application process but will also help your products to last longer, not to mention make the whole process a hell of a lot easier and faster.

If you dread applying makeup (we're talking the whole hog here - foundation, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, liner, even lipstick) then I would ask you, what brushes are you using? Don't get me wrong fingers are one of the best tools you can use for applying makeup, but only if it is working for you. Sometimes the formulation of specific products need buffing into the skin, or stippling, or pressed - that's where handy dandy brushes come in to play.

There are lots and I mean, lots of brush lines on the market varying from very inexpensive to very expensive depending on the quality, design and what the bristles are made from. A line which I think deserves its own spotlight is Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman. Some of you might recognise this name, as Sam is one of the two Pixiwoo sisters on YouTube.

Naturally there was a lot of buzz around this line on YouTube and online, and I wanted to see if it lived up to all the hype.

Real Techniques is stocked in Priceline in Australia, and after checking it out I was so disappointed at the mark up price we were expected to pay here, we're talking over 50% what the the brushes sell for in America. This was just too insane for me, so I did a bit of beauty investigation work and found a site called iHerb.com that sells the line for the US RRP, which for the quality and softness of these beauties is fantastic.

I picked a few individual brushes up as well as the eye starter pack. I've been using these for a few months now and want to share my 3 top picks:

1. Perfected Blush Brush - This is the perfect brush for not only blush but power and even bronzer. Priceline $22.99 and iHerb - US$8.99

2. Perfected Setting Brush - This is designed for setting powder and is a great size for under the eye and around the nose. I actually use this for applying cream blush and also highlighting and it works a treat. Priceline $19.99 and iHerb US$7.99

3. Deluxe Crease Brush - This gem is such an all rounder, and definitely my favourite I picked up. Like the name suggests, it is perfect for blending colour into your crease and defining the socket. But as this brush is quite dense and compact, it makes it a dream for applying under eye concealer. Included in the eye starter pack (5 brushes) Priceline $39.99 and iHerb US$17.99

I also have a discount code for iHerb that I received after I made my order, it will score you $10 off any purchase over $40 or $5 off any purchase under $40! Enter VCW073 in the coupon section at the checkout.

In the end, it comes down to whatever makes the whole process easier for you. So experiment with your hands, with different types of brush hairs, densities and break out of the box for what the brush can be used for!

ajarose xo