Real Techniques Bold Metals Brushes
I bought my first makeup brushes from Real Techniques last month sort of by accident. I was minding my own business, dutifully deep cleansing my makeup brushes, when my foundation brush went wonky. Well, actually, it sort of fell apart in my hands. You know how people tell you not to allow water to get down inside the farrow of your brush because it can damage the glue holding the bristles in place? I can confirm that this a fact. I’d had the same paddle foundation brush from MAC for nearly ten years. I would likely still have it if I had been more careful during its first washings years ago.
After seeing a few reviews of the Real Techniques Bold Metals 101 Triangle Foundation Brush, I decided that I might as well check it out while at Ulta. To be honest, I know some people really don’t like the look of these brushes but I love them. They look great sitting together in a clear glass holder though they do collect fingerprints rather easily, which is kind of expected given the reflective material. Anyway– it was the shape of the brush that first intrigued me because it’s my own habit to apply a very thin layer of foundation over my eyelids and I was curious to see if the triangle shape would make blending in the corner of my eye easier. I also liked the idea of using it to blend a little more seamlessly around my nose.
As far as blending goes, this brush works for me. The tapering of the bristles can be a bit rougher than what I’m used to, because of its shape, at certain angles but I’ve worked that out, and the finish this brush gives is gorgeous. I was so pleased with it that I went back to get two additional brushes.
The Bold Metals 301 Flat Contour Brush works great for how I use it, on the occasions when I want to contour, which is along the sides of my nose and just under my cheekbones. I’ll be honest, I don’t contour very often but so far I’ve had great experiences with both application and blending.
The Bold Metals 300 Tapered Blush Brush was my other purchase from this collection and it’s much small than what I’m used to, which is exactly why I bought it. There are days when I can get a little carried away with my blush. Look, before you say anything– I am one of those people with a neutral skin tone. For me, that translates to the color of my skin being extremely flat and one dimensional all over the face. Because I’ve avoided sun exposure for a very long time, I’m also on the pale side. So, abusing blush is something I have a hard time avoiding while trying to get what I think is a “healthy glow.” The smaller size of this brush is meant to allow for greater placement detail and control in application; so, yes, it’s exactly what I need to keep from ending up with two rather unflattering patches of bright plum on my cheeks.
All three of the brushes have a good heft to them and feel good in my hand, which makes me think that the handles may have been balanced or weighted for comfort and ease of use. The bristles are all synthetic which is great for cleaning, among other concerns. Overall, I’m very happy with my purchases from the line and may go back to grab the brushes from the eye collection next. And, since I know more about brush care as an adult than I did when I was younger, these should last a while.
