REVIEW: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (Cool Stocking Filler)

We are really big fans of the Pixiwoo ladies and Samantha Chapman's Real Technique brushes are staples in our brush collection. So when the Miracle Complexion Sponge was launched we knew we had to give it a go. This sponge is not like the old fashioned sponges your granny once used, but instead it is a nifty little tool that allows you to create a full coverage and flawless base in a matter of minutes. 

The beauty blender took the world by storm and we both had mixed reviews on it (Anita liked it but Gemma found her makeup didn't last as long after using it and this seemed to be down to the fact that wetting it didn't agree with her oily skin type). All that aside if you liked the beauty blender and found it worked for you or if you haven't tried it but have wanted to then we think this is just as good, or dare we say it, better and more importantly it is a quarter of the price. 

This is similar to the beauty blender but the reason we prefer it is because it has three different sides which can be used for all different areas of the face aswell as to create different finishes.

Real Techniques Complexion Perfection Sponge

Each time before use you must wet the sponge under warm water and squeeze it several times and the sponge will expand . So if like Gemma this causes you problems then this product may not be a good option for you. 

Rounded side- Great for covering large areas and blending

Flat side of the sponge. Great for achieving a full coverage

• The round side can be used to cover larger areas of the face. If you apply your foundation to the back of your hand, pick up some of the product with the sponge and rub it on to your face then it creates a light coverage. If you are a fan of cream blush the rounded side is great for applying this. 
• For a fuller coverage we like to use the flat side and dab it onto the skin. You can do this only in the areas where you need fuller coverage and use the rounded side on the areas which need less. On the real techniques website it suggests using the round side in a stippling motion to achieve fuller coverage but we have found that the flat side does a much better job and Samantha Chapman uses it this way in her demo video (see link below)! The flat edge is great for getting in around the hard to reach areas such as the sides of the nose, eyes etc.
• The pointed end is amazing for applying concealer around the eyes, the nose area and concealing smaller areas which need precise and dense coverage. You can use the rounded side to blend the product in after applying it to the desired area. 
• The pointed side is also super for contouring the face. It can be used to add cream bronzer under the cheek bones and on the temples and highlighter under the eye, on the forehead and down the center of the nose.

One of our Idol's Samantha Chapman

Check out this link to see Sam demonstrating how she uses the sponge.

There honestly is nothing bad to say about this product. The material it is made from is super high quality. It does exactly what it is meant to do and it gives you amazing looking skin (if the makeup lasts on you throughout the day is a matter of try and see as it really depends on your skin type) . We have tried this out with all different types of foundation formulas and it works well although avoid using it with powder products if you want our honest opinion because it can cause makeup to cake. 

After Application-Before washing though !!!

Once you are done with this you can use some baby shampoo to rinse it off and start fresh again. As this dries it goes back to the original size.

We also love the fact that it is orange, this means it can't get lost amongst your makeup collection. 

Best of all this beauty will only set you back €5.89 (£4.99)  from Boots and at the moment this is on special at buy one get one half price so there is no reason why you shouldn't give this a go. It would also be a lovely little stocking filler for a special girl in your life.

For anyone new to makeup or for someone that doesn't have time to be using several brushes to create an even base then this is just the tool for you. Its super quick and easy to use and it's as cheap as chips! Everyone should try one of these at least once and this is a great option rather than forking out on the, what we now feel is overpriced, beauty blender. 

Have you tried this sponge before or anything like it? 

Have you used the real techniques brush range before, do you love it as much as we do? 

We would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Gem and Anita xxxx

COMPETITION TIME: Loads to be won!

Hi Everyone,
So it's competition time on my Facebook page again and this time there are three fab prizes up for grabs.

The first prize is this amazing 6 piece Dare to Wear floral fantasy nail polish collection and this will be given away when my Facebook page reaches 700 likes.

The next prize will be given away when my Facebook page reaches 800 likes and it is this fab 12 piece pink brush set with pink brush roll. Such a lovely set to add to your collection.

And then when we reach 1000 likes I will be giving away this amazing purple brush set which comes with a fab brush holder. This is a great quality set.

So how do you enter?

-Well firstly you must have liked my page

-Next you must like and share the picture on my facebook page with all your facebook friends,

-Then comment below the picture to say you have done all of the above

-Finally keep your fingers crossed and hope that you win.

All winners will be picked at random and everyone has a fair chance of winning once they have met all of the above criteria. I wish you all the best of luck and thank you for sharing my page.

The link to my facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/KissandMakeupwithMe

Thank you xxx

Foundation 101: Right Tools for the Job

Following on from my last blog post Foundation 101:Choosing the right one next up is a post on the the different types of tools available to apply your favourite foundation. Hopefully this will be useful to you. 

