Real Techniques Brushes

I have been meaning to write this post for a while now and just never got round to it. I realise a lot of bloggers have probably already posted something very similar to this but I thought it would be nice to give my own  opinion on the brushes every beauty blogger seems to have. 

So like every female out there, I started off by purchasing the core collection of real techniques brushes which includes four key brushes; the foundation brush, buffing brush, detailer and contour brush. Even though each brush is designed to target a specific area, I don't tend to abide by the rules. The only two key brushes I use out of this collection in fact are the detailer brush and buffing brush. I never contour my face so there is no need to use this brush. However, this isn't to say it won't come in handy in the near future as this is something I would like to get better at. 

The detailer brush is brilliant for your concealer and applying liptstick/stains. It works particularly well with my current Benefit Erase Paste concealer which may I add is amazing. I am able to build brilliant coverage wherever needed with this clever little brush. The buffing brush is used to apply my foundation which some may find a bit strange. However, like some bloggers out there, I find the foundation brush to be on the small side when building coverage. I would like to purchase a larger foundation brush soon so keep your eyes peeled for a post feathering this.

My collection of Real Techniques Brushes

The newest addition to my collection

After being impressed by the core collection of brushes and in need of a new blusher and powder brush, I decided to build on my collection. One of my good friends recommended I tried the blusher brush something I must admit I was reluctant to do at first due to its size. As you can see from the images, it is quite large for a blusher brush, however it is perfect for building coverage. It is so light to the skin, ensuring your blush goes on gradually and evenly. However, my favourite brush by far has to be the powder brush. It's so soft and works brilliantly when setting your foundation. I use this alongside my Mac Mineralise Skin Finish powder. It is the perfect size when setting your foundation quickly and evenly.

So there you have it - all my main make-up brushes together. I am sure I will be adding to this collection as time goes on as I am always finding use for a new brush. But for now there's a round up of the brushes you need in your life if you haven't already got them that is!

What is your favourite brush? Do you prefer any other makeup brush brands?

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Clinque Anti - Blemish Solutions

My skin has been awful just lately. I don't know if it's due to stress or just pure laziness on my behalf but I have come out in lots of unwanted breakouts and by that I mean SPOTS. That dreaded word nobody wants to be thinking about past the age of 20. I have always had pretty bad skin and suffered from mild acne in my teens. Like any normal teenager, I tried anything and everything to clear my skin. The only thing that really worked for me however was the combined pill as recommended by my doctor.  In my case it was a lot to do with hormone imbalance. However, along the way I have found a few skincare products that are lifesavers when it comes to cleansing your skin and freeing it from acne. One of these being the anti- blemish skincare range by Clinique. 

I first starting purchasing Clinique products when I was around 17. I went to see one of the specialists at Debenhams who sat me down and did a skin test on me. Turns out, I have combination skin which if you didn't know means I can get quite oily on my T zone areas particularly. The specialist recommended I try Clinique's anti - blemish solution foundation and after matching one of their foundations to my skin perfectly I purchased it there and then along with the rest of the products in the collection. Now everyone loves seeing results but I didn't expect my skin to change so rapidly in such a short amount of time.

The skincare regime is so easy and well worth the money. There are three steps in total to this regime. Step 1 requires a quick wash in the morning with the anti - blemish cleansing foam followed by Step 2, a small amount of the clarifying lotion to tone your skin afterwards. The final step of course is to moisturise. Just a tiny amount of the anti - blemish clearing moisturiser and you are finished. Please note, the other products in these pictures are extras I have purchased along the way. These include the spot treatment gel and moisture surge intense skin hydrator.

Step 1 and Step 2 of your cleansing regime

Start by using the cleansing foam

Then move on to the clarifying lotion. Just a small amount on a cotton wool ball will suffice.

Next, just a little bit of the clearing moisturiser will work wonders on your spots.

I tend to follow the exact same routine after taking by make-up off, just before bed as for me leftover make-up on my face causes havoc with my skin. After a couple of weeks you should start to notice a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. Redness should be reduced, pores should be cleansed and most importantly, spots should be starting to clear.

Have you ever tried Clinique products? What products do you swear by for cleaner healthier looking skin?

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Beauty Haul | Wake Me Up

So my second beauty haul this month consisted of some real beauty bargains including the popular wake me up foundation by Rimmel which I have been longing to try for months, and the just as popular Bourjois bronzer. I also purchased a new powder brush, another one to add to my collection of real techniques brushes. As noted in one of my previous posts I will be featuring a separate post on these brushes solely so bare with me on that one.

