Thursday 24 January 2013

Real Techniques Core Collection and my brushes of choice




Core Collection | My Brushes of choice | Handy Brushroll

Real Techniques brushes are one of the products I bought last month purely due to the amount of hype constantly surrounding them in the bloggersphere.
So many people love them, so I assumed they must be good and didn't think I could really go wrong.
Having qualified as a make-up artist, I can always justify a new set of brushes, so I went ahead and ordered the Core Collection.

I'll be totally honest; I really wasn't impressed with these at all.
I can see why so many of you do like them, 4 brushes and a roll for £20 is a massive beauty bargain, but I just couldn't get on with them.
My main problem with them wasn't even the quality of the brush hair. That was actually pretty good considering they're so cheap, and I didn't even have any stray hairs come out of them.

The problem for me, was the size of the brushes. They’re absolutely TINY!
I hated the foundation brush size and shape,  I found it far to small to use for a foundation brush, yet too big to use as a concealer brush. I also like my foundation brushes to have a square shape to them, it covers more of my face this way (if that even makes sense). So this was a massive no for me.

The concealer brush I found even worse, pointless for concealing as it is just far too small. Although, I have started using it for accurate application of highlighter underneath my eyebrows.

The other brushes are okay I suppose, the contour brush isnt quite the size or shape I'd like it to be.
The buffing brush is definitely the best of the bunch, but I don't really tend to use buffing brushes very often, so it's a little pointless for me.

So all around disappointment here I'm afraid :( Without meaning to sound like a massive make-up snob, I really do believe that you get what you pay for. I'd rather spend £20 on one good quality brush that I love using.

The only thing I love about this set, as weird as this might sound, is actually the brush roll.
I've been looking for a plain black one that didn't cost a billion pounds for ages now. I looked at the ones in MAC but just couldn't justify it.
This may not be the prettiest of rolls but it's discrete and does the job for protecting the brushes that I do want to carry around in my handbag with me.
So I've just been popping my brushes of choice (a mixture of brushes I got on my course, and a few MAC brushes) in there instead. I even think I would pay the £20 just for the empty brush roll!

Have you tried these real techniques brushes before? What did you think of them?
If you've reviewed them too, feel free to leave your link in the comments!

32 comments:

  1. I saw your comment about these on twitter and couldn't agree more! SO disappointing, I know others rave about them but they're a waste of money as far as I'm concerned, I'd rather spend the £20 on one particular MAC or Laura Mercier brush (which are sooo underrated) which I know will work for what I actually need it for.. not £20 for a small eyebrow highlight brush and a roll ha!

    Rachelle xo
    http://rachellerachellee.blogspot.co.uk/

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  2. The thing about RT brushes is, don't use them for what there supposed to be used. For example I find the contour brush perfect for powdering concealer under your eyes and the detailer brush for applying lipstick. Hope that'll help you love them more! X

    http://alissialiveslaughsloves.blogspot.com

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  3. I'm a big fan of the buffing brush it covers my face with foundation so flawlessly. i completely agree about the foundation brush though i tried to do my foundation with it and i just gave up because it was taking forever it currently doesnt have a job for me. ive never really used any other bushes so cant really compare ive heard mac brushes are great though xx

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    Replies
    1. o and i use the contour brush for my liquid highlighters :) x

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  4. Such a shame you didnt like them! I would love to try the buffing brush though xx

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  5. I've never used these before, but everyone keeps telling to get them, glad I held off! £20 for all of them is very cheap, surely that's a sign! x

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  6. The tiny concealer brush is perfect for concealing and perfecting your lip line, so when you do a bright/bold lip, it's brilliant to create that perfect line. I also hate the foundation brush. I don't think I've ever used it! The rest of the brushes I love though. Not everyone has the same taste and I love your honest review! :)

    xx

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  7. I've never used the rt brushes before and probably won't now after reading this haha. I'm slowing building up my brush collection, I agree with you i'd much rather pay a bit more for a really good brush then the same for a crappy set. I bought the eco tools set before, I love them! and they're pretty cheap too:) x
    amstyleandbeautyblog.blogspot.com

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  8. I have a lot of real techniques brushes, and I like the quality for the money - but I think they're badly labelled. I don't think I use any of them for what they're actually "supposed" to be for!

    xx

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  9. I love the Real Techniques buffing brush, find it great for applying foundation, I don't love the other brushes as much, have you tried using the contour brush for highlighting, works pretty well! The others I don't tend to use from this set although I have used the foundation brush for concealing under eyes which I find it works good for I just don't tend to reach for it! I think the buffing brush is what makes this set! So if your not keen on that brush I can see how the set could be a disappointment xx

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  10. Aww sorry to hear you don't like them! Personally I love them, the buffing brush has actually replaced my trusty Sigma f82 and I'm using the foundation brush to cover dark under eye circles which works great for me. They can't work for everyone though I guess but they're great for the price :) xxx

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  11. I love real technique brushes especially the stippling brush it makes my foundation look flawless!

    Beauty Fiends Blog

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  12. I've not tried them but I've always thought they looked a little small. I'm a MAC girl when it comes to brushes, such good quality! X

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  13. The only two brushes I really use from this set are the buffing brush and the contour brush. I love the powder brush that you can buy separately though! x

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  14. I love Mac brushes but they're quite pricey, I've never really tried any real techniques brushes and despite this post I'm still keen too!!

