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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

REVIEW: Beautyblender: The Ultimate Makeup Sponge Applicator
Beautyblender can be purchased through beautyblender.net, beauty.com, Amazon.com and other online retailers. The sponge is $19.95; assorted packages with sponges and cleanser are also available.

The pitch: Look like a movie star without the pricey services of a major makeup artist. Beautyblender will leave you with a professional finish and a flawless complexion.

The skinny: Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Rosalyn Sanchez, Shakira. These are just some of the celebs touting this makeup sponge (their names appear on the box). Does this mean if you use this sponge your skin will be as flawless as theirs? Well, the first time I applied my makeup with the Beautyblender, several colleagues, including two Beauty Board gals, raved. "Your makeup looks really good today," one of them said. "Did you do something different?" another asked.

The difference is Beautyblender. Created by celebrity makeup artists Rea Ann Silva and Veronica Lorenz, this hot pink sponge is different from any other tool I've used to apply makeup. It has a suede-like texture and is soft and pliable, so it hugs the contours of your face. It's also latex-free and non-allergenic. The sponge is shaped like an egg, with no edges, so you can use the base on your forehead, cheeks and chin, while the pointed side works well in hard-to-reach areas such as around the nose and mouth and under the eyes.

To use, just dampen the sponge (it will swell in size), dip it into your favorite foundation, concealer, cream blush or powder. Then, using a technique called stippling, you bounce it quickly over your skin. This allows the color to blend flawlessly with no creases or streaks. It works wonders if you have hyperpigmentation on your face and under the unforgiving lens of HDTV. I also used the sponge dry and got the same results. Beautyblender is designed to be washed after each use.

It can be purchased in a set that includes a soy cleanser, called - what else? - Beautycleanser. It comes packaged with its own clear, acrylic pedestal so that when you wash your sponge, you can perch it atop the pedestal to air dry. The $20 price may seem high for a sponge, but think about it: If you usually buy drugstore sponges that will be tossed after a couple of uses, it makes sense to spend a little more on something designed to last several months.

Plus, this one will make your friends green with envy because you look so fabulous. I'd say it's sooooo worth it.

Cloe Cabrera

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