Real techniques pointed foundation brush review

Real Techniques has been killing it at the beauty-tool game since 2011, but in my experience, the product category that stands out most from this (relatively new!) brand is its base makeup brushes. Not only are they high-quality brushes that come in fun and colorful shades, but they're also priced affordably. Case in point: the Point XL brush. This large tapered brush knocks it out of the ballpark with regard to blendability, softness, and value.

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Top critical review
From the United States
Is the Real Techniques foundation brush good?
What is a pointed foundation brush for?
What do you use a pointed makeup brush for?
What is a pointed crease brush used for?

While most brushes in my collection have one or two uses, this multipurpose tool serves quite a few purposes. In fact, in order to take full advantage of my opportunity to test this big, badass brush, I spent a week using it in a variety of ways to see whether it worked wonders for all sorts of formulas, applications, and occasions. I used it with my BB cream, my blush, a bronzer I was also testing, a highlighting palette when I went a little over-the-top with my contouring for an evening — the list goes on, but you get the gist. I put it through the wringer, folks.

The verdict: Bless this brush. The Real Techniques Point XL brush seamlessly blends foundation, expertly adds bronzer, and mixes my favorite combo of sunscreen plus foundation. While the bristles are really soft, they are dense and don't feel flimsy at all, so the finish that my base makeup gets after I blend it with this brush is similar to the results I've had with a conventional makeup sponge. (Just be sure not to load liquid makeup too far into the bristles or it will get stuck toward the base and make it pretty gross over time. I've made this mistake before with densely bristled brushes!)

Another product it works great with for daily use: powder. This brush delicately dusts translucent powder in a way that leaves my skin looking velvety rather than dusty or dry, which has always been one of my biggest concerns when I'm using powder to set my look. Just one more reason I'm officially adding this tool to my day-to-day beauty arsenal.

I bought this set after purchasing the Real Techniques Stippling Brush and Expert Face brush. (I have reviews on both of those products as well, if you'd like to view those too!)

I fell in love with the first two brushes I purchased from this brand, so I knew I just had to have the Core set. The Buffing brush in this set is my absolute favorite brush!! I have not found another buffing brush with the quality this one has! It is so soft on my sensitive skin, and picks up pressed and loose powders perfectly! They sit easily on the top of the brush without falling down next to the ferrule, which makes cleaning super easy! I have not had any shedding at all with this brush and I use it daily, as well as doing 'Sanitary Cleanings' Daily. (Using a makeup cleaning spray to spray bristles, and then wiping on tissue to get product I just used off.) I also deep clean/shampoo my brushes once a week, sometimes twice depending on what products I use, and I still have not witnessed any shedding and I have had this set for quite awhile!

The Contour Brush is my second favorite in this set. The length and shape of the bristles are perfect for what it's intended use is. Again; these soft, plush, synthetic bristles pick product up easily and truly make for a beautiful finish. Cleaning this brush, is also super easy! No shedding so far with this brush either! As well as contouring with this brush, I also like to use it for highlighting. It's the perfect shape for highlighting under my eyes, above my brow, and on the tops of my cheeks! I use this brush with powder and creme bronzers and/or highlighters!

My third fave brush in this set is the detailer brush (the smallest brush). I use this brush after I have applied my foundation to smooth my liquid out under my eyes, so it wont settle into my wrinkles under eye; as well as the corners of my nose so my foundation doesn't look cakey in those tight corners. I clean this brush with my makeup brush sanitary cleaner (the spray/tissue method) daily. Since the brush is so small, I don't normally do deep cleanings because I don't dip the tips in any product, rather I just smooth the bristles over product in few areas of my face. You could also use this brush to apply lipsticks, as you would a lipstick brush. It's the perfect size for that if you have a lip compact vs an actual lipstick.

