A few weeks ago, I was perusing the Target beauty aisles, as one does, when I thought it would be fun to try out a variety of beauty sponges to see which one is the best.
These three caught my eye. In fact, I’ve used the Real Techniques makeup sponge a long time ago. The other two sponges are new to me. And kind of as a side note, the Sonia Kashuk aisle at my Target only has makeup tools now. There’s no makeup! Is it like that at your Target as well?
I digress. It’s fine. I’ve always like the Sonia Kashuk tools more than the makeup anyways.
So, today I’m sharing my review of the EcoTools Perfect Cushion Blender, the Sonia Kashuk Makeup Blender (latex free), and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I have tiny little disclaimer: I realized while I was using the EcoTools sponge that it is specifically made for cushion foundations & you are supposed to use it dry. I kept it in this mix of sponges anyways, because I did try it wet. Keep reading to see which one wins!
EcoTools Perfecting Cushion Blender
This is the sponge that is supposed to be used dry with a cushion foundation. I didn’t realize until I was using it for the first time, so I used it with my favorite cushion foundation from Wet n Wild (review here). It applies foundation like a dream. Everything looks so smooth and blurred, it was amazing.
Now, I did also try this wet because (a) I needed to wash it and (b) I wanted to test it as a wet beauty sponge. The first thing I noticed was that the green color from the sponge does run off when you wash it. I was not expecting that, and I’ve never used a sponge that does that. But, I decided to go ahead with trying it wet. It definitely applies better dry, but it’s also applies foundation very well as a wet sponge. I have used this with a cushion foundation, a cream foundation, and a liquid foundation. It was wonderful with all three foundations.
This sponge was the first one to catch my eye in the story, because I love the black and white marbling pattern. It’s the biggest beauty sponge I’ve ever used, so you can guess which of all these sponges applies the quickest. 😉
The speed of application is the only pro of this sponge for me. The base is so large, I could really spread my makeup over my entire face. I did have to go over it a few times to smooth everything out, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. I would rather it be smooth and quick, but this is great if you’re in a rush.
I also need to mention that it instantly became stained with my makeup. I expect some level of stains on my makeup sponges, but I could not wash it all out the first time I used the sponge. In fact, the makeup kind of stayed under the outer layer of the sponge. I could see the makeup and when I squeezed the sponge , the makeup would disappear into the sponge. But, then I couldn’t get it to come out. As weird as this sounds, it looked like the makeup was stuck in the sponge. No amount of washing could remove it.
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
This is an old fave of mine. Years ago, when Real Techniques was still new, I used this as an affordable option to the Beauty Blender. This is such a great price point, and if you have a bigger budget they also do a large variety of sponges shapes. I’ve been pretty loyal to Real Techniques over the years, so there’s no surprise that I still love this.
You can use this wet or dry, but it applies better when wet. It plumps up a lot and covers a lot of ground when you’re moving the foundation around on your face. My makeup looks smooth with this sponge.
Here, you can see the different shapes of the sponges. As far as comfort, the EcoTools Perfecting Cushion Sponge is the most comfortable to hold.
TO RECAP:
EcoTools Perfecting Cushion Sponge
+can apply dry or wet, wonderful both ways
+easy & comfortable to hold
+blurs and perfects my makeup, with different foundation formulas
+can squish into the sides of my nose, despite not having a pointy tip
-green color runs when wet
Sonia Kashuk Makeup Blender
+huge, makes foundation application quick
–hard to wash
-foundation does not look as smooth
-the pointy tip is too rounded
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
+can apply dry or wet, looks better wet
+applies foundation smoothly
+plumps up a lot when wet
-application is not as smooth as EcoTools Perfecting Cushion Sponge
To me, the winner of this battle is definitely the EcoTools Perfecting Cushion Sponge. The finished product is such a smooth, blurred foundation application that it wins, hands down. The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is a close second and, of course, the Sonia Kashuk Makeup Blender is third. It was just so hard to wash, I can’t see myself reaching for it often
Do you have a favorite beauty sponge?
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Rebecca has been writing about style, beauty, and lifestyle topics since 2011. Thank you so much for reading this post! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I love hearing from you!
