My Current Favourite Make-Up Brushes

In previous posts I've talked about how important I consider make-up brushes to be when applying make-up, they really can change the way your make-up is applied and how it looks on your face.

Back in the day brushes were either really expensive or hard to get hold off, especially if you wanted to invest in a set of brushes, but nowadays they don't have to cost the earth and there are some really great companies that produce high quality brushes at affordable prices.

Today I wanted to share with you my current favourite make-up brushes, I love to use to help my make-up look the best it can be. I also wanted to guide you through some of my favourite make-up brush brands, if your looking to invest in some new brushes.

1. FACE

Foundation - Blank Canvas Cosmetics F21

This brush has become one of my favourite brushes for foundation, as it's tightly packed bristles help you blend out any foundation with ease.

 

Setting - Blank Canvas Cosmetics F15

I love this brush for setting my foundation with powder down the middle section of my face, as well as under the eyes.

 

Blending - Real Techniques 200

I adore this brush for blending out under the eyes and setting smaller areas on my face.

Foundation - Beauty Blender

When I'm not using a brush to apply my foundation, I'm using the ever wonderful Beauty Blender. It just helps give the most flawless and natural finish to the face.

Bronzer - Real Techniques 103

I've totally been in love with this brush for applying bronzer, the dense large bristles help me cover large areas quickly.

 

Contour - Revolution

The flat short bristles on this brush help make contouring an all round breeze and I'm really not sure what I did without this brush!

Highlight - Royal and Langnickel Contour

I use this brush for highlighting, as it's the perfect size for dusting over the tops of the cheekbones, nose and cupids bow.

 

Blusher - MAC 168

I've never found any other blusher brush that does the job quite as well as this one does, it never fails to make my blush look good every time.

Blending - Royal & Langnickel Kabuki

This kabuki brush has been in my make-up collection for years now. I use this mainly to blend out anything on my face.

2. BROWS

Grooming - Disposable Spoolie Crown Brush

This little spoolie is the best tool you can have for your brows, it helps groom, blend and set the brows into place.

Pomade - Crown Brush

I always start with a brow pencil to outline my brows, then I use this lip brush to apply the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pomade as it really is the perfect size for getting into the brow area.

 

Powder - Crown Brush PP20

This is my holy grail brush for applying brow powder and nothing else ever compares when I try something new. I just find this works well at picking up the right amount of product to fill in sparse areas.

 

Define - Royal & Langnickel C455

I use this brush with concealer to clean up around my brow area. It works a treat because of it's small straight bristles.

 

Blender - Crown Brush

This mini smudger is another one of my holy grail brushes that I've never strayed from. It just helps blend out where I have concealed around the brows really well.

3. EYES

Cream Shadow - MAC 242

I find this brush great for applying any kind of cream shadow base, it's again a good size for getting into the eye area.

 

All Over Shadow - Royal & Langnickel Crease

I use this brush next to lay down a nude shade on top of the cream shadow, to create a base for my main colour palette of shadows to be applied.

 

Blender - Royal & Langnickel
This is actually the same brush as the mint one, I just like to keep this one as my clean brush to blend out any shadows I lay down.

Blending - MAC

The MAC 217 brush is a bit of a cult favourite and is one brush I do recommend you invest in, it's just a great everyday staple blending brush.

 

Crease - Blank Canvas Cosmetics E32

This is a recent discovery me, but oh my it's become one of my favourite crease brushes for applying my transition shades.

 

Outer V - Makeup Revolution

This double ended brush actually came free with the Iconic Pro 1 Palette, but this is not cheap bristled brush, it really is beautifully soft and is the ideal size for applying and defining in the outer v of the eye.

Lid - MAC 239

I like this brush for applying shadow all over the lid, because it has lovely short, packed together bristles, that help fit into even the smallest lid areas.

 

Cut Crease - Makeup Revolution

The other end of this brush from the Iconic Pro 1 Palette, is another one I have been using non stop as it really helps you get into the socket to define the area between the socket and the lid.

Liner - Crown Brush C225

And finally onto liner, I find these flat angled brushes help apply liner the easiest, as they are super tiny and really fit into the lash line well.

 

Smudger - Royal & Langnickel C435

I use this mainly to apply shadow to my lower lash line, I then use the Real Techniques 200 brush to blend everything out.

 

MY FAVORITE AFFORDABLE BRUSH BRANDS

Crown Brush - Perfect for starter Kits, if your just getting into make-up and you want to invest in a kit, over individual brushes.

