Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes Review

    A couple weeks ago I took a trip to Ulta and picked up this kit of Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes on a whim. I have so many brushes already but I really have been wanting to try these out! Real Techniques brushes have a reputation to be of the highest quality at a really affordable price. I believe these four brushes cost me about $17.99, which is usually the price of one brush.

 The kit comes with (from left to right) a contour brush, pointed foundation brush, detailer brush and buffing brush. They have the softest bristles ever and the handles are really sleek looking and just big enough to give you a good grip without being bulky. I also like how the bristles are attached directly into the handle, not with one of those separating pieces which can trap water and cause the brush to become wiggly and loose.

    As you can see the density on the bristles is really nice and consistent, shown above is the buffing brush, which is also by far my favorite. I seriously don't know how I've been living without this thing! I do feel as though I need a *tiny* bit more product when using this brush, but only like half a pump more. I apply it directly onto the bristles, pat it around my face and then buff it out to blend evenly. It gives me such a flawless, even, photoshopped finish, especially in combination with my Tarte Poreless primer. This brush doesn't absorb the product, which is nice because with some other buffing brushes, I feel as though the foundation sometimes leaks down into the bristles never to be seen again!
    I also am obsessed with the contouring brush, it's perfectly shaped and just full enough to give your cheeks the perfect contour! I go in with a light hand and sweep the bronzer across my lower cheekbones, and then buff it out with this same brush. It does it all! The pointed foundation brush is nice for contouring too, especially on my nose and in tough to reach areas. I also sometimes use it for a fuller coverage foundation routine, painting on the product first with the pointed brush, and then buffing it out with the buffer brush. The only brush I haven't 100% found out the best way to use yet is the detailer brush. Perhaps people with more noticeable blemishes would get more use out of it, to really cover them up precisely with concealer. For now I use it when outlining my brows and lips for a sharper look, and sometimes to detail my inner tear duct with a hilight color or something.
    All in all, I really recommend Real Techniques brushes to anyone who has been looking for an affordable and quality set of brushes to use! I really want to pick up the eyeshadow brushes now too.

So I've been a little MIA....

Hey guys! Sorry I've been the worst blogger ever as of lately. I was on vacation for a week, and things have been really hectic just trying to get my life in order. I've been home a week and still haven't unpacked! Anyway, I thought I'd do a little update post and let you know what's going on in my life. I'm working SO much and it really is disheartening to me, that I can't pursue the things I really want to do because I can't afford it right now, without continuing to bartend. And working in a restaurant, as many of you may know, takes A LOT of time out of your life.
Anyway to start bettering my life in the ways I can control right now, I've started totally revamping my diet, eating nearly completely clean and healthy (with a few cheats here and there, as to be expected) and I rejoined the gym. I have been taking yoga classes there too which I really am enjoying, surprisingly! I have always been a hardcore pilates lover, and yoga was a bit too hippy-dippy for me, but I am really liking the strength, balance and flexibility it's giving me. I think that I am going to start doing updates on my health regime, as well as post some recipes and ideas for you to move your life along the healthy track as well! Would you like to see that?
As always, my mind is bursting with things that inspire me, and I've been doing a lot of re-vamping of my bedroom, DIY's, reading new books (I have such a long list I want to read!) and trying new art techniques and brushing up on my skills. Vamp and Vixen is still in the works with Sydney as well, and I'm getting really excited for some of the ideas we have. Hopefully the online shop will be open by June, and the blog should be going within the next couple months. I've also been in contact with some girls in my area who are into blogging, Lauren and Alex and we're thinking about doing some collabs or something fun like that! I really want to make youtube videos, just haven't had the time yet.. I'm going to be posting a lot more inspiration and tutorials, even beyond the beauty spectrum of things.
So this weekend is St. Patty's day and also my alumni weekend for my sorority! I am so excited to see everyone.. and also scared for the craziness, ha! Anyway to end this off I will show you some pictures from my recent trip to Disney World! I had so much fun. xox








As always you can see more on my instagram, @angstyprincess! 

Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12 hr perfecting primer

 

 

After running out of my Benefit Porefessional primer, I was inclined to purchase another (although that's not my favorite primer, it seems to ball up or dry me out a bit, but still gets the job done), or return to my ever faithful Smashbox Photofinish. But I had heard a good amount of things about Tarte's Clean Slate Poreless 12-hour Perfecting Primer and I can't say no to trying out a new product. And I must say, after using this for about a week now, my first impression is.. I LOVE IT. 

    The formula only requires a small amount, a bit larger than pea-sized to cover my whole face. It is a very thick silicone formula, but doesn't wear heavy on the skin. When I put it on it feels so smooth, my skin feels soft like pearls. Around my t-zone and on my cheeks next to my nose i have noticeably larger pores, especially when I wear any product with sparkle or shimmer in it. This primer gives me a soft-focus, almost blurred out effect to my skin, and really fills my pores out so they're less noticeable. So far, I have not broken out from using this, although some reviews I have read say that they broke out, perhaps from the Rosemary which can cause some irritation to sensitive skin. I do have combination skin, leaning more to the dry side, and this primer does NOT add to that dryness, so anyone with super oily skin, be aware it does seem quite hydrating or moist. It does have a mattefying effect, so with your foundation and setting powder I'm confident this would work for most skin types.

   It smells nice, not a strong or noticeable scent, and creates a really smooth base for me to apply my foundation with. (Currently I'm using CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation as my go-to, thanks to Eleventh Gorgeous' recommendation). I can't say enough about the good stuff inside of this tube as well! I have really been focusing on my own personal well being and health, so taking care of my skin is important to me, and this primer is choc-full of awesome ingredients. The site boasts Tarte's Clean Slate Primer is 

"Powered By: Avocado oil: pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the pit, this natural oil is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E and protein and has known skin soothing properties."

I mean how great does that sound? It also is based with natural plant and fruit extracts, which I'd much rather be slathering all over my skin than processed chemical jargon. I am happy I picked this up at my last Sephora stop and it's worth the $30. What primers are you guys loving right now? 

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