Which of the new make-up tools is best?
AnyonE who’s ever washed a foundation brush or make-up sponge must wonder how much of their expensive foundation they regularly sluice down the drain.
So it’s little surprise the launch of a no-waste applicator has become big news for beauty fans. Called the Silisponge, devotees claim you need a fraction of the foundation you usually use since it spreads so evenly, doesn’t absorb the product and is easy to clean.
CLARE CoLEMAn put it to the test alongside five other applicators. We marked each based on price, how much foundation they used, the results they gave, and how easy they were to clean . . .
TAPERING TRIANGLE
Bold Metals Collection Triangle Foundation Brush, £15, lookfantastic.com THIS brush has a triangular head that tapers to a point.
VERDICT: The bristles were thick and rough. But it was easy to apply foundation, and it sucked up less product than others I tried. 4/5
BARGAIN BRISTLES
Royal Cosmetic Connections Foundation Brush, £2.99, fragrancedirect.co.uk A BARGAIn-basement foundation brush with soft, synthetic bristles.
VERDICT: For a super-cheap brush, this spreads foundation quickly and easily over the face. It absorbed 50 per cent of what I used, but a good performance for an inexpensive brush. 3/5
HIGH-TECH PEBBLE
Silisponge, £5.95, amazon.co.uk THIS is the product labelled revolutionary by make-up fans.
VERDICT: I loaded too much product onto the pebble-shaped silicone, and it slid all over my fa c e . A more successful approach was to spread a small amount over the skin and then dab it. I needed half the amount o f foundation I usually use because the applicator doesn’t soak it up, and cleaning it, under a warm tap, couldn’t be easier. 5/5
TOOTHBRUSH TOOL
Beau Belle OV1 Foundation Brush (part of a set of eight), £64.95, beaubelle brushes.com THIS toothbrush- style applicator is part of a set of different-sized soft bristle brushes.
VERDICT: My normal amount of foundation didn’t give me the same coverage I usually get.
And, while the big bristles were good for buffing the product into the cheeks and forehead, you’d need another brush for the smaller areas.
I’d hoped the densely packed bristles wouldn’t soak up so much foundation, but they took about 50 per cent, and the fact they’re so tightly packed makes it a lot harder to clean. 3/5
VIBRATING SPONGE
Starskin Patting Make-up Applicator, £79.95, harveynichols.com THIS egg- shaped sponge on a vibrating head is ‘inspired by the expert patting techniques of celebrity makeup artists’.
VERDICT: This gave a perfect result, but it didn’t seem to use any less foundation, soaked up half the product and was very tricky to clean. not worth the price. 2/5 PRICY TEARDROP Make-up Drop Silicone Applicator, £14, boots.com AIMInG to cash in on the success of the original Silisponge, this teardropshaped applicator is thicker — and more than twice the price.
VERDICT: It didn’t absorb any foundation and was easy to clean, but the thicker edges made it harder to get into crevices. Excellent for foundation economy, but there are less expensive versions around. 4/5