Beauty Blender! (No, it won't make you Guacamole...)

To me, application of liquid foundations is not a standard routine: sometimes I use my fingers, sometimes a brush, depending solely on what I feel like doing that day.

No matter how I choose to achieve the "perfect" base for the rest of my makeup, it has become a daily habit of mine to bounce a moist beauty blender on top as soon as I put on foundation and concealer.

The reason is that it manages to blend everything seamlessly and provides the perfect bare canvas for the rest.

I have also used it the conventional way, meaning that I applied dots of makeup all over and then used it to spread on my face but I don't actually like it this way for two reasons:

• I feel that make up just stays on top of my face
• A lot of product gets absorbed in the sponge which to me is not only wasteful but also makes cleaning it a bit difficult. 

For these reasons, I firstly work the foundation on my face with fingers or a brush and then bounce it on. It's an extra step but to me totally worth it.

I also use it on top of blush or bronzer when I feel that I applied a bit too much, the remainder of foudation on it tones down everything without messing everything up. 

In fact, a lot of times I overdo blush in purpose and I follow up with a few bounces because it takes away the powdery finish and I end up with dewy cheeks, naturally flushed (how cliché, lol!), perfectly diffused, with no visible blush "ends". If you're struggling with blending out blushes etc, this is the perfect tool. 

In conclusion, I don't think that it is a must have tool, especially if you're happy with the way you apply foundation. 

I do think it is a nice to have tool, because it definitely perfects makeup application and it is multitasking, because it can be used with all kinds of cream/liquid products (makeup, concealer, blush, bronzer, highlight etc). 

If you love "diffused" application this is definitely a must.

On the other hand, if you don't want to pay $20 for it, or if you haven't used a sponge like this before and you're not sure if you'll like it or not, I would propose trying out a more affordable alternative. 

The one I have been using before the Beauty Blender is a Hondos Center find by the brand Cosmopolitan. I had never heard of this brand before but I got it on a whim, it was on a stand by the cashiers so I grabbed it while waiting in line.

As you can see it is well loved and quite battered up, so when I was considering repurchasing it I decided to try the "real thing" instead. 

In comparison, I would say they do pretty much the same thing.  The difference is that this one is more dense and doesn't expand in size while the Beauty Blender is more fluffy, soft and tender to my face. 

One thing that is important is that either of these is supposed to be used damp, not wet. I always wet it and then put it on a tissue paper and squeeze it hard before every use.

No matter what you choose, I wouldn't end this post without some maintenance tips and in particular how to clean them because from what I gather it is what most of the users struggle with. 

First of all, it definitely should be washed after every application or after two applications at the most. It is high maintenance without a doubt, or else you end up with a bacteria farm on your hand that goes on your face and it defeats the purpose.  

It also depends on how you use it: if you put foundation on top of it and then on your face it gets more stained because it absorbs more product. If you apply foundation with your hands or a brush and then use it to blend everything together, it absorbs less so it doesn't get much stained. 

Lastly, the reason I chose the Beauty Blender in the Pure (white, or light beige to be accurate) version is that I wanted to be able to see at a glance where and how much dirty it is because it makes cleaning it easier.

Enough blabbing, here's how I clean my sponges:

I start off with a very dirty sponge, (lol) on purpose, and a bowl with lukewarm water and some kind of soap. I have used hand soap, dish soap and I just got an Apivita Propolis soap that I'm excited to try out!

And then I squeeze it in the water/soap mixture.  A lot. It's kind of an excersize.  I also change the water 2/3 times and continue to squeeze until it's clean. 

Most importantly, I don't rub it, only squeeze it. My pink Cosmopolitan is so scarred because I used to rub it up viciously (before I came up with the bowl method).

Here it is, as good as new! The whole process takes me about 2-3 minutes.

What are your thoughts on this kind of sponges? Do you recommend a specific one?

That's it for now, I hope you are all well and thriving!