Real Techniques Brushes : Core Collection

I previously posted about the much anticipated Real Techniques brushes, well they are now available Australia wide at Priceline stores. Deciding I would start with the 'Core Collection' consisting of 4 brushes designed to perfect your makeup base, usually one for applying my foundation with my fingers or if I have a little time on my hands I will use my Sigma F80 brush. Am I over complicating my routine by adding these brushes? Hells to the no! These brushes are a breeze and blend out product in seconds flat, here's my round up (from left):

BUFFING BRUSH:

Primarily for applying liquid foundation this brush works miracles, seriously. I have been pumping 2 squirts of foundation (I am testing out Lancome Teint Mircacle at the moment) on the back of my hand and dabbing the brush on the foundation to lightly coat the bristles and starting at the centre of my face and blending out. It leaves a seamless finish and is good at allowing you to build up your foundation in areas you need more coverage. My only qualms are that I would like it to be slightly more dense and I wouldn't try and apply mineral foundations with this brush as it would place the product on the skin rather than blending it out.

POINTED FOUNDATION BRUSH:

Well I don't now who would uses this small brush for foundation? Maybe a gnome? What it is good for is applying highlighter to the tops of your cheek bones, brow arch and cupids bow. It's also great for applying setting powder to small areas like under eye or chin.

DETAILER BRUSH:

The box says that this brush is for applying concealer or lipstick hmmmmm -  I don't think so! The tapered end to the brush is brilliant for taking cream eyeshadow under the eye and blending it into the lower lash line.

CONTOUR BRUSH:

Woah this brush is phenomenal! I have been using this with Soleil Tan de Chanel which is a cream bronzer to contour my 'cheek bones' and temples -  I don't normally have cheek bones but now I do! Holy Moly this brush sits so comfortably into the hollow of your cheek bone when you make a fish face, in circular motions it carves out cheek bones like you are chipping at marble sculpture.

Ok so here's the deal, at all possible occasions we should all be trying buy our products from local Australian retail stores to support our economy and promote local business. Here are your options of buying Real Techniques brushes - Just saying:

Real Techniques 'Core Collection' AU$45.00 Priceline

Real Techniques 'Core Collection' US$17.99 iHerb

Hair Trend : Bobby Pins - Cute Attack!

Lady Jane Bobby Pins $6.39 Kit Cosmetics Bobby Pins $7.95

Bobby Pins are trending big time and I couldn't be more excited!
Hair Grips or Bobby Pins are holy grail status to me, I always have a handful scattered through my bag, bed, makeup purse, shower, bathroom sink THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. If I am ever lost in the wilderness please advise the SES to track me via fallen out bobby pins.

The trend of visible contrast or bright placement Bobby Pins really gives some cute youthful  humor to a look. To make this look wearable try placing the pins on one side of your head only just above your ears and space them whichever way you like. (See my interpretation above) Try mixing bright colours or metallics if you are feeling extra cute!

Mascara Madness: Volume Vs Length

Even if I am not leaving the house for the day I will still put mascara on, being very fair my eyelashes look naked without a thick application of black mascara. Natural lashes are not my thing I like them big, thick and black!

Mascara is one of the few things that you cannot test before you buy it, and if you do then you are going to get a nasty case of pink eye. Here are my tips for the best volumizing and best lengthening mascaras. 

1. Dior -  Dior show Black Out Mascara $33.00 

This is really good at getting the roots of your lashes, just hold the brush at the roots and wiggle up. Dior mascara's formula is quite dry and they don't last as long as other brands. It feels like you have mascara on when you wear this or maybe a set of demi false lashes, which I like. If you already have thick or long lashes then this is just going to enhance what you already have.

2. Lancome - Hypnose Drama $52.00 

If you want thick lashes this is your mascara, I usually wipe half the amount of product that comes out off with a tissue first and then with the next couple of coats I put more and more product on the brush. It feels like there is alot of product in the tube and it lasts quite a while without drying out - although you should change mascara every 3 months for hygiene. 

