Save vs Splurge: The Nippon Pro Blend Sponge is a dupe of the Beauty Blender
I honestly thought that when the expensive AF Beauty Blender came out a few years ago, it would just be a flash in the pan. Even when I got my own and was blown away by the thing I assumed that the hype would die down quickly. I was wrong. Now, the Beauty Blender is more ubiquitous than ever and has become a favorite of makeup artists (and enthusiasts) not only for blending foundation but also for contouring and setting makeup.
The Beauty Blender is worth the investment if you can cough up a thousand bucks for a sponge, but if you can't, there's a cheaper local substitute called the Nippon Pro Blend Sponge (P400 per kit). This is almost exactly the same as the Beauty Blender: it expands to double its size when wet, and becomes a porous and malleable tool for blending makeup perfectly. The two sponges are almost the same size and shape.
The Pro Blend is still a bit stiff compared to the Beauty Blender when wet. It doesn't become quite as soft as the BB but it hugs the contours of my face with no trouble and blends liquid/cream products with similar ease.
The sponges when wet
Would I know the difference if you gave me the two sponges without telling me which is which? Yes. I've been using the BB for years (washed regularly of course). The thing I love most about it is how I can mold it to the nooks and crannies of my face to blend makeup. The Nippon sponge does that pretty well too, but not with the exact same softness.
Nevertheless, the Nippon Pro Blend Sponge Kit is a great dupe and value at only P400 for two sponges and a cleaner. The cleaner is actually super similar to the Nippon hand wash which I adore, and works to clean the sponges thoroughly after a good lather. I will definitely use these sponges to rotate with my Beauty Blender when it's in the to-wash bag.
Thoughts? How is your Beauty Blender experience so far?
There should have been another brush inside but I gave one to my staff.
