December 13, 2017

Real Techniques InstaPop Cheek Brush Review

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Real Techniques InstaPop Cheek Brush ($9.99) is a new blush brush that’s design to give you a pop of intense color on cheeks. Not exactly a great pick for someone like me who tends to apply my blush like I’m a clown. I just have a super heavy-hand with blush and no matter how hard I try I still end up with tons of it on my cheeks. But I think it works for my fuller face or maybe I’m delusional.

Anyway, I’ve been shopping a new blush brush recently because two of my cherished Bobbi Brown Blush Brushes are in really bad shape. And you may be thinking, “Uhhhhh and? Buy a new one!” I can’t! These were gifted to me by a friend in a Holiday Brush Roll Set about eight or so years ago and none of Bobbi’s newest Holiday Sets have ever included the same brush nor does her core collection. It’s a smallish, flat blush brush that works grab at “tapping” color onto my cheeks. I know everyone says apply blush at an angle and higher up on your cheek bones but I’m that person that smiles and applies on the applies of my cheeks and this brush works great for that.

My search led me to Real Techniques InstaPop Cheek Brush after one of my lovely readers raved about it.

Here’s how I’m doing with it so far.

Ok, so it won’t take the place of my Bobbi Brown Blush Brush sadly. But it’s actually a very, very interesting brush particularly if you use shimmery or sparkle blushes! But I’ll get into that in a few minutes first let’s discuss some of the details of the brush.

As with all Real Technique Makeup Brushes it has a sturdy, chunky handle and soft synthetic bristles that do not shed. Typically I don’t have a problem with splitting either when it comes to this brand but out of the packaging I had some very minor splitting issues towards the left-hand side of this brush. I washed it but was unable to re-shape two or three pesky bristles that refused to stay uniform with the others. They just kind of wanted to do their own thing and split away from the bunch. Aside from that the brush is well made and should withstand many uses and washes.

The brush was designed to create a “pop” of color on your cheeks by using a tapered design. The bristles are shaped on a slant and become shorter towards the top center and upper portion of the brush and longer at the back. This enables you to easily grab a good deal of brush and gently smooth it up and outwards. The tapered shape fits the contour of your cheek bone well which results in a pop of color.

Now there are reasons to dislike this brush one of which is if you like to buff to color out because you’re heavy handed, prefer a more airbrushed finish, or just wish to diffuse color this isn’t really a good brush for you. It’s difficult to buff with a brush that’s shaped like this. The tapered design doesn’t offer you the ability to blend out or buff color into your cheeks. It’s sort of a one and done type of application. Swipe it across your cheeks, POP of color! Done! There’s not a lot of room to play around with it.

One thing to really love is how well it works with shimmery or luminous blushes. It’s the type of brush that highlights your cheek bones without zero effort at all. I used it with my beloved MAC Sweet Vision Magic Dust Powder and it added just the right pop of color to my cheeks but and did this beautiful luminous glow at the tops of my cheek bones. I felt like I suddenly learned how to highlight as perfectly as a guru on youTube. The tapered bristles catch the cheekbone and add just that perfect touch of sparkle as you smooth your blush on giving you a highlighted look.

The reader who recommended this to me mentioned how perfectly this fit into Benefit Box o’ Powder Blushes and she’s right. It’s the perfect shape and size to use with those brushes! In particular, it worked beautifully with Galifornia! It gave me a pop of gorgeous color easily without a lot of effort.

If you’re looking for a blush brush that gets you gorgeous color in one go the InstaPop Cheek Brush will get you there. But if you require a bit more control it might not be your jam.

Real Techniques InstaPop Cheek Brush is available now ulta.com.

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Melissa

    Good Afternoon Beautiful,
    I was just wondering if You could recommend a low priced makeup brush set? And also a cheap waterproof liquid eyeliner? I suck at drawing the lines with them lol!! Thank You so much for all of Your hard work on here! I wake up EVERYDAY so excited to get My Muse Emails!! ❤️