3. Make Up For Ever - Smokey Lash $33.00

If your go to look is just a bit of smudged eyeliner and lots of mascara, then Smokey Lash is perfect for you. It dries to a really matte jet black and blends into the eyeliner on your waterline seamlessly. The waterproof version is the best waterproof mascara I have ever used, you could do 25 laps in a heated pool and it still wouldn't budge - the British synchronised swimming team uses Make Up For Ever products!

4. Loreal - Volume Million Lashes $23.95

Quite a wet formula, but this mascara gives you a little time to work with it and build it up before it dries. If you like plastic brushes this is probably the best, very flexible and bendy.

5. Lancome - Doll Eyes $54.00

Cutest packaging of all the mascara's award! Awwwww. Doll Eyes is perfect to get to the little inner corner lashes to give you a twiggy-esque 60's look. For bottom lashes hold the brush vertically and with the tip make little strokes this will coat them really well making them defined and very pretty.

1. Max Factor - 2000 Calorie $18.95

The 2000 Calorie line mascara line has been around for like ever, now with a few different varieties available. It disperses the most perfect amount of product on the brush to give your lashes a thin coating from the base to the tip, I do need to curl my lashes when using this mascara though.

2. Mac - Zoom Lash $33.00

Zoom Lash is a very wet formula, I wipe off most of the product from the brush onto a tissue before applying it to my lashes. But after a couple of coats it is ON! Seriously once I got dumped by a boy and cried 3 times in 45mins and it stayed in place expelling tears like a pro. Turning to him worried my mascara was running down my face he said no your mascara is fine -  at that point I knew I had to tell babes about this mascara. If you are going on a date to see a really sad movie say something like My Sisters Keeper that level of crytown you should definitely wear Mac's Zoom Lash.

3. Laura Mercier - Long Lash $29.50

If you are someone who likes the idea of wearing makeup but you don't want people to be able to tell you are actually wearing a full face of make up (not me!) Laura Mercier's Long Lash gives the most fluttery long subtle lashes. Perfect for no-makeup makeup.

4. Maybelline - Falsies $16.40

If you can get passed the packaging this is a really good mascara. Like really good! It gets the base of the lash at the tightline of your eyelid and then will coat the lash to the tip. This is not clumpy at all and will fan your lashes out. A wet formula but gives you time to push your lashes into shape before drying.

Yves Saint Laurent: Glossy Stains

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains $38.25 18 Colours Available

OBSESSION ALERT! YSL's new Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains will be coming with me everywhere I go from now on. Lip glosses have taken a back seat in the makeup routines of my 20's but there was a time around 2003 when I was never without a Juicy Tube or Dazzle Glass in my porchette. The Glossy Stain's formula is part gloss in initial application and appearance then it settles into the lips as a creamy stain.
When applying the product with it's doe foot applicator it is a little difficult to get used to, it would be great if you had really big lips but my petite lips weren't as easy to coat - slightly messy and you have to move fast if you make a mistake because it will stain skin very quickly. One coat gives a nice glossy look to the lips with slight colour, but this product is designed to be build-able, so load it on to the intensity you want and let it set for about 20mins.
Apprehensive that they wouldn't actually stain my lips I put them to the biggest test : BURGERS. Could the YSL Glossy Stain keep my lips shinny and still pigmented when faced with a burger with the lot? YES! YES it did! The product is slightly sticky and does transfer onto cups and would be a nightmare in a heavy make out session.
The packaging is divine like all Yves Saint Laurent makeup, at 28 I feel YSL's Glossy Stains seem like an appropriate lip gloss of choice they aren't the shimmer packed babydoll pinks of my previous lip glosses but colour rich and very luxe.

FAVORITE COLOURS:
01 Plum : Vampy poppy purple that looks amazing on very pale skins and also on women of colour.
08 Orange : This is a true orange not a coral posing as an orange, beautiful for south east asian skintones.
12 Pink Coral: I have this on in the above photo, a sweet pink based coral which gives your lips a wash of colour - this is as nude as I go so I would wear this if I did a darker eye for night.