The little pink sponge that every makeup lover has.
This squishy fellow is seen on 98.6%** of all makeup tutorials we see on YouTube and if you don’t currently own one already you have probably considered buying it, toyed with the idea of using it OR it’s likely to be on your Christmas wishlist. The Beautyblender has been around for around 8 years now, and it’s an alternative to using a brush for applying foundation with many suggesting it’s the best makeup application tool that money can buy, hence why there are currently loads of replicas, dupes and different versions of it. For what my advice is worth, stick to the real-deal, many of the dupes I have seen aren’t as soft, pliable or as long-lasting as the actual Beautyblender so I think you will save money long-term by investing in the original.
**Not offical stats yo.
So how do you use a Beautyblender? You wet it with water, then squeeze out ALL the excess so you are left with a damp sponge, this basically ensures the Beautyblender WON’T suck up all product you apply with it hereafter. You then apply the foundation/base of your choice to the sponge and bounce it/tap it over your skin to get an un-rivalled flawless coverage. After use, simply wash it with anti-bacterial soap and let it air dry. Repeat.
There are a few ways that you can make your beauty blender work that little bit harder for you and one thing I love to do is to add a touch of skincare and/or primer to it to enhance the finish of the foundation I am applying. Still dampen the blender before you do any of the below FYI.
Oily Skin = Beautyblender & Cover FX Custom Blot Drops
Have oily skin but don’t like those powdery, oil-free foundations? Then stick with your normal fluid foundation formula but just add some of these mattifying drops from Cover FX onto your Beautyblender prior to application. Not only will it give a more long-wearing and shine-free finish but it will also help your chosen foundation stay on longer, treat blemishes (with salicylic acid) AND help with oil-control. I use these on my clients all the time as it’s also really great for when lights are really bright and show up all the shine on the skin and also in hot studios when make up can melt off in a flash – a few drops seems to lock everything on perfectly.
Dull Skin = Beautyblender + GOSH Lumi Drops
..Or any kind of liquid highlighter. I like the GOSH Lumi drops because they aren’t overly shimmery and NO traces of glitter, so you don’t end up looking like a disco ball. They do 3 (I think) shades of these illuminating drops, and I am currently loving ‘Peach’ as it adds a touch of warmth and glow onto my current autumnal casper-like skin hue. You can totally custom the amount of *glow* with how much you apply. I add a dollop onto my sponge and mix it in with my foundation , and for extra highlight then add another drop of ‘neat’ liquid highlighter onto your sponge and bounce it over your cheekbones, nose and forehead for extra light and lift on your skin.
Dehdrated/Dry Skin = Foundation & Dermalogica Phyto-Replenish Oil
Have that problem of flaking, dry skin and when you apply foundation it seems to make your skin look worse? Try this….immediately ; Wet your beauty blender and squeeze out the exess , drop around 4 drops of the Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil onto the sponge and mix with your foundation and hey presto ; get tapping and buffing that dewy foundation on. You will be left with a sheerer formula of foundation and it will be enriched with this oil-elixir to give you an obsession-worthy glow. This oil is formulated with Fatty Acids, Antioxidants, Camelia oil, Rosemary leaf extract & to replenish protective lipids and reinforce the skin barrier. All-day dew has never been so easy.
Have you got a Beautyblender? Has it changed your life and what is your preferred way to use it?