Liquid foundation brush: yay or nay for skin?

I’m using quite a bit of liquid foundation these days and have been trying out a few natural brands out of curiosity. At first, I relied mostly on my fingers to apply and blend the foundation. And the reason I use my fingers is because I find it easier to blend with them. However, I also noticed that they’re not the best for my skin because with some of the foundations that are slightly creamier and drier, there is a higher tendency of asserting more pressure and hence, pulling my skin while blending the foundation.

YAY
So a foundation brush comes in handy for this purpose. I’ve been using the Ecotools Bamboo Foundation Brush as a number of you mentioned that it is suitable for liquid foundation, Somehow I found the natural brands of foundation drying up more quickly and this brush allows me to spread the foundation more quickly on my face. In a sense, I feel that using a foundation brush is better for my skin, especially for the delicate eye area. Plus, the lighter strokes and pressures help me not blend away my mineral sunscreen. So a brush is better than fingers then? Well, not necessarily. It maybe better for the skin but the end result may not be as ideal as using fingers.

NAY
I’m not saying the result is poor but without the warmth of my fingers, I found a brush makes my foundation appear slightly streaky. While I can still touch up with my fingers afterwards but I don’t get an entirely smooth application compared to just relying fully on my fingers. Also, I find a brush less hygienic as a wet brush will trap more bacteria and it is not feasible to wash it daily. I mean, I can always wash my fingers and dry them prior to applying my foundation but yet, I can’t possibly do that with my brush right?

Sponges
And don’t get me started on using sponges. I do like using them for power foundation but they’re not ideal for me when it comes to liquid foundation. That, or I simply have poor makeup skills.

So do you wear a liquid foundation? If so, what do you use to apply it?

Comments

  1. Audris says:

    Mm I use a duo fibre stippling brush for liquid & cream fdn, or the edm flat top stipples on well too. No dragging. Not a fan of foundation brushes.

    I actually only use each brush once before washing but do have a few duplicates ? so yes, not feasible to wash daily but the backups help in good hygiene.

  2. Paris B says:

    I prefer to use my palms but if I use a brush, I use a round brush, not the regular paddle brush. The round brush or duo fibre brush applies liquid better without streaking ? p/s I picked up the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation at 20% off ? Its light but quite nice. Decided to pass on the powder.

  3. sesame says:

    I read your comment just before heading out to work and I tried applying with my flat top – hey, it’s great! I’ve not used that brush for awhile now and it’s put to good use again. Yeah, better than the Ecotools one! Thanks for sharing! ?

  4. sesame says:

    Oh I tried with the flat top, which is a round brush and it seems to work way better. Heheh. Great to receive valuable tips like this!

  5. Joyce September says:

    You might want to try using the flat top brush to buff the product in, instead of just “spreading the butter.” Sponges come in handy for that airbrush effect, so give them some credit ?

  6. sesame says:

    The only airbrush effect I know is photoshop’s! LOL.

    I’ll try using two brushes if I have the time. The flat top does cause me to use more foundation. But if I only have time to use one brush very quickly, it does a good job.

  7. Joyce September says:

    Guess it’s time to try out those SIGMA brushes. I recommend the F80. ?

  8. sesame says:

    Oh ya…I was reading your review with interest. Will take a look at the particular one you mentioned. Thanks! ?

  9. Soos says:

    Having tried them all: sponge, brush, I find fingers work the best – the effect is more natural.

  10. Paris B says:

    Actually I find a flat top uses more foundation. Try a round one like a blush brush/powder brush type. It uses less foundation & gives a nice effect too ?

  11. sesame says:

    Fingers are good but it tends to drag my skin with some of the thicker foundation.

  12. sesame says:

    Thanks Paris. Will try to get one of those brushes.

  13. Elisabeth says:

    I bought the Ecotools foundation brush a while ago, although I like it I prefer to apply liquid foundation with my fingers.
    I seldom use liquid foundation but now I have bought one from 100% Pure, I really want to like it but I have som difficults applying it because it dries so quickly.

