little white truths

As mentioned in my review of the contour brush from this set (see here), I bought this as part of a three-brush pack ages ago because I'd heard so much about Real Techniques brushes that I couldn't resist buying them when I saw them on special.

Unfortunately I don't think the brushes are essential and this eye brush is my least-used tool from the set, but I do think the brushes are good quality and they do fill a gap in my collection - even though I don't strictly need them.

I'm reviewing each of the three brushes in turn and then I'll do a round-up post on the full set.


Real Techniques claims/product details:

• Create buildable colour and add texture to look pixel perfect for any occasion and in any light
• The duo fiber eye brush is for finishing touches to the eye
• A true multitasker: duo-fiber bristles work with cream, liquid or powder for an unbelievably air-brushed finish
• Ultra-plush, synthetic bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free
• Extended aluminium handles are light and easy to use
• RRP $55 AUD for the three-brush set, but do shop around (I paid around $30)

As with the other brushes in the set, this eye brush has shorter and denser bristles (the black ones) and longer ones that are more sparse (the white ones).

This means you only pick up a tiny amount of product each time, so it's best for finishing off your look, rather than packing on colour.


Verdict

Don't reach for this brush if you're using a normal-to-sheer eyeshadow and want to apply it quickly: it's not meant for that and it's a hassle to use for that purpose.

What this little brush (and the others in the set) is good for, is products that are so pigmented that it's easy to make mistakes and add too much. It works for these products because it picks up less colour than an average brush, so you're less likely to put too much on.

The other thing it's good for is adding the finishing touches to your eyes. For example, it's not unusual that one eye will look slightly darker than the other (or that application is patchy or harsh in parts), and this little brush is good for evening things out with less risk of over-correcting.

Once I've applied my eye shadow, I take this brush and pick up a neutral shadow to fade out/cover any harsh lines - but that's really all I use it for and I only use it because it's there, since I do have other brushes that I could use for this purpose.

You could probably also use this to set your under-eye concealer, but I prefer using the thinner side of the contour brush for this purpose because it's bigger and gets the job done more quickly.

My issue with this brush, I think, is that it's too large for precision jobs - so I can't use it to highlight my browbone or to place colour on my lids, which I would like to do for heavily pigmented products but can't because I have 'short' eyelids and the width of this brush doesn't allow me to do that. If you're blessed with better eyelids than I am, you might like to use this for pigmented products that require a soft touch.

Do note that I wouldn't use this brush for very sheer powders because it takes too long to apply colour, nor would I use it for loose powders because I struggle to pick up a small amount of product (the powder gets caught between the longer bristles because they're too sparsely packed).

What it is good for however is pressed powders that are a little on the soft side, because it won't kick up too much product if you use it lightly, whereas denser brushes might.

As with the contour brush from this set, I'm not sure how you would use this tool for cream or liquid products because I think the long bristles are too sparse and blending would be a nightmare. I'm only putting a question mark over that however because I use my fingers for creams and liquids so I haven't tried these brushes for that purpose.

I've had this set for a while now and the brushes are yet to shed or lose their shape, so that's a plus.

In sum, I do like this brush but I don't think that it - or any other in this set - is essential, and you're better off starting with the core Real Techniques range if you don't already have an armoury of brushes in your collection.