4 Budget Beauty Sponges Better Than the beautyblender

The beautyblender is a cult classic— an icon within the beauty community. It has helped makeup lovers everywhere blend out liquid and cream products easily for a flawless finish. But let’s get real here: $20 for a sponge that should be replaced every three months? Das esspensive!

In most of my decluttering videos on YouTube, many of you tell me that you typically let makeup expiration dates slide if the product isn’t used up. However, sponges are not the product you want to do this with. Due to it be constantly wet from water and your products, it should be replaced every so often to avoid bacteria or mold growing inside. You can extend its life dramatically if you’re super stringent about cleaning it every few days, but… how many of us are actually doing that?

While people claim that there’s nothing better than the original beautyblender, I beg to differ. Don’t get me wrong! The beautyblender is amazing in its own right. It has just the right amount of bounce for comfortable application, expands quickly under water and is soft for easy blending. However, I just cannot afford to keep up with the price… especially when I like to have a couple of sponges available for different types of products.

Over the years, I’ve found some of my favorite affordable beautyblender alternatives that not only perform just as well (or better!), but at a fraction of the cost. Are they beautyblender dupes? Well, they actually have a lot of differences from the original that make them stand out on their own!

Keep reading to see the four budget friendly beauty sponges that I like better than the beautyblender.

1. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($5.99)

There are a few things I like about the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge that makes it a better match for my routine than the original beautyblender. While it grows dramatically underwater and does become much more bouncy this way, it is still just a bit denser than the beautyblender which lends for more full coverage foundation. Also, I find myself using the flat side for products like foundation or setting powder because it’s easier to cover larger areas with. However, you still get the point at the bottom for getting into creases like around the nose or under the eye. Real Techniques also has different shapes and sizes in their Miracle Sponge Collection similar to the beautyblender to help with specific steps in your routine.

2. AOA Wonder Blender Sponge ($1)

This sponge is a newer addition to my collection, and it was an instant hit during my Shop Miss A haul. For $1, this might just be the best budget-beauty product I own! While it starts small, just add water to see it grow to a massive size (larger than the beautyblender) which I like for getting more of my face at once. It could be a turn off if you often use sponges in tighter areas like under the eyes, though. The Wonder Blender is more light and airy than the bb, but it seems that the pores on the surface are smaller so I don’t feel like it’s sucking up a lot of product as long as it’s damp. It’s become my absolute favorite, though it’s only available online or through AOA flagship stores.

3. NYX Complete Control Blending Sponge ($9.99)

This sponge from NYX has been making quite a lot of appearances in recent YouTube tutorials, because its unique shape means I can use it for everything! There are two flat edges which I love to use for foundation and powder, but one edge has a slight angle to it that fits right under the eye for concealer, or for precise contour application. The bottom is rounded for any other blending like blush and highlight. This sponge has a totally different feel from the original beautyblender, as well as the other sponges I’ve mentioned. Though it’s hard to explain, the best way I can describe it is that it’s got sort of foamy texture to it.

4. Evie Blender ($26)

Hear me out— Yes, this is more expensive than the beautyblender, but it’s a one time purchase. In my opinion, the Evie Blender is the only silicone sponge that was released during the silisponge hype that works, and works well. Due to its TEXTURED silicone surface, it actually blends product instead of just slapping it on your face. It has a grippy feel that helps buff liquids and creams in— and since it can’t soak anything up, all the product ends up on your face. This means you actually end up using less makeup to get full coverage, so you’re saving money on both ends! Watch my full video talking about the Evie Blender to see if it’s something you want to try. It’s definitely different, but I’ve loved using it because it’s easy to clean, easy to travel with, and doesn’t need to be replaced.

Do you have a favorite blending sponge other than the beautyblender?