Smackdown: Beauty Blender Vs. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Once upon a time all you could get were little triangle shaped sponges. They were super inexpensive at only a few dollars for a huge package of about 20 of them. They worked well, and a lot of people swore by them. I remember using them when I first started putting makeup on when I was very young. Then, one day, the world changed as we knew it, and the Beauty Blender came out.

It was bright pink and tear-drop shaped and $20. Yes, 20 freaking dollars! For a sponge! Shortly after it's arrival at Sephora, there was a cult following, and everyone and their dog seemed to be raving about it. I would see them at Sephora, and say to myself  "There is no way that I'm spending $20 on a sponge!" Then one day, I broke down after hearing SO MANY people claim that it was the best invention since sliced bread, and I bought the Beauty Blender. My life was changed forever.

This beautiful, pink sponge was so easy to use, and made my foundation so fun to put on. I felt like I was airbrushed after and it didn't look like I had any makeup on at all. It just looked like my skin - only better! But, like most things that are amazing, it didn't last forever and eventually I found myself needing a new one.

By this point a ton of makeup company's had tried to duplicate this dream of a sponge, and FAILED miserably! I purchased one from Walgreens (soho brand) that shredded only after a week, I got one from Target (Sonia Kashuk brand) that felt like I was beating my face up while I was using it. I got the Sephora brand one, and it, too was way too hard for my face. Then, Real Techniques came out with one, and at $5.99 I thought it was at least worth a try.

To my surprise the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge was great! It was certainly not as good as the Beauty Blender. But to be honest, after using the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and only paying $5.99 for it, the Beauty Blender isn't worth the $20.

The shapes of these 2 sponges are different, and of course the Beauty Blender is a tiny bit easier to work with. Both sponges puff up when dampened (which is the optimal way to use them). The  Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is slightly longer than the Beauty Blender, but I don't feel like it's harder to work with it being longer. They both have a pointed tip for getting into your eye area with ease. The flatter area of these sponges is definitely where you run into a difference in how they apply. The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge has a sort of cut-out on that end, where the Beauty blender is very rounded making it a totally seamless application. The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is maybe not as seamless of a finish, but I can't tell a difference when I use it with my favorite foundations.

The biggest similarity of these two sponges, is that they are both very soft after they are dampened and feel the same on my face while I'm applying my cosmetics. This is huge for  me, since that is the thing that seemed to make the Beauty Blender a one-of-a-kind product.

Overall, if you are interested in a sponge like this, then I would definitely save your money and get the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. At only $5.99 it's a GREAT alternative to the Beauty Blender!

Tip Tuesday: Coconut oil-how I use it in my beauty routine

Photo credit

Behold the power of coconut! I'm addicted to this little gem, and for many reasons! I'm sure you've heard of the many benefits of coconut oil for the skin, hair and body. It's something that is quickly becoming a household staple for many people. I use coconut oil for lots of things, including cooking and baking. It's a 1:1 substitution for butter. And, it's probably the most versatile product in my beauty arsenal. Here are some of the ways I like to use this wonderful oil in my beauty routine.


As a hair mask:
Coconut oil as a hair mask is so perfect. It has essential fatty acids that can repair damage, and it's super moisturizing so it leaves behind a beautiful sheen without making your hair look "oily". I will use coconut oil on my hair 1-2 times per week during the summer and more than that during the winter if my hair needs it. Typically I will mash it with a dropper full of argan oil, too. Argan oil is full of vitamin E, which coconut oil lacks, so they make a great pair. I will leave it on for around an hour, but you can leave it on over night for a deep repair if needed. When your done, just shampoo your hair a few times, until it feels clean again. No need for conditioner after a treatment like this.

As a moisturizer:
Swapping coconut oil for lotion is simple! Plus, coconut oil is GOOD for you skin, where most lotions and creams you buy at the store are full of chemicals like parabens. I like to slather my skin in a good healthy coating of coconut oil right after I get out of the shower. It only takes a few seconds for the oil to absorb into my skin, and it leaves my skin looking like I have a satin-like glow.


