Well, well, well....I didn't think my brush collection was that Real Techniques-heavy, but here we are! Let's face it, I'm a bargain shopper at heart. When I first started to build my brush collection, I didn't want to invest too much money in high end brushes from companies like MAC or Sigma (and I still don't). I reach for all of these brushes on a daily basis, and all can be used for many different things. If you don't have many makeup brushes in your collection, or are nervous about investing in higher-end brushes, I highly recommend Real Techniques. I have found that Ulta has the best selection of these brushes - both in store and online.

Face Brushes

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - This is the first brush I ever used to apply foundation. I was very intimidated by the thought of applying foundation with a brush because I thought a lot of the product would soak into the brush, but that's not the case. This is a great brush for buffing out foundations to an air-brush finish.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush - This brush is part of a set of 3 duo-fiber brushes, so you can't buy them separately, but they're all so great that you'll want all three anyway. I have found this to be the perfect brush for applying blush because it picks up product without overloading the brush, so you never feel like you're going to go in with too much blush.

Real Techniques Tapered Blush Brush - I don't use this for blush; I didn't even buy it for that purpose. I bought this brush because it seemed like the perfect shape for setting my under eye concealer with powder...and it is! I even think this would be a good brush for contouring.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Contour Brush - I was so intimidated by contouring and I had no idea where to start. This is a great contour brush for beginners. Again, duo-fiber brushes are great because they don't pick up too much product. So, when you go in with a contour shade, you don't have to worry that you're going to apply too much product and look crazy. Because I think our #1 concern is looking crazy when we first try to contour...am I right?

Real Techniques Blush Brush - This brush is larger than it seems in it's packaging. Given that it's larger,  it's great to use with pressed or loose setting powder all over the face, and even as a buffing brush to blend everything together once you've applied your bronzer, blush, and highlight.


Eye Brushes

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Eye Brush - Eyeshadow blending is intimidating. This brush is perfect for blending out your crease with a transition shade, or blending other darker shades through the crease once you've laid them down with a smaller brush.

Sephora Powder Shadow Brush - This is the first eyeshadow brush I ever purchased. And girl, it's still going strong. I like to use this brush to pack color onto the lid or highlight the brow bone.

Sephora Smudge Brush - This is a great pencil brush that can be used for applying color to the crease in a very specific area, or works wonderfully to blend out eyeshadow along the lower lash line to give your eyes some dimension.

Sonia Kashuk Pointed Blending Brush - Do yourself a favor and go out and buy this brush. It has changed my eyeshadow game. This brush is $4 at Target. FOUR DOLLARS. Do you need any more reason to go out and get it? This brush is perfect for applying a transition shade to your crease and blending out other shadows as you go along. Did I say it's $4?

E.l.f. Eyeshadow Brush - This brush is $1 at Target. Don't underestimate the quality of E.l.f. products.  This brush is good. I use this to pack color all over the lid.


What are some of your favorite makeup brushes?

I was recently given the opportunity to try a few products from the brand Younique. The only thing I knew about Younique was that they made a fiber-lash mascara...and I thought that's all they made; boy was I wrong.

Younique offers a wide range of cosmetic products including eyeshadow palettes, lipgloss, foundation, bronzer, and skincare. The list really does go on and on.

Moonstruck Addiction Shadow Palette - Warm neutrals are MY JAM. The eyeshadows are everything you want them to be: pigmented, soft, and blendable. My favorite look I created with this palette was using Brassy all over the lid, with Chipper and Forthright in the crease, but there's so much more you can do with this palette.

Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lashes - My lash game is not strong; they don't even hold a curl. Sure, I curl them and they look good for 10 seconds, but they immediately fall once mascara has been applied. So, this was the product I was interested in trying the most. This comes with 2 products: a transplanting gel (mascara) and fibers. You apply a coat of mascara, then immediate apply the fibers (they're in a tube just like the mascara - and you brush them onto your lashes in the same way). To finish, you apply a second coat of mascara to seal them in. Now, I've tried other lash fiber products that are meant to be used with the mascara of your choice (I'm looking at you, Tarte) and I had MAJOR fallout. Like, fibers in my eyes, fibers falling onto my cheeks, it was not a good look. This product does not do that.  You can do the process once for a more subtle look, or do it twice for a more dramatic night-out.

Wearing Fiber Lashes and the Eyeshadows mentioned above

Lucrative Lip Gloss - I love me a good lip gloss. This one brings the shine without feeling sticky. What's even better is that it acts almost as a stain, so as the gloss fades over time the color still sticks around. And since it's not sticky, it fades into an almost balm-like consistency. If you don't use glosses because they're sticky, try this one.

What I'm really impressed with is Younique's "Love It Guarantee". If you aren't satisfied with a product, for any reason, you can get a full refund within 14 days, no questions asked. There are even more options for satisfaction refunds up to 90 days from your date of purchase.

If you're interested in trying a product from Younique, you can contact my friend Jessica Carmon by clicking here. She would be happy to answer any of your questions, and assist you in finding the right Younique product for you!

The products above were provided for my use, but the opinions are all mine, baby.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Grab your Sunday morning coffee and settle in because I have a lot to talk about.