Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Brushes

I have been a huge fan of Sam and Nic of Pixiwoo since I first started watching their YouTube videos a few years back.  Their tutorials are awesome and on trend; both of them are amazing makeup artists.  So when Sam announced she was releasing her own line of makeup brushes, Real Techniques, I had to try a few of them out.  The whole lines is available at Ulta and I have been able to catch them when they are on sales, usually Buy One, Get one 50% off, which is a great deal (even though they are already reasonably priced).  All the brushes have synthetic taklon bristles and are 100% cruelty-free.  Out of all the brushes I have tried, my favorites have to be the Expert face brush and the Stippling brush.

The Expert Face brush ($8.99 at Ulta) is a small but thick and plump brush that applies and buffs foundation perfectly into the skin. The synthetic taklon bristles are super duper soft and densely packed so you don’t get a streaky application. I have used it with all types of liquid foundations and tinted moisturizers, from thin to thick formulas and have never had a problem getting a perfectly flawless application. This is probably the best brush I have used to apply foundation (I own two!)  and don’t see myself using any other brush.

The Stippling brush ($9.99 at Ulta) is a dual-fiber brush that is great for creating airbrushed, high-definition results with all types of makeup.  I mostly use this brush to apply cream blush or highlighter but it can definitely be used to apply foundation.  The synthetic taklon bristles are the perfect length (shorter than most stippling brushes) and are dense enough to blend into the skin perfectly to ensure a flawless finish.    One of the best things about both of these brushes is that they don’t shed like most other brushes do.  I hate when I dip a brush into a cream product and a bunch of bristles get stuck in the product or you end up with some on your face.  I haven’t had that problem once with either of these. 

All I can say is that I LOVE, LOVE these brushes!!  So if you are looking for great, affordable makeup brushes check out Real Techniques available at Ulta stores/Ulta.com, Amazon.com & Drugstore.com in the US.

Favorites: Face Brushes

Here are some of my favorite brushes right now for applying foundation, bronzer, blush, etc.

L to R: 109, 168, LY02, F50, 129, F25

Louise Young LY02 – Large foundation brush

This brush is the largest foundation brush that I have been able to find and I love it! The larger brush allows for an easy flawless application of cream or liquid foundations.

Sigma F50 – Duo Fibre ($16)

This brush is excellent if you want that “airbrushed” finish look using liquid foundations. This brush is also great for applying powder foundation and highlighters.

Sigma F25 – Tapered Face brush ($19)

This large domed brush with a tapered tip is great for contouring/blending the face with contour powder, blush or bronzer.

MAC 129 – Powder/Blush brush ($34)

I use this brush for applying bronzer mostly but it is also great at applying blush or face powder.

MAC 168 – Large angled contour brush ($32)

This is my main blush brush. I use it to contour and apply color to the apples of my cheeks.

MAC 109 – Small contour brush ($32)

This brush is great at applying cream products such as foundation and cream blush. When using with foundation you really get smooth coverage because you can really buff it into your skin.

All of my favorite brushes can be found at maccosmetics.com, sigmabeauty.com and louiseyoungcosmetics.com

Favorites - Eye Shadow Brushes

I owe all my makeup skills to my brushes. They are like my little babies.  With the help of great eye shadow brushes, you can create the most flawless looks. Here are the brushes I can't live without.

1. MAC 217 - Blending Brush $22.50

2. MAC 219 - Pencil Brush $24.50

3. MAC 239 - Eye Shader $24.00

4. MAC 266 - Small Angle Brush $19.50

5. Sigma E70 - Medium Angled Shading $9.00

6. Sigma E35 - Tapered Blending $9.00

What are your go to eye shadow brushes??