The Real TechniquesRetractable Kabuki Brush (USD$9.99 / CAD$12.99, available here) is another one of Real Techniques’ new brush released in early 2014. I have reviewed the Retractable Bronzer Brush, the Silicone Liner Brush, and the Miracle Complexion Sponge (part of the 2014 releases) on the blog before, so be sure to read my thoughts and review on those products. When Farleyco recently had 20% off sale on their Real Techniques and EcoTools line, I knew this was the other brush from the collection that I wanted to try. Real Techniques used to be designed by one of the Pixiwoo sisters (Sam), but Nic has joined the team, so I’m sure we will be seeing lots different approaches to makeup that reflect both sisters’ personalities!
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2346743″] Designed for women on the go, this mobile design hits all the right notes for me. The Real TechniquesRetractable Kabuki Brush is marketed mostly as a travel-friendly, synthetic kabuki finishing brush as denoted by its pink case. This highly versatile brush can be used for powders, bronzers, or blush but I find that I reach for this often for my liquid foundations as well. The shape of the brush immediately reminded me of the Sedona Lace Angled Synthetic Brush (from the Midnight Lace collection) which I have also reviewed before.
The first thing I have to mention is the construction of the brush; I was surprised to feel the weight of it which suggests a construction that is made to last, and can withstand being carried around in your bag or thrown in your purse and generally, can withstand a little bit of abuse. The brush is slim enough to fit into my makeup bag, and comfortably in my hand. This brush combines quality and a travel-friendly aspect which does not make it a redundant addition to my collection of brushes. When you are done with the brush, simply pull up the sleeve and pop on the lid which both protect the bristles and its shape as well as keep the bristles clean.
I am a huge fan of this type of brush – the angled head makes it perfect to apply bronzer (particularly when you are contouring), blushes (cream or powder) but still great to use as a foundation brush. This is a brush that I reach out most on a daily basis for my liquid foundations. I’ve done a little comparison between this brush and my all time favourite, the Real Techniques Buffing Brush below. As you can see, the density of the brush is very similar; I would almost say that the Real TechniquesRetractable Kabuki Brush is simply an angled version of the Buffing Brush. The bristles aren’t as dense as the Expert Face Brush which is something I prefer. There aren’t many brushes in the market similar to this and I like that Sam and Nic combined the best aspects of a brush (shape/versatility) and a travel-friendly aspect into this one super-star brush.
Read More: Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush | Review.
Where to Find Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush.
Real Techniques can be found at Wal-Mart, select Pharmasave (for Canadian readers), or Ulta for US-based readers. For Canadian readers, Farleyco, the official distributor of Real Techniques in Canada, now has these new brushes (as well as the permanent range of RT brushes) on their website! They offer free ground shipping for orders over $50 and since they are based in Canada, you probably will receive your order much faster!
For international-based readers who may not Real Techniques readily available, a good option (which I have tried before) is iHerb. If you are a first-time customer, you can save $5 off $30 or $10 off $40 order with this code (which I used for my purchase so I can vouch for its validity): BLC424. I was able to stack a 20% off deal (Black Friday) and the first time coupon code ($10 off) reduced the price I paid for brushes in my order quite a bit. Shipping to Canada was about $4 (Global Priority with DHL) for 4 sets of brushes and took around 3 weeks to arrive.
The Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush has become one of my favourite brushes, not only because of its high quality and reasonable price-point, but because of its versatility and . I was surprised to feel the weight of it which suggests a construction that is made to last, and can withstand being carried around in your bag or thrown in your purse and generally, can withstand a little bit of abuse.
The bristles are dense, soft, and according to Sam (in the official video) have different textures. Made with synthetic taklon hair as the rest of the Real Techniques brushes, this brush is cruelty-free and not prone to shedding during washing or application. The bristles feel very soft on the skin, and picks up products easily.
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