Beauty Boy: Flawless foundation

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With countless video tutorials, makeup brushes and photos to choose from it's hard to find a path that works for your best foundation application, but have no fear because Beauty Boy's guide is here.

With all the fads and trends that appear all over the Internet (especially with Instagram makeup artists), it can be pretty difficult to determine which ones are truly effective and which ones are just plain gimmicky.

When it comes to applying foundation, there are numerous methods seen everywhere including a variety of brushes, sponges and even airbrushing techniques. Each of these will have their pros and cons so it’s best to decide which method works best for you.

One of the biggest trends is applying foundation with a reusable sponge, specifically the Beauty Blender. While these sponges can be fairly expensive, they do a great job at achieving a full coverage effect. These sponges are best used with a “stippling” or “dabbing” method to build and layer the foundation (I find these applicators are not overly effective when using a swiping motion).

If you feel most comfortable using a sponge, reusable sponges are the way to go as you can clean them and they don’t absorb your foundation like a disposable sponge would. As for some of the latest sponges like the silicone sponge, just don’t bother.

For those who prefer a more airbrushed- finish with their foundation, it is best to use a buffing brush. Applying a few stripes of foundation to the entire face and then slowly buff it out with a brush, using a circular motion. This will help evenly blend out the foundation creating a light but seamless look.

These brushes come in a variety of formats such as a kabuki brush, a dual fiber brush and even those brushes that look like a giant toothbrush. All of these styles should be used in a buffing motion and will create a gorgeous finish to your foundation.

As for airbrushing on foundation with products such as Dior Skinflash, they create a natural look but they aren’t as convenient as they sound. These products tend to be pretty expensive because of the packaging and you end up having to blend the foundation out anyways with a brush or sponge. While this seems like a quick and easy way to apply foundation, it isn’t the most time or cost effective.

Lastly, there is always the option of using your fingers or hands as your foundation applicator. While this method is definitely the quickest, it isn’t the most hygienic and often wastes a lot of your product. The only other real perk to using your hands is that your body heat helps melt the product into your skin so it can make for a natural and dewy finish. However, using your hands should be last resort.

Test out all the different methods to applying foundation and have fun with it. See what kind of finish you like the best and which tools you feel most comfortable with. Avoid the gimmicky fads and stick to the basics, as you will more then likely receive the best results.