Real Techniques Bold Metals Cosmetic Brushes Review
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I’m no beauty expert but I think I’m like many women who are either at a point where they want to wear make-up or need to wear it or just want to learn more about how to put it on and get the look they want. Also what cosmetic brushes should you use, what brand and so much more. For me I only started to wear foundation the last few years because when I turned the magical 40 it brought along with it the lovely roseacea. I can get some red bumps that itch and of course always show up in the most annoying places, you know what I mean, it’s like those nasty pimples or just anything that shows up on our face that we don’t want to be there.
Say hello to my MUST HAVE brand of cosmetic brushes Real Techniques. How did I ever live without them these last few years?
One of my learning moments in this journey from going from never wearing foundation to finding the perfect foundation is that I’ve learned the importance of having an arsenal of good quality cosmetic brushes! I owe this discovery in large part to London Drugs, one of my all time favourite stores since I was a kid! I learned about the brand Real Techniques at a recent London Drugs event and it’s like a light bulb lit above my head.
Well gee you mean I don’t have to have the bristles of the cosmetics brushes be left behind all over my face after I apply make-up, who knew? Okay okay I did know but seriously I didn’t know where to start as I never made the time to look into something as simple as the cosmetics brushes. When I saw and touched these brushes I was surprised at how soft they were and I was told the bristles would not come off. I love that you can see how much make-up is on the brush before you put it on your face.
If you’re a total newbie like I was here’s a bit about this brand Real Techniques”
Samantha and Nicola Chapman grew up surrounded by makeup. Their aunt was a top makeup artist in London, working with clients like David Bowie and Princess Diana. Their mum was makeup-involved too, always trying out the latest trends and being creative with her looks. As young girls, they experimented on one another, and of course Nic was the test subject, since Sam was the older sister. When it came time to choose their career path, it was clear that makeup artistry was the way to go. They were talented, creative, and keen to follow in the footsteps of their successful aunt. But, most importantly — they were passionate about beauty.
In 2011, the Real Techniques brush collection was launched. Unbelievable brush quality was paired with professional, interesting, fun education from Sam and Nic. Today, the brand has taken off in the US, UK, and around the world. Sam and Nic continue to grow as top makeup artists, writing columns for national magazines and newspapers, appearing on major network television as beauty experts, and editing their own digital magazine. Through Real Techniques, women everywhere are transforming their makeup routines, and themselves, with the approachable expertise, friendship, and tools from Sam & Nic.
I love these Real Techniques Bold Metals cosmetic brushes because they are soft on my sensitive skin, the bristles stay on the brush, the handles are easy to hold on to and you can just feel the premium quality of the brushes. They help me, the newbie put on her foundation, blush and more on smoothly and with ease. They live up to the goal of the line to deliver amazing results.
- Tapered tips for advanced pick-up and buildable finish
- Tapered handles easily slide out of pro brush belts
Weighted handles engineered for optimal control + comfort
Strong brass ferrules for maximum durability - White bristles show exactly how much makeup is on brush before application
Refined artistry cuts offer high performance for ultimate application of makeup
The Real Techniques cosmetic brushes I received from London Drugs are now the only cosmetic brushes I’m using. As you can see below you can see how much make-up goes on the brush.
Don’t worry I’m not such a newbie that I don’t know to clean the brushes 😉 in fact that’s the other part I’d like to share, how easy these are to clean and how well they clean. I’ve had other brushes after I tried to clean them they either fell apart or were stiff, no matter what I did. With these ones I just washed them with a bit of gentle baby shampoo, rinsed and air dried. They’re good to go the next day.
In case you’re wondering how well these brushes clean take a look below, they were washed the same day I took the picture above. They were dried the next morning and still as soft as ever.
BEFORE BEING CLEANED
AFTER BEING CLEANED
Monica says
These brushes not only sound great quality wise, but are also so pretty! Thanks for the eview
Amber B says
Wow! I’m amazed at how easily/how much these brushes get cleaned off. I’ve started to use brushes more this year and I need to try a foundation brush! I’m always worried about how the foundation will apply or how much it will dirty the brush but I see now that there is no reason to worry 🙂 I’ve also heard nothing but good things from this brand.
Elizabeth Companion says
They look so high quality!
Ana Sculschi says
I like that they’re really soft and very easy to clean.
Tracy Rafuse says
Wow ,I learned so much here like how soft the bristles are and how they don’t fall out and I like the fact of the handle being tapered,seems like a really good bunch of brushes
Crystal Porter says
They do actually look quite soft.
