Are Mini Beauty Blenders Worth It? Dupes? Worth the Hype?

When I first started using makeup, I used only sponges--I wore those makeup wedge sponges out, y'all! Do you use makeup sponges to apply your makeup? I don't use them every day, but I do use them sometimes. I'm a huge fan of the beautyblender and its similar version from Real Techniques and I've tried them all, honey. Unlike the traditional cheap makeup sponges that are designed for one use and then thrown away, these can last for months. With proper care, I've kept mine for years (and no, they aren't ridden with bacteria, I've tested them).

MINI Sponges

Beautyblender now has a micro mini version and I had to try them. I was instantly a fan--they are so nice under the eyes for concealer blending or setting. I've started using them daily now. If you have small eyes, you'll really like them. But they're expensive and I was determined to find possible dupes or alternatives. I'm sharing 4 today and after much testing, here are my thoughts!

beautyblender® micro.mini

• $18 for 2
• comes in green, but there is a set of 4 (each is a different color)
• Sephora online and in stores
• can be hard to clean

e.l.f. Precision Sponge Trio

• $12, but 3 come in a pack, but there is only 1 mini size
• white only
• ELF online 
• cleans easily, but is too dense; similar to any other bb knock off

Swisspers Blending Mini Sponges

• $3 for two
• one is pink and one is purple, per pack
• Walmart, in stores
• easy to clean
• but after several uses, it never gets back into the tear drop shape

REAL TECHNIQUES Miracle Mini Eraser Sponges

• $5.99 for 2
• purple
• ULTA, in stores and online
• easy to clean
• If you look online (or the first pic in this post) you'll see my sponge looks more like the traditional RT sponge, only mini, and not like the ones pictured now. That is what I received in my order from ULTA back in Sept. The shape is different now and there is an RT stamped onto it, and it's advertised as an eraser and not a blending sponge. I found that odd.
• The largest of the 4 sponges, but works really well.

Time to Test These Minis

Here are the 4 sponges side-by-side and fully saturated with water. Remember these are tiny! Speaking of water, I tested each for bacteria growth in a controlled environment using petri dishes and a hot box. They all came back normal. When I cut the extra in half (minus the ELF, which I used the next size up) and tested those for bacteria, I found none.

Performance-wise, I preferred all but the ELF. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as the others as it was so dense.

Overall

I really like the Swisspers, but as you can see, I have used the purple one more than the pink, and it is now pretty much impossible to use. It's just too soft.

I like the mico beautyblenders, and I think mini sponges are worth it, but I know most aren't going to shell out $18 for 2, so I suggest the RT ones.

UPDATE: I also have tried ULTA has a version of the minis. They are similar to the ones from Swisspers, but I like these better.

• $5.99
• 3 per pack, in the colors seen above
• easy to clean

Have you tried mini sponges?

Extra Elle:

Despite Halloween being on the way, it's feeling like Christmas around my house. Why? It's the time of year when bloggers are doing sponsored posts for Christmas products, and those have to be sent in early for approval. Would you like a post of how that happens, like a behind the scenes?

Brush Egg VS. Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette

As much as I love makeup, cleaning my brushes is the absolute least favorite part. Did you see where I shared my cleaned brushes on Snapchat? But it has to be done--I am still shocked how many don't clean them. I've covered lots of techniques and products for cleaning them. I even make my own solid brush cleaner.

Lately, the trend is to use portable raised surfaces to help clean them. I've tried making my own back in the day--using hot glue on an old plate, using a travel soap dish or a silicone oven mitt or mat. The lines, or grooves, on them help to agitate the product on the brush. 

Today I've got 2 brush cleaner helpers: Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette and the Brush Egg. They are both affordable and are $15 and under.

I've used the Brush Egg for about a year and the RT for the past couple of months. I have tested them with a variety of brushes, cleaning products, and makeup products (eye shadow, blush, concealers, foundations of cream, liquid, and mineral, and so on). I had pretty much the same results, regardless of what was used. Today I'll clean two Real Techniques Brushes using a gel cleanser and water. Both brushes used the same cream foundation, which is so hard to get out of brushes. 

Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette

• $14.99, online and in some stores, like Walmart.
• This silicone palette has a strap that you slip over your fingers. To use, hold your palm face up. Slip the palette over it. Place warm water into the palette and apply cleanser to brush or to palette. Swirl around the palette until clean. Rinse bristles. 

Here's the cleaning in action. It was impossible to take pics with this on my hand, even with a remote, but you get the idea.

Brush Egg

• Online here
• 3 colors 
• $8, but I have purchased another one from Born Pretty for $2.99
• Slip over two or three fingers, and following the same instructions as for the RT, clean the brush.

The bumps at the top are for creating a lather. The ridges are for cleaning and agitating the dirt.

Here's the before and the after. RT is on your left. BE is on your right. As you can see, the BE didn't clean the brush as well--there's still some foundation at the top.

I did a bacterial culture to also test if one cleaned better than the other. The results were very similar.

Overall, while I liked both, they each had things that I didn't love. I don't think either are necessary for brush cleaning, but it makes me feel like maybe my brushes are cleaner by using them. Sigma offers a cleaning mat and glove that work really well. There are other brands too that offer similar products.

Brush Egg Pros and Cons:

• I love the Brush Egg for cleaning eye brushes the best. It's very thick and durable, which means you have to wear it on your fingers when using it.
• It is compact for travel.
• You don't get to choose the color--not a big deal for me.
• It took longer to clean face brushes.
• It is impossible to keep clean (when using with foundations), which I why I ordered another one for pictures.

RT Brush Cleansing Palette Pros & Cons:

• Large surface area for cleaning
• Easier to use since it doesn't have to be worn
• I think it's overpriced.
• Sometimes, I've had the palette kind of warp on me. Once dried, it goes back to it's regular shape.

Do you use something like the products above to help you clean brushes?

Extra Elle:

• Happy 21st birthday to my baby sis!!!
• I'm currently on a spray painting kick of painting everything copper. I've been sharing some of it on my Snapchat (add me here).

See also: 6 Beauty Tools You SHOULD be cleaning