Nothing bothers me more than watching a girl putting on foundation with her fingers (bothers me even more than the sponge, bad sponge!).  There’s, of course, a multitude of reasons.  Where does one even start?

• Fingers carry loads of bacteria.  Look at everything we touch with our hands.  Most diseases are spread from our hands touching something (ew), and then usually touching our faces.  Avoid, avoid, avoid!  Break-outs, anyone?
• When you’re rubbing it in, you’re rubbing most of it off.  PRODUCT WASTE!
• Our fingers contain massive amounts of oil.  Ew.

What about the sponge?  Simple:

• It soaks up most of your product. However, I like sponges for professional use when you don’t have time to clean your brush in between models; they’re disposable and simple (just wet it and ring it out first so you don’t waste so much of your product).

Then of course, you’re going to ask me — but Moolllyyyy, what are the pros to buying a foundation brush?  They are EXPENSIVE!

Yes, but well worth the expense.

• A foundation brush will save you on average 2-3 bottles of foundation a year.  Make sure you always buy synthetic (it doesn’t absorb the foundation into the bristles).  This in and of itself will pay for your brush.
• Each bristle is like a tiny finger, you have tons of teeeeeny little fingers applying the foundation to your face, causing a flawless appearance.
• It’s clean!  I clean my foundation brush after every use with either baby shampoo or generic anti-bacterial soap (it’s more gentle than Dial, I get the Wal-Mart – Equate brand).
• There’s a multitude of types of brushes to choose from (I actually use one by Urban Decay that’s intended for blush, more on that later).

I recommend a soft brush, for the obvious reasons…. The bristles will blend better than one that’s tighter!

There are the typical foundation brushes, skunk brushes, and then of course powder/blush brushes — which are newer to being used for foundation (I like them, it makes me look air brushes).  Each gives a different amount of coverage with different application, how does one choose?

Now, I’m a brush fiend.  Texture and the feel of the bristles means everything to me.  I don’t want to use something that’s stiff and is going to feel like I’m poking my face every morning, it just isn’t worth it to me, and I doubt it would be to you!

Those flat brushes (like our dear friend, the MAC 190) offer more coverage for your face.  Yes, it looks similar to a paint brush, but isn’t that the purpose?  You are painting your face.  Short strokes in all different directions will help to evenly apply foundation all over your face.  This brush is pretty ideal for the areas like underneath your eyes (though they do have mini foundation brushes, commonly called “concealer brushes” available to you ), or on the corners of your nose.  I really like this tool for most liquid foundations (especially if you want more coverage), and cream foundations!

• MAC 190
• Lancome Foundation Brush
• Nixie Foundation Brush
• Smashbox Foundation Brush
• Make Up For Ever Finishing Brush

There’s always a duster or “skunk” brush that you can use as well.  These will give you less coverage, and I like it for super creamy foundations (like MAC Studio Fix Fluid).  I suggest STIPPLING with these brushes.

• MAC 187 brush (really, this is the only skunk brush I like, it has the best control and the bristles aren’t too flimsy).

Oh my goodness, and my favorite!  I love using kabuki brushes, blush brushes, or flat-top kabuki brushes!  These are my all time favorite, I think they blend so much better than anything else and give a nice moderate coverage.  Kim Kardashian’s make up artist uses a flat-top MAC kabuki brush, but I can’t find the sucker anywhere.  Total bummer These are ideal for ANY foundation, liquid or cream (and your cream blushes, too)!

• Urban Decay Blush Brush — this is the brush that I personally use, and I love it.  Love, love, love, love it.  The one on the Sephora website does not resemble the one I own, so I’m not sure if the photo is updated.  Will somebody let me know if Sephora does carry this?
• MAC 109 — if you’ve been on YouTube, everybody has been talking about this guy.  He’s soft, fluffy, and perfectly airbrushes your make up on!
• MAC 182 Buffer — this is the rounded top counterpart to the brush I mentioned above that I cannot find.
• Nixie Kabuki
• Nixie Blush Brush — pretty similar to the MAC 109
• Sonia Kashuk Flat Top Kabuki Brush — easily available (Target stores), I use this for my cream foundation which I put around my nose, and under my eyes.  The top is small so it’s easy to get into those small areas, but would also be good for the whole face!  I also really like it for my cream blush
• Too Faced retractable kabuki brush — SO soft!
• Philosophy Super Natural Air Brush — similar to my Sonia Kashuk

Now, these are just my personal favorite brushes that I’ve actually played with and tried.  What do you use to apply your foundation?