As a mineral makeup base:
I love me some mineral makeup! It's natural, it has a beautiful finish, and it's good for your skin. During the summer months, mineral makeup is my every day staple. But, in the winter, my skin gets a bit too dry to use it without looking like a chalky mess! Coconut oil to the rescue.... I will place a tiny amount of coconut oil in the palm of my hand to warm it up so it melts, then I'll tap some mineral foundation on top and swirl it around to make a liquid foundation consistency.  Using my fingers or a foundation brush, I'll apply it to my face and buff it into my skin. It transforms my powdered mineral foundation into a moisturizing tint that covers and blurs all my imperfections. And the best part? It's chemical free! And, again you guessed it-good for your skin.

As a makeup remover:
Have you ever bought a mascara that was fabulous, and didn't flake at all, and didn't smudge at all, and was waterproof, so you could cry, swim and sweat and it would still look awesome? And, did that same mascara haunt you at the end of the day after you've scrubbed everything else off your face? Ya, been there. But, now you can remove it so fast and easily now that you have coconut oil in your bathroom cabinet. Just massage a pea sized amount onto you closed eyes, for about 30 seconds, then wipe clean with a warm, damp wash cloth. I promise it will come off with this technique. It has saved my eyelashes more than once! Just please make sure you don't get the coconut oil in your eyes. While it's natural and most people say it's okay for you to put coconut oil in your eyes, your eye makeup may not be okay to get in there.

As a scrub:
Okay, coconut oil alone is not a great scrub. But when you mix it with a tiny amount of baking soda it's amazing! Seriously, nothing makes my skin feel as baby soft as when I use this 2 ingredient scrub. Just warm a small amount of coconut oil in the palm of your hand, then sprinkle a tiny amount of baking soda on top. Swirl it together to make a thin paste, then very gently buff it onto your skin. Gently being the key word here. You don't want to be too harsh or you could irritate your skin. Gentle, circular motions with the pads of your fingertips for about a minute, then rinse off. It's easy and so effective, and also so much cheaper than scrubs that you buy at the store. Plus, again, it's natural, so no worrying about a chemical rash or worse!

As a replacement for neosporin:
Yes, you read that right. You can swap coconut oil for neosporin! It is antibacterial and naturally lubricates the cut or scrape and promotes healing. If your worried about it not killing enough germs, and the cut is pretty deep, you can also add a drop of tea tree oil with you coconut oil, and that will boost the antibacterial action by a lot. Just, make sure you wash the wound with warm soapy water before applying your oils.

And, that's it! How do you use coconut oil? Comment below and share!

Review: QVC excusive Tarte Colored Clay 7-Pc Collection with Bag

 Image taken from QVC's website

First, let me just start by saying, that my FAVORITE brand of makeup is tarte. I love that they promote a more natural line of makeup and skincare. Their ingredients are usually safe, and they are effective! I honestly have not bought something from the line that I haven't loved. So, when I saw this set as the 'todays special value' on QVC, I grabbed it.

This 7 piece set includes the following:

• clay eyeliner in Black
• LipSurgence Lip Gloss in True Love, a sheer raspberry shade
• clay blush bronzer in Pink Bronze
• colored clay SPF 15 liquid foundation
• colored clay CC primer
• lights, camera, LASHES mascara in Black
• Bamboo foundation brush
• and Bonus makeup bag

All items in this set are full size, and if you were to buy them separately, it would cost you well over $200. Currently, as I'm typing this blog post, it is for sale here for $65.96 with $7.22 S&H. You're saving well over 60% on this people!