 

Makeup Revolution - Great for face and contour brushes and can be found in most Superdrug stores.

 

Royal & Langnickel - Royal & Langnickel stock a wide range of 100% Vegan, synthetic brushes, that come in pretty colours and sets.

 

Blank Canvas Cosmetics - They stock a great variety of lovely quality brushes very similar to Sigma, but for half the price!

Makeup Brush Collection, Storage and How I Clean My Make-Up Brushes

I think I've mentioned before but a make-up brush can make a world of difference to how you apply your make-up and the way it looks. Over time I've expanded my make-up brush collection and storage into something I'm really happy with, so I thought I'd share with you my brush collection and storage and some of my most used brushes I can't live without.

Do you have a brush or make-up sponge you can't live without? Tweet me or leave a comment down below.

Brush Cleaning Routine

I don't know about you, but I loathe cleaning my make-up brushes, just like I detest doing the ironing, but this is one job that has to be done, to ensure my make-up brushes are bacteria free and plus there's nothing better than applying make-up with a freshly cleaned brush.

For years I've used good old Johnson's Baby Shampoo to deep clean my make-up brushes, along with this nifty little facial pad I found in Primark, that works wonders as a cleaning pad to get into the bristles of the brushes more efficiently. For quick cleaning I use the MAC Brush Cleanser on kitchen towel.

 

To dry my brushes I usually leave them to air outside if it's a nice day, put them in the airing cupboard or dry them on the radiator.

 

Brush Collection and Holy Grail Brushes
A majority of my brushes I purchase are from MAC, Real Techniques, Crown & Royal & Langnickel. While MAC is at the top end of the price scale, there are so many other affordable make-up brush lines now, that stock equally as good, quality brushes, some of my favourites are Real Techniques and Royal & Langnickel.

Here are my holy grail brushes I really can't live without, from left to right.
Bare Minerals Light Stroke Brush - This is great to use with powder to set concealer under the eyes.
Royal & Langnickel Short Flat Liner C455 - I use this to define my brow with concealer.
Real Techniques Contour Brush - This is the best brush for applying blusher.
Real Techniques Buffing Brush - My favourite brush ever for applying foundation when your in a rush.
MAC 217 - The ultimate eye shadow application brush, this blends any eye shadow out like a dream.
Royal & Langnickel Brow Angle - I use this to apply gel liner as it has the perfect small tip for getting close to the lash line.
Royal & Langnickel Line & Smudge - I actually use this to highlight and powder my brow bone.
Royal & Langnickel Large Powder - This is the softest, most gentlest brush ever and works fantastic with face powder to set your foundation.
Crown Pink Eyebrow Brush -  I love this to apply powder to my brows as it's short and dense.
Beauty Blender - This is the most amazing sponge for applying foundation as it helps give the most flawless, airbrushed finish to your make-up.

Make-Up Brush Storage
I love these Muji acrylic storage units because you can see every brush clearly and they are super affordable. I also love Ikea for cute, inexpensive storage ideas, like this mint green pot I found to store my make-up sponges in below.

February Favourites 2015 featuring Tanya Burr, Revlon and Maybelline

February Favourites

Wow what happened to the last two months, Spring is right around the corner and I am excited for the longer, warmer days. I didn't do a January favourites, but over the past couple of months I have discovered a few new products and re-discovered some old favourites. What have been your top three February Favourites? Leave a comment down below or tweet me, I'd love to know!

Royal and Langnickel Love is Trusting Collection

1. Royal and Langnickel Large Powder Brush from the Love is Trusting Collection
This brush has been my go to brush for powder and blotting down any shine I have on my t-zone. It is 100% Vegan and comes in a set from Royal and Langnickel called the Love is Trusting Collection. The brush is a lovely size and feels so soft on the skin, defiantly check out their website (linked above) as they stock some amazing quality brushes at affordable prices.

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

2. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation in 3 Shell
This foundation is a re-discovery for me, every time I use this I realise how much I love it! It has great coverage and always looks so flawless on my skin. I use it either with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush or the Beauty Blender. I know there is some hype on this foundation, some people love it, some hate it, but for me it's a great dupe for Make Up For Ever HD Foundation which is my number one love.

Maybelline Lash Sensational

 3. Maybelline Sensational Mascara
If you know me by now you know Maybelline is one of my all time favourite drugstore brands, especially their mascara. Maybelline Sensational Mascara is one of their newest launches, which I reviewed recently. This has the most beautiful packaging, gives great length and volume and is super pigmented to give you the blackest, black lashes.

