The first step is wetting your sponge. You should never use a makeup sponge dry to apply foundation, especially if it's a beautyblender, says Bartlett. She recommends squishing it under water about eight times until it's fully saturated.
Flawless finish
The second reason to use a damp makeup sponge is that it makes your foundation or concealer look so much better. Some of the water in the sponge infuses with the foundation, which gives the skin a more luminous and healthy finish.
Fingers are best for a quick and natural application; sponges are good for achieving a flawless finish; and brushes are ideal for full coverage. And sometimes, a little mixing and matching can go a long way.
Whether you're using a foundation brush (synthetic bristles are best) or your fingertips, apply foundation in a stippling motion, which means gently tapping it into your skin. Avoid any wiping or rubbing motions because that will only push the foundation around and cause streaks.
Don't Paint, Buff. No matter what tool you're using—a foundation brush, a BeautyBlender, or your fingers—buff (or bounce, if you're using a sponge) the foundation into your skin as opposed to “painting” it on to build coverage smoothly and avoid streakiness, says Park.
Why wet your sponge? A dry sponge is super absorbent, so wetting the sponge ensures the product won't get all soaked up by the tool before it reaches your face. “Dampening a sponge will add a bit of moisture to the application, preventing the product from being too heavily absorbed into the sponge.
Clean and Prep Skin: Foundation sets better when applied to clean skin. Use Clean Fingers and Brushes: Always apply foundation with fingers and brushes that are clean. This prevents bacteria transfering to your clean skin. Start With a Small Amount of Foundation: Less is more!
Many people are surprised to find that the Beautyblender makeup sponge is meant to be used when wet. Before each use, run it under your faucet until it's fully soaked.
When wet, the sponge absorbs only a small amount of product. "One of the reasons we always say you need to wet your blender is because water causes the sponge to swell and it ensures your makeup won't be absorbed ... which results in less makeup waste," the brand said in a photo caption on Instagram.
Do you wet a beauty blender with warm or cold water? The truth is, you can do either, so it's up to you. But, a great hack it to use cool water in the summer to refresh and invigorate skin, and warm water in the winter as this helps to melt products beautifully into skin and make it more malleable.
“Your Beautyblender should ideally be washed after every use—it needs a little more love than your regular brushes. For a quick rinse, run it under warm water until the water becomes clear,” says Hughes. You toss it in your makeup bag.
“Foundation should only be applied where needed. It should be used to even out the skin tone and applied directly to the areas of concern (redness, pigmentation, shadows and blemishes), then blended out across the good skin. It should also be thoroughly buffed in so that the texture of the skin can be seen.”
Setting powder should be applied after foundation and concealer, but before blusher and bronzer, to help set your base makeup in place and keep oiliness at bay.
For the best results, make sure there's enough water to entirely submerge the sponge. Let it sit for two to three hours. While you wait, get cracking on that puzzle you've been meaning to start. Once time's up, remove your Beautyblender and lightly rinse and wring it under running water.
The main reason your makeup looks dry is that the underlying skin is dry, and your foundation lacks adequate moisturizer. It can also be caused by skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, or even an allergic reaction to your makeup.
This usually means your skincare products underneath are clashing. Always leave enough time for your serums and moisturisers to dry between layers. Applying hydrating serums to damp skin can also help. If foundation separation is your issue, try to use products with similar textures.
Use only a thin layer of primer (usually a pea-size blob for your entire face)—glob on too much, and your makeup can end up sliding around instead of melting into your skin. 3. Wait a full 60 seconds for your primer to “set” before slathering on your concealer and foundation.