The market is flooded with all types of tools/brushes to apply your foundation with. I have tried a lot of them and found that in their own little way they are all very useful and all provide different finishes. Here is a breakdown of what tools give what finishes:

Sigma F60 Foundation Brush

-The Flat Synthetic Foundation Brush-This is used almost like a paint brush, painting the products onto the face. This will give a fuller coverage. When using this make sure to blend the foundation well as it is very easy to miss an area of the face.  If not blended well it can also leave streaks on the face so be sure to blend any lines out with a sponge or fingers after application. There are a lot of good brushes on the market but one of my favourite is the Sigma F60 Foundation brush. These can be bought online on various websites.

Top: Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki and Bottom: Real Techniques Buffing Brush

-Kabuki Brush- This is a relatively new tool to apply foundation with but in my eyes it’s the BEST. These brushes have dense tapered bristles which means that they will give a full coverage application. There are synthetic kabuki brushes which are used for liquid and cream products and natural haired ones which are used for application of powder or mineral makeup.  Kabuki’s come in all shapes and sizes but the two which I love the most are the Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from the Core Collection) and the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush. They give amazing coverage and you only need a small amount of product. Full coverage that’s easy on the pocket……sold!!!!!!

Sigma F50 Fibre Brush

-The Duo Fibre Brush- This was my fav brush until the Kabuki’s came along. They are still great for applying liquid foundations and will give an air-brushed effect if you buff the product in a circular motion onto the skin. However, in my eyes they don’t come close to the Kabuki for full coverage but if you want medium coverage then this is your baby! I haven’t given up on this brush completely though as I use it on a daily basis for applying my bronzer. If you want a strong contoured bronze look this wouldn’t be the brush to use but if you want to just add a natural glow to the skin using a powder bronzer then this will do the job. This brush is also great for applying mineral makeup.  Again much love for Sigma as you just cannot beat their F50 Duo Fibre brush.

-A sponge- Used damp this will give a sheer finish to the skin or can be applied more heavily in places by dabbing the product onto the skin to get a heavier coverage (often this is only needed on the cheek area). However, the sponge does soak up a lot of product and so can waste a lot of product! Not to mention the fact that they aren’t particularly good for the environment if you are constantly throwing them away. They can also hold bacteria if you reuse them without washing them. I do love sponges for blending out any harsh lines left after cream products though!! Any brand will do the job in this case. 

Beauty Blender

-The beauty blender- This is egg shaped and does the same thing as the sponge except it provides a more seamless finish with less waste as it doesn’t absorb the product. This is a haven for bacteria too  so be sure to clean this regularly. Full review on the beauty blender coming very soon.

I hope this was of some help to you. I know choosing the best tool for foundation application isn't an easy task and I hope this little post has helped you get to grips with it a little better. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. xxxx

Sigma Mrs. Bunny Essential Brush Kit

Brush holder open-amazing for holding brushes

Ever since I received the Sigma Mrs Bunny Brush Collection for Christmas I have been in love. I wanted to write a post sooner on these amazing brushes but I thought I would thoroughly test them and do a full review on them instead of just introducing them to you all. I have used them every day since Christmas day so I have used them to the max and have to say I am not disappointed.

For those of you who are not aware of the Sigma brand. This innovative company was founded by a Brazilian couple whom now operate from the US. The brand offers some of the highest quality professional products on the market but at really reasonable prices. The brand is mostly known for their amazing quality brushes but are also venturing into other areas such as makeup products in recent time. Sigma offers both Natural haired and Synthetic haired brushes.

The first ever brush I tried from the Sigma line was the F80 Flat Kabuki Brush which I adore for Foundation application. This brush is part of the Sigma Sigmax line which is a line of synthetic brushes that are made with special fibres that not only work the products into the skin to give you  a flawless high definition finish but also can be used to apply liquid, cream and powder products without the product clogging in the bristles which in my eyes is a big plus as I hate brushes that hold the product in the bristles as I feel the brush is never clean no matter how hard you scrub it.

The brush holder closed. Great for travel

So when I decided that I “needed” (wanted) a new brush collection I knew Sigma was the place to look. I am a huge fan of liquid and cream makeup products so personally I absolutely adore synthetic brushes and when I researched and found that this collection contained the same fibres as in the Sigmax range but in a less dence format (as for example the F80 is very dense and stiff brush to allow for precise application) I was sold. As this collection is made from all Synthetic fibres it is also Vegan Friendly which is an added bonus for sure.  But I have to be honest, as lame as this may sound the big selling point for me was the amazing colours of the brushes. I absolutely adore the blue and pink handles of these brushes and I also love that the names of the brushes are engraved into the handle of the brush rather than just printed on it as this can easily rub off and you soon forget what the brush name is (this isn’t great for me as a makeup artist if I want to recommend a certain brush to a client.) I am also a big fan of the brush holder that comes with each Sigma Brush collection. It’s a really nifty brush holder that can be used to safely store your brushes for travel or can be taken apart and used as two separate little brush holders for storing your brushes on your vanity unit.

