The day I started using a Beauty Blender was the day I became a makeup sponge convert. Nothing else gave me the same seamless, airbrushed and never-cakey skin finish like this egg-shaped tool, which, unlike the foundation brushes I had been using, never left streaks in its wake. I loved that I could use it to apply foundation and concealer, blend cream blushes or contour and even setting powder.
The only downside was and continues to be the Beauty Blender’s $20 price tag, which adds up surprisingly quickly when you replace the sponge every few months, as the brand suggests. In the past, I had tried some other drugstore alternatives, but nothing had the same innovative and bouncy texture as the Beauty Blender, a tool so revered it can even be considered the industry standard for makeup sponges.
However, this is changing. Based on word of mouth and overwhelming reviewer feedback, it appears the magic of the Beauty Blender has now been matched by some affordable alternatives that offer a similar level of performance for a fraction of the price. Like the Blender, they should be used damp for the perfect dispersion of products and bounced along the skin in a stippling motion. Wash clean after each use and they’re ready to be used again.
