Men of Leq Presents: Victor (Part 2)

Model: Victor Heliodor
Grooming: Bambi de la Cruz
Styling: Estien Quijano
Photographer: Rachel Lobangco

Shot on location at Ascend Superclub.

Farewell Shoot for Victor

My work has given me the opportunity to meet new people, some of them end up as really good friends. Last week, Leq texted me asking if I would be free to join her for another shoot for her project, Men of Leq. When I knew that the model was gonna be Victor, I immediately said yes. It was Victor's last week too in Manila and this would be a perfect chance to meet up with him. Work kept me busy the past week.

Victor stayed here in Manila for 3 months. He originates from Sweden but has been travelling around the world for modelling jobs. I met him during my first Men of Leq shoot and we've been shooting a lot for fun and work. He's very sweet and he visits me all the time when I guest at the store and always keeps in touch. He's grown close with us already and we were quite sad that he had to leave but of course, there are better opportunities for him also abroad.

So on his last shoot here in Manila, we took a lot of behind-the-scenes photos:

with his photographer Rachel and the makeup artist - ME! :D Coincidentally, Rachel and I wore similar outfits. hehehehehe.

And here he is being shot by master photographer Leo Castillo:

He looked amazing frame after frame. Victor has excellent features and his looks change at every pose. He looks like a mixture of Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, and David Cook. His eyes speak a lot, which are one of his best assets. I definitely know he'll really make it big internationally, with his positive attitude and his ability to make friends with anyone. Also, Rachel took pix of us. I really hope that I get to see Victor again, in whatever country we both find ourselves in. We exchanged emails and Skype IDs so we both get to keep in touch even if we're time zones apart.

Here's to one of the bestest people I've met at work! I'll upload his pictures from Rachel after this post. :)

Red Alert and Red Addiction

Red was the color of the day... er... night when I got home last Tuesday:

My phone matches my lipstick. Heeheehee. :) Say hello to my newest baby in my red lipstick collection: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in RD 165 M.

This red is one of Shu Uemura's best-selling reds, in fact, while I asked EJ for a tube, he rummaged the stocks and I was so lucky to have the last piece. My first Shu Uemura red lipstick. Wiiiii!

Here it is, trying to break in its new home for its life. :)

Crystal clear glass tube so you actually see how much of your lipstick is being consumed. With me errr, this does not last, knowing my addiction on lipsticks. This shade is in a matte finish, in comparison with the frosty sheers of crystal shine. It's a bright red that brightens up the face instantly.

Here are swatches in comparison with two of my favorite reds: MAC Russian Red and MAC Ruby Woo:

versus MAC Russian Red (left).

Russian Red is deeper and the color more intense. RD 165 is actually matte but it's not the super intense matte, it's sheerer than Russian Red but brighter The coverage and intensity comparable to Russian Red, I have to slide on an extra coat.

versus Ruby Woo (left)

Ruby Woo and RD 165 have the same brightness level. Difference? Ruby Woo is more matte as in flat matte that's hard to come off even after glasses of wine. RD 165 has more shine. However, it does not last long as compared with Ruby Woo, which I wear with very limited retouching.

My verdict? I do love this lipstick. :) It's a sort of creamy-matte finish so I recommend this to those who want to wear a matte lipstick but would want something non-drying. It's also not sticky so it feels quite comfortable on the lips. Does it have my seal of approval? Definitely it does. I'd keep it in my bag though, and I'd have to stay put on retouching. It's a moisty matte too, so I could use this whenever I feel my lips are undergoing total dry spells.

MAC Makeup Workshop by Owen Sarmiento

I just came home after a fun day. I had a shoot at Mike's today then he dropped me off Rockwell since I had to meet Cyndee and check out the MAC workshop to be held there. When I asked who the model would be, they asked me if I would be the willing guinea pig.

A face full of MAC Makeup? Why will I not complain? And since MAC has a pool of fantastic artists, who am I to complain?

