Nima brushes - The Elite Collection 12 Piece set

Wow seems like we are now inundated with a real variety of brushes, when before we had barely any choice. So I was kindly sent for review this collection for Nima Brushes and I just want to say a huge thank you for the products.

They say

Nima Brush was established by long time Irish makeup artist, Niamh Martin, after over a decade working as a professional in the Irish and UK market. The aim was to provide fun, professional grade tools at low cost.

Niamh has acted as a supplier for fantastic cosmetic brush brands such as ‘Royal and Langnickel’ and American brush company, ‘Bdellium Tools’. Now after years of supplying colleges and professionals it came to the stage where she wanted something to call her own and with the support and back up of a fantastic family, NIMA BRUSH was born! NIMA Brush specialise in brushes which are manufactured using the most natural fibres and strongest brush ferrules. This will ensure your brush not only lasts for you, but is of the highest professional grade.​

With that resume of experience in brush knowledge to some amazing brands. I hope that Nima brushes become more well known in the UK. Now I have tested many brushes I have purchased from the cheaper end (amazon set), affordable (Real Technique brushes, Furless) and now I want to try more higher end (Nima brushes, Sigma, MAC etc). As this 12 brush set costs €120 with a cylinder case included, (works out to £100 and £9 per brush) so I think that's amazing value. 

So the brushes hair varies (Goat:Contour, Taklon:Kabuki's/Crease, Sable:Large powder/Blush, Pony:Small shader/Pencil, Synthetic: White liner/Lip/Angled brow/Concealer ) there was only 3/4 hairs lost in the first wash on some face, then none lost whilst in use and since. Which is impressive, I wash my brushes with Johnsons or Dr bonner soap as its soft on skin plus helps keep the natural hair brushes soft. (Now that's my preference)

So you recieve 5 face brushes in this kit - L to R ( Contour/White Goat hair, Blush, Large powder, Kabuki round, Kabuki flat).

The presentation starts with the handle being a White glossy painted wood with the black logo writing of "Nima Brush". Sturdy plus comfortable in the hand. Offers confidence on use, as you feel you have control no matter where you hold the brush from.

 The white angled bristles look a little corse however there not, being natural hair maintaining this brush will keep it fabulous. They don't kick up too much product that can cause wastage, especially if expensive. Very soft and gentle on the skin too. The round kabuki is a brilliant tool to make Blush/Bronzer/highlights more natural with soft quick blending. The large powder brush picks up product well plus an even distribution as you set your foundation. Fits the contours of the face well with a sturdy handle to manoeuvre the product. The White angled brush offered a remarkable quality in that on the white bristles, high pigment products were easier to determine an amount due to seeing the product in the fibres. So excess could be buffered on the back of the hand before application, then that excess used on the other side. Very clever and impressive brush. I preferred this for applying blush and cheek items then used the Blush brush for more lighter items and natural makeup days. 

 The two stand-out brushes are the Kabuki brushes which are so soft and precise. Compared to my RT stipple I think the Nima is far superior quality, it is comfortable to use, blendability is second to none plus keeps shape better. My RT stipple is not as dense and now splaying already, its washed/stored the same as my others and this hasn't happened to them. (Cylinder on my makeup dresser) Its not even a year old and works out more expensive then the Nima brush. I know everyone loves RT but sometimes in every collection you will come across ones that let you down. This is just how I know Nima brush to be of professional quality as claimed.

( I do test brushes using high end, right down to affordable pigmented products that just need a little more time to blend.) 

Now the 7 Eye brushes you recieve are- Top L/R then bottom L/R ( Lip liner, Angled brow, Small shader, White haired liner, Pencil, Concealer ) 

 I would easily compare the brushes to the well known high end versions. They pick up product amazing and blend like a dream, also so soft. Now for a rundown on each brush which I will do in order of how I apply my detailing and eye work.

So I forgot to mention above I used the Concealer brush to tap on my choice of blemish magic remover as il call it. You'll notice this brush is flat and I prefer this as on application. It taps it gently in to the blemish, keeps your hands sterile and also can navigate areas like the nose very well and its just easier. I then used the small shader (applied primer firstly with my finger) to find this is amazing for packing on colour, now I tried this with every variant of eyeshadow available. It doesn't clog with cream based, any form of high glitter/pigments shadows.

Then distributed evenly and very little to no fallout as due to the small bristles, this brush can grab product tightly and then pack it on. So as it adheres to your primer being that it is shorter hair.

Next I used the below Crease blender  and the Pencil brush to blend out my shadows and define the crease. Perfect size to just build and add your colour and also to help transition your colours up towards the brow bone. The Crease blender is so soft and brilliant to make all the shadows work together. I found it a lovely brush and so multifunctional too. The pencil brush was just the right size to define the crease and also make a cut V in the corner. I didn't use my guiding tape to achieve that so I could see if this brush could guide me to do it by technique only and so far its been a real tool I can rely on to teach me this and feel confident. For my brows I used the small angled which is amazing, as the powder blended effortlessly with this brush. It gives a fine, precise brows and I was done in a second.

