Ulta Blender Sponge Kit vs. Beauty Blender

Hello!

I first started using beauty blenders last December, and have been hooked on them ever since! I usually end up neglecting my foundation brushes at times. One beauty blender costs $20. That can be pricey if you're planning to replace it every few months. I discovered that Ulta had a Blender Sponge Kit for $10, and I began to wonder if it was a dupe for the Beauty Blender.

Beauty Blender

Beauty Blender Pros

• Full coverage look can be achieved
• Much more bouncy than the Ulta brand sponge
• Streak free foundation
• Made out of a soft material  
• Able to blend under eye area with the pointed tip
• Helps your foundation appear natural looking

Beauty Blender Cons

• It leaks a pink tint when I wash it
• I have a hard time blending near nose area
• It's a bit pricey ($20 a sponge, but you can find it in kits)
• It can grow mold if you don't wash it correctly or air dry it in a ventilated area (This personally hasn't happened to me, but it has happened to others)
• The water tends to dry up quickly if I leave it sitting for a couple of minutes (I'm sometimes  still working on my eyes, or brows before I start my foundation)

Ulta Blender Sponge

Ulta Blender Sponge Pros

• Price is $10 for 2 sponges
• Also helps foundation appear natural looking
• It has a wider bottom compared to the Beauty Blender
• It stays wet longer than the Beauty Blender ( Like I stated above, I'm usually working on my eyeshadow, or my brows before my foundation)

Ulta Blender Sponge Cons

• Hard to blend foundation near nose area & my under eye area
• It absorbs foundation quickly ( This might not be the quickest way to apply your makeup)
• Not as soft or bouncy compared to the Beauty Blender
• It never seems clean enough after washing it
• This will help you achieve sheer coverage at the most (Some people may be okay with that though!)

The Ulta Blender Sponge is most likely not a dupe for the Beauty Blender. It's an okay sponge, but it just absorbed too much product for my liking. I also don't like that I can't get it clean enough. The Beauty Blender won this round. The Beauty Blender has definitely changed my beauty routine. I find it easy to work with and it helps my foundations appear more natural looking. This is just my personal opinion on these products. They may work differently for you. I know a lot of people favor the Ulta sponge and vice versa.

I have heard good things about the Real Techniques sponge, so I may need to check it out.

- Lupe