But I gotta start with a clean clean face right? So I removed my red lipstick with makeup remover, wipes, and washed my face with Lightful cleanser. Makeup artist for the event was Owen Sarmiento, who happens to be the counter manager of the MAC branch at Mall of Asia. Owen has such a fantastic portfolio and in his shoots, he usually uses his close friends as his models.
Oooh look at the lovely lovely makeup!

He did a very natural look on me but before makeup, he prepped my skin with proper skin care. He primed my face with the Strobe cream which gave my skin an already luminous finish before evening it out with Mineralize Satinfinish liquid foundation and spot-applying concealer on my problem areas (i.e. Red spots). As you all know, the Mineralize Satinfinish liquid foundation is my first MAC foundation and it was indeed love at first touch for me since I didn't break out and I love the finish. After setting my skin with Mineralize Skinfinish powders, he proceded with eye makeup.

For eyeshadow, Owen applied Prep+Prime eye on my lids as a base for the eyeshadow to hold on to using a 217 brush. As a trivia, the 217 brush was my first-ever MAC brush. I learned techniques on how to maximize my 217 and I'm loving it more. He applied powerpoint pencil in Stubborn brown on my lower lashline but instead of a continuous line, he just filled in the gaps creating the illusion of thicker lashes and defined eyes. He did the same thing on the upper lashes but used Engraved powerpoint pencil, which was a black shade. Then, a natural but high-shine shadow was used on my lids (gleam) followed by mascara on curled lashes. Now, Owen defined my eyebrows with eyebrow pencil in Lingering (a MAC bestseller) and brushed it with a 208 brush. My browbone was highlighted with Shroom, and this was also used to highlight the inner corners of my eyes to brighten them up. After the eyes, it was blush time with Mocha blusher and my lips were lined in Spice lipliner and colored a natural color - Hug Me, which is a natural shade that could flatter anyone. Aside from the basics, Owen showed the audience how to contour using the Dark Mineralize Skinfinish powder and a 116 brush.

For a quick day-to-night upgrade, he just defined my liner with charcoal brown eyeshadow, which he swept by the crease giving it definition plus Silver Dusk loose iridescent powder was placed in strategic places on my face for added shimmy and shine.

So here's me all made up and fabulouswith the fantastic and talented Owen Sarmiento:

Another tip for flawless makeup from Owen: Blend the colors well so everything looks natural instead of makeup. To cover a blemish, it's better to just try to diminish the blemish using little product rather than piling on the concealer since that makes it look cakey. Less is more. :)

So that was my night of fun, beauty, and makeup. What a great way to cap a fantastic work week.

By the way, tomorrow, catch these two MAC-filled activities:

• Style Black collection launch at MAC Makati counter (Glorietta).
• Makeovers at the MAC Booth at Rockwell North Wing. I'll be doing makeovers too. :)

Makeup Workshop, Movie, and Meet-and-Greet

Mantra, my favorite studio takes work to the next level by producing a makeup workshop coupled by a movie. For those who have been inquiring about my makeup tutorial rates, thought you could check this workshop out. At a very affordable price, you get to learn how to do makeup, watch a blockbuster movie, and meet-and-greet also fellow beauty fanatics, a top photographer, and of course... US!

There would be two makeup artists facilitating the event, me and Nix Abaca, a good friend of mine who I have worked with a whole lot of times under Mantra. It's gonna be a whole lot of fun too!

For inquiries, you could send me an email. However, we only have limited slots left so better reserve a slot now.

To participants, we'll see you on the 21st :)

I Love RED LIPSTICK

Pretty much, Bambi is not Bambi without a red lipstick. I wore a nude gloss or a pink gloss but I always carry red lipstick in my bag. Lipsticks are also one thing I really invest on as I want them to be in good quality and I want them to last, so I always look for value for money. Plus I whip it out to retouch so it needs to be a really good brand, right? I also look for lipsticks that taste good (heeheehee) and don't feel like floorwax on my lips. Not that I put on floorwax okay?

