I really struggle to find a good foundation that works for my (very difficult, combination) skin. Usually, foundations don’t sit well on my skin, look too heavy, or get too shiny throughout the day. All I want is non-oily, smooth, blemish-free skin… but then again don’t we all! Then I discovered these two cushion foundations – they obviously don’t make my skin perfect but they improve it a lot.
Cushion foundations originated in South Korea and have become huge in the beauty industry in Western countries too. If you haven’t already tried one, it’s basically a compact with a foundation-soaked sponge inside. They usually contain a mirror and a little foam applicator – perfect for on-the-go touch ups. I bought these two to try out whilst on holiday (a month and a half long trip to New Zealand and Fiji – it was incredible, I highly recommend going), because they are so quick and easy to apply in a car/ boat/ plane…etc.
The two cushion foundations at question are the YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation and Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion. Both great, both completely finishes.
The YSL cushion foundation is a lightweight formula with a beautiful dewy finish. I would wear this if I was looking for a natural look, as if I wasn’t wearing any makeup, but wanted a very light coverage just to even out the skin tone a bit. This is great for every day, and gives the face a nice freshness – also perfect for Summer as it has SPF 29. I always use a Beauty Blender for these cushion foundations, as it’s easier to blend the product into the skin – I find the sponge applicator that they come with can create a patchy finish, and makes it harder to get an even coverage. The only issue I have with this is that there isn’t a huge shade range, with only 6 shades to choose from, I couldn’t find one that matched my skin.
On the other hand, the Lancome cushion foundation has a fuller coverage and more of a semi-matte finish. This was perfect if I wanted a more long-lasting foundation with a high coverage, especially for evenings if my makeup was a bit heavier in general. Although it has more of a matte finish, it still looks gorgeous and glowy, without being greasy on the skin (which is amazing seeing as my skin is very oily). Although it is full coverage for a cushion foundation, I would say it’s not as heavy as a full coverage liquid foundation. The technology of the foundation-soaked “cushion” is that it makes application more even, as the cushion allows just the right amount of product onto the brush or sponge, meaning it won’t look cakey and is easy to build up the coverage, rather than putting too much on at once.
I love both of these foundations, and I totally get the hype of cushion foundations now… the finish is a lot more natural, even, and provides that luminous glow to the skin that everyone seems to be after. The only real downside to putting a liquid foundation into a sponge is that it doesn’t last as long as a foundation in a normal bottle would… they last about 1-2 months, so you’re actually going to end up spending more money as you need to buy a refill sponge when it runs out.
I hope this review was helpful, thanks for reading! xx
Makeup Lover Meg 