foundation brushes, tools etc

GBNI

The Ciara Daly Hero Brush is amazing. Can't recommend it enough. It's a favourite of many make up artists in Northern Ireland (where Ciara Daly is based) but I believe you can buy the brush online.

jenniewb

Not sure if they're the cheapest but Boots No.7 and The Body Shop make really decent make up brushes, often either of them will have discounts or offers on the entire brand so can mean you get a discount on an already not too bad price.
If money is no problem, Bobbi Brown make really good brushes. (Sadly out of my budget for the foreseeable future!)

Daisygirl

The brushes from No 7 I find the bristles are always falling out, then you have to get them off your skin etc, not good! I do love The Body Shop range of brushes, excellent quality, no bristle fall out, quick to wash and dry (I leave them overnight to dry flat on a piece of folded kitchen roll), I bought the multi pack of brushes which came out at excellent value! I do also love the Real Techniques brushes and I also love their orange sponge to apply foundation with - it is a great size and shape to get to all areas of the face easily and it lasts ages and you wash it every 2nd use (so it says on the packaging!), better than the teeny tiny foam ones you can get which are a waste of money in my opinion. I have tried the Eco Tools ones, but find them just short off the mark compared to the others above.

Some people raise their hands in horror about sponges and how they absorb their foundation and so it gets used up too quickly. I moisten the sponge a little first so it doesn't absorb the foundation and it all gets to go on your skin.

Just to add about washing brushes - I wash them all about once a week or so in warm soapy water (I use Dr Bronner's tea tree liquid soap), give a thorough rinse and gently squeeze dry. Then lay them flat on a cotton towel or kitchen roll, usually dry by the next morning. I also 'spot wash' to give them a freshen up after daily use by squirting a bit of either Boots No 7 brush cleanser, or MAC one, (there are loads of others available), onto some kitchen roll, then getting most of the foundation off with that ready for the next day, they have alcohol in so I think they are getting rid of germs to - (I like to think so anyway!).

jenniewb

Daisygirl wrote: »

The brushes from No 7 I find the bristles are always falling out, then you have to get them off your skin etc, not good! I do love The Body Shop range of brushes, excellent quality, no bristle fall out, quick to wash and dry (I leave them overnight to dry flat on a piece of folded kitchen roll), I bought the multi pack of brushes which came out at excellent value! I do also love the Real Techniques brushes and I also love their orange sponge to apply foundation with - it is a great size and shape to get to all areas of the face easily and it lasts ages and you wash it every 2nd use (so it says on the packaging!), better than the teeny tiny foam ones you can get which are a waste of money in my opinion. I have tried the Eco Tools ones, but find them just short off the mark compared to the others above.

Some people raise their hands in horror about sponges and how they absorb their foundation and so it gets used up too quickly. I moisten the sponge a little first so it doesn't absorb the foundation and it all gets to go on your skin.

Just to add about washing brushes - I wash them all about once a week or so in warm soapy water (I use Dr Bronner's tea tree liquid soap), give a thorough rinse and gently squeeze dry. Then lay them flat on a cotton towel or kitchen roll, usually dry by the next morning. I also 'spot wash' to give them a freshen up after daily use by squirting a bit of either Boots No 7 brush cleanser, or MAC one, (there are loads of others available), onto some kitchen roll, then getting most of the foundation off with that ready for the next day, they have alcohol in so I think they are getting rid of germs to - (I like to think so anyway!).

I was wondering about the orange sponges by Real Techniques, they look really cute but I wasn't sure if they were just a waste of money as the volume of sponges I've thrown out as they just didn't last the wash is stupid.


I seem to end up just using (cleaned) hands and fingers which although does a good job, isn't so good at getting things even or looking as soft as a sponge or brush can. I tend to stay clear of brushes for my face (I just use them for my eyes) as I always end up with brush marks, sponges are far easier IMO but just cost too much and it's gutting to throw away so many so soon after buying them.

randm

jenniewb wrote: »

I was wondering about the orange sponges by Real Techniques, they look really cute but I wasn't sure if they were just a waste of money as the volume of sponges I've thrown out as they just didn't last the wash is stupid.


I seem to end up just using (cleaned) hands and fingers which although does a good job, isn't so good at getting things even or looking as soft as a sponge or brush can. I tend to stay clear of brushes for my face (I just use them for my eyes) as I always end up with brush marks, sponges are far easier IMO but just cost too much and it's gutting to throw away so many so soon after buying them.

with the brushes leaving marks - do you not do the circular motions to buff the foundation into the skin, that should get rid of the brush marks.

randm

it seems there's a lot of votes for both brushes and the sponges. i had been looking at the real technique all over face brush , stippling brush and sponge. the sponge is half the price of the brushes but will probably need replacing lots. if the brushes were so good then why bring out a sponge? they have a video telling you what the different brushes do and they say that the stippling brush gives less coverage than the flat foundation brush, but then go on to say that the face brush gives slightly more coverage but don't say what brush it gives moe coverage than. the more denser the brush the more foundation it picks up so the more coverage on your face. really undecided:(

randm

dippy3103 wrote: »

I use a beauty blender too- I get a much better stippled effect from it than I ever did brushes.

did you buff the foundation in with circular motions?

AbbieCadabra

i use brushes for mineral foundation & powder, buffing technique.

cosmopolitan/beauty blender sponge is used for liquid foundation, bit hard to describe but a dabbing/slightly twirling motion. as the sponge is damp, very little product is needed & you can build up as much cover as required.

juliep58

GBNI wrote: »

The Ciara Daly Hero Brush is amazing. Can't recommend it enough. It's a favourite of many make up artists in Northern Ireland (where Ciara Daly is based) but I believe you can buy the brush online.

I second this comment. I don't wear foundation very often because it never looked right and I thought it was because I was either not putting on enough or too much. used the Ciara daly Hero brush and now it always looks great, no streaks etc. Not bad either for £20odd pounds

Daisygirl

jenniewb wrote: »

I was wondering about the orange sponges by Real Techniques, they look really cute but I wasn't sure if they were just a waste of money as the volume of sponges I've thrown out as they just didn't last the wash is stupid.


I seem to end up just using (cleaned) hands and fingers which although does a good job, isn't so good at getting things even or looking as soft as a sponge or brush can. I tend to stay clear of brushes for my face (I just use them for my eyes) as I always end up with brush marks, sponges are far easier IMO but just cost too much and it's gutting to throw away so many so soon after buying them.

Yes, it's true, sponges don't last half as long as brushes do, but it's down to what you prefer in the end I suppose. For ease and quickness, for my preference, I would use a sponge every single time, but even these orange ones need replacing fairly regularly in comparison to brushes, every couple of months or so? I would steer clear of the really small ones though as they really are too small to get the application right! I don't have a problem with getting brush marks on my skin, I quickly go over my skin with a buffing brush (real techniques) before my foundation 'sets', before putting powder on.