As of today, these are my red lipsticks. As soon as I discovered how lovely they are, I began loving reds. Here are my favorite reds of all time. Some are limited edition but they're too lovely not to get.


Borrowed my very manang book to be used as a base so my bed doesn't get stained with the red.

From L-R
MAC Russian Red, MAC Hot Tahiti, MAC Viva Glam I, MAC Ruby Woo, MAC Flash-N-Dash (Fafi Collection), Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited RD 165 M (Matte finish), L'Oreal Burgundy Richess, Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Gloss in Cherry Blast.

I love mixing my lipsticks too. I tried mixing Russian Red with Viva Glam I so I have a stark bright red. I use Hot Tahiti as a gloss to Russian Red. I mix a dollop of Cherry blast too to intensify my Ruby Woo. For me, I like how Flash-N-Dash looks great on its own since it's got sparkles to make a statement. If I want a really bright bright bright red that really stays, I mix MAC Ruby Woo and MAC Russian Red for a really intense matte that lasts.

Tsumori Chisato for Shu Uemura: Stars, Galaxy, and a Cute Black Kitty

As Christmas time comes, makeup brands deck their stores with fantastic new collections that serve as marvelous Christmas gifts as well. Last night's event, which marked the Shu Uemura boutique at Rockwell's first anniversary launched its new collection, which was a collaboration between the brand and Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato.

Check out this whimsical new palette, which features cosmic sparkles inspired by the sun, moon, and stars. It's almost like a fairytale land that reminded me of fairy tales and elves and all sorts of fantastic characters and scenes in little girl's storybooks.

The two face palettes can contain 3 powder eyeshadows, 2 cream eyeshadows (which can be used as liner. The white one makes an excellent highlighter in the inside corners to brighten the eyes), and a lovely blush with golden sparkles. The blush is an excellent blush that can be used for brides and it adds a natural glow to the skin.

Oh yeah, and I saw a jaw-dropping beauty on display at the event:



It's almost like a fairy godmother's gift - a limited edition pink and black makeup case decked with little pink stars. :D

The collection would be available on November this year, but the stocks are already available for reserve. Horray!

UV Underbase in Fluid Formulation

Our favorite Shu Uemura UV Underbase does a transformation and goes on in fluid form aside from the traditional mousse form. I do love how the mousse formulation pouffs up on my hand (it's just too cute and fluffy) when I dispense it but as time passes by, I've noticed that the consistency becomes thin and liquidy, kinda like how hair mousse gets when the can gets destroyed. This one is in liquid form to start with, and it feels super light too when I tried it.

Aside from being a makeup primer/light sunblock, UV under base can be used to erase makeup (like heavy eye makeup) for makeup change without completely washing it off from the face. Im really curious as to how this UV underbase performs, being a fluid form, but I guess it'll be really good. It's still the same price though, around Php 2,000 in Shu Uemura counters here in Manila.

Magic, Mirth, and Mischief for MAC's Holiday 2009 Collection

Two months left til December with the chilly weather as a giveaway. As I chanced upon the MAC website, I saw that their Holiday collection's now up, featuring palettes, kits, and brush sets for the MAC fan who wants to look absolutely dazzling for the Holiday. Okay, they wouldn't hurt too as gifts. :)

Check out the Mineralize kit here, for those who fell in love with the MAC Mineralize line:

A silverized square-shaped box that contains mineralize eyeshadow, and two Mineralize Blushes and the bonus of a 181SE Mini Buffer Brush for proper application. The box shown here is the Fun In The Sun Mineralize Kit, which warms the skin to give it a warm glow in the chilly nights. In here, I'm eyeing on the Shimpagne blush, which makes an excellent highlighter on the tops of the cheeks, temples, and browbone. I actually missed this after not seeing this in counter for a while. The other kit, Pinkzapoppin!, is more on the pink and rosy side and would be forgiving for those with fair skin. The mineralize blush really looks good on brides, and since December is wedding season here in Manila, you could give this as a special gift to your makeup-loving bride-to-be friend.

