I found a dupe for the Juno & Co Microfiber Velvet Blender Sponge at Wal-Mart. Here’s how well this fuzzy blending sponge does (or doesn’t) work.
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Don’t you just love dupes?
A couple of months ago or so the Juno & Co Microfiber Velvet blending sponge was all the rage in the YouTube beauty community. I was curious about it, but also very broke. (Yay, unemployment!) Then I spotted this dupe at my local Wal-Mart. You can read my initial impressions in this post.
How does this fuzzy sponge compare?
I can’t tell you how the Equate Beauty Flocked Blending Sponge compares to the Juno & Co sponge. I can tell you how it compares to my favorite blending sponge, the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.
When both sponges are dry, they about the same size. The Real Techniques sponge is slightly bigger and definitely softer. The Equate Beauty sponge is pretty firm when dry. The microfibers make it feel velvety.
When wet, the Equate Beauty sponge does expand to about twice its dry size. It also gets quite a bit softer when wet. Be careful, though. I was a little rough with it when I first wet it down and it got a small tear in the side.
When both sponges are wet, the Real Techniques sponge is much bigger and definitely much softer. The Equate Beauty sponge actually feels dry to the touch even though I know I dampened it.
What is foundation application like with the fuzzy sponge?
When pouncing foundation on my face with the Equate Beauty sponge, I could tell it was definitely firmer than the Real techniques sponge, but not uncomfortably so. The flocking on the sponge makes it feel like using a sponge and a brush at the same time.
The microfibers (flocking) do a really nice job of evenly distributing the foundation on the skin without it looking heavy. Somehow the microfibers also make the foundation look more skin-like. (That’s kind of the point of foundation, right? To look like your skin but better?)
(Okay, I was a big dork and forgot to take photos of my foundation after using the fuzzy sponge for application. D’oh!)
The Equate Beauty sponge definitely does NOT soak up as much foundation as most regular blending sponges seem to. When you use this fuzzy sponge you won’t need quite as much foundation as you normally would. You paid good money for that foundation! You want most of it on your face, not trapped in your sponge.
Alright, but what about powder application?
Because of the flocking, the surface of the Equate Beauty sponge feels dry even with it’s damp. If you like to apply powder to your face with a sponge for baking, you can totally do that with this sponge. Be aware that the flocking picks up a bit more powder than a regular blending sponge, so you may want to knock off the excess.
What about cleaning this fuzzy sponge?
That’s the tricky part.
So I bought this fuzzy sponge, used it a couple of times, then I cleaned it like I would any regular blending sponge. BIG MISTAKE!!!
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT clean this sponge by rubbing it aggressively against a cleansing bar or scrubbing it with your fingernails. That’s a good way to scrub all the flocking off the sponge. Trust me on this one.
I looked up instructions on the recommended way to properly clean the Juno & Co fuzzy sponge, realized I did it wrong (duh!), and went to Wal-Mart and bought another Equate Beauty sponge.
Turns out that the secret to cleaning this sponge is to squeeze it gently in warm, soapy water until you squeeze all the makeup out of it. So fill your sink or a bowl with warm, soapy water and remember to BE GENTLE with this sponge. Being too rough with this one will cause it to get small tears and/or go bald.
So, would you buy it again?
I already did. Of course, I did so in pursuit of truth and beauty.
I’m not sure I would buy the Equate Beauty Flocked Blending Sponge a third time. On the one hand, it does absorb much less product than conventional blending sponges, so in the long run it could help save you money. On the other hand, it’s more fragile than you would expect and it’s kind of a pain in the ass to clean.
I think if you really want to try a fuzzy blending sponge and your local Wal-Mart has the Equate Beauty Flocked Blending Sponge in stock, give it a go. If you hate it, you’re only out $4.00. I’ve definitely spent more money on beauty tools I liked a lot less than this sponge.
Wrinkles & War Paint 