Real Techniques Core Collection Make-up Brushes

Hello everybodyyy!

I hope you're all good and ready for some more make-up lovin' from me :) I recently bought some new make-up brushes and I really wanted to share this with you guys - they are definitely the most essential brushes to have in your collection! Brilliant for any summer balls/graduation/birthday/summer celebrations coming up soon.

The brushes that I got are Real Techniques Core Collection Kit by Sam and Nic Chapman, and I'd seen so many positive reviews about them that I had to try them. I can definitely vouch that they have lived up to their positive reviews!

The brush set is sold in Superdrug and Boots, but I got mine off Amazon as they came out to be £6-£7 cheaper than anywhere else at £14.65. It also comes with a handy portable carry case which doubles as a brush stand too:

These brushes have totally revolutionised my make-up routine, and made me realise the true importance of having a good make-up brush! I had no idea how much it would affect my make-up, and it gives an air-brushed look which doesn't make you look like you're caked in make up and doesn't leave any streaky foundation lines. My previous make-up brushes just weren't doing the job properly, and often left brush hairs over my face (not an ideal look). But these ones by Sam and Nic Chapman are genuinely the best ones I've tried, and the essential kit really does include the essential brushes that any girl should never be without.

The Real Techniques Core Collection kit comes with 4 brushes - foundation brush, buffing brush, detailer brush and contouring brush. Also, the tips of all the brushes are designed to be white - this hasn't happened because I forgot to wash them don't worry!

This is the buffing brush, and I mainly use this to blend in my concealer/foundation. The brush is great for this purpose, and I also use it to apply my Rimmel Matte powder (which I blogged about in my first make-up haul). This brush is just so soft and such a joy to use (as cheesy as that sounds!), and is the perfect size for the face. Because of how lovely and soft the bristles are, the brush does its job efficiently without feeling rough on the skin.

This little detailer brush is great, and I usually use it to reach the inside corner of my eye as this is an area which is quite tricky to get to with any other brush, or I use it to apply my concealer as well. You could of course use it for eyebrow shaping, applying red lipstick, or anything else really! Just remember that it is personal preference, you don't have to use the brush for its actual purpose. :)

This is the contouring brush which is my favourite, mainly because I'm only just getting into contouring! It is the perfect size for me for contouring, so for me it's a must-have. Again, it is so soft!

If you like to apply your foundation a little at a time, or if you want a thinner layer of foundation, then this brush is perfect for you. However, if like me you're sometimes in a rush to apply your foundation then you might want to consider investing in a bigger foundation brush, as this would allow a bigger application area. If you do decide to do this, I would highly recommend getting another Real Techniques foundation brush as Real Techniques sell a lot more make make-up brushes than just these ones! And because of the high calibre and quality of these brushes it is well worth investigating what more they have if you want a particular brush ;)

I'll end this post by saying that I would definitely definitely definitely recommend these make-up brushes, they are absolutely amazing! They are so soft, and make putting on make-up even more fun. They leave no streaks or hair bristles on your face, so applying make-up is much easier and quicker as you don't need to go over your foundation a second or third time to get rid of streaks. This brush set is an absolute must-have, and is a good starting point for someone who wants to build up their make-up brush collection!

Let me know what you guys think, or if you have some awesome make-up brushes in your collection that you love!

S xx

Make-up Haul

Hi everyone!

I've finally finished my exams! Freedom has never tasted so sweet.

In true exams celebration, I went on a make-up haul as I felt I needed a much needed pampering session:

Top row (left to right):
Clinique  Even Better foundation, 03 Ivory
Sleek Make Up  Contouring and Blush Palette, Light

Bottom row (left to right):
Rimmel  Scandaleyes mascara, Extreme Black
Rimmel  Stay Matte pressed powder, transparent
Collection  Lasting Perfection ultimate wear concealer, numbers 1 and 2
Barry M  Gel Nail Paint, Rose Hip


Clinique Even Better foundation - Boots £24.00

I was in desperate need of some new foundation, and I can honestly say that this foundation is the best I have ever tried. It has great coverage, as you can apply a little on for daily wear and it still covers blemishes, or for a special occasion you can layer on more and it still looks great without looking like you're caked in make up. As I have pale skin, I've found that a lot of foundations can make me look ill and sickly. However, after wearing this foundation, my friends remarked how my skin looked more glowing and healthy, which is a great improvement from my previous foundation! I went to the Clinique counter in my local Boots in order to get an accurate skin match and I would definitely recommend this to get the best foundation for you. Not only do they match your skin colour with the foundation, but they also analyse your skin type. The foundation I got is best for a combination skin type (a mixture of dry and oily), but there are other foundations which cater for every skin type (e.g. if you are prone to break outs, if you suffer greatly from dry/oily skin etc.). Well worth the free consultation!


