So, as a makeup artist I’ve gotten many questions over the years. But the most popular one by FAR is the question: Should I use a sponge or a brush to apply my foundation?
I’m here to give you some of my advice based on experience.
Foundation brushes come in many sizes, flat brushes, buffer, kabuki, synthetic and natural. So do sponges, but where the BRUSHES are superior is that the fact that the bristles are all different, the makeup applies differently. And a sponge…well, is a sponge. It’ll do what it does best, soak things up.
Let’s go through the differences.
A sponge will 100% soak up some of the product when you apply your foundation, if you are looking for a light coverage, that will work for you however you are wasting product and now you have a dirty sponge. I do love to use sponges to blend my concealer and foundation if it becomes too thick or patchy. They are great to use to blend and create soft looks. But beware of the product being wasted. Lastly, NEVER use the same sponge more than twice. The product left behind will fester and become contaminated. And dirty sponge = breakouts !
Brushes are in my opinion the best to use. Using a flat brush will apply your makeup thicker but not evenly. The flat top will cause streaks, so you’ll have to blend it afterward which will cost you time. A buffer brush (with a round top) will apply AND blend at the same time – so this is best of both. Save time and money.
Another important thing you need to know is the difference between natural and synthetic brush hair. Natural hair (which we try to avoid anyway due to animal cruelty) will also soak up your product, not as much as a sponge but because of the pores in the hair, your product will be wasted. Synthetic is the way to go, the brush will still blend AND it won’t soak up your product.
Brushes are also easy to clean, which makes them very reusable, where sponges you need to replace more often.
So, in my opinion and experience, the BEST tool to apply your foundation with is a synthetic, round buffer brush. Best results, easy to clean and NO foundation wasted !
Written by: Bianca
