REVIEW: BeautyBlender Blotterazzi

I became a member of Sephora's subscription box service, Play!, in April of this year. I think the boxes have been pretty decent thus far, but I was expecting something stellar when I found out that the July boxes would be specialized: there was going to be one box for oily skin and one box for dry skin. I feel a little frustrated when I get sample products that sound really great, but not for my skin type, so this seemed like a fantastic idea.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I saw a BeautyBlender Blotterazzi sponge in my box. This is meant to be a blotting sponge that soaks up excess oils on your face. It's a neat product in theory, actually; you won't be slapping four or five pieces of blotting paper on your face every few hours, you can easily wash this guy up for less waste, and it will presumably last you a while.

Except, you know. I'm dry-skinned. I've had the same pack of ELF blotting sheets in my purse for over a year because my face is basically the Sahara. I might blot my nose in the midst of a long night out or a busy day at work, but that amounts to two or three sheets a month. I'm not the ideal customer here.

But it's summer, and summer in Pennsylvania is very sticky. And since my partner suggested we go to a local park and take photos for Christmas cards, I figured, "Hey, what better time to test this guy out? I'll never be sweatier!"

Blotterazzi is normally sold in a compact with two sponges for $20. The Play! boxes came with one Blotterazzi in a cardboard sleeve, which...okay, I get it, it's a sample, but how am I supposed to keep this thing clean in my purse? We were out of sandwich baggies and none of my reusable metal cases were large enough to hold the sponge, so I considered wrapping it in plastic wrap. Then I decided that the inside of my bag is decently clean, placed it back in its cardboard sleeve, and carried it around that way.

Even without a case, this sponge is pretty sizable. With a compact, it's going to take up some definite real estate in your purse or pocket. It does come with a mirror, though, so it'd serve more than one purpose. Overall, I admit that I think this sponge is a little large for its intended purpose. (I have tiny hands, though.)

If you use this sponge to blot your face, you're going to want to wash it regularly. Now, this is fine for somebody who doesn't produce a lot of oil (like me), or somebody who only wears makeup once or twice a week. But if you wear makeup very frequently and need to blot constantly, you're going to want to wash this thing every other day or so. And that can be a hassle.

And seriously, BeautyBlender, why are you incapable of making a product that doesn't leak pink dye after numerous washes?! The picture above shows the second time I washed my Blotterazzi, and it was still producing hot pink droplets in my (very dirty, sorry 'bout it) sink. Gaddamn, just make the thing dye-free and call it good.

After running around in 90 degree weather with my boyfriend for a few hours, I noticed that my nose was quite shiny while my forehead and chin were a smidgen too glowy. Time to blot! You can see the end result above: the picture on the left is me pre-blot, the center is mid-blot (and again, I think the sponge is a bit big, but it could just be me), and the right is post-blot. See a difference?

Yeah, neither did I. Honestly, you'll have to click on the above photos and stare at them pretty intensely to see that I am slightly less shiny on the right versus the left. Slightly. I did use it several more times throughout the day, but frankly, the ELF Shine Eraser sheets remove more oil with less pressing and fuss.

Also, I am disgusting, and one of the things I really enjoy about blotting sheets is that you can actually see how much oil you took off of your face. It's not clearly visible on the Blotterazzi sponge: it looks the same to me freshly washed as it does after I've used it all day. Now, that's a bummer for me, but if you're very oily, slash, easily squicked out, you may like that Blotterazzi hides the evidence.

I'll give BeautyBlender this: their products always have a nice texture. This is a very soft sponge that doesn't stick to the skin or cause irritation. And in theory, a reusable sponge seems like a good idea. But it did such a poor job of removing oil off of my barely-greasy nose that I can't imagine it working wonders on a truly oily-skinned person. For now, it might be best to stick to the sheets.

RATING: 2 out of 5.

Available at Sephora.

Applying the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer with a Beauty Blender

 

 The "Three Ways I Use KA SSE" series is, without a doubt, the most popular set of posts on this blog. If I'm seeing a spike in blog traffic, it's usually because somebody pinned the first tutorial to Pinterest (hey, thanks!) or mentioned it on a forum (thanks again!). 

