How should we really be applying our makeup?
Let’s settle this debate, once and for all.
Brushes were always the way forward until beauty blenders arrived on the scene a couple of years ago. They seemed to come out of nowhere and sweep us and all of our beauty needs off our feet. But was that the end of brushes? Obviously, there are people who beg to differ. I spoke to Beauty Expert, Jessica Constanti to get the low down on all things MUA (makeup application, duh).
I am such a novice when it comes to a beauty sponge. I jumped on the hype when beauty blenders first came to my attention but it wasn’t until recently that I realised I’d been using them wrong the whole time (no wonder I wasn’t a fan of them). I also found them really hard to clean, and so since my last one died a grubby death, I have resorted back to what I know and continued using my brushes.
I asked Jess where beauty blenders came from and why they became so popular. “Beauty sponges burst onto the scene with their ability to blur and buff foundation in significantly better than brushes alone. Not to mention their huge popularity on social media, in particular YouTubers and other influencers.” They became so big that they are now made to be instagrammable. “There’s no denying that foundation applied with a damp sponge is flawless and very beautiful, the major downside to sponges is the fact they are very wasteful when it comes to product and difficult to clean.” Maybe that’s why I didn’t get on with them.
Jess explained that I’d been using it wrong the whole time (oops) due to the fact that I wasn’t wetting it before application. “The best way to use a sponge is to dampen it before adding any product, by making it damp you make it more pliable and less likely to absorb too much of the foundation.” Maybe I’ll try one again soon and use it the right way.
So, what about my beloved brushes? Obviously, you need brushes when you’re using eyeshadow due to their blendable nature. “Be it natural, duo or synthetic fibres having a fluffy blending eye brush is the perfect tool to achieve a beautiful eye makeup look!” But what about the rest of our face? “Powder blusher, bronzer and powder also require a brush to give you a flawless finish, with a light dusting of colour which will stop any heavy and “muddy” looking contour or blush.”
Brushes and beauty blenders are the main way to apply our makeup, but when is it ok to use our fingers? Jess told us that she finds, “that using your fingers for certain products give you a fantastic finish, especially for base makeup such as foundation and concealer.” She explained the benefits of this. “The warmth from your fingers make products more pliable and blend into the skin beautifully, giving the result of looking skin like and very natural, the risk of creasing is also reduced, particularly on the eye area.”
Now that we understand the ins and outs of using our brushes, blenders and our fingers, I asked our beauty team to tell me how they apply their base makeup, A.K.A. foundation and concealer. Seven people in the team claimed to loyally use their collection of brushes to paint their faces while just two use beauty blenders or sponges.
What do you use? Are you completely loyal to your tools or would you swap out for something else? Let us know in the comments why you love your beauty tools and don’t forget to shop our incredible selection at Indulge Beauty right here.
Feature image: Good Housekeeping
