Beauty Blender vs. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

The original Beauty Blender is a cult favorite; it's also become a favorite of mine.  I have used, loved, and repurchased it--I'm now on my third sponge.  If you aren't familiar with what this is, it's basically magic in a sponge.  The idea behind this is that when you use it damp, the moisture in the sponge prevents it from soaking up all the product (like the wedge-shaped sponges sold at drugstores do), allowing it to beautifully and seamlessly blend your makeup into your skin.  You can use it to apply any liquid or cream products to your face (I even love using it for loose powder), and it provides a more sheer, natural application than a brush.  This is a fantastic tool to ensure that your makeup doesn't look cakey (one of my biggest pet peeves).  Basically, it lives up to its claim to provide "impeccable, streak-free application."  The one negative of this product--possibly the only negative to me--is the $20 price tag.  Many companies have tried to knock off the original Beauty Blender (here's a good example: http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-blending-sponge/-/A-16945013#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=makeup+sponge), but I've never found anything that even came close to the softness and magic of the original.  The cheaper alternatives simply don't work well.

Enter, Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.  I was super excited when I heard about this product because I love Real Techniques brushes--and it's only $5.99!  Some YouTubers have called it a true dupe of the Beauty Blender, and while others have said it's still not the same.  I decided I had to compare them for myself.

Right off the bat, one thing I like better about the Beauty Blender is the packaging.  It comes in a little case that I like to keep to store the Beauty Blender in when it's dry.  When it's wet, it expands and doesn't fit inside the container, but I like to use the lid to the case as a stand to house it when it's wet (a trick I learned from a girl working at Sephora).  The Real Techniques sponge, on the other hand, comes in disposable packaging that is not practical to keep for storage.

The original Beauty Blender dry inside its container

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge in its packaging

Packaging aside, the first obvious difference is in the shape.  They are both pointed on one end, but while the Beauty Blender is shaped like an egg, the Real Techniques sponge has a flat edge on the bottom.  They are made out of the same material and feel almost identical when dry.  I think the Real Techniques one was just slightly more dense, but they're both very soft.

Dry sponges (my Beauty Blender has foundation on it from previous use)

Damp sponges--might be hard to tell from the picture, but they expand when wet

I got both sponges completely saturated with tap water, then I squeezed them out a couple times with my hand and a couple more times with a paper towel to get rid of all the excess moisture (there are plenty of videos on YouTube if this is new to you).  They feel identical when damp.  When I use these sponges with foundation, I like to dot the foundation all over my face, then press and roll the sponges onto my face to blend them in (reference the YouTube videos for this part too).  I found the sponges work equally well at blending in the product and giving my skin a nice, natural, slightly dewy finish.  I like the shape on the Real Techniques one a little better; I like to use the flat edge around my eyes, nose, and forehead.  I like using these for concealer too.  The pointed edge on both works well under the eyes, and the flat edge on the Real Techniques one is also good on this area.  The only difficult part with both sponges is blending the concealer in the tear duct area (they are a little big to get into that small area), so I normally just use my ring finger for that.  They are both great for sheering out product if you accidentally use too much foundation or concealer.  Sometimes I like to take the sponge and dab it all over my face after all my face makeup is complete--it just blends everything together so nicely and makes your skin look more glowy and perfected. 

These sponges need to be washed every 3-4 uses, and there is no difference between the two in how they wash.  I love the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser.  At $16 (they've raised the price!), it's expensive for a bar of soap, but it works so well.  I usually wait until November when Sephora has their BI/VIB sale so I can get 20% off, then I stock up on these.  However, I just saw someone on Pinterest who mentioned they like using Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Bar Soap to clean her Beauty Blender, which is much cheaper ($4.69 for 5 oz. vs. $16 for 1 oz.) and can be found at Target.  I think I'll be giving this a try once I run out of my stock pile.  

Final thoughts: I love the Real Techniques sponge!  I don't think it's an exact duplicate of the original Beauty Blender, but it's very, very close.  I've heard the Real Techniques sponge starts to show wear more quickly than the original (I haven't had mine long enough to find out), but even if it only lasts two months instead of three, it's still a more economical choice.  You could spend $80/year if you replaced your Beauty Blender every three months and $36/year if you replaced your Real Techniques sponge every two months.  To me, it's a no-brainer: Real Techniques for the win!