Dresses and Daydreams: Real Techniques

Today I have another life changing product to show you. It's Real Technique's Miracle Complexion Sponge. I am already a fan of Real Techniques make-up brushes and was on the lookout for a drugstore dupe of the over-priced £16 sponge called the Beauty Blender.

Like the Beauty Blender, this sponge is a foundation and concealer applicator that you can pick up from Boots for just £5.99. You just dot your base on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and then use the sponge to dab it in.

It has a rounded body used for big areas such as the forehead and cheeks, a pointed tip for covering any acne or hyper-pigmentation and a flat side to get in the grooves around the nose and eyes.

The sponge blends flawlessly. I haven't experienced any sliding foundation or pore seeping concealer whilst using this. My base now appears more natural with all the tell-tale signs of harsh lines gone. It has really changed the way my complexion looks every day.

So there it is- my second make-up bag staple of the year so far!

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Real Techniques Core Collection Kit - £15-£18 - Amazon

Hey Everyone! Happy Friday! Look what the delivery man came with today! It's the Real Techniques Core Collection Kit designed by beauty blogger Sam Chapman from Pixiwoo!

I've been wanting to try Real Techniques make-up brushes for a while now. But as they are priced between £6.99 and £12.99 per brush at Boots, they've just been a lustful luxury dream. When I saw this Core Collection Kit on Amazon for a very reasonable price I just caved in. I paid £17 for these 4 brushes, but the prices do go up and down daily. I've heard of people generally paying between £15 and £18 for this set.

Like I said, there are 4 brushes included. Starting from left to right, first up is the Contour Brush. Sam says this, "delicately applies highlighter to contour or create sheer, soft-focus finish." And yes - it does. I used The Body Shop's Brilliance Powder as a highlight which comes with it's own brush attached to the product. So, I unscrewed the brush, dusted some product onto my palm and used the Contour Brush instead. This made a huge difference. Before, I hardly used the product because I found the brush hard and spiky. After using the Contour Brush I appreciated the white highlight with golden undertones one thousand times more.

The second brush is the Pointed Foundation Brush which Sam says to "use with liquid foundation to build custom coverage". I haven't used this yet because I only like to wear liquid foundation in the Winter time. So this brush should stay clean for a while!

The third brush is called the Detailer Brush that Sam has "precision cut to effortlessly conceal problem areas; or, use with lipstick for long-lasting shape and definition." I used this to conceal with Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer. I will do a review on the concealer soon because it is my all-time favourite, but using the Detailer Brush really enhanced its performance. I have many acne scars that need concealing every day, and this brush felt very delicate on my skin. The last thing I want is to have a spiky brush to irritate my oily skin so this little tool is a delight to use.

The last brush is the Buffing Brush which Sam says is, "ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation." So, I used Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder (because I swear by it) with this brush. The brush itself just felt so soft on the skin, and held the powder really well (instead of it poofing everywhere). Overall, I loved using the brushes and there's a huge difference between these and any cheap supermarket brush.

Here's my Fresh Face Friday FOTD, so that you can see these brushes in action.