Real Techniques Brush Review: Core Collection

Hello, friends! In my most recent "My Day" post, I mentioned going to Kohl's where I picked up some Real Techniques brushes to try. Through this entire week, I've been testing each brush out and I've come to a few conclusions to share with you today. Let's get started!

  The product I picked up was the Real Techniques: Core Collection. This set comes with four different brushes and a case/stand. It retails for about $17-20, but I purchased mine with a coupon for $13. You can find these brushes at your local drugstore, Target, Kohls, or Ulta. I'm sure other places have these brushes, as well. This product claims to give the face an airbrushed look in any lighting and to have ultra plush bristles. 
  I really like the packaging. The stems of the brushes have a matte, metallic orange color and seem to be very light. I was extremely impressed with how light these brushes felt. Overall, the bristles seems to be very soft and cushy. I also haven't noticed any fall out. After I cleaned them, I noticed that they dried rather quickly, indicating them to be mostly synthetic.
  The first brush the kit comes with is the "detailer brush", which can be used to spot conceal or to apply lipstick. The brush seems to be sturdy, useable, and does its job without any hassle. It's not especially magnificent, but it works.
  The second brush is the "pointed foundation brush". This can be used with liquid foundation. I find the pointed brush to be a tad to pointy-almost to a point where it hurts to use it. It could definitely be a lot softer. I also notice that for a foundation brush, the actual brush head is tiny. It's better suited for concealer that foundation, as it doesn't cover large areas of the face.
  The third brush in the set is the "buffing brush". This is supposed to be ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation. This brush seems to be a better fit for liquid foundation than powder. I used this with my foundation, and it blended the product flawlessly and seamlessly. I did apply powder with this, and it worked okay, but I'd rather use a bigger powder brush. 
  The final brush the set comes with is the "contour brush", used to apply high liter, blush, or bronzer. I find that it works well for all three, but it works especially well for applying concealer in large areas of the face. I'm sure it would work well for foundation, as well, because the bristles aren't too dense and can blend products well. 
  As for the case, it's well made, but I don't think I'll get much use of it. Overall, I really like the brushes and I'm happy I made the investment in these. I have favorites among the kit, but I think they're really good quality overall. If you are in need of new brushes, I would recommend getting these. You will definitely get your money's worth.

-Love Ling