Adjusting foundation coverage with 2 different tools

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A versatile foundation is a MUST in every makeup bag. Notice I said versatile! I truly don’t believe that everyone needs a full coverage foundation if they don’t like that, and if you hate sheer foundations you should skip those. But everyone should have a versatile foundation that they feel comfortable wearing in their makeup kit!

For years and years I’ve leaned way toward the end of full coverage foundations. Given the nature of what I do here on the blog, I felt most comfortable with a full coverage foundation! Now with age and lifestyle changes, I’m leaning a bit more toward the medium/buildable coverage range. There are still a lot of times that I opt for a full coverage foundation, but generally I find myself reaching for a medium level of coverage for day-to-day life.

The highly recommended Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation (I wear shade 5) made its way into my online cart at Sephora several months ago, and I have to admit this was a huge win for me! It’s certainly a luxury foundation but I’m continually pleased with the finish, wear, longevity, and versatility it offers. The shade range is enormous and it has been pretty much all I’ve worn for the past few months. I switch off between using my fingers to apply it on a really fast makeup day and using my Sonia Kashuk foundation brush (it’s only $9.00).

To show you how the coverage varies, I applied foundation using my fingertips only on the left side of my face (my left), and used my foundation brush on the right side (my right). I’m wearing no other makeup here because I wanted to focus solely on the foundation finish.

On the fingertip side, one of the most noticeable areas is at my cheeks right near my nose. You can see more of my natural skin texture on this side vs. a smoother coverage on the foundation brush side. I also found that more of my freckles showed through on the fingertip side, which is exactly what I expected.

The finish is natural/radiant, in my opinion. Definitely not matte, but not luminous either. I was very apprehensive about the word “luminous” in the foundation description because I don’t like overly shimmery or dewy skin, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this foundation just looks like skin!

Whether you are using this foundation or not, try adjusting your application methods to change up your coverage. I know a lot of other women love a beauty blender, and I do too at different times! If you have a full coverage foundation, but are looking to lighten up the finish, try using a damp beauty blender to apply!

I know this post was full of a lot of close-ups of my face but I hope that you were able to see and understand the difference in coverage when you use two different tools to apply the same product!

P.S. You can read all about my favorite Sonia Kashuk brushes here! And random, but if you want a comfy maxi dress for summer, check this one out!

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 05.17.18

As someone who doesn’t use foundation at all, I found this really informative and helpful! Once again, thank you. 🙂

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Heather says · 05.17.18

Wow! Thank you for this! I had no idea there would be such a noticeable difference. I’m a newly to using a lot of different brushes to apply makeup. Since high school, I’v used finger for foundation and that horrible little applicator for eye shadow. I feel like I’ve been living in a hole!!! Now I use brushes and toss that cheap applicators. Thanks!!!

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Allie says · 05.17.18

Im always amazed at how different my foundation looks when I’m in a hurry in the morning and use my fingers (side note – I don’t know why I do this really, it takes just as long as using a brush. Old habits kick in I guess). I have the Sephora kabuki brush and it does a great job of applying a thin even layer of foundation too! The travel sized one is adorable too.
xAllie
http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com

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Eileen says · 05.17.18

Did you like this foundation over Arbonne?

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Kate says · 05.17.18

It’s a very different coverage level, and I like that it gives me a medium to full coverage. Both are great foundations

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Emily says · 05.17.18

FYI…I have been mixing Arbonne foundation with It Cosmetics CC illuminating and loving it!

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Kate says · 05.17.18

Oh I bet that’s pretty!

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Laci says · 05.17.18

I’ve been using a brush to apply my foundation and it has been game changer!

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Tiffany says · 05.18.18

What a great post! Love seeing the comparison between fingers and brush. Would love to see you do a comparison between brush & beauty blender.

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Kristin says · 05.18.18

Thank you for this! I’ve just recently started using a foundation brush hoping to achieve a more natural look, but I notice that after I apply my foundation that it looks very “streaky”/uneven. What am I doing wrong?! ?! 😣 🤔

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Kate says · 05.18.18

Try swirling the brush in small circles instead of using longer strokes, that should help!

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Rianne says · 05.18.18

Really great tips, I never know what tool is the best tool to apply foundation.

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Teri says · 05.24.18

I love the idea of a versatile foundation like the one you used, but just don’t think I could justify spending that much on a single product. Could you suggest some more budget friendly foundation options that achieve similar results?

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Anne Mathew says · 07.09.18

Do you have a suggestion for something similar with sunscreen? I live in Denver and sun exposure is a concern in the mile high city.

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Kelly says · 07.09.18

How do you pick the right color for this foundation? I have very pale skin with lots of pink undertones.

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Kim says · 06.13.19

What’s the difference then between a beauty sponge and foundation brush? I never used anything but my fingers and recently learned and started using a beauty blender. Am I doing it wrong?! I’m using EL Double wear for medium coverage.

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Kate says · 06.19.19

It’s just a different application method! Usually a beauty blender is damp so it possibly can thin out the foundation a little bit, but in general you can sort of control how heavy the application is by how much product you use!

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