I’m always on the hunt for affordable Beauty Blender dupes and this Make-up and Baking Sponge from Essence looks promising.
It costs a bit over 3 EUR and it caught my attention because of it’s shape. I like that is has a rounded bottom for applying foundation and a nice pointed tip for concealer and around my nose. What makes this sponge special is a flat part which is meant for baking.
Here is a size comparison of the Essence sponge with a Beauty Blender and a Real Techniques sponge. The sponges are dry in the first photo and damp in the second – the Essence sponge (in the middle) is a bit bigger than the other two as you can see.
The Make-up & Baking sponge is more firm than both other sponges which bothered me a bit when applying foundation because it felt too bouncy. I really liked it for concealer though and even more for baking – the flat side is really nice!
I don’t think it’s a Beauty Blender dupe but it’s a good affordable sponge. But in case you prefer more squishy sponges I would suggest you pass on this one.