Of course what makes us go gaga are brush sets. While last year's collection made my eyes pop with the reds, this collection goes darker with grayish tones

Do I see an SE version of the tapered blending brush?

Lip bags and eye bags are again a staple in collection pieces. I'm personally eyeing on the Naughty Noir Eye Bag, which has Blacktrack fluidline, Shimmertime Pigment, and Zoomblack mascara with a bonus of a 209SE liner brush to apply the fluidline properly. What I like? Full-sized pigments and Blacktrack liner! :D Oh, did I mention the lovely silvery vinyl bag?

Ooooh and check this out: Blush Sets. WE HAVE BLUSH SETS NOW! Although these sets do not come with a brush, I recommend applying these products with the 129 blush brush and use the 188 brush as a highlighter.

The polka dot details actually designate the colors in the palette

This kit is the Hocus Focus colorful face kit which contains Sunsparkled Pearl, Pretty Baby (limited edition shades), and the staple Peachykeen, which is one of my favorite MAC blushes. I sure can't wait for these to hit MAC counters and pretty sure a whole lot would be buying these babies.

[images taken from maccosmetics.com]

Shop Hoard Last Week

Last Thursday, I had a meeting and after that, my first stop at the mall is my favorite place: the MAC Glorietta counter where I made my second brush purchase. Oh yes, I've been starting to collect these brushes (MAC and Bobbi Brown being my choices) and this is my second full-size brush from MAC:

Hello 242! This is a flat tapered brush made of super-soft natural bristles. It's really an eyeshadow brush that's great for depositing color (cream eyeshadow, cream color base, powder eyeshadow, or pigments) but it could also be used as a concealer brush. This is a smaller version of the 252 large shader brush. It's stiff enough to deposit color for intense color payoff.

I stopped by National Bookstore to get some stuff for the "serious" side of my work, namely file folders, papers (to print out my model release and contracts) and pens, since I always seem to run out of pens. But hey, of course I want a little standout from the usual serious part and made 'em all PINK

Pink file folder, pink paper, pink pen, and pink scissors. :)

I stopped by Dreams and Carolina's and got some yarn for the necklaces I'm making, which are combination of crochet and beading.

Here's a necklace that I made with my haul. :) The colored yarn is something for people like me who get bored easily. I love how it shifts color without me having to change yarn. I'm making elaborate necklaces and that necklace, being the first piece has been in a lot of my shoots already. So it's time to make more.

Pretty much that's my hoard. It's just small since I'll be blogging a much bigger hoard. Heeheehee.

Laura

Model: Laura Carla

Photographer: Apy Arevalo

Makeup: Bambi de la Cruz

Accesories: Carlo Evaristo

Brush Review: Bobbi Brown Eye Contour Brush

This brush I haven't reviewed right after I bought it, considering I bought it as a birthday gift to myself last June. Actually, I guess now's the right time to review it after being my companion in a whole lot of gigs and even experiencing it personally.

This in fact is my first Bobbi Brown purchase, after the book, which was a gift to me for my birthday. I guess my birthday was Bobbi-sponsored heehehehee. I chose the brush since I needed a brush that wasn't similar to any of my existing brushes and of course, something long-handled with good quality.

So here's my Bobbi Brown Eye Contour brush:

The handle's a bit too long, since I got the professional brush size, and the Bobbi Brown handles are usually longer than other brushes. It couldn't even fit the frame. I actually hold the brush closer to the bristles, like before the "B" in the Bobbi part of the logo.

The use of this brush is to apply a greater amount of shadow in the crease to contour the eye. The bristles are flat here, as shown in the closer view as compared the the eyeshadow brushes wth a tapered or dome tip. The shape of the brush is round and flat, and the bristles are made of super-soft natural fibers (goat, I think for this type of brush)

The head is dense so it serves best to deposit products. For me, I recommend this to deposit color and then I still use my tapered brush to blend the color for seamless gradiation. Although using this particular brush to deposit and blend could work for girls with larger eyes, Smaller eyes can shrink more with a heavily-deposited dark contour color. I could also use this brush to sweep browbone highlight since it fits my browbone area well.

