Real Techniques released some brand new holiday products this year – one being their limited edition Your Picks Berlin brush set. It includes five of the beauty community’s most-loved Real Techniques brushes (including two for the eyes, and three for the face), all featuring the fan-voted ‘Berlin’ design.
Here’s the full rundown of the brushes included in the Real Techniques Your Picks Berlin Set:
- Buffing Brush: Ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation
- Contour Brush: Delicately applies highlighter or contour to create sheer, soft-focus finish
- Stippling Brush: 2 bristle types and lengths distribute product for a feathery finish
- Deluxe Crease Brush: Soft, oversized design for effortless contouring
- Base Shadow Brush: Applies a smooth, flawless foundation of color
The winning, Berlin-inspired design featured on each brush handle takes inspiration from the city’s street art scene – specifically the graffiti, murals, and paintings produced by street artists and painters from all around the world.
Real Techniques Your Picks Berlin Review
My experience with Real Techniques is somewhat limited – so far I’ve only tried out their Expert Face Brush (which I absolutely love, by the way – it’s super soft and effortlessly blends cream and powder products). Needless to say, I was anxious to try out this new set – it seemed like the perfect intro to Real Techniques’ full range of makeup brushes. I ended up using all five to apply my makeup today (and even experimented a bit with their applications). Here are my thoughts and mini-review of each brush.
Base Shadow Brush – First up is the Base Shadow Brush. I used this brush to apply my eyeshadow and was surprised at how well it picks up pigment and quickly packs it on the lid. It’s also incredibly versatile – the size and shape work well for all over lid application, as well as applying shadow in the crease and outer v thanks to its somewhat flattened shape. (It’s very similar to the MAC 217 and Sigma E25 blending brushes, only a bit fluffier.)
Deluxe Crease Brush – Next up is the second eye brush in the set – the Deluxe Crease Brush. This is my absolute favorite brush in this set – I use it everyday! Within seconds, it effortlessly blends out shadows in the crease (however, because it is quite large, it doesn’t work well for direct application). I also use this for applying both mineral and cream concealers – the rounded dome shape fits perfectly under the eyes, around the nose, and other smaller areas for spot concealing (plus it’s dense enough to not only use for applying products, but also blending).
Stippling Brush – The stippling brush is surprisingly dense (much denser than the MAC 187), making it great for a sheer, all-over liquid foundation application, using both powders and liquids. It’s also small enough that you can use it for applying/blending cream and powder products on the cheeks (my favorite use for it).
Buffing Brush – The Buffing Brush is dome shaped and actually very similar to Real Techniques’ Expert Face Brush – only this one is a little bit larger and rounder. It’s quite firm and dense, and blends and buffs powders in beautifully – blushes, foundations, etc. (And though I haven’t tried it yet, I’ve heard it works amazingly well for applying liquid foundation too.)
Contour Brush – Finally, the Contour Brush is a smaller domed brush that fits perfectly under the cheekbones. It’s a bit flimsy however, and not the easiest to control when it comes to precise contour application, or even blending. Instead, I find that it works best for creating a very soft and diffused contour using powders. But my personal favorite way to use this is for highlighting – the size, shape, and fluffiness makes it perfect for creating a soft, natural glow.
Base Shadow Brush
Base Shadow Brush
Deluxe Crease Brush
Deluxe Crease Brush
Stippling Brush
Stippling Brush
Buffing Brush
Buffing Brush
Contour Brush
Contour Brush
Final Thoughts
Overall, if you’re on the lookout for a new brush set that has all the essentials, I would absolutely recommend grabbing this set! It gives you (almost) every type of brush you’d need to do a full-face look – including your foundation, concealer, contour, highlight, blush, and eyeshadow. And at only around $30, that brings each brush to around $6 a piece, which I think is a steal!
The Real Techniques Your Picks: Berlin Brush Set is available at Target for $29.99, and Amazon for around $24.
Have you tried brushes by Real Techniques?
What are your thoughts on this set? Will you be picking one up?
