I LOVE these makeup sponges!! But before I get into that – I have to come clean. I haven’t used a real beauty blender in a long time. The last time I did, I didn’t know much about makeup, how to apply it, or really how to use the sponges correctly. I got frustrated and eventually stopped using them. Now I know how to properly use them – so I can’t really hold that against Beauty Blender.

That being said – these Amazon sponges are incredible! They come in a pack of 5, in all different colors, are prime eligible, and under $9. If that isn’t reason enough to try them, I don’t know what is. As far as quality, I’ve been using them every day for a few weeks now and they still look amazing. I haven’t noticed any tearing or deteriorating. (I’ll of course update you if something changes!) My thought is if you are wanting to try a makeup sponge but don’t want to pull the trigger on a pricy one – try these! Learn how to use them, love them, and then spend the money on the “real” thing. Or just love these so much you never buy the real thing – that’s where I currently am!

So let’s talk about how to use them! That’s where I really struggled the first time around and I was lucky enough to happen upon Courtney Shields of Bring Your Own Beauty. (Def worth a follow!) She shares all sorts of great beauty tips! So I’m sharing one I learned from her on how to use these sponges!

The most important thing when using these sponges is to get it damp. Seriously. I thought this was the weirdest thing (I am still not great at beauty and makeup but I am learning!) but it really works. Put your sponge in water, make sure to squeeze it a few times, and you’ll feel it start to get bigger. Once that happens squeeze out the water, squeeze it again in a towel, and then it should be damp and ready to go! I’ve got videos on how to do this saved on my beauty highlights on my Instagram. You can see the difference in size in the photo above. Your sponge is ready to use if it looks like the yellow one.

Once your sponge is damp, it’s ready to apply makeup. I use the skinny end to blend in my concealer under my eyes and the other end for my setting powder. To use it for the setting power, just pat it in the powder (you can use pressed or loose, I use loose) and then press it onto your face. The dampness of the sponge makes the most flawless, even coverage. It is seriously amazing! You can also use your sponge to blend your foundation – I haven’t tried this yet. But once I buy more liquid foundation, I’m planning on trying it out!

Let me know if you try this and what you think! If you have any of your own beauty blender hacks – share them below!