Julie bolduc says
I learned how to clean my makeup brush with baby shampoo I find this very cool
elizabeth says
thanks for the review and the tips on cleaning brushes. i love the white bristles, as you mentioned, it makes it so much easier to clean as you can see just how much makeup and residue is left on them.
elizabeth says
thanks for the review and the tips on cleaning brushes. i love the white bristles. as you mentioned, it makes cleaning so much easier as you can see just how much makeup or residue is left on the bristles.
elizabeth says
Ive tried many brushes before and they were not so good. So its always good to see reviews before i buy. Thank you
Laurie B says
They are some great shades of colors. Unbelievable how well the brushes cleaned up.
carrie l says
love how easy they are to clean!
Shirlee White says
So very informative. Nice to see that these brushes have been tried and tested with a positive review. I appreciated the cleanliness response as this is significant to me . Bring it on. I want these brushes
Catherine R. says
It’s hard to find good makeup brushes at a reasonable price. Thanks for the review and the cleaning tip.
S. Jackson says
I learned to clean the brushes just wash them with a bit of gentle baby shampoo, rinsed and air dried.
Powered by Mom says
yep that’s exactly how I clean mine 🙂
Kimberly B says
I could really use a good set of makeup brushes and these look wonderful! Thanks for the cleaning tip my old brushes are dark and I can’t really tell if I’ve cleaned them well or not.
Nancy J Montgomery says
Thanks for the lesson on how to properly clean brushes.
Luminous Angel says
I love that they are so easy to clean – saves money on buying more brushes!
Judy Cowan says
These sound like really good brushes. I don’t use make-up so really don’t know much about brushes but I know my sister is always looking to find good brushes, will have to tell her to check these out.
Caryn Coates says
I love the fact that the white bristles show how much makeup is actually on the brush and how easy they are to clean.
Darrah Bailey says
I wasnt really aware of the importance of a great make up brush set
Gina Bergman says
love seeing how easy they r to clean!
Brenda Luo says
I think its great that you mentioned that they are tapered. Don’t tend to find many makeup brushes that are like this
Angela Mitchell says
I’ve seen these brushes before but I haven’t had the opportunity to try them out. London Drugs is one my favourite stores as well –they have such a great selection of beauty products and some great sales.
Sean M says
Now that my daughter has read this, she wants these brushes. Too bad London Drugs is a Western Canada store
Powered by Mom says
Hey Sean, you can order online with London Drugs anywhere in Canada as mentioned 🙂 If you’re in the US you can get the brushes from: https://realtechniques.com/ cheers.
Lori JB says
I learned the colour was important to be able to tell how much makeup you are using. Also how easily these clean,
Cahley Tod-Tims says
I learned that the bristles are white so that you can see how much product is on them.
kim walker says
I am always watching you tube tutorials on make up application, good brushes are so important, glad I now know which ones to buy 🙂
lisa neutel says
so good to know they are soft –i hate stiff and hard brushes ..also love that they are easy to clean
Viv Sluys says
I’m new to brushes as well. It’s nice to know these are soft and also that they are easy to clean.
jane kramer says
i learned that White bristles show exactly how much makeup is on brush, i never really thought about that before ,i always had black bristles on my brushes .
VanessaB says
I did not think makeup brushes could clean so well! The pictures helped so much!
Jessica M walker says
Love how easy they are to clean. Thanks for the great review.
Doreen Lamoureux says
I see there are many positives to the brush. My most important thing is that the bristles stay on the brush. Great review. I really appreciate it.
michelle matta says
I learned alot from this review as I am very much a makeup newbie having veered away from wearing it for the past 8 or so years while my health declined. Facing a new era of returned health, I need to learn makeup tricks over again. This review has taught me that a good makeup brush does not lose its bristles on your face or in your makeup. They should be soft, easyto clean, and in a variety of tapered shapes for different purposes.
Stephanie W. says
Wow, I had no idea London Drugs brushes would wash up so beautifully! I’ll definitely be picking a few up!
409cope says
I like that these brushes are soft and so easy to clean. I have to look for these.
jessica e says
I like that the white bristles show the amount of makeup picked up!
dyot says
This confirmed my impression of the brand — high quality, good value.
Tamara M says
Those brushes are amazing! I love how easily washable they are, you can really make them last!
Amber Y says
I’ve been way more into make up recently than i ever was and I’m also learning about many wonderful products and accessories along the way. I think Real Techniques is a great brand and I’m happy that London drugs carries their products!
Donnas says
I’ve had my make-up brushes for a while yet. They clean easily but my daughter has commented that my foundation looked streaky. It’s time to buy new brushes. I’d love to try these brushes but there isn’t a London Drugs where I live. I do like that the bristles on these brushes are white so it’s easier to control the amount of product being applied.
