Real Techniques Nic's Picks

I have been a Real Techniques lover for a long time now.  I remember when the brushes first came out and how I had to have them.  My collection has grown over the past few years and when I saw this amazing Nic's Picks ($30) set I knew it had to be mine.  I was in Ulta a few weeks ago and there was one set left.  I snatched it up so fast.  This set comes with three exclusive brushes and two permanent ones.  The three exclusive are the Cheek brush, Angled Shadow brush, and Eyeliner brush.  The two permanent brushes are the Duo Fiber Face brush (already own and love) and the Base Shadow brush (I have wanted forever).  Real Techniques brushes are so well made.  And this set is no different.  I love the silver handles and I very much enjoy a synthetic brush.  I have been reaching for the Base Shadow brush and the Angled Shadow brush the most.  They are absolutely phenomanal for putting on cream shadow.  Tom Ford Platinum and I have been BFF's lately and those two brushes work so well with him.  (Yes I call my cream shadow a him)  The other brush in this collection I reach for most is the Cheek brush.  This is also auh-maz-ing.  It doesn't pick up too much product and distributes the product nicely on the cheeks.
          

Overall I am really enjoying this set.  I think this would be a great gift for any makeup lover in your life.



What are your favorite Real Techniques brushes ??


Love,
City Styles 

Nars Contour Blush {Paloma}

Nars, in my opinion, has always been amazing with creating blushes and bronzers.  I have never heard someone say they dislike a Nars blush.  I actually have 5 or 6 myself and of course I own the cult classic Laguna bronzer.  So, when Nars came out with these Contour Blushes I had to own one.  

I chose Paloma, which has more pink undertones.  And, I am really enjoying it.  I love my Laguna bronzer but, sometimes it can look to muddy on me.  Since, my skin has pink undertones and so does this powder, this looks great on me.  It doesn't look to muddy or over done when I contour.  And the highlighting powder just melts right into my skin.  It is such a good color match.  I use this down my nose, on the tops of my cheek bones, and on my cupids bow.  

I have been using the Real Techniques Contour brush to contour and the Real Techniques Setting brush to highlight my face.  

There are three shades you can choose from.  Paloma is the pink beige highlight with the light rose contour.  This is suitable for people with pink undertones and light skin.  Olympia is ivory highlight with rose contour and is suitable for people who have a yellow undertone and light skin.  And lastly there is Gienah which has a honey highlight and amber contour.  This is suitable for anyone who has tanned skin.  

I really am enjoying this palette.  It has actually made me use bronzer a bit more and I think that Nars hit it on the nose with this product. 

Have you tried these Contour Blushes ?  What is your favorite contour shade ??

Love, 

City Styles 

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Collection !

First of all let me say that I resisted buying these brushes for almost a year but, I caved.  After watching a youtube video they went on the ever evolving shopping list.  Recently I was at Ulta and decided hey lets pick these up.  They are limited edition and sell for $19.99.  Ulta usually has some kind of BOGO going on so you can get a good deal.   

The eye brush.  Personally I don't like to use this on my eyes.  I actually love to use it for my new hg highlighter.  It picks up the right amount of product and lays it nicely on my face. 

  

The contour brush.  I love to use this with my highly pigmented blushes.  The brush is a bit small but deposits the perfect amount of color on the cheeks.  Since it is duo fiber it picks up less product so no clown cheeks here. 

The powder brush.  I love to use this with my Ambient Lighting powders.  I dust the powder on my forehead and under my eyes and the brush leaves the perfect amount of powder.  As I said before because it is a duo fiber brush it does not pick up too much product.  

Over all I have been really been loving these brushes.  And I am happy with my purchase. 

Have you tried any Real Techniques brushes ??

Love, 

City Styles 

Bronzer-licious !

Anyone else have a sick obsession for bronzers?  I never feel like I have the shade some look to light, others too dark, or even to orange.  As we all know I am ghostly pale very close to pasty, and as it progresses to winter I get worse.  So every now and then I like to look a bit human and bronze myself up.  I sometimes go for the sunkissed look or sometimes I go for a more contoured look.  I have amassed these 7 bronzer to do the trick for me.  3 can be used to look sun kissed, 3 for contouring, and 1 can go either way. 