Sleek Make Up Contouring and Blush Palette - Superdrug £9.99

I am very new to contouring, and having heard positive reviews about this contouring kit I decided to give it a try. It's as good as everyone says it is! I would say that this is the perfect kit for anyone who is new or not that confident with contouring (as I am), because starting off with liquid foundation for contouring is not a good idea as the technique can be quite tricky and takes a lot to get used to. This kit comes with contouring powder, highlighter and a blush, it really does enhance the contouring effect. It comes in different shades according to your skin type (the palette that I got is Light 373).


Rimmel Scandeleyes Mascara - Boots £6.99

I'm still not sure about this mascara, as I've found that it tends to come off quite blobby (if you get what I mean). A lot of the mascara comes onto my lashes, so I've found that I'm using my old mascara to separate my lashes first, and then using Scandaleyes on top to enhance them as it does give a lot of volume. Volume-wise, this is great, and the brush applicator is also great as it is quite big so has a lot of coverage. But if you want to look like you have more than 4 eyelashes then I would recommend using something else to separate your lashes first.

Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder - Boots £3.99

This is an absolute God-send. I use this powder to set my make-up (after I've put on concealer and foundation), and it sets me for the rest of the day. Before I used this, my make-up used to slide off and I used to re-apply about twice a day, but now I can just apply it in the morning and not worry about it until I go to bed. My friend Hannah recommended this to me, and I'm so glad she did! Also, because it is transparent, it is good on a lot of skin colours. Definite must-have!


Collection lasting perfection concealer - Boots £4.19 each

As you may have noticed, I have these in two colours (Fair 1 and Cool Medium 2). This is because my skin colour is floating in between the two on different parts of my face. I use the lighter one for the dark circles under my eyes, as this really needs to be light to properly combat those pesky dark circles, and I use the darker one to cover blemishes in darker places of my face like near my jawline. They are first to go on my face in my daily make-up routine, and I apply them underneath my foundation. I think they do a really good job in covering any unwanted blemishes! Quite cheap as well.


Barry M Gel Nail Paint - Rose Hip - Boots £3.99

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a complete nail polish junkie. I can't step into Boots or Superdrug without buying one, and as my mum says, nail polish is my "signature look". However, I am still undecided with this nail polish. Don't get me wrong, I love love love Barry M nail polish, and I trust the brand completely as the majority of my nail polishes are from Barry M. It's just that I'm undecided about the colour. It's a light pink pastel-y colour, and whilst this looks amazing, it just isn't right for me as it clashes with my skin colour. I have quite olive-y skin, so some colours just don't suit me. However, if you don't have olive skin then I reckon this could look really great. As it is a gel nail polish, after a couple of coats it is completely opaque and gives a really good effect. I've found with most Barry M nail polishes that they last a couple of days before they start chipping - this will of course differ from person to person, as I am quite a clumsy person where chipping is inevitable.



So that's it from my mini beauty haul! Sometimes you just need to treat yourself, and for me, today was just one of those days. If you have any questions then please feel free to leave a comment! :)

S xxx

Hello and Procrastinations

Hello!

So it's 3 days (and counting) until my final exam EVER IN MY LIFE, as I am nearing the end of my undergraduate degree! I've wanted to do a blog for a while, but life always seemed to get in the way.

I kept telling myself to wait until I'd completely finished all of my exams to start a blog, so naturally I had to start before they did actually finish. I'd like to think that it's because I'm just so eager to venture into the blogosphere (is that a word?), but I'm fairly sure my never-before-seen levels of procrastination are also to blame.

So what's uppp! My name is Susannah, and I'm 21. It is currently 10.55pm, I am in my university bedroom and I should be revising right now. I'm sure there are many students out there who are in exactly in the same position as me, so high fiiiiiiive! BuzzFeed really is very interesting isn't it.

This blog will mainly be of random thoughts or events that are happening in my life, with the odd bit of fashion, make up, afternoon teas and One Direction thrown in too. I don't want to label myself too much, as this is probably going to be a chatty blog which could end up going anywhere!

S xxx