Often touted as the best budget alternative to the beauty blender (it even has 4,449 and counting reviews on Ulta much to that effect), the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is well on its way to being a cult favorite in its own right. The orange one is the classic but if you're feeling a little adventurous, the Miracle Diamond Sponge is a lot of fun as well.
This Japonesque makeup sponge has quite the gorgeous marbled design, no? It's well-constructed and the slightly bigger size means you can cover more surface area more quickly. Also, it strikes a great balance: It's strong enough to withstand cleaning but still soft enough to give your makeup a gorgeous, dewy finish.
How cool is this one? Designed to fit over your fingers, these makeup sponges have something of a unique user experience. The high-quality foam is soft and blends makeup well, and the size and placement makes it especially good for applying concealer and other precision work.
Who among us doesn't need a fire-engine red makeup sponge in their life? This option is affordable yet effective and the faceted shape makes it versatile as well.
Looking for luxury? Hourglass is always a safe bet in that respect, be it the brand's next-level highlighting palettes or gloriously retro lipsticks… or, in this case, a fancy makeup sponge. It lives up to the quality standards we've come to expect from the brand — it's sleek and chic, and the two ends actually have two different textures, which gives it extra versatility. It's designed to be used with the brand's cult favorite Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders, but it works for just about everything.
