Sontousa Purple Applicator Makeup Blender Sponge for Beauty by JGOB

I came to write a negative review on this blender about a month ago, because I was unhappy about how long it lasted for me... and then I realized I was using it wrong.(This is the part where I tell you I am not at all a makeup afficianado and usually learn to do things by just playing with it.)How I used it originally: pour some concealer/foundation on the back of my hand, dip the dry beauty blender into the dollup and apply to my face in a gentle dabbling motion. I liked it. The blender allowed my makeup to enter all the nooks and crannies of my face, and soaked up the extra so I didn't look like cake. I used it this way for a few weeks (okay, maybe a month) and then decided I should probably wash it. I took it to the sink and very gently washed it with some natural soap. It immediately started splitting in two, and the build up of makeup wasn't coming off. I was mad. I assumed that I could use and abuse this thing and then just hose it down and start over. Not. I cut the remaining pieces into points and continued to use them a while longer.Fun fact: these things respond pretty well to scissors.(This is the part where I tell you not to google "cut open your beauty blender" because some woman found something horrible inside)I finally gave up my first blender and ordered a second. This is when I realized there was another way to use it.What I read and how I'm using it most of the time now: wet the beauty blender and squeeze out the excess (I use a towel to soak up a little of the moisture), pour some concealer/foundation on the back of my hand, dip the moist beauty blender into the dollup and apply to my face in a gentle dabbling motion. After using, gently wash the blender, being careful not to squish the tip. Apparently wetting the blender first prevents it from absorbing too much makeup. The water also thins out my makeup, but it does feel cleaner, and a little more blended because of it.At this point I'm pretty satisfied with my methods and appreciate both for different levels of coverage. What I've come to realize is that this is a disposable makeup tool. It will not last forever and if you aren't going to clean it, you need to replace it regularly. Both my blenders have lasted plenty long and I love the smooth coverage I get by using it.

I own this sponge, the Real Techniques sponge, and the Nude Beauty Blender sponge (along with another counterfeit RT sponge and a micro sized sponge from 'Caetle').This sponge performs nearly as well as the BB and the RT sponges. I often use it for my backup when the others are due for a wash, and the only negative it really has is that its pointed end is more rounded than either of the other two which makes it harder to focus on smaller areas.I initially thought this sponge was more dense than the BB but even reassessing now I'm not positive that's true; it's a very soft sponge, as long as you ensure the entire thing is soaking and then squeezed out (so all parts internal come in contact with water, thus softening it completely).For the price I really do believe it's a good makeup applicator, especially considering this is a vendor who isn't trying to pass off a counterfeit product and is allowing it to stand on its own merits. I'd absolutely buy again in another fun color.I am attaching three pics - two of which are brightly-lit photos of the BB and the JGOB sponges showing the density/hole pattern in the sponge's wider end. If you are very dorky like me and look closely you can see (it's hard on the black sponge, but in person it's easier to see) that the BB has a slightly more irregular variation of hole sizes compared to more consistent hole sizes in the JGOB applicator. This could potentially lead to a more natural finish from the BB, though in practice I don't see much difference (if any). The final picture is both the BB and the JGOB along with the counterfeit RT and the real RT sponges (counterfeit is on top).

Wow...What a great blender sponge! I have a Beauty Blender sponge, and I love it, but having just one is a bit of a pain, so I found some sponges at a very cheap price, and I got what I paid for...cheap sponges. They can be found here on Amazon for less than $5. They didn't pounce well at all, and were hard ~ so hard that I practically had bruises from using them. Into the trash bin they went.But I needed an extra blender sponge, and after reading the reviews here, I bought the Fresco Pearl sponge. As soon as it arrived, it was time for a side-by-side comparison, and since my Beauty Blender is black, it was easy to tell them apart. As it happens, if I had had my eyes closed, I couldn't have told them apart. This sponge is fabulous...no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It is wonderfully squeezeable, and pounces like a champ. I'm ordering another one just for my travel bag.I should mention, however, that the 'travel case' that comes with it is simply a plastic container that the sponge comes in. It will work, certainly; however, if the sponge is put into it wet, you should expect the sponge to still be wet when you take it out. So, if the sponge is in there for days, and went in wet, then it could very likely smell to high heaven when the container is opened, because there is just a tiny hole in the lid for ventilation. But that's really a small quibble ~ after all, I didn't buy the sponge for the container. I bought a second air port to store and carry my sponge.Buy one, you won't regret it!