But the popularity of sponges is not solely due to makeup artists changing their tune — it also has a lot to do with how the applicators themselves are made. Says Sandy Linter, makeup artist and Lancôme Beauty at Every Age expert, "I think brands know we're throwing [the sponges] away and they're spending money for nothing, so why not just do a good product?" Linter is a fan of the brush included in Lancôme's Le Correcteur Pro , which features both pointed and fluffy sides. She uses the brush with everything from concealers to eyeshadow to eyeliner to lipstick, applying product with the pointed side and blending it out with the fluffy end.Foundation has also gotten an update in the sponge department, for which we can largely thank the advent of the cushion compact. As cushions are meant to be applied by pressing the product into the skin and softly buffing, brands have invested money into making those sponges effective — rather than risk someone not liking the product because it doesn't apply well due to a subpar sponge. Linter says she always applies Lancôme's Miracle Cushion with the included sponge because it gets the job done, remarking that it "diffuses the product and blends it in perfectly to the skin."Not to be left out, powder foundations — like Tom Ford Beauty's new Flawless Powder/Foundation are including multi-purpose applicators. The one that accompanies this product features a sponge side and a flocked side. "The flocked side is softer, so it deposits less product on the face — for light blotting or to set foundation," explains makeup artist Philippe Chansel. "The sponge side will pick up and deposit more product, so you get more coverage and can use it as a foundation."Surratt is quick to clarify that the sponge isn't a replacement for a brush, and that one isn't better than the other. It's just another way of applying makeup, and it comes down to preference. Linter says, "A word of advice: Don't throw sponges away at all! Even if you decide you don't want to use them, what's the harm in keeping the sponge?" None that we can think of — which is why we're going to start hoarding ours, stat.