    I would LOVE it if you guys would come and check my blog out? :)

    http://hashtaglifeyumsigh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/hate-my-sister-hashtag-life.html

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  15. That's such a shame you didn't get on with them. I was gonna go for these before I found the Stila ones I went for in the end xx

    Lucy Loves To Blog

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  16. The Real Techniques are the best brushes that I have ever tried!! I want to get my hand on the whole collection. I am not over keen in a couple in the eye collection but the cases are handy! I love your review and how you are honest about them :) Try the buffing brush - it is the best :)
    LaceyLoves x

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  17. I love the Real Techniques brushes .. It's such a shame you don't like them but it was a good review anyway! <3
    Lots of love from
    Annabelle
    TheCurleyGirl
    xoxoxoxoxoxox

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  18. love the real technique brushes!! the are so good for application and wash really well :D
    http://www.thelilywhiteenglishrose.blogspot.com

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  20. Hi Hannah,

    I use the real techniques brushes and I quite like them but I agree with you that I don't use them the way Sam Chapman intended. The buffing brush is great for my foundation, I wouldn't go back to a pointed foundation brush again. I use the foundation brush, which i found a really strange size for its purpose, for when I need a little more coverage around my nose etc. I love the stipling brush for applying cream blush. The contour brush I use for applying highlighter. The shading brush I use for concealer and the detailer brush i use for outlining my eyes if I'm using a cream eyeshadow.

    The foundation brush is definitely the most disappointing of the bunch.

    I really enjoy reading your blog.

    http://mygrandmotherscloset.blogspot.co.uk/

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  21. Totally agree about the sizes so I just use them for other purposes. The contour brush I find doesn't blend contouring products very well so I use it as a highlighting brush. The foundation brush is wayyyy to small but is good for blending cream concealers, and the detailer brush I haven't actually used yet but think I will use it to smudge liner/eyshadow into my lash line. I do like the buffing brush but haven't got round to using it with a liquid foundation yet as I use the expert face brush for that. I do however use it with my Ben Nye powder and love it. Might try it with my Double Wear soon in the hope I can get a more natural finish from it?

    I actually think the individual brushes are better. The expert face brush is fab for foundation and blending cream blushers, and the powder brush is a great size.

    This was a great post was starting to get fed up with hearing how amazing RT brushes are!

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  22. I like the buffing brush and the contour brush for my own personal makeup. I use the buffing brush for my foundation and the contour brush to apply my Chanel Solei De Tan onto the tops of my cheekbones or a hightlighter.

    I don't even know what I've done with the foundation and concealer brushes!

    I think for every day makeup they're ok, they're not something I would ever have in my kit though. Ever. x

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  23. I recently bought the core collection after hearing so much good stuff about it. I was really disappointed too, I mainly bought it for the buffing brush as I love those types of brushes for putting on my foundation, but mine is really ROUGH!! It literally scratches my face to death every time I use it :( I don't even think I'm particularly fussy with my brushes, my favourite foudation brush before was an elf one! I'm definitely going back to that now, and it only cost about £1!! The contour brush is ok and the little brush (can't remember what it's called!) will be quite good for eyeshadow on the lower lashes I guess, but the 'foundation' brush is completely pointless and I agree it's just too small for a foundation brush and I think it's too big for a concealer brush... so yeah, I agree with you and I wasn't particularly impressed! Sorry to write such a long comment haha! It's just something I feel strongly about after I had such high hopes after everyone saying how good it was! I'm always a sucker for blogger hype aha :) Hope you're ok lovely, feels like I haven't spoken to you in aaages as I've been such a bad blogger lately and haven't even really been on twitter much. But anyway hope you're all good, I having a good old catch up of reading your blog and I've really missed it! Lots of love xxx

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  24. I LOVE the core collection! such a shame you havent got on well with it :( i use the buffing brush for my foundation, the contour brush for either contouring or concealer and the concealer brush for lipstick...so not exactly what they were all intended for but ah well! ;)
    has this put you off trying any of the other real technique brushes?
    nicola xxx

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  25. I was considering getting these so glad I read this. What brushes would you recommend? I'm after some new ones and not sure what to get now.

    lovely blog - following you :)

    www.sunbeamsanddaisydreams.blogspot.co.uk

    xx

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    Replies
    1. hmmm it really depends which brushes you are looking for, i use a mixture of brands. Alot of my brushes are MAC though, very good quality so usually a safe bet. i hope this helps x

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  26. Argh it's so nice to find someone else who also thinks the RT brushes are basically shit (sorry for swearing!). I've read all these reviews that rave about them, and like you I've been really disappointed! The stippling brush is the worst I found, it was just awful, used so much product and was such a waste! I found your
    Blog via corrie and I love it, it's refreshing and onest!

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  27. *honest! Can't wait to read more :)

    Alice

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  28. Lovely post :) great review

    love char_beyy xx

    http://charbeyy.blogspot.co.uk/

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  29. Love this post, I love the buffing brush in the collection for foundation but havent used two of the brushes love mac as well for their eye brushes but i couldn't get on with the 187 for foundation as the hairs came out and I had to pick them off my face.

    emma xo

    http://londonbeautyandcupcakes.blogspot.co.uk/

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