Beautyblender Original vs Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge: Comparison

I tend to use my fingers as my main foundation applicators as they're right there and always handy. Since I tend to wear light to medium coverage foundations that's actually not an issue. There's usually no streaky application with my fingers. It took years for me to finally try a foundation brush. While I do like the effect from a foundation brush I still really like using my fingers to apply foundation. The place where this falls apart with with heavier cream foundations. My fingers and a foundation brush just don't work that well with a heavier coverage or thicker cream foundation. First I tried the Beautyblender Original. Details per Sephora:

What it is:
An edgeless, non-disposable, high-definition cosmetic sponge applicator.

What it does:
The unique shape and exclusive material available only with beautyblender® ensures impeccable, streak-free application with minimum product waste. Use it with primers, foundations, powders, cream blushes, and any other complexion product.

What else you need to know:
Beautyblender features an open cell structure that fills with small amounts of water when wet. This allows the sponge to be “full” so that the makeup product sits on top of the sponge rather than being absorbed, allowing you to use less product every time. When wet, beautyblender doubles in size and becomes even softer, returning to its original size when it air dries.

This product is an Allure Best of Beauty award winner. 

At first I thought this was going to be an overpriced gimmick. However, this spongy pink beauty tool lives up to its hype. All you have to do is get it wet, ring it out, press it into a dry towel to make it just damp and not wet, then bounce bounce bounce on your face to achieve a flawless application of foundation. This applies heavy foundation with ease. You get full seamless coverage without any streaks, heavy or cakey feel. It is quite amazing at applying a heavy foundation. Use the round end for large areas, use the pointy end to get into the folds of the nose with ease.

This manages to make heavy foundation look like skin. Unlike anything a brush or fingers can achieve. Clean this with soap and water. I've used baby shampoo, the beautyblender liquid and solid soap. They all work. You have to work harder with the liquid soaps. The solid is amazing it cleans this with ease. I recommend the solid soap to clean this. While I don't use mine very often, mainly because I don't wear heavy foundation that often. I find this too much work to use on a light coverage foundation when my fingers work just fine. I go through the trouble of using this when I wear a heavy foundation only. Mine lasts 6-12 months easy as I don't use it a lot. For $20 it seems worth it when you want a flawless application of a heavier foundation.

After falling in love with the beautyblender I decided to try the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge which is said to be the cheap dupe of the beautyblender. At $6 versus $20 it was worth checking out. Plus it's created by the amazingly talented Sam & Nic Chapman aka Pixiwoos. Details per Real Techniques:

Optimize your beauty routine with the #1 branded makeup sponge!

This versatile beauty tool was designed with a revolutionary foam technology to evenly blend makeup for a smooth, enhanced finish. Use damp for a dewy glow or dry for a full coverage.

• rounded sides blend large areas of the face with a dabbing motion
• precision tip covers blemishes and imperfections
• flat edge for contouring around the eyes and nose
• ideal for liquid foundation
• latex-free

For best results, replace your makeup sponge every 1-3 months.

Use this sponge the same way-wet, ring out, dry down to damp not wet, apply foundation. This sponge has a pointed end same as the other. It also has a flat end for contouring. When I first started playing with this one I thought they were pretty similar. This sponge also applies heavier foundation beautifully. There are a few differences. I found I'm not fond of the flat end. I don't contour. It's too much work for me. I notice the beautyblender is a bit bouncier and I get a more even finish. The Real Techniques is a touch denser and I get a bit less even of a finish. While the Real Techniques is a great sponge for the price, the original beautyblender gives a better finish and has a better quality sponge material.

I hadn't used either sponge all summer long, as I was using only light foundations. When I pulled them out again to test for this post I noticed a big difference besides the quality and bounciness of the sponges-The Real Techniques bubbled up when wet. The outer edge actually looks lumpy versus smooth once wet. It did not do that when it was new. So overall you'll get good results from either sponge and I would highly recommend some type of sponge like this for heavier coverage foundations. I feel you get what you pay for and beautyblender wins for me as the quality of the sponge seemed better. It was also more bouncy and gave a better more even finish.