My least favorite brush is the foundation brush. To be honest, I haven't even used this brush at all yet. It just stays in the brush pouch. I have never seen a foundation brush that small! It is super small, more like a concealer brush than a foundation brush. I guess I don't too much mind though, since I don't apply my foundation with those kind of brushes. I like to use UD's Optical Blurring Brush. (It's ahhh-mazing for liquid foundations!) So, this poor lil guy just sits in the pouch until I can find some use for it, or maybe if one of my friends wants it.

All, in all, I do love Real Techniques brushes! It comes with a pouch, that you can use to sit upright on your counter (Like in the picture of the product), but I've never used it that way. It doesn't really seem practical. I have other ways of storing brushes, like in vanity cups, or my acrylic vanity organizers. So, like the foundation brush, the pouch is hidden away and doesn't get used either. Another good point to mention about these brushes is the way they are made. They all are pretty round and have a big base with a flat bottom, so when you are applying your makeup and switch to another brush, you can sit the brush upright on your counter and don't have to lay it flat. This is good if you plan on using the brush again during the same makeup application so you don't have to lay it down with product on and get bacteria, dirt, etc onto the bristles and put it back on your face. Yuk! Who wants that? All the brushes are also labeled on the handles so you will never forget what kind of brush it is, and they also have Samantha Chapman's beautiful signature on the handle in pretty writing. The colors of the brushes are very beautiful as well! I love the bright golds, pinks, and purples! It makes for a great makeup brush collection!

One unfortunate thing about this set is that you can NOT buy these brushes separately! Big Frown! I would love to have a couple more of the Buffing Brushes and another Contour brush. Unfortunately, if I want another one, I would have to buy the whole set again. This means another pouch and ridiculously small foundation brush hiding in my drawer. But, I guess it's good marketing done by Real Techniques...more money, right?!

There are many more brushes I anticipate on trying from this line because I have fallen so deeply in love with the ones I have. Honestly, these brushes are high end quality, with a Wal-Mart budget! *wink wink* I highly recommend Real Techniques to all my friends, family, and whomever is reading this! You wont regret it! Your makeup brush collection will thank you, as well as your face!!

xoxo J.McCranie

Top critical review

3.0 out of 5 starsiffy 3 Stars

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2013

I couldn't decide whether to give this two stars or three stars because just to be honest, I regret buying it. I do not recommend this collection at all. The only brush I use is the buffing brush.

-The foundation brush is literally a joke, I threw it in my cabinet and haven't seen it since.

-The bronzing brush (which I was most excited about aside from the buffing) is not used for bronzing. I feel that this brush is to wide and big to get a precise bronze just in the hollows of my cheeks. You can see my review for e.l.f. Cosmetics Blushing, Bronzing and Blending Brush which is what I use every day for bronzing. The only thing I use the RT bronzing brush for is to highlight which works pretty well.

-The detailer brush is what I use for concealing very small spots. I use it with my green concealer as I have to be very precise. It's super tiny so blending takes forever.

-Last but not least, the only reason this collection gets 3 stars is the buffing brush. I love this brush. I was previously using the RT stippling brush for my foundation but this brush is worlds better. I feel like it conforms to my face whereas the stippling is really stiff. The buffing brush gives such a great finish with my liquid foundation and application is a breeze. I REALLY love it. However, the RT expert face brush is almost the exact same brush, and I have actually heard many say they prefer this brush over the buffing.

All that being said, the expert face brush is like $9 which I would have rather gotten than this set for $18. The only reason I use the other brushes is to justify my buying them, I have many brushes that do the same thing.. So knowing what I know now, I would buy the expert face brush for half the price and not end up with practically useless brushes that take up space.

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From the United States

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2014

I bought this set after purchasing the Real Techniques Stippling Brush and Expert Face brush. (I have reviews on both of those products as well, if you'd like to view those too!)

xoxo J.McCranie

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2014

Detailer Brush - Smallest brush in the kit. I use this brush to apply lip tar and sometimes concealer. It's nice. It has a pointy end for very precise application.

