Eyeshadow in One Sweep? Sorted.

You know me. I’m a low maintenance kinda girl when it comes to beauty (despite blogging about it 365 days a year). So if there’s a step I can dodge or a multi-tasking product that wipes out the need for another then I’m game. Gals who are low key in the eyeshadow department *raises hand*, meet the brush that sweeps colour over the lid in such a way that there’s no need for another to buff out the shade in the crease. It’s your one wash wonder eyeshadow’s new best friend…

Say hello to the Real Techniques Bold Metals 200 Oval Shadow Brush. When I first saw this I was a little perplexed. I don’t own any eyeshadow brushes that are as big in surface areas as this one and am used to using a MAC 242 to pack colour onto the lid and something like the MAC 217 to blend it out or add something deeper into the crease, but after some experimenting I’m converted. Bigger is most definitely better in this case.

I’m a big fan of what I like to dub ‘One Wash Wonders’. You know those shades where you don’t need anything else with them, one – because they look so good on their own and two – they do that whole duochrome thing where a bit of blending makes it look like a totally different eyeshadow. Some of my favourites include MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked and Patina and of course, Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley (which is one of only a handful of shadows that I’ve ever hit pan on). For colours like these the Oval Shadow Brush is the perfect partner. By loading up the colour on one side of the brush you can apply it over the bulk of the eye and then use the undipped side to soften the edges. It’s big and fluffy enough to blend, but dense enough to apply a sheer wash of colour.

Of course if you like to get all fancy with your eyeshadow, using multiple shades and multiple tools then this might not be the brush for you – though I suggest it could come in handy for highlighting – but if you like things to be easy peasy then it’s well worth the £15 investment. Oh and did I mention the square-cut handle that means it doesn’t roll off your dressing table when you lie it down? SOLD.