Today marks the first day of my new posting schedule (not that I've done one in the past), but I will be posting beauty posts every Wednesday and lifestyle posts every Saturday. Let's hope I can keep this up!
The one tool that beauty fanatics can't seem to get enough of: the beauty blender. My makeup collection contains many drugstore items, but it's always fun to have a few products that elevate my stash from average to beauty guru status. This Christmas, one of my best friends Emily (quite funny how we're both named Emily) brought me a very "light" present. I quickly tore off the tissue paper to reveal this majestic pink sponge.
Quality | When I first took my beauty blender out of its packaging, it was quite small and soft, but not bouncy. Later when I wet the sponge, it about doubled in size and felt much softer as well. However, I would be very careful if you have long or sharp nails as the material is so delicate that it can easily be torn. I already have two tiny slits in mine as I accidentally punctured it with my nail while washing (and I was being very gentle!)
Use | Make sure you saturate the sponge for a good 20-30 seconds, simultaneously squeezing the water out. Wring out the water completely before applying foundation. The base is great for all over the face application, and the tip works perfectly for reaching under the eyes and around the nose. First, I like to apply my foundation with my fingers to waste the least amount as possible. I honestly don't find myself using that much more foundation than when I just my fingers or a brush. Then, I gently press the beauty blender into my face using quick motions for a completely flawless, skin-like finish. I usually take about three minutes to apply my foundation and concealer when I'm using the beauty blender which is completely doable before school or work. Note that this sponge works best for liquid foundation and concealer and not for powder products. I would also not recommend traveling with the beauty blender as it's best to keep it out in the open when it's still wet.
Cleaning | One of the downsides would be cleaning. I am not used to cleaning my makeup brushes everyday, so it was quite a new experience for me to have to clean it after every use. Since this is a sponge, you do not want foundation to be sitting in there as it will eventually grow bacteria with too much moisture. Also, you will find that your application won't be as flawless if you already have foundation in your beauty blender. I clean mine with warm water and Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo. Applying about a nickel size worth of shampoo on my hand, I wet the sponge and rub it in circular motions around my palm. I then rinse it out by squeezing it many times to ensure that all the shampoo has been removed. Usually, I repeat this process twice to remove the remaining concealer as it's more difficult to remove than foundation. Dani from Coffee Break with Dani has a great video on cleaning your beauty blender.
Price | At $19.95, this may seem pricey for a sponge, but I guarantee that it is worth the investment. A good face brush alone will cost you a lot more than $20, so I think the price is really not too bad. If you were to buy one "expensive" beauty product this year, this is the one. I never cheat myself when it comes to having a great base!
Overall Thoughts | This is my favorite beauty product that I have yet to try. Ever. It makes a world of a difference and ensures a flawless finish every time. No longer do I have to worry about looking cakey, forgetting to blend out a spot, or having an awkward line between my face and my neck. The beauty blender solved all my foundation problems, and I will happily dabble on foundation with this magical pink teardrop for years and years to come.
What is your favorite tool for applying your base?
I have the RT Complexion Sponge which, from what I've heard, is the closest dupe (texture wise) to the Beauty blender. I really love it and it gives me the most natural skinlike finish, but it takes ages to apply and I hate washing it haha. The Beauty Blender is tempting but also not easily available here, so the RT one is doing me fine for now! I'm glad you're really enjoying the BB though :D
ReplyDeleteTasha // shiwashiful.
I loooove my beauty blender! It's so loved that I bought another one, in purple. I decided that I needed a second one because I can't take a wet one with me when I do my makeup in the morning and have to travel later on in the day LOL
ReplyDeleteI like mine for concealer only though, and it works really well even though it's creamier consistency than foundation. ....But I don't wash mine every day, haha. Maybe every 2-3 days since I only use one "side" of the sponge each time if that makes sense? I've had my older one for maybe 4 or 5 months now and it's lost some shape compared to the newer one, but it works just as well!
becky ♡ star violet
Everyone who tries it really understands what I mean by how great it is! I love how it blends my concealer as well, though I find concealer to be more of a pain to wash off. That makes sense to clean it every 2-3 days since I usually don't dirty the entire thing after one use either :) I'm just a super clean freak when it comes to certain things, and seeing it stained with foundation and concealer makes me feel a bit antsy...LOL That's great to hear that it has lasted you for 4 to 5 months because I'm hoping I can make mine last around half a year! (Got to save money somewhere-haha)
ReplyDeleteTry using cold process soap! I use it for all my brushes + beauty blender and it works so well. I believe the solid soap that beautyblender makes is cold process. But you can get handmade cold process soaps on Etsy for $5-6 + $3-5ish for shipping fees, and it's a much bigger chunk than the one beautyblender makes. I used to be super clean about my brushes but once I started using makeup almost every day.... laziness kicks in haha.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have been a little more clear, when I said it lost its shape I meant the bottom fatter portion "deflated" just a bit so it looks leaner than a brand new one. But it still works just as good as my newer one does, so in terms of longevity I think it'll last more than a year!
Thank you for the great suggestion! I wasn't too keen on paying $16 for a small thing of cleanser, so this seems like a much better alternative. Wow if my beauty blender will really last longer than a year, that would be incredible!