Another use for this brush is for nose contour/nose line. To fake a high bridge, I dab this brush on a matte dark contour color and tap off excess. When I make nose lines, I want to create subtle shadows instead of a super-fake line hence using little product at first and then adding more if needed before blending. I draw the line from the eyebrow head down to the side of the nose tip and blend the contour color with the highlight color on the bridge of the nose and the foundation so everything looks natural.

For the bristle texture, I get the same comments: the hairs are super-soft, up to now. So i try to maintain the softness by washing my brushes regularly with gentle shampoo and then conditioning them.

Overall, this is one brush I like due to the double purpose it has plus the texture. Plus with the high quality of this brush, this sure would last me a long time (provided I take good care of it, which I do).

The Lips Have It: The 411 on Lipstick Finishes

Makeup beginners, makeup fanatics, and pro makeup artists would agree - the lip product is always a staple. When I first started wearing makeup, powder and lipgloss/lipstick is enough. The lipstick was my first real makeup and I guess it carried on. As of the moment, I've collected lip products. I love how lipstick seals the deal and completes the look. Sometimes, good lipstick is all I need. It's fast and fool-proof. I actually own about 100 or probably even more.

With tons of lipstick brands, colors, and finishes, it would be hard to choose what lipstick to buy and how to buy. In order to choose the right lipstick, just try them on. That's why there are testers. How it looks on the tube might be different on you, depending on the finish. Try a lipstick that catches your fancy at the makeup counter and walk around wearing it for a minute or so. If you feel comfortable and good and look good wearing it, then it's a good buy. Also, take note your lips. If you have pale lips, it's best to choose brighter shades. Dry lips should go for moisturizing creamy formulas. Matte is a classic sexy accessory but if you find this too drying, you may need a primer or lip care before wearing matte so it doesn't drag or crack. Thin lips can look plumper using gloss.

There are various different lipstick finishes and here are some of the familiar ones and how to use them:

BALM

Balms may be tinted or clear. Basically, balms usually come in sticks or pots and serve not to color the lips but to moisturize them. Whether in clear, stick, or butter-cream formulations, the main purpose of lip balms is to moisturize lips and relieve chapping. Lip Balm also preps the lips for lipstick. Lip balm should be applied during the skincare routine and allowed to set on the lips while applying the rest of the makeup. Blot with tissue before applying lip color to prevent sliding.

TINTS

Tints moisturize like a lip balm but they serve also to color the lips. Lip tints have only a slight hint of color instead of the highly-pigmented lipsticks. They serve to even out discoloration or brighten dull and pale lips.

STAIN

Stains are long-lasting but can be drying. The main purpose of stains is to color or "stain" the lip. They're usually in thin liquid formulas. Remember when we eat red candy or lollipops and our lips have that hint of color? It serves the same purpose, without the calories, cavities, or discolored teeth 

GLOSS

These are liquid lip colors thicker than lip stains. They not only moisturize and color the lips with just a little hint of color, they also give lips a high-shine and the appearance of fullness. Glosses come in squeeze tubes or twist-open tubes and can be applied with the finger, brush, or doe-foot applicator. Although gloss gives that pretty shiny lip, too much gloss can be sticky so use with moderation. There are also gloss formulas for children's or tween's makeup with a bit of flavor. Remember the Bonne Bell lip colors of the 90s?

SHEER

Sheer lipsticks can appear really dark on the stick but once applied, there's just a light layer of color with some shine. Sheer lipsticks let the original lip texture and hints of the original lip color, Sheer red lipsticks, like the one shown are ideal for girls who are starting to wear red lipstick. There's a bit of red but not too shocking. Sheer lipsticks are less drying but they're not as long-wearing as stains or matte lipsticks.

