Friday 16 May 2014

Real Techniques Brush Dupes (?) | eBay

Hi guys! I'm back again with another beauty post and this time it's brushes (don't worry, a cooking/baking post will be up next week!) Enjoy. 

About a month and a half ago I thought it was about time that I stocked up my almost non existent brush collection and spruce up my makeup routine. I didn't want to spend a bomb on them so, I thought I'd try scouring the Internet to find a decent set of face and eye brushes which were good quality and didn't break the bank  - that is when I came across these ones on eBay. 

Price: £12.49 (at the moment they are £11.87) with free yes FREE P&P

Quality: Pretty good (for the price)

Pros
They are really soft just like the real technique brushes 
+ Good variety of shapes and sizes
+ The apply the makeup smoothly and pretty flawlessly 
+ They look much more expensive than they are 
+ Brush number 2 applies foundation incredibly well
+ Big range of colours to choose from
+ You get 10 brushes (yes 10) for a mere £12.49!

Cons
I would have loved there to be a larger brush for powder (luckily I have a real techniques powder brush so didn't necessarily need one)
I don't think the eye brushes (6-10) buff eyeshadows out all that well
- They come from Hong Kong which means you have to wait for them (I had to wait 3 weeks!!)

Down below are all the brushes you get in the set. I went for the safe option and decided on the black and silver coloured brushes but I was tempted by the white version (I am now very glad that I didn't because just imagine how dirty they would get.... not nice!)



1 - I haven't yet found a particular use for this brush yet but have recently been using it to apply my blush (very successfully I might add), the flat top is great for it
2 - This slanted brush is perfect for applying foundation to the face (or anywhere that floats your boat...) applying it evenly and flawlessly. I do have to make sure that I don't put too much on the brush to begin with otherwise it can look a bit unnatural
3 - I don't currently have a use for this one but think it would be perfect for highlighter
4 - This brush is quite dense and compact which means that it isn't that great for blending. I used to use it for blush but think its efforts would be suited better elsewhere (any ideas?)
5 - A real techniques expert face brush if ever I saw one. This brush is almost identical. It's dense and compact and I find that it's great for contouring (however it would also be perfect for foundation but as I already have a the expert face brush I didn't see the point!)


6 - I use this for applying eyeshadow and compacting the pigment on to the lid but find that it isn't be any means perfect! (My naked 2 palette's brush is much better when it comes to this task
7 - Blend blend blend some more. Yep you've guessed it... this brush is great for blending eyeshadow out and achieving that smokey effect (I'm yet to master the perfect smokey eye - or any good eye makeup for that matter) :(
8 - This little beauty is my concealing saviour! I use it to apply concealer both under my eyes and on any blemishes or redness I have. It's just the right size and isn't harsh on the face
9 - I am yet to find a proper use for this one but I'm sure it would be great as a clean brush for blending eyeshadow 
10 - The shape of this brush makes it perfect for highlighting the inner corner of your eye

Overall I would say that this is a great set of brushes for anyone to have. The brushes are good quality and for the price you can't go wrong! Yes the variety in sizes isn't mind blowing but you can always fill the gaps with other shop bought ones - mixing brushes is always the way to go. So, are they real technique dupes? I would say yes and no. Number 5 is a definite dupe of the expert face brush and number 8 is very similar to their blending brush. The quality of the brushes is a definite dupe as it's very similar in softness and density. Yes, the shapes are different but they are definitely worth a shot!


Have you ever tried makeup brushes from eBay? Or have you found any fab priced brushes which are good quality that I need to know about? Let me know in the comments below :)


Speak soon,
Harriet xo


8 comments :

  1. I was so tempted to get these and now after reading this I think I will! You can get a UK based set for £14.99 so I may get them so I don't have to wait ages for delivery from Hong Kong! xxx

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  2. Oo I didn't know that! I would definitely get them and even if you don't like them so much, you haven't really lost out! xxx

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  3. These look lovely - I don't really own any brushes and thought the real techniques were a little expensive so might have to give these a try! :)

    Jasmin Charlotte

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    Replies
    1. I would give them a shot for sure :) Enough though real technique are amazing, I always have to wait until the offers are out to get them! x

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  4. i love a good dupe post! these brushes look wonderful

    from helen at thelovecatsinc.com

    ps. There's £250+ worth of beauty products up for grabs on my blog, if you're interested! Click here.

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  5. Hi Harriet! Thanks for this post.. I'm insanely tempted to purchase them! Could you link the seller please, if you remember?

    Beatrix (www.ymdiaries.com)

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    1. Yes of course, I've linked it at the top of the post but I'll put it down below too! Thank you for reading :) x
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/111261430411?var=410270745882&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

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I love reading all your comments and replying to them so feel free to leave a little note down below and I'll get back to you asap :) xo