ReplyDeleteI need to try one of these sponges someday.. Though I'm not willing to pay $20 for it :P
ReplyDeleteThis was on my wishlist for a while, and I was very hesitant to buy it. If my friend hadn't gotten it as a Christmas present for me, I most likely wouldn't have bought it yet either :) Trust me though, after trying it out, I would definitely repurchase! I think it makes sense to have a few really great quality products rather than multiple okay ones.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to have found this review, so great to read the pros of this product :) I've had this on my wish list for a little while and will definitely be getting it someday when I feel it will be getting a lot of use!
ReplyDeleteI've been quite intrigued by this little sponge since hearing so many good things about it, but I don't think I could justify spending that much :(
ReplyDeleteEmma xx
www.alittlefreckle.blogspot.co.uk
I'm intrigued by these but not sure I could be persuaded to buy one... Washing it every day would get on my nerves I think! Plus 4 minutes seems a hella long time to do my foundation :/ xx
ReplyDeleteLittle Miss Katy | UK Lifestyle Blog
Would love to try this x
ReplyDeletehttp://whattaylorbuys.blogspot.co.uk/
Thanks for the tips! I was really pondering about whether to get one myself or not.. Would love to try it soon!
ReplyDeleteSOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE ALICE.
I've just recently picked up the Real Techniques Complexion sponge and I LOVE it - my poor brushes have been very neglected lately. I agree about the cleaning, it's always a bit of a drag to have to clean it after every use, but so far I'm finding it's worth the hassle :)
ReplyDeleteAngie || the maquillage
Yes, it's definitely a product worth buying!
ReplyDeleteI was definitely turned off by the price at first which I why I would totally understand that you couldn't justify spending this much, but since receiving it as a Christmas gift and actually trying it out, I can say it's definitely worth it! High-end brushes are even more expensive, so when I thought about it a bit, I didn't think the price was as bad :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I got one just after Christmas and can't wait to use it! I'll make sure I'm careful with my nails around it!
ReplyDeletexx Kat @ Katness
Yes, washing it everyday is definitely a bit of nuisance, but I know some people who wash it every 2-3 days by using different sides of the sponge each time. I accidentally overestimated, so I think it would be closer to 2-3 minutes to apply foundation with the beauty blender :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a tooI I think every makeup fanatic needs to try :)
ReplyDeleteHope my tips helped! I would highly recommend as it I find that blends better than my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush which I definitely love :)
ReplyDeleteMy brushes have definitely been neglected lately as well! The cleaning is a bit of pain, but definitely worth it :) What do you clean your RT sponge with?
ReplyDeleteThanks, hope my tips helped! This is a product I put off buying, so I was so happy when my friend surprised me with it for Christmas :) Yes, definitely make sure to be SUPER gentle as it tears quite easily!
ReplyDeleteI've been really wanting to try this out I think it is totally worth the money - the cleaning puts me off so much though, I am soo bad at cleaning my brushes aha!
ReplyDeleteThe Velvet Black // UK Style & Beauty Blog
Yes, I completely agree with you that it's really worth the money! I never used to clean my brushes every day (I pretty much cleaned them every three weeks...) so this was a huge change for me as well. I know some people who clean them every 2-3 days by using different sides of the sponge each time, but I just hate seeing it dirty, so I have to clean it every day-haha
ReplyDeleteEvery time people gift me 'light' things, I'll assume it's cash. And I'll be disappointed when it's not, because THE BAR HAS BEEN SET SO HIGH ALREADY (jks)
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to try this sponge out for so long, but realistically...AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME TO CLEAN IT ON THE DAILY. I can imagine it to be more beneficial to those with heavier foundations though, but seeing as I usually wear tinted moisturizers/BBs, I usually apply with my fingers as a sponge would obvs be useless for me.
I think the exact same thing when it's a 'light' gift! Honestly, I wish more people would just give cash since you can buy absolutely anything with it :) Cleaning it daily is definitely a big pain, and I agree, if you wear tinted moisturizers or BBs, it's probably not worth it.
ReplyDeleteI love this review! Super helpful...maybe in one of your next makeup posts you could post about which foundations you like using since I have not yet found one that does not look or feel or smell terrible. I'm curious to see which ones you like!
ReplyDeletethesarcasticwasian.blogspot.com
I've been using (although I'm not sure if I'm supposed to) an antibacterial wash to clean it, it seemed to be more effective than the shampoo I use to clean my brushes... Not sure using something like that is ruining it, but it's doing a good job of cleaning it so far! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you found this helpful! I'm actually trying to find a new foundation at the moment myself-haha I love Covergirl's Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation, but I find it a bit too matte for my dry winter skin. The Revlon Colorstay Foundation is another great one if you are looking for a drugstore medium to full coverage foundation. bareMinerals Original and Matte foundations are both great if you are looking for natural, light coverage. I hoping to pick up the Nars Sheer Glow foundation soon as I've seen so many bloggers rave over it. I will make a post on a great winter foundation as soon as I find one! :)
ReplyDeleteI've read that a cheap alternate to the beauty blender solid cleanser is the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap! I have to yet to try it, but I'm pretty excited to see how it will work :)
ReplyDelete