The Battle Between Makeup Tools: Beauty Sponge or Brush?
There are many different tools on the market to apply makeup; but which is the best to apply foundation? Every makeup lover has their own preferences which depend on the makeup product and the desired intensity of the application. While I am no beauty guru, I have tried many different ways to apply my foundation and I am here to share the pros and cons between today’s most common makeup applicators: a brush and a makeup sponge.
Source: Ulta Beauty
Real Techniques is a brand of makeup brushes sold at many drug stores including Ulta, Walgreens and CVS. When looking through their brushes, I chose their Expert Face brush. This brush is specifically made for the application of foundation. This brush’s bristles are made to be denser than a powder brush, which helps it blend foundation into the skin. To test this brush out, I used my favorite, everyday foundation: The Dior Flawless Finish liquid foundation.
I began applying a swatch of foundation onto my face and then blending it out with the brush. My first impressions were how soft the bristles were as well as how nicely the brush maintained the foundation’s medium coverage while blending. I applied a second layer of foundation to see if it would create a grainy finish and was pleasantly surprised by the lack thereof. To really test the brush’s application, I also applied my Elf Hydrating Camo Concealer under eyes and to highlight different areas of my face.
The Expert Face Brush was able to seamlessly blend the product without moving the foundation underneath. Although the application was going well, the shape and size of the brush made it difficult to cover one side of my face quickly or get into the inner corners of my eyes. Cleaning the brush was a simple task, with a little baby soap, water, and my hands I was able to quickly remove the foundation to prepare for its next use.
Source: Sephora
In the past, I have tried a variety of drugstore makeup sponges, which left my foundation application patchy and uneven. I hesitated to purchase and try out the popular $20 Beauty Blender sponge due to my previous experiences with makeup sponges. However, after trying out the Beauty Blender sponge, my opinion of them changed. The key to most makeup sponges is to wet them until damp. When wetting the Beauty Blender, I was pleased with the soft texture in comparison to the previous sponges, which stayed very dense and hard.
Blending with the Beauty Blender sponge was effortless. Although, I was not as impressed with how it made my foundation coverage lighter. Due to the water in the sponge, some of the liquid foundations will get soaked in; resulting in lesser coverage. Upon looking at the first layer, I found myself having to go over areas where I had blemishes to fully cover them. The application itself was easy, it left a dewy finish to my skin.
Again, to test the versatility of the tool, I tried blending out some concealer. This too blended wonderfully, not moving my foundation, although it still took some of the concealer’s fuller coverage with it. Despite that the Beauty Blender gets points for versatility with its pointed top, fitting easily in the corners of my eyes.
The maintenance for this tool is not as simple as I would have liked. With the foundation getting soaked into the sponge, using just soap and water wasn’t cutting it. Thankfully, the Beauty Blender company has created its own line of cleaner tools and soap to clean the sponge; even though it’s another item to purchase.
Overall, both tools worked well in applying my foundation and were easy to use.Personally, I will be reaching for the brush again the next time I have to do my makeup. While the brush was not able to cover the surface area as quickly, its appeal for me is the ability to maintain the coverage of my foundation. The cleanup of the brush was also easier, and if you’re anything like me, easy is ideal. The Beauty Blender is still a great tool that I’m sure I’ll use again, on my lighter coverage makeup days or solely using it for my under eye concealer.
Source: Beverly Hills MD
Nevertheless, I don’t believe it was worth the loss of product and having to buy specific cleaning products for me recommend purchasing it.
Which do you prefer, a makeup sponge or brush to apply your foundation? Leave a comment down below!