Pointed Foundation Brush - Nah. Out of the entire range of RT brushes, this is one of the ones I've used the least. It's really small. I feel it's way too small for foundation. It's more of a specialized kind of brush that could be used for getting foundation in a tricky place, applying highlighter, applying concealer, or possibly blending. I don't use this brush at all.

Buffing Brush - I use this brush every day. I use it to apply foundation, powder, powder foundation, bronzer, blush, highlighter, contour, or to just blend away edges. Extremely versatile and a good size.

Contour Brush - I use this a few times a month. It's great for contouring under the jaw, but I find it too fluffy to contour my cheeks, nose, forehead, or chin. It does the job, but I prefer using my Becca paddle brush to contour, and my RT buffing brush to blend it.

Panoramic 2-in-1 brush case/stand - Meh, I tossed this because I found it a pain to use. I didn't like that it was always open and that my brushes weren't sealed off from the outside environment when the case was closed. I would prefer if they came in a case like the Sigma brushes, or if they included a cute little bag to keep them in, but that's just me. I don't like having to put each brush back into a specific place, and I feel like this gets dirty and isn't easy to clean.

I've had the full set of these brushes since they first launched in 2012. Since getting them, I've used at least three of them every single day. That's two years of constant use, and they look and preform the same way they did the day I received them. Since getting the full line of these, I have not purchased a single new brush. My old mac brushes lay untouched in the back of my drawer. Not to mention that just one Mac brush costs as much as the whole set of these ones. Did I mention that you can now buy these at Walmart?

These brushes are superior to animal hair brushes in every way. They are cruelty free. They are extremely easy to clean-- I timed myself, and I can wash twenty brushes in seven minutes. They do not get stained. I purposely didn't clean red OCC Lip Tar off of my lip brush for a month, and the lip tar came off as easily as any other product. (I use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Body Wash or just regular Equate hand soap to clean mine.) They don't hold any funky smells or bacteria after washing, since the bristles aren't porous, unlike animal hair bristles. For the same reason, they dry off very fast. My RT face brush takes about 30 minutes to dry if I leave it damp on a washcloth, and I can dry it almost completely in a few seconds if I rub the brush against a sham. I've cleaned and dried my brushes right before using them to do my makeup regularly. My mac brushes take hours (sometimes days) to dry completely, even if I wipe them against a sham first. Another advantage of the non-porous bristles is that you don't have to condition them. After washing animal hair brushes, you are supposed to condition them with an oil or conditioner so they stay soft and don't get brittle. If you don't, your brushes will start shedding. The RT brushes don't need to be conditioned, and they don't shed.

Then, they are soft. Softer than animal hair. They pick up product and dispense it with ease. Product doesn't linger in the brush nearly as much it does on animal hair brushes, which lets me use less product. Truly a pleasure to use and apply makeup with. My one small gripe is that sometimes product can get stuck on the black grip part of these brushes, but that is hardly an issue since it cleans right off. They just might look a bit dirty after rolling around in your makeup bag.

These are so durable and have held up better than any brush I've ever had before. As I said before, I've been using them for two years already and they look and feel the same way they did the day I got them. I'm sure that they will last for years to come. I would give these to a friend. I would repurchase. Affordable, durable, just a great product. These would be a great gift to anyone that wears makeup. I would recommend these over any other brush on the market. I feel that this is a truly superior product in every way.

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016

I read a few tutorials about applying mineral makeup, and the real techniques buffing brush (which is one of the brushes included in this set) kept getting mentioned over and over and over again. After a few days of debating, I caved and bought this brush set so I could try the buffing brush out for myself with my mineral makeup.

Upon opening the package, the first thing you notice is that 3 out of 4 of these brushes are VERY soft. I just wanted to run my fingers through them all day they were so soft - think faux rabbit fur softness. I haven't experienced much, if any, shedding from any of these brushes, which is a huge plus. No one wants stray brush hairs sticking in their makeup.

