April Favorites

It's that time of the month again where everyone posts they're April favorites. I've been trying out a lot of products lately but I don't think I've been using them long enough to be included in a monthly favorites just quite yet.

1 & 2. Cargo Coral Beach and Sunset Beach Blush. I've been using these a lot over the past month as it's been getting warmer and I want more of a bronzey look to my cheeks. It's a perfect mix between a blush and bronzer.

3. One 'N Only Argan Oil Treatment has been an absolute miracle product for me. I've been using it everyday and it has done wonders for my hair. I've already done a review here.

4. NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Brunette. The few months I've really been getting into filling in my eyebrows, it really makes a difference to your face. I really like this product, it's natural looking and affordable.

The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams and Xtreme Lip creams are absolutely wonderful lip products. The ones I've been using the most out of the ones I got are Antwerp, San Paulo and Strawberry Jam. They're just wonderfully bright summer colors that really brighten up your face. Swatches here.

Not but not least are my Real Techniques Brushes. (They're dirty cause I've obviously been using them.) I honestly don't know how I did my makeup before getting these. I was using cheap rough, scratchy brushes before, which were okay but nothing compared to these. I've also done a review of them here.

I've been pretty busy the past week, taking mid-terms and such but I've been taking photos just haven't had the time to put them in a post so I'll be doing that this weekend. Also going to start doing outfit of the day and more face of the day posts just haven't had the time and also been a little lazy. :P

Review: Real Techniques Brushes

I thought it was about time I finally purchase some Real Techniques brushes by Samantha Chapman. I'm a little late on the bandwagon but that's only because there is no Ulta near me for miles. Closest one is in New Jersey to be exact (I live in NYC.) I'm not going to go in too much detail about the brushes cause I'm sure you've seen/heard about them before, but I will go into detail about the 2 new brushes that has came out since I have not heard many people talk about them. As you may see some of them are dirty cause I got these a few weeks ago and couldn't resist using them. Sorry! All of the brushes are made out of synthetic taklon bristles and are super soft. They have white tipped bristles so you know how much product is on the brush and when you need to clean them. The sets come with a panoramic case which I'm sure everyone knows what it looks like by now.

The Core Collection (retails for $17.99):

1. The Contour Brush can be used to apply highlighter as well as contouring. Haven't actually used this one yet cause I haven't had time to contour in the mornings lately.

2. The Pointed foundation brush is actually a bit to small for my liking to be used for foundation, but not entirely impossible. I like it more as a concealer brush for concealing large areas.

3. The Detailer Brush is a small concealer brush that I use to get under my eyes, without getting concealer on my lashes, and for concealing specific spots.

4. The Buffing Brush is a great does-everything brush. You can use it for powder, liquid or mineral foundation, blush and bronzer.  

The Starter Set (retails for $17.99):

1. The Deluxe Crease Brush can actually be used as a concealer brush which is what most other people use it for and is great at blending the concealer into the skin.

2. The Base Shadow Brush is flatter on one side and wider at the other. Would be great at just applying an all over the lid color, crease brush or a blending blush.

3. The Accent Brush is a nice stiff brush that can be used to apply color in the inner eye and smudging out eyeliner.

4.  The Pixel-Point Eyeliner Brush is a bit too thick for eyeliner for my taste, unless you like thick dramatic eyeliner. If you want an eyeliner brush from Real Techniques, luckily Sam has came out with an individual liner brush here. I've used it to apply highlighter to the inner corners of my eyes.

5. The Brow Brush is fantastic for brows. It's thicker than your average angled brush which means that you get your brows done quicker. Can also be used for thick dramatic eyeliner.

Individual Brushes:

10. The Stippling Brush (retails for $9.99) is shorter and denser than your average stippling brush. It's everything I wished the MAC 187 to be. 

11. The Blush Brush (retails for $8.99) is also not like your average blush blush. It has a sort of an egg shape. Not only is it great for blush, but for bronzer and powder too.

12. The Setting Brush (retails for $7.99) is a micro setting brush that can be used to set small areas of the face such as under and  around the sides of the nose, near the hairline and under the eyes. I also use it for applying highlighter onto the tops of the cheekbones, down my nose and any other places I would like to place highlighter. As you can see from the pictures above it is tapered to a point and is flat on on side. 

13. The Expert Face Brush (retails for $8.99) can be used for cream or liquid foundation. It is great at applying foundation without leaving you looking streaky and blending into your skin. You can use a stippling, stroking or circular motion. It is dense and stiff and kind of looks like an over-sized eyeshadow brush. The size of the brush isn't too big nor too small. The design of the brush is fantastic at fitting into the cervices of your face such as the area between your nose and lip, the sides of the nose, under the eyes and your eyelids. 

Hope this has been helpful, not sure about where you can purchase or how much these brushes are outside the states, sorry!