brushes or spongetips?

[shriekingviolet]

I used to use sponge tip brushes exclusively in my early makeup wearing days, but I don't think I've used one for eye makeup in at least 2 years. Now that I've gotten used to using brushes, I can't stand the small handles (if you can call them that) on disposable sponges. I don't need really long handles (the ones on travel size brushes are good enough for me), but the ones on sponges are too short for me. I no longer like having my fingers so close to my face when I'm working. The color doesn't seem to go on as evenly with sponges either and even with a lot of blending, look more severe on me.

There are a few colors that I've thought about breaking out the sponges for, but haven't because I no longer keep them around. Any matte shadow or rare frosts of MACs (like Paradisco or Living Pink) that seems to develop a hard layer over on the top after a while and are harder to pink up on a brush. Sponges do a better job for that.

That said, I do use makeup sponges rather than brushes for foundation. I never got the hang of a foundation brush.

 

[Isis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude The Stila #5 is L*O*V*E! However, for us older girls who are closer to thirty than twenty (ugh), the sponge tip tugs at the lid and can make your eye look crepey.

Stila brushes are so awesome! I've just changed alot of mine over from smashbox & fresh. But I havn't gotten the #5 yet.

I totally agree you about sponge tips. The other estheticians at my work use them instead of brushes and their clients (when they're done doing their makeup) look like prunes with color smeared on them. Not a good look!

 

[lindsay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonrevel I used to buy those little matchbook sets of sponge tip applicators, and I would have one for every color (this was a long time ago when I only had about 20 eyeshadows). It started to drive me crazy because I would mix them up and use the wrong one with the wrong color, and my skin oils would get on them after a couple of uses and make the shadow texture kind of funky. Then I got into my brush obsession and haven't really used the sponges since. They definitely are great for getting lots of color on, but my OCD won out, hehe.

wow, i totally second that! i used to do the same exact thing... thank god for brushes because i don't know how i used to deal with a different sponge for every shadow!

 

[sigwing]

I love the sponge-tips! I get some that I think are Wet-n-Wild, at like Walmart, that have a pointy tip on one end that I use to smudge my eyeliner pencil lines, or even to wet and use e/s to line with, especially lower lid. I've also found they give more color, and I feel put it exactly where you want it & are easy to blend with, like a substitute fingertip.

I'm actually probably now closer to 50 than 40, but act like I'm closer to 30, don't have wrinkle or crepe problems (yet anyway), and I've been using makeup probably longer than some of you have been around! *lol* But get this: I have never washed my cheap little sponge-tips. I'm no scientist, but I'd hazard a guess and bet my paycheck that there's bacteria on your eyeshadows, your blushes, in your foundation bottle, on your fingers, on your face...pretty much everywhere. I use the same ones for a while and wipe them on a tissue before changing colors, and keep ones I've used for light shadows for the light shadows, dark for dark, and my whole life I've never had any kind of eye infections or rash or whatever you might imagine. I do throw them away & break out new ones, because, like I said, they're CHEAP. And I do have some great brushes, MAC and others, that I use also....I'm not a total heathen! *s* But my eye makeup always looks great, according to me & whoever notices it, and I work in a professional legal environment so I wouldn't want to look like I had blotchy cheap makeup on, and I swear by my trusty sponge applicators. Sponge-tip users UNITE!!! *lol*

 

[aziajs]

I actually don't like spongetips but I picked up some to use at home while I am trying to swatch colors to come up with combinations. I was in a rush today so I grabbed one I used yesterday when I came up with this great combo (All That Glitters, Brown from HIP Sassy duo, Bronze, and Botantical). Anyway, I put on the shadows today and it looked amazing! I got compliments everywhere. I might use them more often but I still love my brushes!

 

[Alexa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caffn8me Try a M·A·C 219 brush - you can use it to pack incredible amounts of colour onto the lid and it's easier to keep clean

i have the 219 but i dont like it for applying color on the lid =\

i throw the sponge tips out after 2 uses anyways.