The concealer/detailer brush is quite stiff, which I think would make it good for use with a liquid concealer, or foundation, to give full coverage over spots you want to hide. However, with mineral and powder foundations, I felt it didn't do much for me in the way of coverage, and the stiff bristles just kind of poked me in the skin rather than allowing me to properly conceal anything with the brush.

The buffing brush, which was the entire reason I purchased this set, performed really well at covering my face with medium coverage, but I still wasn't able to get full coverage like I kept seeing from Bare Minerals tutorials. I think part of this is the fault of my pure minerals foundation, and not entirely the fault of the brush itself. If I end up splurging for real Bare Minerals, I'll update this review with how the brush applies genuine bare minerals foundation.

The contour brush is full but not dense, which makes it easy to apply the perfect amount of blush and not turn you into a clown. It also seems like it would work well for bronzer/contouring for this same reason, but so far I have only used it for applying blush.

I haven't really found a use for the pointed foundation brush. I'm not one to really ever use pointed foundation brushes as they usually end up making me look streaky. If anyone has any recommendations for how they've been able to use this brush successfully, I'd love to hear them in a reply to this review.

One thing I really like is that the white bristles on the ends of each of these brushes make them easy to clean. This means you can always tell if there's still a bit of makeup left on them while you're washing them. Compared to my previous black-bristled brushes, I like knowing for sure that all the makeup is gone when I'm done washing my brushes, rather than just hoping that since the water's running clear, the brush must be clean.

I bought this set 3 months ago, so I'm not sure how long it will last, but as of now all the brushes still look brand new. Overall, this brush set is definitely worth the money and I hope it will last me for a long time to come.

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Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2013

Do I sound a little over the top? Maybe. But these brushes for the cost of just $15 for 4 are a STEAL. First of all, lets talk quality. They are HIGH QUALITY synthetic brushes. I've washed and dried them properly over a dozen times without any shedding or quality loss. And the brush case? Convenient!!! Doubles as a stand? GENIUS. The ferrule is covered, making the design attractive and no more wobbly ferrules!!! Also they are lightweight and feels like a quality product in your hand. I'm going to go over the pro's and cons of each brush.

Contour Brush - I use this mainly for highlighter but can work very well as a contour brush with bronzer. Love how it picks up my powder highlighter and it's very easy and precise to apply.

Foundation Brush - Way too tiny for foundation! If you use for foundation (which I've done once) it spreads it nice and soft but it will take you all day. So I recommend you use this for concealer which by the way works great. Since these bristles are synthetic, they also don't soak up product which means more product will end up on your face and less wasted on the brush.

Detailer Brush - I don't have much use for this brush except to highlight the corners of my eyes or lipstick. It also can conceal small areas. All in all, good to have!

Buffer Brush - If this set only came with this ONE BRUSH, it would be worth it!!! This brush is OMG that good. So if you go on YouTube and search for "Real Techniques Buffer Brush" you will find lots of people reviewing it and using it FOR FOUNDATION. Whaaaat? You may say? Yes, foundation. Don't knock it until you try it! I was skeptical, but used once and have been hooked ever since! Why is it that good? Because the super soft bristles BUFFS the foundation into your skin as you apply and gives an airbrushed appearance. You can also sort of stipple on product and then buff. Work in small areas especially with drugstore foundation which in my opinion covers well but dries fast. You can also use this for mineral foundation, cream foundation and blush. It's a multi-tasker!

I added other Real Techniques to my collection - such as the "Expert Face Brush" and "Stippling Brush" but I keep going back to the buffer brush!

Bottom line - high quality, great value. Great as presents too! You will NOT regret this purchase!!!

