There are so many different kinds of makeup brushes and sponges out there now that is it hard to know what to choose for the perfect foundation application. Both can be good and, honestly, at the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference. For some women, using sponges is easier and, for others, it’s brushes all the way. I am here to help you decide which method best suits you!

Personally, I prefer brushes! I’ll use sponges once in a while – when I’m doing theatre make-up or a look where I need more coverage, but my go-to is a foundation brush!

You can warm up the foundation easily to aid in application and blending to obtain a flawless and natural effect. To ‘warm-up’ the foundation, you apply a small amount of foundation onto your hand (that’s your palette!) and move your brush back and forth several times in the foundation before applying it. You will see that after doing that you will be able to blend the product more easily onto the face.

You can easily reach the tough spots on the face (like around the nostrils area!) and moderate coverage. It is easier to buff, blend and layer foundation with a brush to obtain the result that you want, whether it be natural and translucent or flawless with more coverage!

Makeup brushes are more expensive than sponges so they are a bit of an investment, but they will last you much longer and they are easier to clean (and more hygienic!)

Sponges can be good, if not a little tricky! If not used properly, foundation will go on heavier – which is fine if you are looking for more coverage. A little trick is to get the sponge wet (humid – not dripping!!) before application. The foundation will then go on more naturally and smoothly (you’ll see what I’m talking about!) It really makes all the difference.

Makeup sponges can be great for blending (for my contouring girls!). But be careful, sponges have a tendency to absorb a lot of product so you’ll end up using a little more than with a brush. If you’re not careful it might get a little messy, too. You might get some foundation on your hands.

Sponges need to be cleaned and replaced often for the best results. Compared to brushes where, yes, we pay a little more but they last much longer (with proper care, of course!)