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss

4. Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Afternoon Tea
Another new discovery is the Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Afternoon Tea. I had never tried anything from the Tanya Burr cosmetics range until recently. This lip gloss is a stunning pink/coral crème colour and is one of those colours that suits most people. The quality and consistency is amazing and I will defiantly be purchasing some more colours from the collection.

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade

5. Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Medium Brown
I reviewed this last Summer and hadn't really touched it since as I have so many brow products I'm using currently. I had been considering wearing this on my Wedding day and so wanted to find a different way of applying this as I absolutely loved this, especially the longevity and the amount of product you get for the price. The best way I've found, is by using a small angled brow brush and then blending it out with a mascara spoolie, this creates a natural, flawless brow.



Tanya Nail Polish in Little Duck

6. Tanya Burr Nail Polish in Little Duck
The quality and longevity of these nail polishes are amazing and this colour is a stunning mint green, perfect for Spring. Check out my full review on my blog.

Victoria's Secret Hydrating Body Lotion

7. Victoria's Secret Hydrating Body Lotion in Moonlight Dream
I am a big fan of the Victoria's Secret Body Lotions as a day time moisturiser, I love a scented one for the day as they make me feel expensive. Love Spell and Pure Seduction are my favourite scents but I recently discovered Moonlight Dream and oh my, this is stunning! I'm no good at describing scents so if your passing by a Victoria's Secret, defiantly go and check it out.

Love, Tanya Book

8. Love, Tanya Book
I recently finished reading this and have done a full review on why I love this book so much if you want to check it out.

Royal and Langnickel Love is Trusting Makeup Brushes Review and Photos

Royal and Langnickel Love Is Trusting Makeup Brush Kit

So if your like me and as I mentioned in my previous Blog Post if you have the right tools to apply your makeup it can make a world of difference to how it can look on your face, so I'm always on the look out for new good quality brushes to add to my collection.

 

I already own a few Royal and Langnickel Brushes and some of my favourite are my beloved Kubuki Brushes, I  recently came across this beautiful collection of 100% Vegan Mint Green and Pink Brushes from them and yes of course the first thing that caught my eye was the mint green aspect and the quality felt amazing so I had to snap them up!

Here's my thoughts.

http://beautyusa.royalbrush.com/collections/love-is-kits

http://beautyuk.royalbrushstore.com/

Price

This retails for $59.99 which is around £36.83 in English Pounds, I picked this up on an offer for £25 which was great value for money, but taking into consideration the retail price this is still great value for a 12 piece luxury quality brush set, with boxed brush holder that's a 100% Vegan.

 

Packaging

This comes beautifully boxed with detailed pictures of each brush and their names on the back of the box so you know exactly what your getting from this collection. Inside the brushes come in a Pink snakeskin carry case which can be used as a brush holder to display on your vanity. The Love is Collection features not only this stunning Pink and Mint collection but three other colour combinations including, Pink, Yellow and Blue and Purple and Mint, there is also the option of choosing between a wrap brush roll, the box holder which I have or an 8 piece travel version of the brushes for $44.99, which all can be found on the link I put up above. 

Application

One other thing that caught my eye about this collection was the great selection of brushes, every brush I can say I would use, whereas I've had brush collection's before where half the brushes I never use or have no idea what makeup you use them with! There is no rules to what makeup you should use with each brush I do think it's personal preference although they are designed for specific areas of the face, my favourite are the Large Powder Bush and the Brow Angle that I find perfect as a liner brush.

 

These brushes are some of the softest brushes I've used considering they are vegan, they apply my makeup with ease and create a flawless finish. When I used them for the first time I didn't want to get them dirty as they where to pretty!

 

Overall Thoughts 

 For me this beautiful collection was a hit, the brushes are soft to touch, apply my makeup with ease, are 100% Vegan and have a great selection of multi-use brushes that come in four beautiful colour sets. Yes they are a little pricey, but if you think how much you pay for a MAC or Chanel brush then this defiantly is great value for money. If your girly like me and are looking for a good quality starter brush kit then these are right up your alley!

 

I award the Royal and Langnickel Love is Trusting Brush Kit 4.9 out of 5

 

What brush would you use the most from this kit or is there a brush you think they should have included, I would love to know your thoughts in the comments below?!