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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013

I was in the market for new makeup brushes, and in the 15 years since I last bought my set of MAC brushes, their prices have gone up exponentially...out of my price range. So, I did my research, looking for makeup brushes that were excellent quality, were a nice weight in my hands, didn't shed, were affordable, and were attractive. I knew I could always buy a case, but if the new brushes came in a nice case, that would be a bonus. Everything I read put Real Techniques in the top 5 brands for the things that I was searching for. So I bought this set, the Travel Essentials Set, and a Stippling Brush. When they came (in a timely manner!), I washed them with brush shampoo and let them air dry, prior to first use. 24 hours later I put the brushes to the test, and they EXCEEDED my expectations! Well constructed brushes in well made cases (I can even easily fit the Stippling Brush in the Core Essentials case!), the quality is exceptional, there's no shedding (I use them daily, and spritz them with Brush Cleaner after each, then gently wipe dry), they feel very nice in my hands, and they are beautiful to boot! For the price, you just can't beat these brushes. I'll be back to buy the set for the eyes, and that will complete my set! I've had them now for a few weeks and they have not disappointed me at all! I have not had one brush shed even a little, and they hold their shape! DO NOT GET SEDUCED BY THE "35 BRUSH SETS FOR $17!"! Most of us, who wear makeup regularly use roughly 12-13 brushes...so I bought what I needed, paid only a little more than those cheap sets that contain too many brushes to keep track of, let alone use, and got EVERYTHING I WANTED!! As an extra plus, the official website has tutorials on how to use each brush, and how to achieve certain looks with makeup. I don't normally use these, but I had no idea how to use a Stippling Brush (I just knew that it was for foundation, and used to achieve the "airbrushed" look), so I watched that tutorial, and I'm so glad I did! I really do have that airbrushed look now, AND I use less foundation (about 3/4 less than I had with a flat foundation brush)!! Thank you Real Techniques!!!!

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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2014

These set of brushes is great for beginners and for other makeup artist out there. It is cheap and affordable and great quality. I'll review each brush on it's own.

The first brush I will review is the buff brush (it might not be called that but it is the brush on the far right in the picture). It is very similar to a dense flat top kabuki brush and I use this more for my foundation for a more natural feel/affect. I find this brush is amazing for all the different foundations out there. The dense brush helps the foundation buff into the skin better making the foundation blend better and look more natural.

The concealer brush is smaller than normal concealer brushes that are offered at sephora and other brands. However, I live the size because the amount of control it gives making it easier to get into the creases or spot treating a certain area. I think it does the best to make it easier to blend and mix the right shade in a concealer palette.

The foundation brush is not my most favorite because like I said I use the the buffing brush more for foundation purposes. This brush is still great because the tip makes it easy to blend near your eye and making sure you are able to get the foundation is the smallest spots.

Last is the dome shape brush. This brush I usually use for powder, bronzer, and blush. The angle that the dome brush gives makes it easier to slip under the hollows of your cheek to help contour your cheekbones which makes it a good brush to use your bronzer. The size of the brush helps you to not make your application like you are striping color onto your face and makes it easier to blend. I guess if you want to make application quicker I guess you can use a powder brush but I think that this brush can do that as well.

The brushes did not shed when I cleaned them and I've been using it for quite some time. If you take even better car I am sure that they will last even longer

This is my own personal thoughts I am not a makeup artist or makeup expert, this is my experience when handling these brushes.

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Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2013

This set includes 4 brushes, all made with soft Taklon bristles. The brushes are sturdy and wash well.

- Buffing Brush: I love this brush for BB cream and Tinted Moisturizer. - Foundation Brush: This flat foundation brush is tiny. I don't use it for foundation. I sometimes use this for concealer, although I prefer the flat brush in the travel set for that purpose. - Detailer Brush: Nice little brush if you have extra time. I use it to apply stick concealer to cover blemishes and to add extra concealer to the small spaces around my nose. This is great for detail work. However, I don't use it that much since I usually apply stick concealer directly to my face. - Contouring brush: This can be used for highlighter. It's nice but not something I use every day. It's too small for bronzer and I don't always use highlighter. - Case: The case is too small for travel or for at home use. I use far too many brushes for this case and they simply won't fit.

Why only 4.5 stars? Not every brush is an every day brush and the case is useless. I wish you could buy the Buffing Brush separately as that is hands down the most useful brush in the set. However, since I also frequently use the Contouring brush, I think the set is worth the money.