 I'm trying to find fault with each brush and these were so vigourusly tested like previous companies before. I can't seem to find any faults. So then i used the lip liner for my Gel/liquid liner as its so thin for detail and i usually use lipstick straight from the tube, again another fantastic mulitfunctional brush. The white haired liner is light weight, even product and distribution. I do use this for more detailed contouring on areas such as applying eyeshadow under eye, chin, nose, Cupid's bow etc as I find it worked better and was so soft. I didn't want to stain the white hairs with black and coloured items. So it's used with powder highlights, blush, bronzers and contour.

Crease blender brush.
 

I just can't fault Nima brushes. The soft fibres and performance are just amazing, its been a pleasure to be introduced to this amazing Irish brand. I would not hesitate to purchase another set as the sheer quality is second to none. It makes application of makeup a pleasure and has a brush for every use plus can be used for multiple uses. Perfect for a beginner to use and get used to professional feel brushes. I also would buy more being a makeup enthusiast I use alot of brushes. I'm quite sanitary as I use more cream based products so I prefer to wash too sanitising and reusing. However I'm aware over washing a set of face brushes can damage them. So it's why I have multiple ones. I'd happily repurchase this set with a container to give my business to a Irish brand, as my aim is to support more close to home brands. 

Nima Brush Website

Paula's Choice - Resist Foundation and Hydrating Lip Gloss

Paulas choice is a well known brand who cater both skincare and cosmetics to many women of the world and make the promise on there website to deliver.

At Paula's Choice, our mission is to take brilliant care of your skin!

Paula's Choice products successfully treat everything from acne to wrinkles, rosacea, sensitive skin, sun damage, dry skin, oily skin, and blackheads. They are 100% guaranteed to work for your skin type and concerns!

Because of our unique combination of research, reviews, and ongoing product development, women all over the world turn to us for objective, balanced, and documented information about what works and doesn't for your skin.

With an opportunity to review there new Resist foundation which not only offers light - medium coverage but the added anti-aging properties we all crave for in our makeup. As with all cosmetics, we have them on our face for such a long period it makes sense to have these boosted with anti-againg components. Many women whom have long and tiring jobs would not have time to invest in a full skin care regime so having these properties in your foundation is an amazing addition.

Resist Foundation , Hydrating Lip Gloss, Paulas choice Soft cream Concealer 

So the foundation comes in a really professional looking packaging which is white, writing is simple and too the point with the essential details. It comes with a pump included which is important i feel to control the product and also helps with gauging how much you need on each application. It says a light to medium coverage but on use i would say this is easily build able to a medium.

It is a thick consistency but does spread well and is instructed that you apply with a brush and not rub the foundation in. So i would say this is worthwhile doing as i will explain further. I have had a few little dry patches on my cheeks and i can cover these but they also help me gauge how a foundation covers and if they can cake or highlight imperfections. 

So i would say that if you have a dry patch or any form of exfoliation needed then i would do this first. I did this and it applied better, plus didn't highlight anything. So with this foundation you will need to invest in your skincare if you suffer dryness.

Now after this had been achieved and i had prepared with a primer and made my skin foundation ready, i followed the instructions to achieve the very best result. With a foundation and stipple brush i first applied in the downward motions they instruct and stippled the sides to blend in with my hairline and jawlines. Now whilst i understand some foundations are just apply and go, this struck me as a very temperamental foundation that needed to be used with practice to achieve that even look.

I would usually need only a 5-10 minute window to apply my daily foundation and i could use this with a blender or my fingers to apply as i saw fit. This is defiantly a foundation for a skilled and very apt foundation user. Or if your looking for this finish then you will need to sit down and take your time with it to achieve a great finish. I personally would invest the extra time as the benefits and the finished look are defiantly worth it as my skin looked flawless.

So after i got and even finish i then used the concealer with a brush and this is defiantly the way i would recommend it be used as it is defiantly a high grade concealer. Its amazing at covering blemishes and any dark spaces or spots. I found it easy to apply and rub in. It really did with the foundation give me a flawless look at the end. It made my blush radiate. 

The Perfect shine Hydrating gloss is in Rose blush, it is a lovely gloss thats more of a stain but it is a hydrating form. Not sticky on the lips or in any way tacky.

Its available in 5 shades and i really loved the feeling of this gloss and to me that is a rarity as i find gloss so sticky and uncomfortable it is a lovely change to find one thats nice to wear and a lovely shade that compliments the whole look of the makeup range. 

So i really did enjoy using this range, even though the foundation did take longer then my usual brand, the finish is second to none and gives an amazing flawless finish, However like with everything its practice and getting comfortable with change. It made my blush give a flushed look and the Lip gloss fitted perfect with my complexion. Plus felt hydrating and nice application. 

Its defiantly a worth while investment if your looking for an anti ageing foundation, as there are few and far between on the market. It defiantly left me feeling flawless and healthy looking.

Paula's Choice

Do you have any Paula's choice makeup ? What would you like to try ?