Smashbox Contour Sticks Trio

These have been at the top of my must have list for a while now and since opening the box I haven't put the Contour Sticks Trio back! It's clear to say I'm loving these products. They have a smooth and silky, cream texture making them so easy to apply and blend.

 

The box also comes with a sharpener to fit the pencil sticks so worrying about ever being left with an unusable product is not necessary! I had heard some great things about these sticks and wanted to try them as soon as I got my hands on them.

 

I find that the contour stick works best for me with the bronze stick as a touch up for the top of my head. However, the highlight is surprisingly too dark for me but it will be perfect for if I get a tan or want just a tiny touch of highlight on a basic make up day.

 

As well as the sharpener, the trio comes with an instruction sheet including guides on where to apply the different colours and how to use the sticks depending on your face shape and how you want to look. I found this very useful as I was able to see exactly what shapes to draw, where and with which sticks.

 



 

 

A lot of people I know and those that use the sticks, blend the product with a flat, buffing brush but I prefer to use a beauty blender purely because I feel like I have more control over the product on my face and the finish is a lot more flawless. Since using the product I've really got into getting a good contour on a night out or even just a bronzed touch on a day-to-day basis for a slightly more defined shape.

 

The product is £35 which I personally think is very reasonable for the quality of product. I've had this product nearly two months now and have used the contour stick every day, I am yet to need to sharpen it more than once! You don't need a lot of product per application as it is so well pigmented and blends so well, therefore the trio will last a long time and probably save you money in the long run in comparison to your usual product that may run down quickly, due to you needing to use a lot of it per day.

 

I would recommend the trio to people who are already into make up and want to explore and venture further into face sculpting as this is quite a complex, heavy product for someone just beginning to get into make up. Alternatively, I would recommend a simple bronzing powder not to irritate or harm the skin and gradually build to using heavier products such as this one. The staying power is fantastic so they can be used day and night, any weather, any occasion to give you the extra pop to your face structure! The hype is totally worth it and I'm so grateful I can finally say I own a set of these heavenly products. You can find the sticks trio here.

 

 

Until next time, Toni. xo

New Make-up Brushes.

 

Although I wash my brushes every couple of weeks on average, I found them to become worn out and loosing the quality they once had when I first bought them around a year ago, therefore I decided to invest in a whole new set of brushes from Real Techniques!

 

I had not up until this point ever tried any of the real techniques products so wasn't sure on what to buy, this is what I went for in the end:

 

 

1. Duo Fibre Collection [here]

 

2. Travel Essentials [here]

 

3. Core Collection [here]

 

4. Starter Set [here]

 

 

 

 At the moment I have found myself using the Duo-Fibre face brush the most as it gives even, perfect coverage for the face using powder, the brush is soft and blends the powder perfectly against my foundation base.

 

I have also been loving the multi-task brush for my blush and the buffing brush for bronzer with the contour brush to blend.

 

The only brush I haven't yet used is the pixel perfect eyeliner brush as I am still on the hunt for the perfect gel liner!

 

 

I would highly recommend these beautiful brushes as not only are they amazing quality and a great feel in your hand when you're applying, Sam and Nic Chapman use them throughout the real techniques Youtube channel and their personal channel on tutorials as they are the founders of Real Techniques [more on the story of real techniques here] - this allows you to learn how to use your brushes to the best of their abilities and apply the techniques and tips in your make up looks!

 

The brushes are more expensive in the UK than in the US due to the fact the business is an American business and therefore VAT, distributor mark up and shipping charges apply to UK prices. However, the brushes are of excellent quality and definitely worth the price.

 

For anyone new to the real techniques range or to make up brushes entirely, I would recommend the core collection to begin with as a starting point to slowly build on and I guarantee that over time you will grow to love the brushes and expand your personal collection.

 

 

Until next time, Toni. xo