Update: It is now September 2015, so I've had this set for 2 years. I use 2 of the 4 brushes in this kit. I haven't used the detailer brush in at least a year. Same with the foundation brush. The buffing brush is still good for tinted moisturizer. I don't use it much, but I do use it and like it. The star of this set is actually the contour brush! I use that brush virtually every day to blend in concealer. It really is perfect for that purpose! I wish I used more of the brushes, but for the price 2 out of 4 isn't that bad!

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Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2013

I'm very happy with these brushes. I have only ever used cheaper brushes (and never natural hair) so I don't have a ton of experience to compare these to, but I find them to be very satisfactory. I wish all the handles tapered a little more, but they're designed to stand up so they are fat all the way down. They get a little bulky in my brush cup for this reason- especially since I have a couple other large RT brushes. All of those big bases take up a lot of room. The brushes wash well and I have not lost a single hair in 5 or so washings. I use the contouring brush for contouring and blush (I need to get the blush brush stat!); I use the flat foundation brush for concealer because it is tiny, I use the detail brush for lips or spot concealer, depending, and I use the buffing brush to smooth and blend everything out. I think the brushes are a little odd looking by themselves but once I added the eye set and a couple others, they all look cute together.

The case is super useless, so I laugh when people point out how great it is in video reviews. It sucks. The only time it would be good is if you're traveling, but a standard case would work just as well because the stand is lame. It's a good concept but the brushes are really hard to remove from the elastic, especially with their rubberized bases; the case is flimsy, cheap and lightweight, and it would be a PITA to put each brush back in the elastic. However, I have discovered that people will actually buy these cases on ebay. So I was able to make a bit of money back on each of the sets I have (this one and the eye set). The case concept might be a good idea in heavy leather with better quality elastic- then you wouldn't have to hold down the case to pull each brush out.

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Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2012

If you're like me and don't wear a lot of make-up, you can get by with this set alone. I don't use the brushes as they are labeled - and to be honest, I'd never heard of Pixiwoo on YouTube when I bought these, I just wanted a set of soft brushes. I've purchased many brush sets over the years, both expensive natural hair and synthetics, and these brushes are the softest by far.

Buffing Brush: So thick and plush! I have very sensitive skin and I can buff and buff my SSC minerals in, and no irritation at all. And sometimes when I use a cream to powder foundation, I spritz the end of the brush lightly w/water, dip the brush into the foundation - WOW! My face looks like it's been air-brushed.

Contour Brush: I use this for my blush 99% of the time, and the few times I use a highlighter above my cheekbone.

Pointed Foundation Brush: I only do two-shade neutral eyes, so I use this one for the lid eye-shadow.

Detailer Brush: This is "supposed" to be used as a concealer brush or a lipstick brush, but I use this one to apply a pearlescent highlighter on my brow bone.

I've washed them several times and they still look good as new, and I've yet to see any shedding.

The only thing I'm disappointed with is the case. It doesn't stand up all that easily (you pull a cord and fold it over, similar to a drawstring you'd have on the bottom of an anorak jacket). After only 2 months, the elastic bands have stretched - pockets to store the brushes would have been better.

Is the Real Techniques foundation brush good?

This brush is amazing! I use it for applying my liquid foundation and I love it. It allows me to apply my foundation effortlessly and it blends really well.

What is a pointed foundation brush for?

The Pointed Foundation brush features a tapered brush head for precise application, perfect for concealing, highlighting, and contouring. Ideal for use with liquid, cream or powder foundation products - can be used with wet or dry products.

What do you use a pointed makeup brush for?

GREAT FOR HIGHLIGHT & CONTOUR: The distinctive tapered point easily sweeps on targeted color, perfect for highlighting, defining, sculpting, and contouring.

What is a pointed crease brush used for?

Find and define the crease of your eyes easily with this uniquely shaped brush. The pointy shape allows you to use this brush to pack pigments to your lids or add glitters to the inner corner of the eyes.