Brushes vs Sponges

It's the ultimate makeup debate: brush or sponge. Here's a consolidated list of what each one does, and when you should use them.

Fingers

Fingers are good when you are wanting to blot on a lipstick, to create a stained effect. They are great for applying skin care. Makeup? not so much. When you use your fingers to apply makeup, you are contaminating that container with whatever was on your hands. Example? You put on your favorite anti-aging products, then your moisturizer, followed by primer -- all with your hands. Then you reach for your bottle of foundation and put your hands right in that -- that bottle you just picked up now has the remnants of those products on it. And whatever you had on yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that... You get the picture. Not so hygienic. Fingers are gentle enough for skin care products, as a lot of the ingredients tend to overlap, and won't cause the products to degrade (ie, not work as hard to do what they're supposed to do). When you put on your zit cream with salicylic acid and then put that into your makeup, that acid will break down whatever your hand touched. Coverage, pigment, whatever -- not what the manufacturer intended.

Sponges

I love sponges! Sponges are great for application, blending, corrections -- you name it. The question is what sponge to use for which application. Here's a break down:

• Wedge sponge: I love to use these for foundations, primers, and shadow bases.
• Round sponges: Mostly, because of the shape and size, these are good for foundation, and some buffing/blending around the jaw line.
• Shadow sponges: Wonderful when you're trying to get the most out of your pigment. Shadow sponges really help to place the color right where you want it.

Brushes

Brushes are amazing when you're looking for application to be precise. Brushes extend the hand, and allow you to see where you are placing product.

• Foundation Brushes can be used for so much more than foundation -- Masks, skincare, even shadows!
• Powder, blush and blunt brushes I use interchangeably. They are very similar to each other, and there is not really a need to dirty up several brushes when you can use just one, and get the same effect.
• Large shadow brushes are great for washes and lid colors. Depending on the look, they can be used for a crease/corner color
• Shadow brushes are a great tool: shadow washes, lid colors, creases -- even when you need to blend powder over corrective makeup!
• Concealer brushes are wonderful for the obvious, concealer, but also when you are looking for a high pigment of color -- because they are synthetic 99% of the time, pigment stays on the bristle and is placed onto your lid/brow/wherever with color payoff fairly close to what is in the container.

To be sure that your sponges and brushes are hygienic and to maintain longevity, be sure to clean them! Antibacterial soap or a good gentle shampoo (think anything that you would use on a baby) will clean out the product and keep them fresh. Always dry any cleaned brush laying flat, so as to not dissolve the glue holding the bristles in. As long as there is no sharing, or infections, brushes can be washed once a week. Sponges should be washed after one use.

Tip! Just place your dirty brushes/sponges in the sink as you are done with them. When you go to wash your hands, they're right there to be washed!