  14. Rennie says:

    I prefer mineral powder foundation to liquid. Even when I use liquid foundation I usually just spot treat trouble areas using a stipple brush. I think using any dense, flat top brush should work well with liquid foundation.

  15. sesame says:

    It’s strange…it seems that those naturally formulated liquid foundations dry up very quickly. I’m having the same experience with Juice Beauty and Une too. That’s why I find a brush more ideal with these foundations.

  16. sesame says:

    I just tried the flat top brush and it’s very good…only think it uses up too much foundation.

  17. L. says:

    Glad that the flat top brush worked for you! #k8SjZc9Dxk#k8SjZc9Dxk I’ve once tried using a normal foundation brush and boo the result was not good. Now I’m using a stipling brush and my fingers. I will invest in a proper flat top soon because I want to try it out.

    But other than that the Ecotools brushes seem to be great. Too bad they’re not available where I live. sigh.

  18. N. says:

    Oh that type of brush is terrible for foundations. It can leave it streaky or too heavy. I use depending on the foundation a Duo fiber or a brush that is flat and dense. Those give the best airbrush finish. If the brush is too dense it could get too much product so maybe misting it with water. And instead of applying the foundation on to the brush or on the back of the hand for the brush to pick it up you can dot the foundation on your face and then blend with the brush.

  19. sesame says:

    So this is not a good brush as some have recommended me to try. But I did discover it doesn’t work too well and doesn’t work for powder foundation as well. It is well, quite a useless brush. LOL.

    I’ll try the dot and blend method…I’ve been picking the foundation from my hand.

  20. sesame says:

    I hear so much about stipling brush I should give one a try. I haven’t tried other Ecotools brush – this is the only one I have. I used it for powdered foundation but was told by some readers that this is better for liquid foundation but it’s well, so so. Works with some foundation fairly but not ideal.

  21. N. says:

    Yeah try that, it might work.
    And that brush that dosen’t work well, so it dosen’t go to waste you could do it like I do. To apply face products. Like a cream or a mask.

  22. Rennie says:

    I definitely suggest investing in a good stipple brush then. It picks up less product onto the brush so you can build up your foundation to your skin to your own liking when needed.

  23. Amanda says:

    I tried using my fingers to apply bb cream last winter. The result seemed to be fine in the first one or two hours, but the cream seemed not sticking to my skin as well after that. And when I looked in the mirror, my face look flaky. Since then, I’ve never used my fingers to apply bb cream. Don’t know it’s the problem with the cream or my skills or the weather. So now I go back to sponge.

  24. sesame says:

    Oh ya…that’s a great idea! Thanks N! ?

  25. sesame says:

    Okay, I’ll check them out as soon as I am able to. ?

  26. sesame says:

    So the sponge helped the BB cream stay on your skin better? If that’s the case, might be the warmth of your fingers changing the product somewhat during application.

  27. Issa says:

    I usually use my Stippling brush when applying foundation but when I’m in a hurry, I just use my palms (I got this tip from ParisB :))…. ?

  28. pf1123 says:

    I think this vid by this famous makeup artist, Lisa Eldridge, would provide some insight to application of natural/organic liquid foundations.

    http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/17555/organic-natural-make-up-look/

  29. sesame says:

    Never tried using palm…only used fingers. ?

  30. sesame says:

    Oh thanks…I’ll take a look soon.

  31. Amanda says:

    That’s probably the case, but I’m not a makeup girl, and has no way to tell why the method doesn’t work for me…

    By the way, I’m curious to know if you use any eye makeup remover? I’m looking for a replacement (as the second step in double cleansing) that can remove the mascara but doesn’t quite dry the eye area. Thanks.

  32. sesame says:

    Ah…I wear very little eye makeup and only use my normal milk cleanser to remove. However, in my experience, oil cleansers remove eye makeup very well.

  33. Lore says:

    i also apply it with my fingers, but when i want more cover up i use a slightly humid sponge to blend it before it dries.
    it seems to work out ok! ?

  34. sesame says:

    I’ve never tried with a damp sponge though…always a dry one. Maybe I shall give it a try soon. ?

  35. Gabby says:

    nay. its beauty blender for me. ?

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