1 day Ago By Neeti Mehra
I haven’t touched a foundation brush in years. I own one, technically. It lives at the bottom of my boudoir.
I squeeze a drop of liquid foundation onto the back of my hand, add a swish of moisturiser, and mix the puddle nicely. Using the pads of my fingers to apply makeup, I blend the duo outwards from the centre of my face, leaving a dewy, natural finish. Then, diving into my eyeshadow pot, with my pointer and pinkie, I blend in two layers.
I have the most fun with creamy blush, sweeping it high on the apples of my cheeks and nose, for a little too fruity glow-on-the-go. It’s messy, but real; raw-dogging in a world of precisely contoured cheeks and perfectly angled winged liners. Finger painting, but make it beauty Over the years, my fingers have become my most formidable makeup tools.
There’s something so intuitive about applying makeup with your fingers that tools just can’t replicate. Fingers offer a level of connection to the skin that synthetic brushes or sponges can’t, especially when it comes to building texture and creating depth. Whether I’m spreading foundation across my face or pressing a cream blush into my skin, using my fingers to apply makeup feels like I’m more in tune with my face, rather than just layering products on it.
t. It’s a skill I learnt from lurking around my grandmother and mother, who, apart from a powder puff, emerged like swans with nary a brush in sight. I learnt that my fingers had power that a makeup brush didn’t.
Gliding over gently, they would massage my tired skin back to life, knead down my frown lines, and even detect an errant hair that escaped detection otherwise. I am not alone in the finger-painting universe. In an age of minimal, natural makeup, A-listers such as Drew Barrymore and Alia Bhatt have been ditching makeup brushes and going finger happy on occasion.
While applying makeup with your fingers seems kind of low effort, on the contrary, fingers help activate makeup and emulsify creams, tints, and balms to blend seamlessly, delivering a second-skin finish. It's easier and less time-consuming, plus more hygienic (please wash your hands) than reusing unwashed brushes . “The way our hands and fingers move, a makeup brush or another makeup tool could never move unless a person has a lot of practice,” says Vahbiz Irani, Training Manager for skincare, makeup, and fragrance, during a spring flush demo for Armani Beauty.
“Our hands and fingers give us more control because they are directly connected to our brain via a complex network of nerves and muscles, allowing for precise and adaptable movements. Tools, while useful, require a degree of physical engagement and translation of action, whereas fingers are exquisitely fine-tuned for direct manipulation.” The dos and don’ts Zoya Ali, national learning and development head at Amorepacific India, home to brands like Etude and Sulwhasoo, believes using fingers is about tactility and connection, while lending an intuitive sense of control.
Freshly washed hands and hydrated, primed, and balanced skin are non-negotiable. “The biggest mistake? Using too much product and dragging it across the skin. Fingers work best when you apply product in small amounts, build slowly, and use tapping or pressing motions.
Another common error is blending too aggressively, which can lift base products and create patchiness. Gentle, controlled movements are essential,” says Ali. Cream-based and liquid textures, such as skin tints, cream blushes, lightweight concealers, and even sheer-to-medium foundation, can be blended beautifully with fingertips for a dewy, diffused effect, especially around the nose and undereye , where precision is key.
It’s all about technique, pressing the product into the skin, rather than letting it sit atop your skin. Getting all tactile about it Is skin-on-skin the non-fussy beauty grail we’ve all been looking for? K-beauty brands have always leaned towards intentional, tactile beauty rituals that mindfully prioritise skin health, says Ali. “This return to fingers isn’t a regression.
It’s a refinement. It’s about tuning into your skin and building a ritual that’s personal and precise. It invites play and experimentation.
” Irani delves deeper and likens it to self-love. “I like to caress my face now and then,” she says. Applying makeup with your fingers brushes away the idea that beauty needs to be technical or tool-heavy; instead, it is empowering, accessible, and fun.
“I find that large brush sets are more useful to professional makeup artists.” For me, eliminating tools has connected me to the art of makeup in a real, human, and non-intimidating way, minus archaic rules and residual patchiness. Applying makeup with your fingers has turned into a beautiful rebellion, a practice rooted in skin wellness and self-expression.
As beauty evolves, fingers are reclaiming their rightful place in the artistry of makeup. As Ali puts it, it’s not a crime, it’s a craft. Also read: How the pros clean their makeup brushes Everything you need to know about getting a lash lift The not-so-glamorous truth about using minoxidil for hair growth.
