Make up sponges such as the Silisponge, launched in 2016 has taken the world by storm. Almost two years later, the viral silicone makeup sponge has spawned into different shapes, sizes, and colors from dozens of beauty brands. Adding another beauty tool that we ‘need’ into our already exploding armamentarium of makeup supplies.

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This brings up the question: Do we really need makeup sponges to create a flawless face of makeup?

So we asked professional makeup artists which ones were their favorites. To our surprise, we got a hard pass from every single one I asked. Their answer was basically, “I don’t have a favorite one because I don’t like them.”

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In fact, you won’t even find the Instagram-favorite makeup tool in the kit of Instagram-favorite makeup artist Patrick Ta, who works with Gigi Hadid, Olivia Munn, and Shay Mitchell.

As one makeup maven puts it, “Silicone sponges are the antithesis of everything you want your tool to do.” So why do professional makeup artists hate them so damn much?

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1. They suck at blending.

According to a makeup artist, makeup sponges just seem to sweep foundation around the face and makeup artists rather not do that.

Some makeup artists interviewed say they prefer a traditional makeup sponge to blend in foundation over a silicone one any day of the week. They find that the silicone wipes the product off instead of actually blending it. Others say they have more control when they blend it in when their fingers.

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2. They can’t absorb excess foundation
   

Unlike a silicone makeup sponge, Beautyblenders, makeup brushes, and even fingers are porous. Having a porous surface is essential to seamless makeup application, as the porous surface helps to blend and absorb excess product. So when dispense too much foundation onto your sponge, ones like Beautyblenders suck it all up before evenly distributing the foundation onto the skin. As it does so, the porous sponge helps the foundation melt into the skin and give it a more natural-looking finish. Silicone sponges, on the other hand, don’t have that same buffing ability.

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3. They can’t absorb water.

Makeup artists who favour using their hands to silicone sponges say they would rather use their hands to blend makeup into skin because the hands allow for more control. They may then follow up with a Beautyblender because they are fully absorbed with water, it won’t absorb your foundation, too.

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Allowing a sponge to be damp is important some makeup artists. Some foundations, like the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, dry down quickly, so you need to be quick with your application. However, with beauty sponge, like favorite Nyx Flawless Finish Blending Sponge, you can take your time to get your foundation blended to skin-like perfection because it’s moist. In turn, it keeps the foundation from drying down right away.

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