Over the last few months, foundation has been one of the most exciting parts of the makeup ritual for me. I like to see the different effects I can get using sprays, creams and tools. My foundation collection is at around 15+, and each of them gives another look. Here are some of the brushes and tools I use for my bases.
Real Techniques Expert Face
Eight times out of ten, I reach for this brush. It works perfectly with liquid and cream foundations. It’s a guaranteed way to buff, blend and smooth out my foundation. I use the flatter sides of the brush to apply the foundation, making sure it's evenly applied all over my face. Then I use the top of the brush to blend like crazy. I've also noticed that there is very little shedding with this brush. Again, this is the brush that I use more than any other foundation brush. ($10/Ulta, Walgreens)
Real Techniques Buffing
This is denser and a little more round than the expert face brush, but man it gets the job done. I like to use this to really blend the foundation into my skin, making sure to remove access product. For a long time, I'd use it interchangeably with the Expert Face brush, but later I realized I like to use this one more for blending only. This would work well with cream and liquid foundations, and it would definitely help with powder foundations too. ($10/Ulta, Walgreens)
Sponges
Want to make your foundation look seamless? A wet foundation sponge can be the key! Technically, I use a flat foundation brush to apply the foundation all over my face, and then I use a wet sponge to blend the foundation in and to give it a natural look. I wasn't sold on brushes for a long time, maybe because I wasn't using them right. I have three separate brands that I've used off and on, Real Techniques (orange), Beauty Blender (pink) and Qosmedix (purple). I can't deny that I love my Alcone non-latex sponges too, but since they're disposable and I've found more permanent options, so I don't reach for them as much as I used to. (Prices and locations vary, $3-12)
Make Up For Ever 108
This is much thicker than a typical flat foundation brush, and it’s slightly domed around the edge. I feel like this brush lays the product on my skin perfectly. The Make Up For Ever Brushes are definitely a high quality, super luxe line of tools, and you can tell when you feel the brushes. I would only use this brush for liquid foundations, as it doesn't really blend creams that well. ($38, Sephora)
Erin's Favorite Concealers, Part One /
Oh concealer. The product that helps us hide, highlight, contour and everything in between. While you can definitely get the same effects by using fuller coverage foundations, there's something about the little containers that makes us feel more "confident". Here's a breakdown of some of my favorite concealers.
L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer
I bought the LA Girl Pro Conceal because I saw rave reviews on Youtube. You can get a container of this stuff for less than $5, and it comes in a wide array of colors. I like it because it's definitely full coverage and very affordable. However, it's on the bottom of my list today, because, let's face it, you get what you pay for. When you compare it to higher end products, it definitely isn't the best quality out there. But trust me, it does this job.
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
This Studio Finish Concealer ($19) one of those holy grail products. Much like the LA Colors Pro conceal mentioned above, this is a product you have to "warm up" and work with on the right skin textures to get maximum effects. I typically swirl a flat or domed brush onto the concealer to pick up the product, then apply it to my face. If I'm using it all over, I scoop a bit onto the back of my hand and rub it down a bit with my finger. This makes it super creamy. But let me say that this covers anything. In fact, this is the little sister of MAC's Full Coverage foundation. Same product, smaller jar.
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer
My goodness, my goodness. This Bobbi Brown concealer ($25) is lightweight, super creamy and crazy powerful. I once bought this in a kit that had a pressed powder and eye brightener in it. And when I realized that this was such a stellar product, I picked up another shade. This is top quality.
Make Up For Ever Full Cover
MUFE makes this fantastic lightweight concealer ($32) that works wonders. It goes on creamy, then dries down to a satiny, beautiful finish. When I think of multi-purpose makeup, I think of this. I'll show you how to use it in this video.
Check out my favorites below:
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Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Review + So much more! /
Remember my trip to Philly where I went to the Make Up For Ever store? Well I've finally pulled everything out and did a demo and review on it! I love everything that I bought! Take a look below.
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