Of course, things change as time goes on, and the Kevyn Aucoin product line is no different. The KA primer mentioned in the full coverage post is no longer in production; it's been replaced by two different "developers," one for oily skin and one for dry skin. I've neither tried nor owned these products, and to be honest, I don't know if I ever will. So in order to keep this blog up-to-date and useful, I've decided to post another application method: getting sheer-to-medium coverage with a Beauty Blender.

The Beauty Blender is not my favorite tool, but it's a popular one, and it works well for this "tutorial."

You can use just the Beauty Blender and KA SSE to great effect, but because I have a dryer skin type, I like the finished product to glow a bit, and I prefer that it spread well during application. Hence, I use a small dab of MAC Strobe Cream--a lightweight, luminous moisturizer--alongside my base product. You may certainly skip this step, or replace Strobe Cream with the primer/moisturizer of your choice.

I start by saturating my Beauty Blender with water, squeezing all of the excess out with a towel. The sponge should be soft and very slightly damp, not soggy. Then I put a dab of KA SSE on the back of my hand--no more than half a pea in size--followed by a pea-sized dab of Strobe Cream. You may notice that I kind of "smear" the KA SSE across my hand. That makes it easier to evenly distribute product on the sponge. (You may also notice an eyelash in the KA SSE...sorry.)

I dab the bottom (the round part) of my BB in to the Strobe Cream, then dab it in to the KA SSE. I go straight to my face, using a dabbing motion to apply and blend out the product. These images demonstrate the process pretty well: on the left, I've just dabbed some of the mixture on to my cheek (see the glowy "halo" at the top of the BB?), and on the right, I've blended the product across my cheek. I like to work in sections because it gives me plenty of time to spread out the product, and it lets me see if I'm getting the effect and coverage I want.

When I'm done applying a layer of this product, I look over my face and see where I need more coverage. Then I dip the pointed tip of the Beauty Blender in to a bit more KA SSE (no Strobe Cream this time) and dab it over those spots.

Here's the before and after, complete with me making stupid faces. As you can (hopefully) see, the MAC Strobe Cream/KA SSE mixture gives me glowy, light coverage on the majority of my face. Where I needed a bit more coverage (my nose, my chin, a few spots, and my undereyes), I just dabbed on more KA SSE. The effect is quite natural. I like to add a dusting of powder (visible in the first image in this post), but outside of summer, it's not entirely necessary on my dry skin.

Oh, and in case it's not clear: I use the lightest shade, Sx01, when I apply product to my entire face. It's a perfect match for my neck, which is roughly N5 in MAC terms.

I hope this post helped! The Sensual Skin Enhancer is one of my all-time favorite products, so I always encourage readers to experiment with their application methods. :)

Products I Wouldn't Repurchase

Posts like this mark the rare instances when I miss my YouTube days. It's easier to explain that you wouldn't repurchase a certain item because it didn't work for you rather than, "Oh, it sucks" when you're talking to people, y'know? Granted, people on YouTube could get a little crazy if you dissed one of their favorite products; I'll never forget the grief I got for filming a poor review of the NYC Loose Powder, or for pointing out that there were 2 or 3 Wet n' Wild products I really hated ("Why are you soooo negative?!?!"). But while I wasn't the most eloquent speaker or presenter, I always felt relatively comfortable with the idea that I was conversing, not writing.

Still, I think I can get my point across decently in the written word, so I'm going to try a blog post version of this very famous tag. These are items that I didn't necessarily hate, but they didn't wow me or suit my tastes. Hence, I wouldn't repurchase them. And if I could turn back time* and save myself a $20, I wouldn't hesitate.

MAC Pigments -- Anybody who frequented YouTube circa 2008 heard nothing but worshipful odes about MAC pigments. They were the best eyeshadows for bright looks and the most collectible, sought-after products on the market, save for Parrot eyeshadow. But I've owned a good 6 or 7 jars of the stuff, and I rarely used them. They were too messy for regular eyeshadow application, I don't like gloss enough to mix them in with a clear base, and most of the highlighting/bronzing type shades are too glittery for my tastes. The two that have survived numerous purges remain for sentimental reasons: Jardin Aires was a gift from my father, and Vanilla is a holdover from my more active drag scene days. And they look nice mixed in to lotion or sunscreen, I guess. But truth be told? I bumped Vanilla on to the ground while I was taking this picture, and I was more pissed about having to clean a teaspoon of powder out of bathroom tile.

