We Review L'Oreal Paris' Blending Sponges

L’Oreal Paris recently sent the Skincare.com team complimentary samples of their three Infallible Blend Artist blending sponges to review and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Ahead, we share our review of L’Oreal Paris’ Contour Blender, Foundation Blender, and Concealer Blender, along with their benefits, how to use them, and more!

Peek inside the makeup bag of any cosmetics junkie and you’re bound to come across a blending sponge. These colorful sponges have taken the beauty world by storm, quickly becoming one of the trendiest ways to apply anything from foundation and concealer to highlight and contour. And it’s not for nothing. These plush tools—offered in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and curves—deposit the perfect amount of product onto skin for streak-free, even coverage. Scores of beauty brands offer their own versions of these sponges, including L’Oreal Paris. But unlike traditional blending sponges that work best when damp, the L’Oreal Paris blending sponges are meant to be used dry. Not only does this save you an extra trip to the sink, it’s one less step you have to worry about, especially when traveling or while on-the-go. Ready to learn more about these must-have blending sponges? Below, we share our review of L’Oreal Paris’ Contour Blender, Foundation Blender, and Concealer Blender—plus, how to properly clean them for better results! 

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender Review

This hot pink blending sponge—designed with an exclusive plush material and an easy-to-grip shape—creates a gorgeous makeup application with effortless blending.   

Why We Love It: I use Foundation Blender with my liquid and cream foundations and love the results! Not only is the sponge simple to use, it creates a smoother, more uniform blending experience compared to my fingers or a brush. An airbrushed look without the airbrush? I’ll take it! Some blending sponges feel rough and irritating, but Foundation Blender is incredibly soft and plush. It’s like a little pillow dabbing against my skin!

To use, first apply a small amount of foundation onto the blender. Next, use quick dabbing and rolling motions to blend the product onto your skin until desired coverage is achieved.

Pro tip: Use the pointed tip of the sponge to apply foundation onto your face and the bottom to bounce and blend the makeup. 

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender, $7.99 MSRP

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Concealer Blender Review

Camouflaging skin imperfections with concealer has never been easier. This blending sponge—designed to use with cream and liquid concealers—is engineered with a pointed tip and flat side to easily blend and cover spots in hard-to-reach areas, such as underneath the eyes, the brow bone, and the sides of the nose.

Why We Love It: Sadly, I suffer from dark circles under my eyes due to genetics. Thus, applying concealer under my peepers to camouflage the discoloration is part of my daily routine. When a blending sponge is too big, it’s hard to get it to fully blend the concealer without hitting my eyeball. That’s why I’m so pleased that Concealer Blender boasts a small pointed tip to help me maneuver around hard-to-reach areas. It’s also incredibly plush and gentle around my delicate eye area. A definite keeper.

To use, first apply a small amount of concealer onto the blender. Next, use quick dabbing and circular motions on the areas you wish to conceal—think: around your eye, along the sides of your nose, and under your brow bone. Use the tip of the sponge to apply the concealer onto your face and the flat side of the sponge to blend and diffuse the makeup.

Pro tip: To conceal and brighten your face, apply concealer in a triangular shape underneath your eye and blend. Set with powder so that the concealer doesn’t crease. 

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Concealer Blender, $7.99 MSRP

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Contour Blender Review

Ideal for powder or cream highlight and contours, this blending sponge features flat, slanted edges to seamlessly create expertly-sculpted and defined features. The flat surface of the blending sponge targets and blends along the contours of the face, including the hollows of cheeks, underneath the jaw, and along the hairline.

Why We Love It: Who doesn’t want chiseled cheekbones and a sculpted jawline? With this blending sponge, I can apply the lines of my highlight and contour AND blend it all in with the same tool. As someone who appreciates consistency, I love that the result after using this blending sponge is always the same—even, natural-looking coverage.

To use, first apply a small amount of highlight or contour onto the blender. Draw lines around your cheekbones, jawline and nose using the tip of the blender. Next, with the flat side of the blender, use circular motions to blend and diffuse the highlight and contour lines.

Pro tip: Apply cream contour along the sides of your nose, the hollows of your cheeks and under your jaw. Apply cream highlight on your forehead, the top of your cheekbones, and the bridge of your nose.

For detailed instructions on how to contour for your skin tone, read this!

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Contour Blender, $7.99 MSRP

How to Clean Your Beauty Blending Sponge

This seems obvious, but it’s crucial that you clean your blending sponge at least once a week. Not only does cleansing your sponge help provide a more flawless makeup application, it also gets rid of pore-clogging bacteria and dirt that could make their way onto your complexion and wreak havoc. Not sure how to deep-clean your blending sponge? Don’t fret. Here’s how it’s done. 

Step 1: Run Your Sponge Under Water

To start, simply run your dirty blending sponge under lukewarm water. Gently squeeze the sponge to remove as much product build-up as possible.

Step 2: Apply a Gentle Soap

Grab a small bowl and pour in some gentle cleansing soap and water. Dunk your blending sponge into the solution. Rinse and squeeze the sponge under lukewarm water. You may have to dunk and rinse the sponge a few times in order to get every last trace of makeup out. Once the excess water runs clear, your sponge should be clean.

Step 3: Allow Your Blending Sponge to Dry

After giving your sponge a bath, place it on a towel and allow it to air dry.

Step 4: Store Your Blending Sponge in a Cool, Dry Place

Once your sponge is dry, store it in a cool, dry place. Keep it away from excess heat or bacteria breeding grounds like the shower.