So now on to nitty gritty details of the product. This collection contains 12 brushes which range from a really large powder brush to a tiny liner brush. The price of the collection is €120(that’s €10 per brush!!!)  from www.cloud10beauty.com which is great value for money. Also when you spend €50 or more at cloud10 you receive free shipping. You also get free samples with every order and free beauty points which you can use against future purchases. Could you ask for anymore???? The value for money of this kit is amazing, these brushes are some of the best on the market and you get them for a similar price to some lower end brush ranges.

Mrs Bunny Face brushes (5 brushes)

Close up of holographic engraving

Mrs Bunny eye brushes(7 brushes)

The 12 brushes that are included in the Mrs Bunny Essentials collection are:

E05 - Eye Liner Brush: This can be used with gel or liquid liners and its really stiff so you can get a really precise line with it.
E30 – Pencil Brush: This has to be one of my favourite brushes in this line. It’s a great brush for softening any harsh lines around the eye area and given that smoky eye look to the eyes. I love to use this product to apply a darker colour on my lower lash line or to smudge my eyeliner if I want a smoky eyes look.
E40 - Tapered Blending Brush: This brush is great for blending colours into the crease of the eye to create that contoured look to the eye. This brush blends colours effortlessly.
E55 - Eye Shading Brush: I use this brush to apply colour to the eyelid. It’s a perfect sized brush to allow for even application of product and as it is dense it allows you to control the colour application which eliminates fall down of product below the eyes.
E60 - Large Shader Brush: The instructions you get with this kit advises to use this to apply colour to the lids. I use this brush mainly to blend out any concealer or to apply a heavier application of foundation around the nose or chin area.
E65 - Small Angled Brush: This can be used to apply cream or powder liners to the upper and lower lash line but I like to use this to fill in my eyebrows. I find it gives very precise application of products and allows me to define my brows perfectly.
E70 - Medium Angled Shading Brush: I use this brush to apply highlight under the brow bone, down the bridge of my nose or on the top of my cheekbones.
F30 - Large Powder: This brush is AMAZING for applying a very even high definition application of powder to the entire face. A really fantastic brush.
F40 - Large Angled Contour Brush: I like to use this brush to apply my cheek colour but can also be used to contour the cheek bones really beautifully.
F50 - Duo Fibre Brush: When I think of the Sigmax range and how it claims to create an airbrushes HD finish I automatically think of this brush, it really does create a flawless finish and it can be used to apply cream, liquid or powder products. I love to use this to apply my bronzing powder.
F60 – Foundation Brush: This can be used to apply a really smooth layer of foundation and it works perfectly well as this. However as I use my F80 brush (not in this kit) I tend to use this for applying my primer each morning.
F70 – Concealer Brush: Great for applying concealer to small areas and in particular to blemishes as it applies the right amount of product without overloading the area. I also love to use this to get right in around the hard to reach areas of my eyes, nose and around my mouth.

I have heard people complain in the past about shedding of Sigma brushes but I do believe that this Sigmax line does not shed so I would highly recommend trying them out. I have washed my brushes a lot since Christmas and they have not shed and I don’t expect them to anytime soon. Another great thing about these brushes is that once washed they go back to their original shape with minimal effort so you can continue to enjoy the brushes in their original shape for a very long time. The one thing that I did miss from this collection was a lip brush. I did reach for it a couple of times only to realise it’s not contained in this kit, however I am sure you could use one of the other brushes in this collection as a lip brush.

I know it may seem that I have said nothing but good about this collection but in all honesty I cannot fault it, it’s an amazing collection that offers unbeatable value for money and a brush kit that I would recommend you check out if you are thinking of buying a new brush set. I have to be honest when I first used this collection it took me some time to get used to the brushes but once I did I was hooked and I have seen a transformation in the way my makeup looks especially my face products (powder, foundation etc) and its all thanks to these brushes.
A small note to conclude: The Bunny Collection has two kits in the range. My absolute favouirte is the Mrs Bunny Collection which is the one I spoke about here and the other is the Mr Bunny Collection which is the same brushes but with black handles which would look very professional if you were to use them in a makeup artist’s kit.

You will not be disappointed in this brush collection or any other Sigma brush for that matter so be sure to check them out at www.cloud10beauty.com.

Thank you for taking your time to read my review and keep posted for more xxxx