Hey guys!
Todays post will be a quick comparison between the ever so coveted Beauty Blender and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I have owned the Beauty Blender for a while now, and it is my most favourite tool to apply my foundation with. It just gives this beautiful, airbrushed, flawless finish to your makeup and I can't imagine my beauty routine without it now.
Enter the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I was intrigued to try this after seeing so many other Youtube girls and bloggers try it and love it - and mention that it was a cheaper version of the Beauty Blender! I knew I had to try it out and try it against my beloved Beauty Blender, because lets face it - if you can find something that is the same for cheaper... well I'm all up on that.
I got the Real Techniques sponge about a month ago in my Ulta Haul, and have been alternating between the two since to really get the feel for the sponge and form my opinion on it. I wanted to do this post because my opinion is a little different, and since this hasn't been released in Australia yet, maybe this will help you decide whether it will be worth the money once it is released.
THE BEAUTY BLENDER
What is it? A magical sponge that miraculously blends your foundation into your skin, leaving the finish looking airbrushed and flawless.
How does it apply? You basically hold this under lukewarm water until it is completely saturated and doubled in size. After squeezing out the excess water (I also like to squeeze it once with a towel so that it isn't too wet), you get your foundation all over it and basically bounce it on your skin to achieve your desired coverage and finish. It is really lightweight and bouncy, not dense at all and really doesn't soak up any of your product once wet.
What's the price? $19.95US (eeeek!). I know what you're thinking: I basically paid $20 for a sponge. A sponge. But this is no ordinary sponge.
Seriously, there is a reason that everyone pays the price it demands. It is just a magic tool for your foundation, and it really works with my skin and my base. I have tried other cheaper 'dupes' before taking the plunge and actually purchasing one, but I have never regreted it once I actually tried it. No other cheaper 'dupe' that I have tried has measured up to this sponge.
THE REAL TECHNIQUES MIRACLE COMPLEXION SPONGE
What is it? Similar idea to the Beauty Blender. It has a slightly different design with a rounded side, and a flatter side to really press the product into your skin.
How does it apply? Again, same as the Beauty Blender - you hold it under lukewarm water until it grows in size, and squeeze the excess out. Once doing that, you get your foundation on whichever side you prefer to use and press it into your skin, blending as you go.
What is the price? $6.99US. Yes, a lot more reasonable than the Beauty Blender
Differences to the Beauty Blender:
Despite being the same concept and design as the Beauty Blender, there is quite a big difference in the way these two tools apply the product. The Beauty Blender is really quite light and bouncy, whereas the Real Techniques version is quite dense and heavy when compared to each other. As such, you can easily bounce the Beauty Blender all over your face in order to achieve that flawless blended complexion - the Real Techniques sponge does take a little more time and effort as it isn't quite the same design. The best way to use this, I have found, is to press it into your skin rather than bouncing it. This achieves the best finish, but as I said, it does take a little more work than the Beauty Blender.
OVERALL VERDICT
These are both great tools in their own right - they both work and do the job of applying and blending your makeup to making it look beautifully blended and more natural on your skin. But if I had to choose - I would choose the Beauty Blender.
Yes it is more expensive, but it applies the product so flawlessly and with such little effort that it is 100% worth every dollar for me. I wouldn't say that the Real Techniques version is a 'dupe' for the Beauty Blender itself, but it is a great cheaper alternative if you can't afford to try the Beauty Blender or justify the price. I will still use the Real Techniques sponge, I really do like it and I love that it a different design to the Beauty Blender!
Thats all for todays post! What do you think of the Beauty Blender? Are there any other alternatives that you have tried?
Until next time lovelies...
xxxx
I got the Real Techniques sponge about a month ago in my Ulta Haul, and have been alternating between the two since to really get the feel for the sponge and form my opinion on it. I wanted to do this post because my opinion is a little different, and since this hasn't been released in Australia yet, maybe this will help you decide whether it will be worth the money once it is released.
THE BEAUTY BLENDER
What is it? A magical sponge that miraculously blends your foundation into your skin, leaving the finish looking airbrushed and flawless.
How does it apply? You basically hold this under lukewarm water until it is completely saturated and doubled in size. After squeezing out the excess water (I also like to squeeze it once with a towel so that it isn't too wet), you get your foundation all over it and basically bounce it on your skin to achieve your desired coverage and finish. It is really lightweight and bouncy, not dense at all and really doesn't soak up any of your product once wet.
What's the price? $19.95US (eeeek!). I know what you're thinking: I basically paid $20 for a sponge. A sponge. But this is no ordinary sponge.
Seriously, there is a reason that everyone pays the price it demands. It is just a magic tool for your foundation, and it really works with my skin and my base. I have tried other cheaper 'dupes' before taking the plunge and actually purchasing one, but I have never regreted it once I actually tried it. No other cheaper 'dupe' that I have tried has measured up to this sponge.
THE REAL TECHNIQUES MIRACLE COMPLEXION SPONGE
What is it? Similar idea to the Beauty Blender. It has a slightly different design with a rounded side, and a flatter side to really press the product into your skin.
How does it apply? Again, same as the Beauty Blender - you hold it under lukewarm water until it grows in size, and squeeze the excess out. Once doing that, you get your foundation on whichever side you prefer to use and press it into your skin, blending as you go.
What is the price? $6.99US. Yes, a lot more reasonable than the Beauty Blender
Differences to the Beauty Blender:
Despite being the same concept and design as the Beauty Blender, there is quite a big difference in the way these two tools apply the product. The Beauty Blender is really quite light and bouncy, whereas the Real Techniques version is quite dense and heavy when compared to each other. As such, you can easily bounce the Beauty Blender all over your face in order to achieve that flawless blended complexion - the Real Techniques sponge does take a little more time and effort as it isn't quite the same design. The best way to use this, I have found, is to press it into your skin rather than bouncing it. This achieves the best finish, but as I said, it does take a little more work than the Beauty Blender.
OVERALL VERDICT
These are both great tools in their own right - they both work and do the job of applying and blending your makeup to making it look beautifully blended and more natural on your skin. But if I had to choose - I would choose the Beauty Blender.
Yes it is more expensive, but it applies the product so flawlessly and with such little effort that it is 100% worth every dollar for me. I wouldn't say that the Real Techniques version is a 'dupe' for the Beauty Blender itself, but it is a great cheaper alternative if you can't afford to try the Beauty Blender or justify the price. I will still use the Real Techniques sponge, I really do like it and I love that it a different design to the Beauty Blender!
Thats all for todays post! What do you think of the Beauty Blender? Are there any other alternatives that you have tried?
Until next time lovelies...
xxxx
in between blogging, you can find me here!
instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek
twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner
Beauty Blender is the love of my life! I also love a good stipple brush i find they have the same effect! xx
ReplyDeletei've never been fans of sponges just because of the cleaning process! i love this comparison that you've done here though great post!
ReplyDeleteI get what you mean! I clean mine after every use and they are still stained
DeleteI am literally obsessed with the beauty blender. The "dupes" just don't compare! And it's so much washer to get a flawless finish than using a brush. I quite like the miracle complexion sponge too, but I would have to agree with you that the beauty blender wins :p
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