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First Impressions

Have you ever looked at a makeup tutorial on YouTube of a simple smoky-eye or winged liner and thought, “I’m doing exactly what they are doing! Why does mine look so jacked and theirs looks like angels helped them apply it?!”  Picasso didn’t paint Starry Night with fingers, and neither should you when it comes to your face.  Trust me on this…

Some people just aren’t brush-users when it comes to makeup.  What can I say… When cosmetics are a necessity in your life and not a hobby, you don’t want to put more money into that necessity.  I assume it’s how I feel about washing my car; I know a car wash run is crucial to making the whole car be “clean” thing, but if I could skip that whole step and save my 20 bucks- I would!  Makeup brushes are a lot like car washes… In no way, really :)   But just because something is a hassle doesn’t mean it’s not worth the extra cash!  Makeup is like any other art form- it takes practice and the proper tools.  When you are attempting to put on eye shadow with your fingers or the sponge applicator that comes with the palette, it will certainly get the product on your eyelid, sure.  Making eye shadow look blended and seamless is an entirely different story, and the key of success to many makeup looks by artists and YouTube gurus.

Beginning to intermediate brush-users will most benefit from Real Technique’s line of tools. They are sturdy, quality brushes that will bump up your makeup game for sure!  Two items to start off your collection with: the Miracle Completion Sponge and Stippling Brush.  Both are a perfect blending tools to get a more airbrushed looking complexion.  The Miracle Completion Sponge  is they key to any liquid or cream products not turning out cakey while also blending out the product in a way that gives your face an airbrushed feel.  Given the choice between a foundation brush and a sponge- the sponge would win for me every time!  With 3 different surfaces offered (rounded side, pointed tip, and flat edge) every part of this sponge is functional and beats out others that are difficult to blend in those narrow surfaces. The key to any sponge is that you put it under water and squeeze until it is density you’d like, then roll it up in a paper towel and squeeze out the excess water.  The Real Techniques sponge tends to run softer than most, which I prefer to some of the stiffer options; the soft sponge will soak up more of the excess product and leave a better airbrush finish. Likewise, the Stippling Brush uses synthetic, dual-fiber bristles that disperse product evenly across the planes of your face.  Real Techniques claims it to, “look pixel-perfect even in harsh light”, and that is the true crash-test of any cosmetics product!  And for us- both of these babies pass!