FROST

Shining like a disco ball, frost lipsticks have color payoff with high shine and/or glitter. This is ideal for those who want color and shine without being sticky. Frost lipsticks brighten the look while giving the appearance of fuller lips due to the light-reflective particles. Use them alone or a slight highlight on top of matte lipsticks.

CREME

Creme lipsticks have a moist finish. The lipsticks are more pigmented than lustres or sheer lipstick. The overall look is moist lips with color payoff. Although they're not as long-lasting as mattes, they make lips look sexy and kissable.

SEMI-MATTE/SATIN

This is an in-between of creme and matte. Satin lipsticks are less dry than matte. This is ideal for dry-lipped ladies who want less shine but a bit more moisture. Satin lipsticks also last long. If you find satin lipsticks too harsh, try diluting it with lip gloss or petroleum jelly before applying.

MATTE

Matte lipsticks have less shine but intense pigments, hence strong colors. Matte lipsticks have less moisture, hence less shine but more color as compared with satin or creme. Since these have less moisture, matte can be drying for the lips. For dry lips who still insist on wearing matte, I recommend lip balm first, then let it soak in before proceeding to lipliner and lipstick. Mattes are classic and sexy and a favorite of many makeup artists.

These different combinations could be mixed-and-matched, depending on your mood. Try layering a rich matte red with a dollop of glittery gold gloss for example. Makeup should be fun, so go ahead and experiment. If you don't like it, there's always makeup remover.

Do you have like a lipstick shade that you like or a finish that you like? Some girls I know are more of gloss types as they focus more on the eyes. The bright-loving ladies usually stick to mattes or satins. I personally love my mattes due to the staying power and pigmentation and I can change them to sheers and tints with just a few tricks. Aside from going through the makeup counters, you can also shop online for lipsticks. Go online and log on to Sephora and shop for your lippies and makeup sets wherever you are. You may be at work and may need a last-minute gift for a birthday or bridal shower and with a busy schedule, you may have no time to go to a mall to shop. You can however, just go log on to Sephora.ph  (which is probably every makeup junkie's poison) and get your lippie fix. Hmmm.... maybe I'll go do that now.

Go get your lipstick fix. Which finish do you like? Do you combine lipsticks? Show your lipstick selfie and tag me @bambikitty.  

The Funda Fundamentals

Foundation used to be one part I always skip before I dove nose-deep on makeup. Looking back, it was like, "What I was thinking?" There's a reason why foundation is called foundation - it's the basic and most important part of makeup. Some girls can do away with everything with moisturized lips, good brows, and foundation. Foundation not only creates an even canvas for the face to be colored on but it also evens out skin tone and creates a very flawless look.

In this entry, I would like to talk about foundation, since it being the most important, a lot are curious to what foundation to use.

CHOOSING FOUNDATION

Choosing foundation depends on the user's preference, color, and skin condition. Preference meaning if the user would prefer powder foundation for daily use, a light liquid foundation, or cream foundation. For me, I like using powder foundation for everyday since it's not heavy and it also serves the purpose of oil-control. I like MAC Studiofix Powder Foundation because of its coverage and wide array of shades suitable for Asian skin tones. Also, MAC Studiofix is one of MAC's bestsellers, with compacts flying off the shelves day after day. Sometimes, I use mineral powder foundation if I want a light glow on the skin. To hide some flaws, I use concealer first and then buff mineral foundation or press powder foundation on the skin. I use liquid foundation for special occasions or when I want to feel more glammed up. Cream can be used with photoshoots where coverage is important amidst the intense studio lights. However, for these types of foundation, I suggest setting them with powder to make them last longer. Cream foundation, like MAC Studiotech or Shu Uemura Nobara foundation, for example, can be set with loose powder so it won't look so heavy on the skin. Liquid foundation, I sometimes set this with sheer loose (or pressed) powder or dual foundation like Studio Fix, if I'm doing a shoot.

