Behind the scenes

Thanks to Galaxus, I’ve become a devout foundation brush disciple

10/11/2022

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

Opinions diverge when it comes to answering the question, «what do you use to apply foundation?» A brush, a beauty blender or your fingers. There exist at least three methods to blend that liquid colour into your skin.

Which one is the best is a matter of taste, of course. But sometimes, there’s also a funny story behind it. For example, one about a video on make-up brushes that gave me the idea for this article. Time to take a look behind the scenes.

As for the opening question, I’ve definitely been team «apply foundation with fingers». Why? Because a) my mum did it the same way and people learn through imitation. And because b) I believed that it gave me more control when I was applying it. I tried a beauty blender once and was disappointed with the egg-shaped sponge. Instead of evenly spreading the foundation over my face, it absorbed most of it.

What’s more, I felt I was in good company as Miranda Kerr swears by applying foundation with her fingertips: «Use your fingers to apply, as the warmth will help the formulation melt into your skin for a flawless finish.» And since Ms Kerr has her own beauty brand, Kora, she should know, right? That was that for me and model Miranda went on to be my beauty guru for years.

Until I started working for Galaxus and met fellow editor Natalie. She’s behind the channel #beautymitnati on our YouTube. It was one video in particular that made me laugh out loud – Nathalie giving us her opinion about what you should use to apply foundation. The following comment she made really resonated with me: «It’s just sooo greasy and you have to wash your hands afterwards. Eeewwwww...». Nati’s definitely right about that. After all, how many times did I forget to wash my hands after applying foundation and leave smudgy fingerprints clothes and furniture? Many times. Too many.

So the time had come for my first go with a foundation brush. Nati recommended I try a brush by Nyx or Morphe. Brands that are «beginner-friendly and reasonably priced,» to quote our in-house beauty expert.

And what can I say? I’ve converted to brushism! At first, there was an experimentation phase, but I soon found the right amount of foundation for my brush. I’ve been a fan ever since. There’s no more smudging and application is far more even than with your fingers. Another plus is that I use the same brush to apply blush afterwards. Nati has pushed Miranda from the beauty throne – at least for me.

And so that you can get to know our very own YouTuber and beauty editor Natalie a little better, here’s a brief interview with her:

Why do you do make-up tutorials on YouTube?
Natalie: About ten years ago, I decided to record my opinions on beauty stuff on a blog called Bitches Love Candy. At the time, I spent all of my spare time watching make-up tutorials on YouTube. I was fascinated by the incredible change a bit of colour can make. So making my own videos was the obvious next step. It started out as a hobby and now I’m making them for Galaxus. Our video producer Valentina Sproge had the idea. It’s thanks to her that we have a fantastic setup, funky editing and me feeling relaxed in front of the camera.

How do you prepare for a shoot?
It’s pure chaos in my head before each shoot. That’s why we write down everything we need for it. Think make-up, tools, accessories, outfits, props etc. I then write a draft script, which is reviewed by Valentina who makes sure the content is a good fit for her editing. There’s no rehearsal. But before the shoot, we go through the process on set and discuss the individual video settings. In other words, when we’ll be showing what and when we should go for close-ups, voice-overs or a particular shade of light. During the shoot, I’m glad Valentina has the patience of a saint. After all, I’m pretty rubbish at remembering even a single sentence and am prone to slips of the tongue and repeating words.

Are you as funny in real life as you are in the videos?
You think I’m funny in the videos?

Yes, totally!
I’m glad to hear it. At the same time, I do realise not everyone feels that way. While filming, I can’t help but come out of my shell a bit more than usual. My facial expressions are more pronounced, my emotions a bit over the top, my comments cheekier, voice louder and my make-up a bit heavier. Otherwise, the camera would swallow or muffle too much. So I’m me but on several espressos.

Is it really necessary to have all those different types of brushes? For eye shadow, blush, powder and foundation? That’s a science in itself.
A reasonable answer to this question is: you can apply your face powder, bronzer, blush and highlighter with the same brush no problem and use another brush to apply your eye make-up. But my inner beauty freak is dying to talk you into getting a different brush for every part of your face. Especially when it comes to eye shadow brushes. I have noticed how choosing the right design and material can really help create cleaner transitions, more precise details and more vibrant colours. That’s all depending on the look you’re going for, of course.

Is there a risk of turning into a brush addict? After all, there are [make-up brushes] out there(/s6/producttype/schminkpinsel-3603) for all sorts of things.
There’s only one way to find out: you need to buy more brushes and try them out for yourself.

Is there a support group for brush and make-up addicts?
YouTube is where sufferers can come together. But there’s an unfortunate side effect that recommendations are exchanged, which means more money is spent.

Here’s a fun fact for you: I started watching Natalie’s videos to learn Swiss German. My Hamburg ears often struggle to make out my Swiss teammates. And I don’t expect them to speak High German to me forever. But that’s a story for another time.

9 people like this article

Anika Schulz

Teamleader Editorial

Anika.Schulz@galaxus.de

As a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on the SNES before I ended up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. Trekkie and engineer.

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