Product Smackdown: Beauty Blender vs Sonia Kashuk Sponge
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Beauty Blender
This blending sponge is used by celebrity makeup artists as it works amazingly well in applying foundation to give an airbrushed finish. What makes it unique to other sponges is its egg shape which allows you to roll the foundation onto the skin, avoiding any streaks. If you dampen the sponge with warm water, it expands to twice its size and gets even softer which makes for a flawless foundation application. Because of its pointed tip, you can easily get under the eyes and around the nose to blend. I have to honestly say this is the most ingenious makeup tool out there.
Here’s my full review of this product as well as a video on how to use it! Beauty Blender Review
Price: $17.99 or $22.99 for 2
Where to Buy: Makeup Geek Store Amazon
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Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge
Although this sponge rings in at $10 instead of $18, I have to honestly say it is worth the extra $8 to get the real thing. The shape of this isn’t an actual egg so it is very difficult to roll the foundation onto the skin. Plus its density is too stiff, leaving streaks on the face and not blending as smoothly. I tried wetting this sponge to see if it got softer, but it stayed the same size and just gave me a wet foundation look… I’ll be passing the aisle on this one and saving my money elsewhere (like on eyeliners) :)
Price: $9.99
Do you have a product comparison idea? Post it below and I’ll do a smackdown video on it comparing the two!
Have a great week, Makeup Geeks!
Much love,
Marlena
Hi Marlena! So I was wondering if you could do a Product Smackdown on a MAC lipglass VS a NYX lipgloss??? Thanks!
I 2nd this! Would love to see that!
Me too! That would definetly be an interesting smackdown!
That would be cool! I agree.
This comparison really helped me!
Question: How do you clean your Beauty Blender?
Thanks for everything you do Marlena!
I use baby shampoo
I don’t like to use baby shampoo on anything. It has ruined brushes of mine in the past. Thanks for the suggestion though!
you can buy a separate cleanser especially made for beauty blenders.
Right. Is there an alternative that’s easier to access, maybe less expensive, and will clean as well? I don’t want to ruin it when I get one.
They sell a Beauty Blender Cleaner in the MUG store that comes with instructions
Also, it isn’t very expensive for the travel size
I agree with Brenna, can you do a smackdown on MAC lipglass VS. NYX lipgloss please?
Love all your reviews, and thank you for being honest Marlena ? 
I would love to see that!! And I love how honest she is too
And I agree with Bella! Thanks for being honest marlena(P.S. I made a typo on my name… Its not brenna
it’s breanna)
i love the lip colour you are wearing in this video.what is the name of the lipstick?
It *might* be Mac up the amp lipstick, with Funtabulous dazzle glass…
Hi marlena, could you please do a smack down on various stippling brushes available?
There are so many out there, mug, Mac 187, dior.. Etc.. Please help cause we take your reviews 100 % seriously and therefore feel a need for this one cause some of these brushes are very high priced.. Thanks.
I think thats a good idea!!
Marlena, please do Naked Palette and the Smashbox BarePalette
? And I totally agree on the MAC and NYX, too 
Do you find a difference in the foundation finish when it is rolled on the skin as opposed to “bouncing” it like many How-to videos show? I love the beautyblender, and am happy that I can get it in your store for a bit cheaper than others, but I have trouble manipulating it in a rolling motion so I mainly use the wide end to stipple on foundation and I really like the finish it gives… The texture is definitely way different from other sponges that try to compare! I would definitely recommend buying the double pack, well worth it for 2 sponges that last for months (each) and can be easily cleaned with baby shampoo!
I’ve just recently started using the beautyblender and I adore it <3
I have been wanting to get it the only thing is how do you clean it? I know they sell the cleaning solution to clean it but i have heard some people clean it different. I just don’t want to ruin it once i get it. thanks
I just squeeze a few pumps of baby shampoo on the ends after running it under warm water and then work the shampoo through by squeezing it until you see the foundation come out (keep running it under the water until it runs clear)… It does get stained, but not a big deal… I’m still using my first one and it’s been over 3 months, so regular cleaning with baby shampoo won’t ruin it I guess!
At IMATS in Australia I purchased a beauty pod “http://www.beautypod.com.au/” It looks really similar to the SK one … I’m wondering if they are made by the same company or not. It’s non-latex.. My Beauty Pod swells insanely large when wet though – like the Beauty Blender does, and I’ve never had streaks. It was definately one of my best purchases.
The Beauty Blender is more than twice as expensive where I live! It’s robbery!
Boo!
And I did a browny red lipstick smackdown featuring MAC Viva Glam I and Revlon In the Red here: http://GunkFury.com/2011/06/02/comparison-mac-viva-glam-i-and-revlon-matte-lipstick-in-in-the-red/
I think you should order your Beauty blender online or contact company direct cause you should not be forced to have to buy a copy cat blender, There is nothing anyone should be using other then BB.. I am sure the creator of BB would not want you look elsewhere based on price….Please do the right thing and get yourself one ASAP….BB Rock’s my world!!!!!!!!!
