21-07-2025
This '00s Sitcom Birthed The Beautyblender, And We're Forever Grateful
We all know the Beautyblender is a staple in most makeup bags, but you may not be aware of its origins.
Well, in a recent episode of Seasoned Sessions, we were discussing Girlfriends, and it turns out the iconic '00s sitcom was far more influential than we realised – it birthed the sponge that we all know and love.
The UPN sitcom the first TV show to be shot in high-definition, which posed a new challenge to the show's makeup artist, Rea Ann Silva.
Rea knew that airbrushing was the most efficient way to work around this, but pulling actors off set between takes for touch-ups definitely wasn't the most practical.
So what did she do? Well, she cut triangular makeup sponges into the round shape we're familiar with now, and it all took off from there.
When Rea noticed the actors loved her new sponges so much they were pocketing them, she knew she was onto something, and that was the prototype for the Beautyblender.
Rea began formally developing the Beautyblender for other makeup artists in 2002, and eventually started selling it to the public; the rest is history. The Original Beautyblender has won 10 Allure Beauty Awards, and Rea has gone on to develop an entire makeup line, which you can find here.
So there you have it: we can thank Girlfriends for our perfectly blended faces.
Listen to the full discussion below, and catch new episodes of Seasoned Sessions every Saturday!