GLAMGLOW Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask -- I know I'm getting the side-eye for this one. I've mentioned it multiple times on this blog, and it's even been labeled as a Holy Grail product. None of that was a lie. But $69 for a mudmask that, yes, has great results, but is also quite harsh on most people's skin, is not something I can continue to support. The only reason I've gone through two jars is because I bought my first at half price (it was an extra tester), while the second was a very generous swap extra. I could get a similar effect by combining a decent kaolin clay mask with regular exfoliation. I'll miss you, my extravagant friend, but I think I'll get by.

Dior Instant Cleansing Water -- I had a brief love affair with this bottle when I first got it, but I've come to realize that...it's not really a necessity. Actually, it doesn't even work that well in its advertised capacity as a gentle makeup remover; it couldn't remove 90% of the products on my face. I figured I could get good use out of it after my morning walks, ie, it'd get the sweat off of my face before I put my makeup on. However, I walk primarily in the morning or the evening when it's cooled down/my makeup is already on, so that didn't work out too well. I've been using it for the occasional refresher, or to remove eyeshadow fallout before I apply foundation. Beyond that, it's just a pretty bottle on my desktop.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara -- Don't get me wrong: this is definitely the best bottom lash mascara on the market. The formula doesn't run, it never makes my lashes looked spidery, and the tiny brush is perfect for getting in to the corners of my eyes. The problem is that I tend to put most, if it not all, of my eye makeup on my upper lid to draw attention away from my dark circles. This little tube has lasted me so long because I hardly ever use it. Lovely for others, not a necessity for me.

Clinique Airbrush Concealer in 01 Fair -- Another Clinique item! Don't worry, they've still got some great products, and this is still a cult favorite for a reason. I openly admit that I bought this because of the Lisa Eldridge hype, only to realize that it didn't have enough coverage for me. The shade is also super-pink, so I can't use it on blemishes. Instead, I used this product as a corrector under or over other products to counteract the blueness in my undereye circles. Do I do that often? No. If you have very minor flaws to cover and you can find a shade that suits you perfectly, then this is certainly a good option; if you're like me and you mostly use concealer for the Undereye Circles of Doom, then pass.

Coppertone Water Babies Sun Lotion Spray SPF50 -- I'm a huge fan of drugstore spray-on sunscreens, particularly the Banana Boat sport options. But the damn things reek to high Heaven. I heard that the Water Babies line by Coppertone didn't have a chemical scent, so I bought a 2-pack of the stuff. Unfortunately, what it lacks in scent it more than makes up for in feel. It comes out clear for 2 seconds, then turns white, meaning you'll have to do a lot of rubbing-in (which defeats the purpose of a spray-on sunscreen). It also feels heavy on my skin. Finally, it's difficult to remove; I have to soap myself to get the stuff off, which is super-drying. It protects me from the sun, no doubt, but considering it covers me like a freaking blanket wool blanket, I'm not surprised.

3 Concept Eyes (3CE) Cream Blusher in New Pink -- When my hunt for the perfect not-sparkly pastel pink cream blush hit a standstill with the American market, some folks at MakeupAlley suggested I turn to Korean products. This tube seemed to fit the bill: it looks pigmented and totally plush on the model. Sadly, I feel for marketing. This blush is incredibly sheer; even on my pale skin, it took me 3-4 layers of the stuff to get a noticeable color. The formula also wasn't the most comfortable on my dry cheeks. Utter sadness. To the swap pile it goes.

Beauty Blender Sponge -- I'm going to get socked in the face for this one, I know, so let me say this: I can see why people love this sponge. It's definitely great for blending out heavier foundations, or for applying a cream foundation. But if you're like me and you favor light-medium coverage liquid foundations, all this sponge is going to do is soak up your product. It's rare that a foundation looks better on me when I apply it with this sponge versus, say, my fingers. Also, it freaks me out that the damn thing continued to leak pink dye after 6 or 7 washings.


* If I could fiiiiind aaaa waaaaay-uh! I'd take back those words that huuuurt you, and you'd stay!!!

And now, bonus puppeh!