Can you do a smack down of a Make up designory eyeshadow vs a Mac eyeshadow?
Wow, Marlena…you are gorgeous! And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. And Sonia Kashuk rocks! Keep up the good work on and off camera
I agree with Breanna on doing a product smakdown between the MAC and NYX lipglosses. Or my suggestion would mabye doing a product smackdown between a MAC eyeshadow brush and a Sonia Kaschuk eyeshadow brush. Keep up the great videos!
I not only totally agree but I would be even more harsh of the the Sonia K. one. I bought it a while ago thinking that I could save money and was soooo disappointed. To be totally blunt: it’s a piece of crap. I broke down and shelled out the dough for a beauty blender and the difference is night and day. That being said, I still prefer my MUG Deluxe Stippling brush to either sponge.
Hi Marlena,
Should we wash the it every 1 time application?
I do. If not it just collects the dirt and bacteria from the environment. sponges are porous.
I’d like to see a smackdown between the different HD finishing powders like e.l.f. vs MUFE.
Oooh yes me too!
I would like to see a smackdown on various matte lipsticks such as:
MAC
Revlon
NYX
Jordana and
Wet N Wild
They all have matte lipsticks.
I bought and used the SK sponge first, and I was pretty happy with it for a while. But I used it dry. I have oily skin, so I found that the stiff SK sponge blended my foundation nicely if used dry. If I tried to use it wet, I had issues with streaking. And I had better results if I stippled my foundation and gently “rubbed” it to blend, rather than trying to roll it on.
That being said, I do love the Beauty Blender. I find that it washes up nicer and lasts longer. The SK sponge tended to fall apart after a few thorough washings, so I would say ultimately the BB is more cost efficient. The BB is much more resilient, and has stood up to several very thorough washings. I also love the antibacterial BB cleanser. It gets all of the foundation stains out, and has a nice pleasant smell to it. With the SK sponge, I had to worry about getting it totally dry after washing so that bacteria wouldn’t start to grow.
hi marlena!!! i wondering if u can give me any tips regarding on putting eyeliner on the waterline (top and bottom), cuz everytime i do it, i get a smudge, and its so irritating… please? thanks… by the way, i love your tutorials… God bless!
I’ve thought multiple times about getting the Beauty Blender sponge, but I prefer the look of mineral makeup. Is it possible to use the Beauty Blender to get that same airbrushed look? Would you use it wet?
Sorry if this is a silly question, just really wondered. Thanks
Hi marlena please Look at
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I think they are not authorized to use YOUR fotos? I am sure that´s u ther eon the picture!
Thanks for this review, Marlena!
Which is better for applying foundation, the Beauty Blender or the MUG Stippling Brush? I was going to buy the brush, but then saw this…what do you recommend?
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I just bought the Sephora version of the BB. I was orignally going to buy the BB but I asked to girl at my store and she looked at me like I was crazy and had no idea what I was talking about. So I bought this one it was $12 and I haven’t used it yet but I will let you all know how it works. (never used BB so I have nothing to compare it to)
Hi all! I just wanted to put my 2 cents in about the Sonya Kashuk Blending Sponge. While I absolutely love Makeupgeek.com and very much value Marlena’s opinion, I would have to urge people to give SK’s sponge a try-especially if you have never used the Beauty Blender and have nothing to compare it to. I have been using SK’s sponge for about a year now (and have never tried the BB), and I am VERY VERY happy with the results it gives me. But, I will say that I don’t necessarily use it to “roll” my foundation on like Marlena was describing in the video. There are a few ways to use an egg-shaped sponge and one of them is to “bounce” it on. I hold my (damp) SK sponge in my hand with the larger end towards my face and literally bounce the foundation all over my face. It gives SUCH an amazing airbrushed, dewy, natural-looking finish. I’m one of those people that has never been able to make foundation look natural or good on my skin. I’ve tried using my fingers, a flat foundation brush, a dual-fiber brush, regular sponge…nothing gave me the coverage and finish I was looking for. But with the SK sponge, I absolutely loove how my skin looks after I apply my foundation. I swear this is true: I was hanging out with some girls I had just met recently and the first few times they met me, I was not wearing foundation. Then, one day we met up and I had did my usual foundation application with my SK sponge and they asked me “what did you do to your face? its glowing! You look good!” and I told them nothing, that I was just wearing makeup. And they literally said “no way!” because it looked so natural. I know that story probably sounds really fake or gimmicky, but its the honest-to-God truth. So anyway, point is: doesn’t hurt to try the SK sponge. It’s only $10-but sooo worth it in my opinion!
Hi, I’m so glad you did this smackdown, I was just in the process of buying this product, and you can get it for as low as $9.00 on MakeupMania’s website. Thanks soooooo Much!!!
what about brand of flat irons vs brand flat irons and what is worth on the cost. thanks