I was very keen to try the original beauty blender after hearing all the rave reviews. And while I think it is a handy tool I am not convinced it is the be all and end all.
The original beauty blender is a sponge with one rounded and one pointed end.
To use the sponge I find it best to put the sponge under the tap first. While this makes applying the foundation feel a little weird, it means the sponge doesn't absorp the foundation the same and it all comes out a lot easier when cleaning the sponge.
I found the sponge useful, but I also felt it used a lot more product for not that different looking results and that the original beauty blender didn't work a lot better than any of the dupes I've tried.
I LOVE my beauty blender! I find it absolutely perfect for blending anything from a heavy full-coverage foundation to a light liquidy concealer. It gives your foundation and concealer a flawless, well-blended finish. This is 100% a worthwhile purchase!