On to my review. Lets start with the foundation. The colored clay SPF 15 liquid foundation as of right now is a QVC exclusive, and it is what makes this set stand out in my opinion. The set comes with a brush to apply it with, and the 2 products work together wonderfully! The foundation comes in the same jar as the Amazonian clay airbrush foundation. It has a net-like sifter that you touch your brush with to get a small amount of product, then you buff it onto your face. The lid of the jar has a stopper on the inside to prevent the foundation from spilling all over the place, and you are supposed to shake the jar before each use. This foundation is very build-able, and lasts all day with a satin matte finish. It is quickly replacing my go-to foundation (tarte's Amazonian clay 12-hour full coverage SPF 15). I have very oily patches, and also have some dry patches as well, and it wears very well on me throughout the day. It doesn't cling to my dry areas, and there is very little to no breakdown where I'm more oily.

Moving on to the colored clay CC primer. This product I'm a bit on the fence about. I like it enough that I will probably repurchase it, but it's definitely not my favorite primer of all time. Mainly because of the color it leaves on my skin. it has 4 chambers of color on a very chubby stick, that you drag across your face and then buff out with your fingers. 2 chambers are skin colored, 1 is a very light green that is supposed to counteract any redness on your face and then the last chamber is purple, which is supposed to even out and brighten your skin. I'm very pale, and I got the shade 'fair' in this stick, and it goes on a bit dark for me. Once I sheer it our with my fingers, and then apply foundation over it, it looks just fine. But, this isn't a product that I can use alone by any means like the description says.

The clay blush bronzer in Pink Bronze is one of the more disappointing products in this kit. Everyone who loves makeup knows that tarte's Amazonian clay 12-Hour blush is a cult favorite. And, this blush in comparison to those is just okay. The bronzer portion is very peachy and the blush portion is very pale and not very highly pigmented. when you swirl around the whole pan, you get a very brownish peachy pink color that has a slight shimmer to it. The staying power of this blush bronzer is decent, however not as good as the Amazonian clay blush that is a tarte favorite. Overall, I'm not sure tarte could have really gotten it any better after the Amazonian clay blush, to be honest. So if I weren't comparing this blush to that, then it would be okay.

 The clay eyeliner in Black is a nice addition to this kit as well. It is a waterproof twist up eyeliner, and the pigmentation is good, the staying power is great, and it is very smooth to apply. I used it in my waterline when I first got this, and it lasted about 6 hours, which is a decent amount of time for me. And, when worn as a normal eyeliner next to my lash line, it stays all day with no visible signs of wear. 

Next, the LipSurgence Lip Gloss in True Love is yet another QVC exclusive product as of right now. When I got this kit, I wasn't expecting to like this gloss very much. Being on the more pale side I try to steer clear of bold lip colors in general, but this one was surprisingly great. You can sheer it out for a more natural pinkish red look, or build it up to be a more intense berry red. The doe foot applicator has a divot at the top that holds a lot of product which has been something that most people haven't liked about this product. I'm okay with it, and I think it makes this lip gloss different. The divot forms to your lips better than a normal doe foot applicator, and it holds more product on it, too. It has a very pleasant and light scent, and a touch of sparkle.  It's not very sticky when you sheer it out like I like to do, and it would go on top of a berry or red toned lipstick awesomely! Another new hit from tarte! I can't wait to try new shades of these when they come out.

 
Lastly, the lights, camera, LASHES mascara is something that wasn't new to me at all. I've been using this mascara for a long time, and it is a go-to for me. It doesn't flake, it doesn't smudge and it separates your lashes very wonderfully. The snake skin purple packaging is adorable, and it lasts all day with out making you look like a raccoon by the end of it. Love!

The bag that comes with these products is rather large. it is a bright pink zip top bag, and it holds everything you get with this kit, plus LOTS more. It has a cute little golden tarte embellishment on one side and the material is a smooth polyester that feels pretty sturdy.

Overall, this set was a big hit for me. With the exception of the blush everything in this kit was stellar. QVC also has everything on auto-ship as well, and the auto-ship has a few changes every time. You can go here to see what you'll get next if you choose to do the auto-ship.

So, what do you think of this kit? A must have? Not a tarte fan? Don't think it's a great value? Let me know in the comments!