By Colleen McTiernan and Nicole Irving

The world of makeup certainly is a complex one. Gone are the days when picking out a makeup brush was limited to just a few options. Now the aisles of beauty stores are filled with odd little sponges, making it difficult to decide what to put in your basket. Whether you are looking for an applicator to help you achieve a contour that would make Kim Kardashian jealous or just want something simple for your everyday look, these sponges are great tools to help get you started on your base makeup.

Flower Ultimate 3-in-1 Blending Sponge

$10, Flowerbeauty.com

Use the tip of this sponge to apply around the eyes and nose, the flat teardrop surface for contouring and the cupped base to seamlessly buff foundation.

Jane Iredale Flocked Sponge

$5.50, Janeiredale.com

This soft sponge is ideal for sensitive skin and can be used to gently apply both powder and liquid foundation.

The Original BeautyBlender

$20, Sephora and Sephora.com

The structure of this blender prevents products from being absorbed into the sponge when damp, giving you a streak-free finish without wasting all of your foundation or primer.

Real Techniques Miracle Diamond Sponge

$9.99, Ulta and Ulta.com

This multifaceted sponge is designed to work on different areas of your face — the larger flat sides can be used to apply makeup to your forehead and cheeks, while the smaller flat sides are designed to be used around the eyes, mouth and brow bone.

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Contour Blender

$7.99, lorealparisusa.com

Use the tips of this sponge to draw on your contour and highlight lines, and use the flat sides to blend them in for an expertly sculpted finish.

EcoTools Color Perfecting Minis

$7.99, Ulta and Ulta.com

These color-coded sponges are designed to be used with their corresponding color correcting concealers for an even complexion.