makeup

BEAUTY BASICS: FOUNDATION BLENDING

Post & Photography by Amy Nadine, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

We get so many emails asking if it’s worth it to buy an egg-shaped sponge and my answer is always a resounding YES! There’s something gorgeous that happens when you apply your foundation it… it gives sheer but buildable coverage and best of all, is much faster than a foundation brush. And the pointed tip fits perfectly in the hard to reach areas around the nose and eyes. My favorites are the Sonia Kashuk Egg Sponge and Urban Outfitter’s The Finished Edge Sponge because they’re indented for your more control with your fingers and of course the original Beauty Blender for a lightness in density that is unmatched.

Most importantly, there are a few rules that I swear by to do it right (I can’t tell you how many times I see people using them wrong) so pay close attention!

• You have have have to wet it first. I see so many of my girlfriends use it dry and the foundation doesn’t go on evenly or smoothly.
• You have to squeeze it underwater 10 times until it grows and grows and grows. That’s when you know it’s ready.
• You have to wrap it in a towel and squeeze it to get rid of excess water. Otherwise the foundation gets too watery.
• You have to dip the sponge in the foundation in the palm of your hand and sweep it back and forth to thin it out before it ever goes near your face. This helps ensure a more even application.
• To spread the foundation all over your face and neck, squeeze the egg between your thumb and fingers and sweep it back and forth and up and down on its sides (45-degree angle) using quick strokes.
• To go back and cover areas that need more attention, use the tip of the sponge in a stippling (pressing) motion holding the sponge at a 90-degree angle.
• To tackle your undereye area, use the side of the tip in a rolling motion.

I find the easiest way to clean them is with a bar of glycerin soap. Hand wash doesn’t work as well to get all of the foundation off. Just wet the sponge and the bar of soap under water then rub the sponge against the soap back and forth, then pinch and drag your thumb across the sponge and watch all of the foundation come out.