What a pretty collection

First off, let's start by having a look at the fairly new wake me up foundation by Rimmel. After using this foundation for over a week now, I must say I am not really impressed. A rather thick foundation, this I feel can look quite heavy on the skin. At just £6 though you can't really complain (original price £8.99). You are able to achieve all over coverage with just a few pumps which is great if you're in a hurry. 

Now I must say, I am not usually one for trying new brands of foundation after I fell in love with Clinque's anti blemish solutions foundation a couple of years ago. However I think it is good to experiment especially as you get older and your skin alters. Unfortunately this foundation wasn't for me and my oily combination skin so it looks like I will be reverting back to my old ways. Saying that, this foundation may be worth investing in if you have dry skin as it certainly gives your skin a glow as promised on the bottle. In terms of offering anti fatigue effects I am not so sure. 

This foundation I felt only clogged my pores making me break out in an array of spots which is quite unusual for me these days. It also wasn't very natural on my skin, which is something I love about Clinique's anti blemish foundation. Even though Clinique's foundation is much higher on the price scale, it allows your skin to breathe and prevents you from developing any imperfections. This I find it something this wake me up foundation doesn't do and reason one I probably won't be purchasing this again. 

                  

                 

Now on to the Bourjois bronzer which I have heard many great things about from my friends in particular. Again this was on offer at the time of purhcase and as I love a good bargain, I decided to purchase this chocolatey delight to add some extra colour to my cheeks during these summer months. Bronzer is not something I use a lot of so in terms of knowing which ones are the best ones on the market, I can't say I am an expert. However this bronzer did not disappoint. Even though this is quite a subtle bronzer, it's a great colour nd adds instant sheen to your skin or in my case, somewhat pale face. Definitely great for everyday use over the face and neck area. 

Inside your Bourjois palette 

In my next post I will be talking about this brush and more...

Thanks for reading and again remember to keep your eyes pealed for my next beauty post which will be featuring all my real techniques collection of brushes.

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Benefit Beautiful | Coralista Blush

So just the other week I was in Nottingham for the weekend and after running low on blusher I thought it was about time I invested in a new one. Now, I am always reading the latest beauty posts on what you bloggers feel are the best beauty products in the business. Yet, I feel without testing these out beforehand, it's hard to know which ones are actually worth investing in. So I decided it was time to sit down and let an expert do the work for me. I have never actually had my make-up done for me in store so this was a nice treat especially after a heavy night of drinking - it felt good to be pampered! 

Benefit has to be one of my favourite beauty brands at the moment. Their products are not only high quality, their packaging is funky and fresh and definitely suits those with younger skin like myself. The Benefit beautician was really lovely and talked me through a range of their most popular products at the moment including their amazing 'gimme brow' which I will definitely be purchasing in my next beauty shopping haul along with their amazing tinted lip balms. I was given about five different blushers to choose from in total and I managed to narrow it down to their popular 'sugarbomb' and gorgeous 'coralista' blush. In the end I decided on the 'coralista' blush as this one was really summery and complimented my green eyes and olive skin much better than the pinker tones which I usually go for. It's always nice to have a change I think. However, I will definitely be investing in the pinker tones for the winter as recommended by the beautician herself. 

My make-up haul consisted of one 'coralista' blush, one Mac powder and a real technique blush brush

Makeover complete

The 'coralista' blush cost me £23.50 in total which may seem a lot compared to some blushers on the market, however I think it is well worth the money. Benefit products are not only long lasting they give you instant results. As the beautician noted, you only need a small amount of this to achieve the desired colour so I am hoping this will last me a good few months at least. I do love a bit if colour on my cheeks but this blusher I feel is also great for a general all over colour too including on your forehead and around your neck area in particular. You may not even feel the need to apply bronzer with this blush at hand. The only thing I would say is that you may need to top up on your colour throughout the day. I always start by applying a minimal amount as it is quite a dark tone and you don't wan't to look orange! Then if I do feel like I need to build my colour up, I can do so throughout the day. The blusher itself comes with a natural bristle brush but I decided to purchase a new blusher brush to go with this as again this was something I was desperately in need of.

The natural bristle brush that comes with this gorgeous blush 

The beautiful 'coralista' colour close up

I went for the 'real techniques' blusher brush which I will be posting about along with my other 'real techniques' brushes in my next post. These brushes are amazing and a must have for any beauty blogger. Until then, I hope you have enjoyed reading and I look forward to sharing with you some more of my beauty secrets.

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