I love sponges for giving lighter coverage and working with more matte formulas, as I find the dampness helps stretch and spread them better. My biggest “issue” with sponges is just how much time they can take to really clean!
— Christine
I love the finish I get with a brush, but they have to be washed regularly or else they’ll soak up too much product, which clumps bristles together and leads to a streakky finish. I find brushes are easier to thoroughly clean compared to sponges, which is a big bonus.
— Christine
These are my favorite type, as I find they offer fluidity for concealing on the face or underneath the eyes while being blendable, so I can adjust coverage as desired. The only downside is that they tend to have more slip and can crease more readily (but often are more forgiving if I do a second blend!).
— Christine
I love how creamy and high-coverage they can be, but they’re often harder to spread out and can feel a little thick. Plus, they seem to contain less product and can get used up faster than a liquid foundation!
— Christine
I love that they’re versatile and can be used either way but so often they have to be used wet to work well, so then they’re less versatile and more extra effort.
— Christine
The softer and more blendable a formula is, the more powdery and less pigmented it is, so there are a lot more trade-offs to get the right coverage level while still ensuring it’s easy to work with!
— Christine
As a personal preference, it’s not really a product I see myself reaching for. I tend to reach for lip gloss or lipstick in my “down” time, so it’s not a product that I feel that strongly about. I see its place, though, so I also don’t have any issues with it! I do want to see that the lip balm is hydrating, not just sheer and balmy but lacking the moisturizing properties of a true lip balm.
— Christine
As more and more brands participate, it can get overwhelming and feel like just too much… that I almost end up opting out because I don’t know where my money should go! I also get annoyed when brands are more opaque about their offerings so you don’t feel confident buying on Black Friday because Cyber Monday offers might be better… I’d just rather consistent messaging for the weekend period or else offering very different deals on the respective dates.
— Christine
LOVE! I love a good shimmery lipstick, whether it’s finer pearl or larger glitter. I am just so dazzled by sparkle, haha! The downsides of metallic lipsticks are when they emphasize lip texture too much or feel too dry/gritty going on.
— Christine
I love when steps are explained well and you don’t feel like it’s glossed over too many of the smaller steps (ones that often someone who is moderately experienced may take as given). I’m not a fan of tutorials that go too far off on a tangent (unless it’s stated to be that way, e.g. a get-ready-with-me style video I’d expect very different language from than a true tutorial!).
— Christine
