All About Makeup Sponges

From time immemorial, women have sought to emphasize their natural beauty, for which they came up with a variety of methods and turned to all kinds of improvised materials that helped them feel more confident. In the modern world, a huge number of items have been created that participate in the daily makeup of the female half of humanity.

One of these auxiliary things is a make-up sponge, which has recently entered the life of girls and has already managed to take far from the last place in it. Most beautiful ladies have quality sponges in their collection that serve a variety of purposes.

A cosmetic sponge is a small sponge that can be used to create a variety of makeup. Like modern information technologies, cosmetology does not stand still, so makeup artists have invented sponges that differ in their characteristics and are intended for a great variety of operations.

At first, they were used only within the walls of salons and only by the hands of professionals.

Experts divide sponges into three conditional groups.

• Sponges for applying decorative cosmetics. Such options provide high-quality application of foundation and powder to the entire surface of the face, as well as concealer to the area under the eyes. The cream lays down softly, evenly covering all skin imperfections.

• Makeup remover sponges. The porous structure of such devices helps to easily cleanse the skin of cosmetics and impurities.High-quality sponges guarantee gentle cleansing of sensitive skin, removing pollutants and at the same time protecting against possible traumatic effects.

• Washing sponges. These devices have such an effect as if you have attended a peeling procedure, they have a positive effect on the blood circulation of the skin of the face, and also perfectly absorb all the dirt accumulated on it, and as a pleasant bonus, they give the skin the necessary moisture.

A special responsibility is assigned to the sponges intended for applying makeup, because because of a poor-quality device, you can ruin your appearance, and therefore your mood for the whole next day.

However, no less responsibility lies with the sponges used to cleanse the skin from decorative cosmetics.

Fortunately, in our time, every girl can provide herself with professional care, without leaving her own bathroom, because cosmetologists generously share the simplest tips, including those related to the choice of sponges.

Cosmetic sponges come in different types depending on the material from which they are made.

These sponges are designed to apply products with a powdery texture. They perfectly "take over" decorative cosmetics and successfully transfer it to the face. Devices made of foam rubber do not require special care, nevertheless, various microorganisms accumulate on them, therefore, periodic washing of the sponge should be done without fail.

Sponges of this type are distinguished by their softness compared to other options. Although they also do not hold elasticity. In this regard, they are usually used in order to apply a tonal foundation to the skin of the face. Devices made of material such as latex come in different shapes, and its choice depends on the girl's personal preferences, on which form of sponge is more convenient for her to use.

Sponges of this type absolutely do not correspond to the ideas that we have developed about this kind of instrument. First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that this is an innovative technology that was patented not so long ago.

Such sponges resemble some kind of hard rubber pads. Due to the material of manufacture, this device has a homogeneous structure, and not porous, as is the case with a sponge-sponge.

Moreover, he also does not absorb excess tonal means, and this helps to use the cosmetic product more economically, which, undoubtedly, is a positive factor. The resulting layer comes out as light, one might say, airy, no unallocated spots remain.

These sponges are ideal for removing makeup. Their structure is porous, and each of the cells is rather deep. Devices of this type not only do a good job of cleansing, but also help to exfoliate surface impurities and those cells of the epidermis that have already died out. They have a wide variety of shapes, which depends only on the decorative ideas of the manufacturer. There are sponges made of this material that are disposable.

Sponges made of synthetic materials most often repeat the shape of an egg, which to some extent resembles a brush, so they are quite convenient to use. A sharp tip can not only distribute cosmetics with high quality, but also successfully get rid of excess foundation of any density.

Experts identify different properties of synthetic sponges, depending on the color in which they are painted:

• pink - universal, suitable for everything;
• white has a soft structure, therefore it is well suited for applying the product in a thin layer;
• black has a porous structure, it is more elastic, therefore well suited for dense application of funds.

Sponges come in different shapes. The choice depends on what kind of manipulations the sponge will be intended for.

• Triangular and drop-shaped. Such sponges are most often used for applying professional cosmetics. The lower part of the triangle or drop, wider, is used on the cheeks and on the forehead, and the part that is narrowed is at the nasolabial triangle and in the area around the eyes.

• Square and round. Most often, such products are flat, which means they are ideal for applying and even adhering to the skin of dry cosmetics (for example, powder).

• Sponges in the shape of a brush. Such devices are used by professionals when working with shadows or blush, for their most even distribution.

In order to choose a cosmetic sponge, you need to be extremely responsible, because the use of a quality tool is equated with the perfect make-up. Of course, a good device comes at a rather high price, but this is exactly the issue that you should not save on in order to look really great.

• It is best to purchase sponges from proven, long-established brands. If you give your preference to those tools whose price is several times cheaper, then as a result you can not only get sloppy, unattractive makeup, but also endanger your skin. Moreover, cheap sponges do not last long and fail quickly.
• Experts unanimously recommend choosing sponges, the texture of which is distinguished by many small pores, since the process of applying cosmetics with such a device will be more pleasant.
• It is equally important that the sponge you choose is firm and resilient. Conduct a simple experiment: press your finger on the sponge and see if it quickly returns to its usual shape. Of course, the faster the better.
• When choosing this modern cosmetic gadget, giving preference to natural materials is not always the right decision. It is better to trust synthetics here. For example, the best sponges in the industry are called beautyblender, and they are made from synthetics.
• You can opt for a full set of sponges, where there are several of them.

It often happens that women start using a sponge, but do not get satisfaction from the result. There can be two reasons for this: a poor-quality tool was purchased, or the technique of its use was chosen incorrectly, errors in use are made. Let's take a look at the main steps in how to properly handle and care for your sponge.

1. Before use, experts recommend wetting the sponge - dipping it in water, and then drying it a little with a paper towel. This will help soften it. The thing is that a wet sponge absorbs the foundation better, and its distribution is more even.
2. Next, you need to dip one of the edges of the device into the cream, and then, with light, circular movements, without making any special efforts, apply the cosmetic product to the skin surface.
3. At the end of the procedure for applying makeup, it is necessary to rinse the sponge, clean it from the remaining funds on it. For these purposes, a specialized lotion, shampoo or liquid soap is well suited.
4. Washing, or rather even washing the sponge should be neat. You can not load it into the washing machine, as well as stretch, wring out during the procedure with your hands.
5. If the sponge absorbs the tone especially well, it remains on it in large quantities, you can moisten it with any body oil and hold it in a soapy solution for 10 hours.
6. You cannot use a variety of heating devices to dry the sponge. Dry it horizontally on a paper towel.
7. You need to store the sponge so that air and sunlight can freely flow to it, for which all kinds of organza or mesh bags are well suited. Otherwise - when stored in tightly closing cosmetic bags - the occurrence of fungus is guaranteed.
8. It is also prohibited to use a microwave oven or other heat effect for additional disinfection.
9. If you follow all of the above tips, you still need to change sponges often - at least once every three months.

Taking care of cosmetic sponges is a rather troublesome procedure, but it is a must, because in this way you take care of the health of your skin, as well as the quality of your make-up.