Beauty Blender Dupes

Using a beauty blender is a great way to apply foundation and liquid concealers for a flawless and glowing look. It’s the only way I’ve found to apply foundation thats looks almost as natural as skin. However, $20 for something that seems as simple as a sponge seems quite ridiculous if you ask me. Although I still go back to using my beauty blender, I have tried a few other dupes that greatly compare if you are looking for something good quality for less.
The first beauty blender knock-off I have tried, is the Swissco Precision Blending Sponge, which I got at Ulta. I stumbled across it on my way to check out and decided to give it a try because it looked convincing enough as the original beauty blender, and for only $6 it couldn’t hurt. Honestly, I was surprised how much it actually compared to the beauty blender. It is super soft yet still firm enough to ‘bounce’ on the skin. It also expands to twice it’s size when wet just like the original. I do have a few concerns though. First, it soaks up a lot of makeup. I know it’s a sponge and sponges are supposed to absorb, however I felt like I was having to keep adding more and more foundation to get any sort of coverage. In the long run I would probably be re-buying foundation so much more often than the $16 I save right away is worth. Also, I wash my makeup sponges with a gentle soap and water about every other day to avoid bacterial growth, (because beauty blenders are best used wet, they are a breeding ground for bacterial!) but within about the first month of using this sponge the material began to deteriorate, eventually ripping in half. A problem I have yet to encounter with the Beauty Blender. Personally, I won’t be buying this sponge again for this reason, but in terms of texture and performance there is hardly a difference.

After my Swissco blending sponge ripped, the second beauty blender dupe I tried was the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge also for  $6. The obvious first difference between the Beauty Blender and the Real Techniques sponge is the shape. It still has the pointed end that works well for under the eyes and around the nose, but it also includes another end with a flat side. I find that this flat end makes it easier to blend out larger areas of the face, lowering makeup application time. A major difference that I have noticed is the texture. It’s still quite soft but much denser. It doesn’t have the same springiness as the last one or the Beauty Blender, which makes the makeup go on someone thicker than the last and doesn’t look as airbrushed or natural. However, this difference in make application is slight and still better than any foundation brush I’ve tried. A plus about this product that I did not experience any ripping or tears in the sponge, thus far. I also have noticed it doesn’t absorb nearly has much makeup as the Swissco brand.

Overall, these to products are definitely worth considering when trying to find a blending sponge comparable to the Beauty Blender, especially for a fraction of the price. I think I will be sticking with my Beauty Blender, though. I just feel like it will last the longest and the soft yet firm texture applies makeup flawlessly. Although $20 is quite pricey for a sponge, to me it’s worth not having to replace every month.