Disclaimer: Product featured was provided for review.
For Spring 2014, Sam and Nic Chapman added two retractable brushes to the Real Techniques product line. The Retractable Kabuki Brush ($12.99) and the Retractable Bronzer Brush ($19.99 CAD) are both designed for travel as each brush comes with a protective cap that helps to protect the bristles when the brush is not in use.To learn more about these brushes, click......
Both brushes come in a sleek matte metallic casing with a clear plastic cap. The design is incredibly lightweight but the handles are still at a good length so the brushes are easy to handle. The retracting mechanism of these brushes is quite unique.
All the retractable brushes I own require using the cap to "push" the bristles out of the casing but with these two, you need to manually pull up the shiny metal bristle guard to completely cover the brush portion. After the bristles are gathered together by the metal guard, you simply connect the cap with the bristle guard and push down until the brush is capped completely.
What it is:
-A slightly angled powder brush suitable for applying setting powders, bronzers, or blush
-Made with super soft synthetic bristles perfect for blending
This one is a super convenient all-in-one on-the-go brush that can be used with virtually any powder products. The bristles are not duo-fiber, the black bristles simply fade into white near the tip of the brush. The bristles are incredibly soft but work well for both blending and stippling. There really is no downside to the brush and the price point is just right.
-A firm, full brush designed to apply and blend bronzers and finishing powders
-Flat top duo fiber brush consists of shorter fine bristles and longer stiff bristles
My thoughts on this brush is some what mixed. In the past I often use my bronzer brushes for applying setting powders because I love how dense the bristles are, perfect for packing on the powder (I have very oily skin so a light dusting often isn't enough). However, the duo-fiber design of this brush makes it much less dense (even compared to the Kabuki Brush). Additionally, the longer white bristles are rather thick and stiff; they are soft to the touch but they are a little too hard for most of my pressed powders.
When I tried this brush with my Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Setting Powder, the powder started flying everywhere and the brush actually made visible imprints on the powder. So my verdict is that this brush is not very multi-functional; it will work fine with bronzers as bronzers usually have a harder formulation, but if you want an all-in-one powder brush that you can also use with your setting powder and blush, it's better to opt for the Retractable Kabuki Brush.
Have you spotted these brushes in stores, do you plan to pick them up? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
Availability:
Real Techniques is available online at Farleyco and in stores at London Drugs, Walmart, select Familiprix, Lawton Drugs, Pharmasave, and Value Drug Mart across Canada.
