Best Overall

Beakey 5 Piece Makeup Sponge Set

$13

$6 at AmazonView on Walmart

Material: Latex-free hydrophilic polyurethane | Shape: Teardrop | Size: Medium

Out of all the sponges that have bounced on my skin, the ones from the BEAKEY makeup set do it best. The colorful arrangement is a welcoming, bright pop of color in my makeup collection. The texture is super soft, almost like marshmallow, making it lightweight and easy to maneuver. I often have muscle spasms and sore muscles in my hand, but this sponge was comfortable to grip, and I did not have to twist and turn to reach the nooks and crevices of my face. 

These sponges truly rival any makeup brush I’ve tried. Each one spreads liquid foundation and concealer flawlessly. They’re latex-free, making them perfect for my oily and sensitive skin. They aren’t too absorbent, allowing me to stretch my product further without tugging. Each gave my skin a fresh, airbrushed look without using too much elbow grease to blend in. With a couple of bounces, my skin looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine.

Best Blender

AOA Studio Makeup Sponge Set

$13

$10 at AmazonView on Walmart

Material: Vegan, latex-free sponge | Shape: Teardrop | Size: Medium

I am a fan of anything pink, but I love this sponge for much more than its color. As someone with oily skin, I can have a hard time getting the right amount of coverage in my T-zone, especially my nose and upper cheekbones, as the oil pools up there first. This sponge annihilated all signs of shine and discoloration and spread my foundation splendidly. It was very easy to blend with it—I didn’t have to drag, pull, or bounce too hard. 

This sponge does absorb a lot of product. It got product-filled pretty quickly, and it took a few pumps of shampoo and squeezing to get it out. That said, I was still able to achieve a clean, glass-skin look with this sponge.

Best for Creams

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

$19

$14 at AmazonView on Ulta$6 at Target

Material: Foam | Shape: Angled teardrop | Size: Large

I absolutely LOVE cream products and thought they blended best with blushes. But then I met this sponge from Real Techniques.

Real Techniques products are standard in my brush collection, so I was slightly hesitant to try its sponges. I did not have to drag or force the product across my face with this sponge and it absorbed so well. The material is also high-quality as it absorbed a lot but did not damage the integrity of the sponge itself, even when wet. Though an average shape/size for a sponge, it performed like a larger one, easily spreading out the product, and it picked up more product than I thought it would. I was pleasantly surprised by how it performed.

Best Budget

Essence Makeup & Baking Sponge

$10

$8 at Amazon$5 at UltaView on Essencemakeup.com

Material: Vegan & latex-free foam | Shape: Teardrop | Size: Small

I often rely on concealer to complete my looks. Too much can leave my skin looking two-toned, while too little can leave me looking like a glazed donut. I prefer brushes for a detailed look under the eyes; however, this sponge not only set my concealer but also absorbed the excess oil.

The unique, flat shape at the top of the sponge allowed for perfect product placement. I usually like to bake my face for about five to seven minutes, but I found I could skip this step as the sponge picked up a lot of powder. The product does build up at the tip of the sponge, which makes cleaning it a bit difficult. Overall, this one made my makeup look just like my skin.

Best Spreader

e.l.f. Cosmetics Total Face Sponge

$7

$7 at AmazonView on Ulta$7 at Target

Material: Latex-free foam | Shape: Angled | Size: Large

Getting product across my skin before it starts to set or the oil around my T-zone starts to pool is key in my makeup routine. These sponges from e.l.f understood the assignment. The texture makes it somewhat unique—it was firm, but not so firm that I couldn’t softly apply liquid products. I have sensitive skin, so the slightest material or hard bounce can quickly turn my face red. This sponge was durable yet gentle on the skin, all while spreading my liquid foundation evenly.

Best for Under Eyes

e.l.f Cosmetics Total Sponge Set

$15

$15 at Amazon$15 at Ulta$15 at Target

Material: Latex-free foam | Shape: Cube | Size: Small

I have discoloration under my eyes due to lack of sleep. And thanks to my olive undertones, the bags look almost grey and can completely throw off my looks, especially when I’m attempting to brighten. This sponge applied my concealer very precisely, getting into the corner of my eyes, which can be difficult for me as I have a lazy eye, and the shape can vary depending on how my eye feels that day. 

I typically don’t like odd-shaped sponges, but this sponge changed my mind. It has a shape similar to a 3-D cube and was designed for contouring, but I found that it was also perfect for concealer. It did not absorb a ton of product, making it ideal for liquid/cream concealers, covering up all the small imperfections, and absorbing oil.

Best Compact

Fenty Beauty Precision Makeup Sponge

$16 at Sephora$16 at Ulta$16 at Kohls.com

Material: Latex free | Shape: 3-sided angled teardrop | Size: Small

I will admit that I was shocked and slightly disappointed at the size of this sponge when I took it out of the box. Priced at $16, I expected something bigger, however I quickly learned that tiny but mighty was this sponge’s MO. 

I used this sponge to blend out my accompanying Fenty foundation and was amazed at how efficient it was. I tend to over-pump my liquid foundations and then have to blend them out, but what made this sponge one of my holy grails was its absorbency. Whenever I pumped too much product, it absorbed a ton and left just enough for me to get an impeccable finish that rivaled my real skin. I was concerned that all of the tapping and squeezing would cause it to lose shape, but the microfiber material was shockingly durable and molded to my fingers. The only downside to this sponge was it did require a lot of shampoo and elbow grease to clean.

Best for Beginners

L’Oréal Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender

$8

$6 at Amazon

Material: Plush | Shape: Stacked teardrop (snowman like) | Size: Small

When I first started using makeup, I leaned toward brushes because sponges felt scary. I believed they were tools that only seasoned professionals used. But as someone new to sponges, this product really helped blend my foundation and buff it out for a blurred finish, almost exactly the same one I would achieve with my trusty brush.

The unique snowman-like shape of the sponge helped it disperse my product evenly. I used the pointed stipend to pick up and place, while the bottom end was perfect for blending. It is a bit small, so it took longer than normal (for me) to finish applying, but overall I would recommend this product to someone who is interested in experimenting with sponges.

Best for Powders

Real Techniques Miracle Mattifying Makeup Sponge Duo

$6

$6 at AmazonView on AsosView on Walgreens

Material: Memory foam | Shape: Flat teardrop | Size: Large

Matte looks are always my go-to due to my oily skin. I rely heavily on setting powder, but it’s been tricky to find a sponge that works well with it. When it comes to powder, I like to apply just the right amount so my skin doesn’t look too oily or too dry. This sponge worked miracles for my skin. The texture felt sponge-like, almost like kinetic sand, yet its holes allowed the product to seep through easily. I didn’t have to dig into my powder for the sponge to pick it up, and the flat surface allowed me to pick up an ample amount. 

I could skip baking as the sponge picked up a good amount of powder. I could use it on my high cheekbones and under my eyes, but I had to be gentle as it did become fragile after use—the material felt a touch weaker, and I thought it would rip if I applied too much pressure. I wet the sponge first, which was an unusual step for me, especially when applying a powder, but it gave my skin a clean, cloud-like look.