How do you use a foundation brush?

Question

I just bought a nice foundation brush, but I'm not sure exactly how to use it. Do I dot the foundation (liquid) on my face and then spread it with the brush? Do I put the makeup directly onto the brush and then onto my skin? Do I even really need this thing?

This brush is made for blending liquid foundation - I bought it in conjunction with my foundation at the Estee Lauder counter.

Answer 1

A foundation brush has to be one of the most soothing ways to put on makeup there is. I almost fall asleep every time someone uses on me during a makeover. You don't need it, exactly, but it will give you beautiful sheer coverage.

You can put a q-tip in your foundation, dot it on your face, then brush, yes. (Don't double-dip your q-tip if you need more foundation, as you will put bacteria into your foundation and it will go bad. Get a fresh one or dip the unused side.) Or you can pour a little onto a kleenex, dab your brush in it, and then brush. Never touch your foundation bottle directly to your brush - again, this will contaminate your foundation with bacteria and it will go bad.

Lastly, remember to wash your brush frequently - daily, if you can. You don't want to smear yucky old foundation on your face, because that's a good way to get pimples (that bacteria thing again!). Use a gentle hand soap, lather up the bristles in the palm of your hand by swirling around, rinse in lukewarm water, squeeze out extra water, smooth the bristles back into shape and stand the brush upright to dry.

Good brushes can make any makeup look better because it can be applied more smoothly and easily. Enjoy your new foundation brush - it's a great start.

Answer 2

On the rare occasion that I use liquid foundation this is how I do it. I put a good dab of foundation on the back of my left hand and use it as a palette for my brush. I dip my foundation brush into the base and apply it to my face with a sort of stippling action. If you need more base you can add more to the back of your hand, which keeps you from double dipping in the bottle.

Answer 3

All righty, dear. A brush is usually used to put on powder foundation. For liquid, you'll want a sponge of some sort, preferably latex-free in case you may be allergic to that material. I would recommend getting ahold of a sponge and dampening it slightly before putting the liquid foundation on it. This will make it glide onto the skin easier. Then if you have a few shiny spots afterwards, use the brush to lightly apply some loose powder foundation to even you out. Hope this helps :P

Answer 4

Couldn't find a satisfactory article that summarized how to use it but found this Y! Answer that's great:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060914071152AAYTAk5

& this from clinique.com http://www.clinique.co.uk/templates/products/sp_nonshaded.tmpl?ngextredir=1&CATEGORY_ID=CAT2848&PRODUCT_ID=PROD71067