Real Techniques 'The Core Collection' Review

Hey Everyone!

Ever since buying my Real Techniques Stippling Brush over a year ago I have been determined to get my hands on more. After psyching myself up to part with the £21.99 that they cost, I bought The Core Collection a few months ago. It has actually taken me ages to get around to reviewing these but it means I've given them a proper road test and I am certain of my views.

The Core Collection comprises of 4 brushes: the pointed foundation brush, the contour brush, the detailer brush and the buffing brush. They claim to be all the tools you need to create a flawless canvas. Like other Real Techniques brushes, the ultra-plush, synthetic bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty free.

They also come with a carry case and stand as well as a guide to using each of the brushes on the back.

All of the brushes are sturdy, soft and tick the oh-so-essential box of no bristles falling out. They all wash very nicely too. I don't personally use the case as I find it a bit tricky getting the brushes in and out of it and I use a glass jar to hold my brushes for easy access.

The Buffing Brush

I was originally drawn to the Core Collection purely because it contained this brush and it wasn't sold separately. It didn't disappoint. The Buffing Brush is second to none for its multi-tasking qualities. I started off using it for foundation which worked well but I found it gave a slightly lighter coverage than I wanted so switched back to my Stippling Brush. I then one day (actually by accident!) discovered that this is amazing for applying powder. Because of the density of its bristles, it picks up the perfect amount of powder and spreads it evenly across the face. I personally think that this brush is the reason for the staying power of my powder. The brush is lightweight, stands on a surface (which I always like!) and is big enough to cover the entirety of your face with product in a few seconds so is great if your in a rush. Its also a great blender.

The Contour Brush

This is a lovely brush for powder bronzer, blusher or highlight. I am currently using it for bronzer as a contour as it is the perfect size to get into the hollows of the cheeks and the different length bristles ensure the product blends well. I'm thinking of giving this a wash and trying it with my MAC MSF as I think the precision it offers would make the skinfinish look even better. 

The Pointed Foundation Brush

Its weird that in the picture above this looks round- I can assure you it is infact pointed (especially when there is product on it!). I've never been a fan of these kinds of foundation brushes so when I bought this collection I expected this to be put in a drawer and forgotten. How wrong I was. I have been using this every single day for- wait for it- concealer! I have never found the right brush for concealer and used to just use my fingers and go over it with my foundation brush. Now, I use this as it is the perfect size, shape and density for under my eyes and covering spots. It blends out Collection Illuminating Touch under my eyes so well and even works with the thicker Lasting Perfection Concealer. Win win! Albeit I still go over the concealer after with my Stippling Brush but that's just to blend out the slightly different shades of concealer and foundation.

The Detailer Brush

Last, and sadly, least, is the detailer brush. After this hanging around doing nothing with my 'everyday brushes' since I bought the collection, it has been demoted to 'spare brushes'. I tried to use it with concealer but found it didn't blend very well. I think it would work well in applying lipstick but since I don't wear lipstick very often (and when I do I don't tend to apply with a brush), I'm not using this at the moment. The one plus is that it washes up the best of all the brushes-a little bit of shampoo removes all traces of product. 

I totally love these brushes and definitely think they're worth the money (and probably more!) even though I only use 3/4 on an everyday basis. I think they will last me years and I couldn't be happier that I bought these over cheaper, lower quality ones. Although the Stippling Brush is still my No.1- these are right behind in the best brushes list! I would highly recommend these to anyone who doesn't want to pay high end prices but is looking for great quality brushes. I now want all of my brushes to be Real Techniques!
Have you tried these?