I first bought the Real Techniques Powder Brush early last year and fell in love at the first stroke. So, as my Mum walked through the door holding this set of brushes, it was far too tempting to not go and buy a set myself! Nic's Picks is a set of 5 brushes, some from the existing Real Techniques collections, others completely exclusive to this range. The set has both face and eye brushes, all decorated beautifully in silver and with details of each of their uses on the packaging. I really admire Real Techniques as a brand, set up by YouTube sisters Sam and Nic Chapman, who have worked hard to produce these amazing brushes and deserve every success in the world! It's even better knowing you can trust their products. As makeup artists, these personally designed products can help even beginners create flawless finishes like the girls themselves.
Starting from the left, the first brush in this set is from another collection by Real Techniques - the Duo-Fiber Face Brush. I have predominantly been using this brush for applying my blusher and am very impressed so far. Due to my fair complexion, blusher is something I have to get spot on to avoid either looking like a vampire or looking too flushed like I've been on a 4-mile run. The bristles of this brush are very fine and not concentrated like a powder or bronzer brush may be. This means less product is picked up so, when applying the product, it is much more workable, as you can build it up to as deep of a colour as you want it without looking 'cakey' or patchy. This brush is also perfect for a light dusting of highlighter on the top of the cheekbone, again for an even but flawless finish. The bristles are so soft and the brush itself is the perfect size, not too big or small, to work on the cheeks making application far easier than the larger brushes I used in the past. If anyone else struggles with blusher application, this brush is amazing to help you get that perfect flush or glow.
The second brush from the Nic's Picks collection is the Cheek Brush, the first of the exclusive cuts in this brush set. When I first got these brushes, I began to use this brush as it was best described, for my cheeks. I soon found that the dense bristles weren't suited to my desired blusher look. I'm sure this would be an excellent blusher brush for someone of a different skin tone, not concious of looking over-blushed as I do. However, the uses for this brush don't stop there. For a more dramatic highlight, using this to glide glimmer to the tops of the cheekbones or down the bridge of the nose to aid an accentuated glow. For a more dramatic contour, this brush is small enough to sit right in the contours of your cheeks or under the jawline to give a crisp line of bronzer for a emphasised contoured look. The close, dense bristles of this make it also ideal for blending foundation or even concealer too. I am looking to change it for this exact use but need to give it a good wash before! So although this brush isn't my 'go-to' of the set, it definitely isn't useless and is brilliant for versatility, in adding a little more depth to a look or for just everyday blending!
The Angled Shadow Brush, another of the exclusive cuts, was probably the brush I was most excited to use of them all. Before buying this collection, I owned just one eyeshadow brush that I used for everything. Yet I had always found the normal rounded brush didn't quite cut it for the 'smokey eye' looks I love to wear. After using this brush for the first time, I was surprised by how much easier applying and blending eyeshadow through the crease and winged-out on the outer corner became. The angled shape helps it slot perfectly into the crease and the soft bristles work just the right amount of colour through. I find it also the perfect shape for angling eyeshdow at the outer corner in the perfect, soft winged shape to flatter my eye shape, especially teamed with winged eyeliner too. What's more, the softness of the bristles means the brush is gentle to work around the delicate eye area. This is the ideal brush for anyone struggling to perfect a smokey eye, or for beginners starting to be a bit more daring with eyeshadow looks and colours.
The forth brush of the collection is my favourite of all. The Base Shadow Brush is the perfect eyeshadow brush. The shape is slightly pointed to the tip and the soft bristles, again, work carefully around the eye area. It applies the most even colour onto the lid, yet still grants a build-able look, allowing you to easily blend in other colours. The smaller tip means a smokey line can be applied under the bottom lash line too, without dragging it below too much. This is also an amazing brush for simply blending in harsh lines of eyeshadow, to create a soft and flawless finish. After using the Angled Shadow Brush, this brush can blend the edge of the colour, making sure the eyeshadow doesn't appear harsh around of the eye, especially important with darker colours. This brush is available to buy as a single item, so even if you aren't interested in this set, I would really recommend buying this brush on its own! It has added so much ease to applying eyeshadow, not leaving a patchy finish like the previous brush I owned. If you wear eyeshadow on an everyday basis like I do, this is the brush for you, you'll wonder how you coped without it!
Finally, we come to the Eyeliner Brush, where the name speaks for itself. This brush is absolutely tiny and the bristles are dense and firm to create a controlled finish. Although I don't use gel eyeliner, the precision this brush allows would be perfect for this application. I have been using it for adding a thin line of eyeshadow close to the lash line instead of eye liner. I have really liked wearing this sort of look as it brings a darker edge to the other eyeshadow shades, accentuates my lashes yet doesn't leave my lash line undefined. The size of the brush gives a sharp line opposed to a smokier finish which I have always tended to opt for. However, as I hardly ever wear anything on my lower lash line, the thin and subtle line this brush creates means I can start being a bit more adventurous with this. So, although this isn't a brush that makes an appearance every time I reach for my makeup bag, it is definitely one that has encouraged me to try some new looks I couldn't have created without it. It's ideal for precision and a lovely way to add a line of definition, without eyeliner itself.
All in all, the Nic's Picks collection gives you everything you could need to produce a range of flawless and almost professional looks with just five simple brushes. The quality, versatility and ease of each brush is amazing and this set is perfect for those just starting out with makeup as well as confessed beauty lovers like myself!
I'd love to hear what your go-to brush collections and brands are. Or if reading this has made you want to buy each and every brush, say sorry to your bank accounts for me! Thank you for reading!
- Becca x
Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set - RRP £29.99
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