Love Clarins bronzers!  They always look so chic and cute.  This one is the lightest in my bunch.  I go to this on a normal day to day basis to just make myself look like I've seen the sun in the last year or so. I normally use a MAC 129 or Bobbi Brown Bronzer brush to apply this.  Now this is no longer available, but there is something very similar and would probably do the same trick.

Oh Dior!  As you can see I love a bronzer with some pink in it!  This is very similar to the Clarins one, but just a bit darker.  I use it in the same manner as the Clarins and with the same brushes.  This was more of a on the whim, I feel like I need something luxurious purchase.  I don't regret it, but does one need so many of the same, of course you do!  

One day I was watching Youtube, what day aren't you watching Youtube Gina, and Nicole Guerriero was talking about this bronzer and it looked like a perfect shade for me and it is!  I was always a bit scared the Chocolate Soleil would be a bit dark for me, but this one looked right on the money!  And it is right on the money.  Primed and Poreless is a great shade for us pale/fair skinned girls.  

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer! As I said before I always thought this would be a bit dark for me, but I was wrong.  I picked this up at Sephora in one of those really cute deluxe sample packages they keep at checkout.  I can use this, lightly, as an all over bronzer or as a contour shade.  I like to us a big fluffy brush like the Sephora #40 Pro Flawless Powder Brush.   

Clarins - Dior - Too Faced P&P - Too Faced Soleil

I picked Nars Laguna up a long time ago and hated it, and i mean HATED it.  That was also before I had proper brushes or was really into makeup.  So on a recommendation from Ellejay10.  She is a fellow pale girl and said she loved this.  So I had to give it another try.  And I must say I no longer hate.  This is great for contouring.  I normally use the Real Techniques Contour Brush with this.  

I have had this Bobbi Brown bronzer in my arsenal for a while now.  It was on of the first high end bronzers I bought and used for contouring.  This light tan color is so gorgeous to contour with, especially during the summer.  I find that it isn't too orange on my skin even though it looks a little orange in the pan.  As you can tell I love me a matte bronzer and I think this is my favorite out of all the ones I have.

Have I said I love Clarins bronzers?  To be honest I loved the packaging and design of this so much I had to get it.  This came out this summer with the Splendours Collection and I knew it would be a bit dark for a regular all over, sunkissed bronzer, but I was ok with that.  It is just so gorgeous, I could not resist.  

Too Faced Soleil - NARS - Bobbi Brown - Clarins

Are you a pasty white girl like myself?  If you let me know what some of your favorite bronzers are, and even if you aren't let me know!!

Love, 

City Styles 

Bronzing Cream + Who Else Wants a Reunion !

I don't know about you but I get very upset when a beauty product is available in another country, but not available in the US.  I tend to want it more because it is hard to get.  That's what happened with the Bourjois Bronzing Primer.  If you don't know Bourjois is the parent company to Chanel.   And guess what Chanel makes?  A cream bronzer that is almost identical and more expensive.   So I went on the hunt!  I found mine in Ebay and paid about $20 with shipping.  I was very pleased with that.

I use my bronzer with a Real Techniques contour brush.  It works so well and just glides on the face.  The bronzer is great for a day when you just want to look sun kissed.  If you are going more for a contoured, hallowed out look then you should set it with a powder bronzer.  I have been loving this for the summer time and I will probably use it throughout the fall.  I have very dry skin and this leaves a beautiful dewy finish.  It doesn't dry into a powder and I love using this with a cream blush as well.  

Have you tried the Bourjois or Chanel bronzers??  If you have let me know what you think!

Oh so yesterday I forgot to discuss the VMA's with you all.  First, what is wrong with Miley Cyrus?  That's all I have to say about that.  Secondly, Oh Justin how we love you so.  And thirdly, N*SYNC!!  I squealed like a little girl.  Tears formed in my eyes.  I have waited for this for years and I truly thought it would never happen.  Even though it was only a minute it was a minute that I will remember.  Now come on!  Do a reunion tour already!!

Love, 

City Styles