Two New Brushes | Eco Tools & Real Techniques*

So I have been beauty blogging for just over two years now.  And on brushes, two things come to mind.  First, that they are always a heck of a lot harder to review than I give them credit for/  And, second, that you have to try them out for more than simply how they are advertised.  Let me explain...

During the summer Farley Co was kind enough to send me two brushes to test out.  At first I thought the review would be pretty easy.  Use each one for a few days and then boom.  Review.  Done.  Next.  But then I learned something: habits are hard to break.  For the first week or two I would always tell myself to test out my two new brushes, and then I would always revert to my usual routine with my usual products and my usual brushes.  So once I broke the habit I finally got around to testing out these brushes and seeing how they fit into my routine.

The first brush I have to review today is the Eco Tools Stippling Brush*.  This brush retails for $10.99 and can be found at select Rexall, Pharma Plus and Lawton Drug locations.  It can also be bought online directly from Farlyco here. 

This duo-fibre brush has a nice bamboo styled handle that is easy to hold and to work with.  A brush like this is perfect to build coverage.  It can be used for foundation, powder, blush or bronzer.  Ever since I started using a Beauty Blender I haven't been able to go back to using a brush for foundation.  I find it a bit small for my bronzer needs.  However I think that this brush really shines when paired with a cream blush.  I only had to test it to for a few days on every product I seem to own to tell you that!

I love this brush with cream blush because it makes building from a sheer wash to a loud pop of colour effortless.  I love that you can gradually build your colour until you are happy.  And while it is still lovely with powder blush, and does create a lovely build, this is the brush my cream blushes have been waiting for.

The Real Techniques Sculpting Brush* retails for $13.99 and can be found at select Lawton Drugs, Pharma Plus, Pharmasave and Rexall locations.  You can also purchase it here from Farlyco directly.

I was surprised at how wide this angled brush is.  It is wonderfully soft and so I think that again, this is a better brush to use with creams than powders.  That being said I was able to contour quite effectively using a powder contour.  It did a great job at hugging my cheek bone to create a perfect contour.   My advice with this brush is to use a light hand.  A brush this dense and soft can pick up a lot of product if you are not careful.  and then you end up with lines of make-up on your face.  Yuck.  I like to tap this brush off gently first.  Remember, it is way easier to add more than it is to tone it down!

I have a few other brushes at home from Real Techniques (really...what beauty blogger doesn't?) and have always been pleased with their quality.  

Just so you can get a sense of how dense and soft this brush is.

Feels like a little baby bunny.

So I am overall quite happy with these two budget friendly brushes.  I think any good set of brushes has some higher end mixed in with some budget finds.  It is all about finding the right brushes for you.  Generally, not all the same line, brand, or price.  Each brush can be used for a multitude of purposes, is easy to clean, and easy to build with.

What are your favourite budget brush finds?

Both products were provided for my review.