Today we’re talking ‘Blending 101’. As of late, the beauty universe has given us an abundance of options and techniques when it comes to blending foundation. Makeup enthusiasts went through the ‘beauty pod’ phase, the oval brush trend and even a ‘jelly beauty blender’ dilemma.
Being spoilt for choice has left us with a bit of a challenge: To brush or to sponge?
We’ve got some tips for this makeup tool mania!
Using Brushes
When opting for the classic foundation brush, it is important to make sure you’re using good quality tools:
Using a duo-fibre, domed brush is great for buffing in liquid and cream foundations, but remember to be careful of creating a streaky effect on your skin. Use the brush in a circular motion to avoid this.
A synthetic, tapered brush is great for achieving precise blending and works well with thicker creams.
A lightweight stippling brush is great for sheer, natural-looking coverage and works best with liquid foundations.
A flat top buffer brush looks a bit like a fan shape and is the perfect blending tool for foundation because it’s so dense and gets rid of all streaks. Much like this, the oval blending brushes are great for achieving a smoothed out look and great time management, as they are quite dense and large in shape.
The famous ‘kabuki brush’ (the short brush that has bristles which are tightly packed) is the perfect option for applying all powder foundations, bronzers and even blush.
Using Sponges
The elliptical-shaped sponge (known as the ‘beauty pod’ or simply ‘beauty blender’) is the perfect tool for achieving an airbrush effect with your foundation, and works best when damp and using in a patting motion. Using this tool ensures maximum coverage and a smooth finish.
Using Silicone Jelly Pads
This blending tool is quite new and we’re all still getting a feel for it. One thing’s for sure though: it decreases the amount of foundation that one wastes. It looks similar to chicken cutlets of silicone implants and is long-lasting. It also makes the clean up process easier, as it just requires a quick wash with water and soap and can then be patted dry with a towel – unlike the bristles of makeup brushes that require long drying time and get wither over time.