Allie fAllie f says
All this time and I never knew brushes need to be cleaned! Thanks for this advice.
Debbie W says
I like that these brushes are gentle to sensitive skin. I admire the different shapes, great for contouring.
diana says
that the brushes clean easily with baby shampoo
Jim says
I learned brushes need to be cleaned
Debbie says
I learned that the brushes have tapered tips
Kim K says
I never realized that cosmetic brush bristles could be an irritant to the skin. I like that you have reported that the brushes are soft and gentle on sensitive skin. I also like how clean the brushes were after cleaning.
Rene says
I too am nearing forty and have a lot of redness. I have decided to start wearing ‘real’ makeup and these brushes look great. I am worried about putting too much product on, so these seem a good fit!
Amy C says
I learned that the brushes cleaned really well.
Athena says
They are good for sensitive skin, which is important
Silvia D says
I like that the bristles and soft and gentle and learned that they have Weighted handles engineered for optimal control + comfort
naiddia p says
I learned how to clean my makeup brush with baby shampoo.
lori b says
i like that the bristles will not fall out, I have not tried this brand before and would like to.
Angela Poplar says
Wow! There are so many brushes that all perform in different ways…here I was just using a shadow and blush brush…now that I’m getting older I needed a little more help to step up my “game” . Interesting article! Thanks for the read!
Lee-Ann says
I am 45 and I really need to start stepping up my game when it comes to makeup. I have been contemplating buying some brushes and your review has been very helpful. I am glad to hear that the bristles stay on the brush and not the face. As well, I can’t believe from the photo how clean they are after washing – definitely a plus for me!
joy says
i would love to get some of these brushes for my teen daughter — i liked reading about the importance of cleaning makeup brushes – i think this is often forgotten and needs to be reiterated!
Amy Heffernan says
WOW! They look and sound great to use!
Debbie Bashford says
I like that they have weighted handles engineered for optimal control + comfort.
Angela Massis says
I would love a set of great make up brushes. These look fabulous and I too have sensitive skin. I definitely want to get more out of a few of these. My daughter and her friends are all into contouring and highlighting and I want to achieve those great looks too.
Glogirl says
I learned that these brushes are soft and their bristles won’t fall out. I like that they clean so well. They look brand new after cleaning!
ginette4 says
Can you imagine having your aunt work on David Bowie or Lady Diana..oh my gosh, talk about amazing! Glad to hear that cleaning them doesn’t break them down..nothing more maddening than trying to clean brushes and they fall apart.
Doris Calvert says
The good set of brushes I have the brush is black, makes sense they are white to see how much is in the brush!!
Francine says
These look like great, high quality brushes!
Jesse LaPaire says
My wife only has one brush in her arsenal and I have been telling her to not feel bad about spending a bit more cash if she needs anything. I had her read this article. She will be heading out this week to pick some up haha.
Powered by Mom says
lol good for you and her 🙂
Darwin says
My wife has so many brushes and she always says how important it is to clean and dry them properly every 3 months.
Cheryl says
Nothing beats a good set of makeup brushes!! So worth the investment. I need new ones thanks for the review I will check thee out 🙂
Travelbuds says
I don’t wear much makeup and don’t have any fancy brushes to apply what I do wear. I often wondered if the brush made a difference and now I know. I might invest in a few good brushes and see if it helps me apply what little makeup I wear. Thanks for the tips.
Juliee Fitze says
Thanks for the review learnt a lot about the brushes and can’t wait to try them out. Like they are white so you can see how much make up you have on them and they are easy to wash.
Josie says
ha! you can use baby shampoo to clean your brushes? I never knew that. Seems like such a simple and smart idea!
heather sibley says
I am a relative makeup newbie too so I like that these are easy to use and that they are white so you can tell when they are clean.
AD says
I was pulled into the world of make up kicking and screaming; I only apply it now when I go to the office or attending a fancy event. So my ability to apply make up is limited (I’ve had to take lessons); and the one thing I have learned is the importance of having good quality brushes. I loved your review because it was brief, succinct and to the point; covered all the things I look for in brushes like cleaning and how easy it is and how well the brushes stand up to that. Thanks.
Carey Hurst says
I always wanted to have a massive makeup kit . I like the look of the brushes and would look into these ones. Love that they clean beautifully .
Penny Schmidt says
don’t have to have the bristles of the cosmetics brushes be left behind all over my face after I apply make-up, who knew?
SueSueper says
These brushes sound like something I would choose, the softness is important.
dawn gordon says
i am a total newbie of brushes being used at all with foundation, i always used liquid foundation with a sponge..but i have seen powdered versions and im guessing the brushes could be used for that..
i also assumed the smaller ones were for eyeshadows…
Domenique says
I learned that you use baby shampoo to was brushes… cool1
Holly O'Gorman says
I learned that the brushes stay soft even after washing them.
