Makeup Talk: Things You’d Want to Know About Foundation Sponges

Great makeup can certainly improve a woman’s mood and even increase her self-esteem, so its power and importance aren’t to be underestimated. Whether you’re the type of person who loves applying more or prefers keeping it simple, truth is if you want to nail your look, you have to make foundation part of your makeup.

foundation-sponges

As can be guessed by the name, it acts as a base layer for the rest of the cosmetics, but that’s not all there is to it. Considering its benefits, such as evening out the skin, covering up impurities, improving the complexion, making large pores seem small, and protecting against airborne pollutants from the environment, you have plenty of reasons to include it in your beauty routine.

Besides, there are even some types of foundation that act as moisturisers and sunscreens so they further help your skin. You catch my drift, it’s a necessity for that healthy glow look! Now then, as soon as you introduce it into your cosmetics, be sure to also get your supply of foundation sponges to blend the product flawlessly. They’re the beauty tools you can’t do without!

Choosing Your Ideal Sponge Shape

I know some women get so overwhelmed upon seeing the different types of sponges on the market that they eventually leave it to their fingers when it comes to applying the base layer for makeup.

Though sponges have been around in the beauty industry for decades, they weren’t that popular as brushes, but after they’ve gone through some changes in shapes and materials, they’ve started growing in popularity. Here are some of the trendiest and most effective beauty blender types you can add to your makeup kit:

Egg-Shaped

egg-shaped-beauty-blender

One of the most popular foundation sponges, it’s designed to blend liquid foundation, concealer, cream products as well as serums and moisturisers, providing a smooth finish. It shouldn’t come as surprise many beauty bloggers you’d see over the internet choose this one for base perfection.

To avoid confusion, I’m not referring to the bizarre social media trend of using a hard-boiled egg to apply foundation, but actual egg-shaped beauty blenders of quality you can find at the trusted beauty retailers and stores.

Wedge-Shaped

wedge-foundation-sponge

With its shape, consisting of a bottom and flat edges, this type of blending sponge is perfect when you want to apply cosmetics reaching to every edge of the face, including those hard-to-reach areas, for example around the nose and eyes. You might as well say it was created for precision, particularly the sharper edge of the sponge.

Beveled

If you’ve wanted to get a bit of both, to reap the benefits each of the aforementioned types provides, then welcome the beveled beauty blender. This is a hybrid of the two considering it has a rounded teardrop design which comes in handy with detailing, as well as a flat edge for the heavier coverage by patting and pressing the products. In other words, it’s great to have it for any application, be it full coverage or mastering the art of contouring.

Oval

oval-sponge

In case you’re having trouble getting in the habit of using the egg-shaped sponge, you might like to give this one a try. Also considered as part of the flat beauty blenders, it’s perfect for applying both liquid and cream foundation.

Choosing Your Ideal Sponge Material

Non-Latex

Though for quite some time latex was the preferred material, many started choosing non-latex because of the lighter and better coverage it provides, offering a more natural look. It’s also ideal for people who are allergic to latex, and it’s a somewhat more porous alternative so you can be sure you’d get more product on the skin.

Silicone

Due to the fact it’s a non-porous option, you won’t waste any product as it doesn’t absorb, yet as a downside, you won’t be able to get it wet or expect it to buff as other materials, and the end result from using it isn’t that seamless. While it doesn’t offer that much blending, what’s great about this choice, however, is you can get a matte outcome and you won’t spend much time cleaning it. It’s also a material known for its durability.

Microfibre

If a soft touch on your skin is what you’re after, then look no further than this material. This is even a great alternative to brushes because it’s ideal for use with both liquid and powder foundation, along with other cosmetics in powder form. Thanks to its texture, you’d be able to get seamless full coverage.

Tips on Use and Hygiene

Though choosing your ideal sponges is part of it, how you use them as well as maintain them also has a say in how well your makeup application would be.

  • Sure, you can use the beauty blenders dry with powder products, but if you want a professional tip for the rest of the cosmetics, you’d be better off dampening them first, squeezing excess water out then applying the products.
  • If you’ve been used to a brush, you might be prone to making mistakes when using the sponges; first things first forget about brushes! The last thing you want is to rub them on your face, so the secret to using them right is to gently tap on the skin, blending the products with a patting motion.
  • While sponges can be used with a variety of cosmetics, it’s best to have more than one so you don’t end up mixing the products.
  • If you want to prolong the lifespan of the beauty blender and ensure your safety, you can’t forget about hygiene. Same as with other makeup applicators sponges can be full of dangerous bacteria and fungus when you don’t clean them regularly. Remember this the next time you feel lazy about washing the sponge!