blotterazzi by beauty blender

The beauty blender is my all time favourite tool to use when applying my foundation. The first time I read about the beauty blender and saw the price I was taken aback. How could a single sponge cost so much? During one of the bi-annual sales Sephora stores generally have, I caved and picked one up. The first time I applied my foundation with the beauty blender I wondered how I ever lived without one. Eventually, I picked up other blenders by different companies but the application just wasn’t the same. I have been a loyal fan of beauty blenders for quite some time now and have disregarded any foundation brush I own. I also get a little too excited when there is a launch of a new beauty blender colour (hello, nude!) or product in general.

Last year, beauty blender launched the Blotterazzi ($28 cdn) by Beauty Blender. I couldn’t wait to try this product out. I picked mine up at IMATS Toronto 2015 but they are still available at Sephora.

The Blotterazzi is made with the same material as regular beauty blenders but the primary purpose is to “absorb excess oil without disturbing makeup so that skin stays looking radiant. With the compact’s vented back and clear, hygienic separator, it ensures that the sponges keep their freshness.”

Packaging

The packaging is actually very cute. This is probably my favourite thing about this product. The hard case is sleek and sturdy. It has a pretty pearlescent plastic material and opens the same way a book would open. Inside there is a mirror and two slim beauty sponges. A plastic film to prevent cross contamination separates the sponges and a vent on the back allows breathability.

Product

As much as I love the beauty blenders, I’m not enthralled with this product. The concept is great, but the sponges don’t work well for my oily t-zone. It removes a bit of the excess oil, but not enough for me to use this on the daily. I patted and dabbed the sponge on my skin and my makeup remained in place and unmoved. However, when I did a swiping motion, my makeup came off with it. You could see the visible change of colour on the sponge. The sponge looks and feels like a slimmed down, flat version of the original beauty blender. I do like that this is reusable and I can clean the sponges the same way I clean my beauty blenders.

Verdict

Perhaps my expectations were too high on this one. I really wanted to love the blotterazzi as much as I love the beauty blenders but I can’t justify it this time around. The concept is great but the end result is extremely underwhelming.

Repurchase?

Unfortunately, I would recommend saving your money and picking up blotting papers instead. Alternatively, if you haven’t tried an original beauty blender, I would definitely recommend trying it out. I’m not kidding when I say I literally use the beauty blender every time I put makeup on. It’s really that good.

Have you tried anything from the beauty blender range?