Nicole Leger says
Looks like they are easy to clean. That is really important to me.
anna key says
Right now I’m using make up brushes that lose bristles all the time…I didn’t realize either that this wasn’t necessary! I love that they’re really durable and easy to clean!
Cloe St-Amour says
Love the fact that they are white since I apply a lot of dark colours and its hard to to determine how much is actually on the brush. Love how they look too! Very fancy!
Alison Braidwood says
I’ve recently acquired a good brush for applying mineral powder foundation. And it does make a huge difference if you have a good brush. I have a set for eyeshadow, but still tend to use the foam applicators that come with the shadows. Because I’m a bit impatient in the morning, and can’t be bothered to get the brushes out of their case :0
Wayne Couzens says
I must say that I know diddly about make-up but my wife always looks her best when we go out. I know that she was looking at these brushes when we were Christmas shopping. These brushes have the look of real quality and would last her a lifetime. Great contest Hope I can win these for her.
Sandy Couzens says
These Real Techniques brushes are Gorgeous !!!!! I have never had good quality make up brushes but now you have me feeling I need them in my life 🙂 You are right, when I wash mine the bristles are never the same. These look Brand New after you washed them. It’s probably like the difference in brushes of a good artist, they wouldn’t use Dollar Store paint brushes.. Thank you for this Fantastic Giveaway and Happy New Year !!!
Vicki Ho says
i’m impressed how well they cleaned up
Nicole B says
I love how they clean up so well! My brushes are so difficult to clean!
Kellyc says
I’m a newbie as well when it comes to using make up brushes. I like how easy they are to clean and the style is unique. I was also nervous about applying foundation and I realized that having the right tools help! Also keeping your oily fingers off your face is key… I would definitely buy. Thanks for your review!
KellyPC says
I love the metallic handles, so much nicer than the black plastic ones I’m using now & I love that the bristles are pale so you can tell if you’ve got them clean or not.
Daniela Plume says
I learned the brushes stay soft even after washing them. beautiful!
Jolie says
Love that metallic collection & I’ve been wanting to try them for a while. I have the other real techniques brushes and I’m happy to hear that this collection does not disappoint as well 🙂
Karla Sceviour says
oh,these sound like fabulous brushes!
Maggie C says
I love the metal handles of these brushes! Great to know they are soft — I love to see how they compare to the MAC brushes.
Belinda McNabb says
These like great quality brushes and so very easy to clean. thank you for sharing with us
Jenn says
These brushes look so pretty! Great to hear that they are actually great brushes as well! It makes me want them even more!
Christina Ferguson says
I learned that after cleaning the brushes they are just as soft as they were in the beginning which is very important to me as I have had to throw away brushes after cleaning them. After I have cleaned them they are hard and stiff. Love these brushes.
Scott says
My daughter would love these
Christina rogers says
Seeing the amount of color on the brush would be soo helpful….now I’m 42 I have realized that make up is applied differently than 20 yrs ago.. example less is more.
Susan Kinnear says
I am attempting to apply more make up. Presently. I only use mascara and lipstick. This set of brushes would certainly make it easier to get good results.
BlessedTA says
The colours
Brenda Penton says
I love the colour of them. I like that you can see how much you have on the brush, especially when it comes to blush or bronzer so you don’t go overboard.
Sara Rai says
I love the fact the white bristles show how much makeup is actually on the brush, so it is easier fpr the application.
Mia says
I never saw brushes that came out so clean so easily. I like to have quality brushes because it makes my foundation go on so much more smoothly.
Danielle says
I learned the bristles are sturdy and won’t fall out.
Dana Miller says
The Real Technique makeup brushes would inspire me to wear makeup more often. The tiny brushes that come in compacts are so hard to use and makeup goes on way to heavy. These brushes look very functional. I appreciate that the bristles are white so you can see how much makeup is on them before you apply, and also so you are reassured that they are clean. the bold metal handles appeal to me as well.
Tina L. says
I like how the bristles stay on the brush and that they are easy to clean.
Nena Sinclair says
I really need new brushes and these sound fantastic! I love how well they clean up!
DebP says
I like the emphasis on the softness of the bristles, but I find that I do need one or two that have a bit more body. Good review.
Sophia,M.,McConnery says
All in one set.Good idea.Stops you from having to search out all the different ones.
Debbie Petch says
The bristles are not likely to fall out and they are gentle on a sensitive skin.
Deborah D says
I could use these brushes.