Using A Sponge For Applying Your Makeup? I (Finally) Test It Out...

It's taken me a long, long while to get on the whole 'using a sponge to apply your makeup' thang. The original BeautyBlender has been out for yonks and since the addition of the first drugstore version to the market - Real Techniques' Miracle Complexion Sponge - the method has been even more popularised. Whether for use in applying your base, concealer or a variety of other cream makeup products; or simply bopping away at the finished result to make things even more thoroughly blended - a handy little sponge can infact be utilised it a multitude of ways in your makeup routine. So in Boots the other day - as you would have seen in this post - I finally got round to picking one up and today I'm reporting back on my findings...

All in all - I'm really rather liking it so far. First time round I simply used it in place of my buffing brush to apply my foundation. Having read a fair few reviews of these things and seeing many a tutorial where one features, I had a rough idea of how to do so and just went by that and I think it worked quite well. As most suggest, I thoroughly dampened my sponge by running it under cold water first (and squeezing out the excess, of course) so it wouldn't eat up most of my foundation before it even came near my face. The sponge expanded almost double the size and was much more flexible and bouncy and I was ready to go. I followed Sam and Nic's expert advice (who wouldn't?) and used the sides of the sponge to apply the majority of my base and the flat side to get in all those nooks and cranny's of the face too. It was actually a lot more simple than I thought it would be - sure, it was a tad more time-consuming - but there was no major issues that made me want to take it all off, get out my buffing brush and start again. My foundation applied like a dream, the bouncing motion helping it to actually sink into the skin as opposed to sitting on top of it and giving me a super natural finish, but still the same amount of coverage. My skin looked extra dewy and radiant (think that may be down to the moistness in the sponge) and the fact I used cold water to dampen it meant my skin felt really cooled and refreshed afterwards. I don't know how it does it - but I am amazed.

I applied my concealer in the usual way and when a couple of areas of my face started to look a little cakey, rather than going in with my fingers as I usually would, I bopped this sponge over the top and they were gone. It really does seem to be a miracle worker (just like the name implies) in regards to makeup application - whether it be initially or as the final step. Admittedly, I haven't yet given it a go as the finishing step after using a brush to slap on my base (as many also rave about its handiness for), though I think that may just be my next method to try. I'll keep you updated...