Oily skinned girls can do with a light and oil-free liquid foundation set with powder. Dry-skinned girls may need moisturizing formulas. Dual powder, every so often sometimes is enough. However, before foundation, always remember to use sunscreen if the foundation doesn't have sunscreen. Also, always remember to set liquid foundation with powder so it lasts longer.

TESTING FOUNDATION

Natural light is best when testing the right foundation. Natural, white, bright daytime light shows the true color of your skin. Yellow and "mood" lighting tints the skin into a different hue so sometimes, we purchase the wrong foundation. The place to test foundation is not on the palm or back of the hand but the jawline. In buying foundation, swipe a bit on the jawline. If it blends in, then it's your shade. Foundation should look like skin, not a different color (unless you're doing a character or concept shoot). This also serves as an allergy test too. If you experience hives or bad reaction to the swatch, do not purchase the product. Your skin will be thankful.

After testing the foundation, walk around wearing the foundation and check the swatch again. Did it darken or change color? If it darkens, your skin might be acidic. Acidic skin means makeup reacts to the skin's chemistry. On most girls who are acidic, the makeup darkens moments after skin contact. With that fact known, adjust the shade by choosing a shade that's a half or full step lighter than that shade.

YELLOW VERSUS PINK, LIGHT VERSUS DARK

Generally, Asians look better with yellow-toned foundation to suit their skin as too-pink foundation could gray us all out. If the exact shade of foundation can't be determined, we're generally safe with foundation a half-step darker since that looks more natural. If you're OC like me, you could mix two colors together to customize your own shade.

CREAM BEFORE POWDER

The rule is liquid/cream before powder to prevent cakeing of makeup. If you're using dual powder foundation, apply concealer first then powder foundation. Creamy and liquid makeup would be harder to blend if applied over powder. Liquid cheek tints should be applied before loose powder or powder foundation. Try applying cheek tints after powder and the look is streaky, patchy, and totally unnatural. Once you powder, everything else is powder.

THE TOOLS

Tool preference is really up to the user. I use my fingers to apply foundation on myself too. The advantage of this is that the warmth of my hands help with the blending. Brushes are also okay, especially for professional use. The dual fibre brush is my favorite due to the airbrush finish it gives plus the fact that it blends my foundation really fast. Creamy foundation, like my Kryolan Ultrafoundation, I use a flat brush such as my MAC 190 since this deposits the product well. I'm not fond of using sponges to purely apply liquid foundation since the sponge ends up eating the product. I use sponges to blend the foundation into the skin and applying dual powder foundation since sponges deposit the powder on the skin better.

APPLYING FOUNDATION

In applying foundation, I start on my cheeks, where skin is thickest and then move to the forehead, chin, and nose. I use a brush or fingers to deposit the color and blend with a sponge. I set this with powder and continue blending up to the neck and hairline, so color stays even. I make sure that the makeup is not sticky too, so it doesn't slide much. I blend really, really well. That's always been the secret for the "second-skin" foundation that I love. Sometimes, I apply concealer after foundation, because sometimes, foundation already covers up the flaws. But for bigger zits, disoclorations, and flaws, I use concealer before foundation.

AIRBRUSH FOUNDATION

Airbrush makeup is a very popular technique where makeup is applied using an airbrush gun, the same way as how a car is being painted. This technique is very popular in weddings and print ads and the result is flawless and picture-perfect skin. Some makeup artists use airbrush makeup for foundation and contours and proceed to applying makeup using the traditional method for the rest but there are some who do airbrush makeup from foundation down to lip color. Foundation used for this technique is usually thinner than traditional foundation and are usually ordered abroad. There are airbrush tutorials in the Internet and some schools also specialize in airbrush makeup, so it's better to leave the airbrush gun and compressor to pro makeup artists, as this could get expensive for everyday use.

So that's what I have to say on foundation. With the right techniques, products, and of course, practice, the natural, fresh-looking skin could be achieved. :) Have fun!