Reviews and Other Stuff

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 in warm vanilla

Favorite Cushion Foundations

best makeup cushion foundation

 

Hello guys. I am back from the cave, LOL. As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a massive jet lag and just when I thought I was feeling a bit more alert, I realized that I had to go on Jury Duty (Hurray! Hurray! LOL). I can tell you all about that experience in my upcoming posts. Anyway, I stood through my role as a Juror and just when I thought I could get back to blogging, my shoulder started bothering me and I had to rest it for a few days. Such is life! but hey, I’m back and as I promised, I’m about to do a roundup review of my favorite cushion foundations.

 

Clรฉ de Peau Radiant Cushion Foundation in 020 Light Ochre

 

If you’re a fan of cushion foundations like me because they’re so much easier to apply than a liquid or a powder type of foundation, not to mention that they look absolutely fab on the skin, well, you might find this review very useful. I love using my cushion foundations when I’m in a hurry or when I’m traveling. A powder foundation is usually a no-no for me because I tend to be clumsy and I could spill it all over my clothes, and even if I won’t, I’m afraid there might still be powdery residues that could get stuck on my clothes. A liquid foundation is fine but I may be too lazy to reach out for a brush or a beautyblender to apply it when I’m in a hurry. So, I tend to use my fingers, and that entails some handwashing, some wet wipes, being very careful not to stain my clothes, and so on. A lot of hassle definitely.

 

I haven’t experimented on a lot of cushion foundations so far, and there are a lot of them nowadays. The ones I have are the ones I’ve tried and have become my holy grails, though a few of them are unfortunately discontinued but you may still find some of them in some stores online.

 

High-End

 

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 in 23 Warm Vanilla

 

Clรฉ de Peau Radiant Cushion Foundation in 020 Light Ochre (90 USD) – I like this cushion’s clean fresh scent and it gives a soft dewy finish on the skin. The effect looks like a natural youthful glow and it lasts pretty much the whole day. It’s pricey though and it has no SPF, but it looks really perfect on my skin and I get lots of compliment whenever I use it. Read more HERE.

 

Dior Capture Dreamskin Cushion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 in 020 Light Beige (82 USD) – This has a noticeable somewhat floral scent and I like this because of the SPF. The finish is naturally dewy and radiant and it feels light on the skin. Overall, this is a solid cushion foundation for everyday use.

 

Iope Air Cushion Natural Glow in N23 Natural Sand (28.83 USD) – This is my first cushion foundation and I’m almost running out of it. This does tend to get dry pretty easily and I noticed that there’s not really much product in it, though it does come with a refill. This gives a nice natural coverage on the face and it also contains SPF 50.

 

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 in 23 Warm Vanilla (120 USD) – Reviewed further HERE. This is one of the most expensive cushion foundations I own and it really lives up to its name. I find that this lasts a really long time for me and it gives a nice dewy glow that doesn’t look oily. It has a very good coverage and it’s got a lot of product in it. It also comes with a refill and really soft cushy applicator. Additionally, the scent of this is fab.

 

Dior Capture Dreamskin Cushion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 in 020 Light Beige swatch

 

Not pictured here is the La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In Foundation. I’ve tried it before from samples, seen HERE. I’ve been planning to purchase it but it’s just so expensive. It is so good and it might just be the best cushion foundation I’ve ever tried but I’m not sure if I could justify the price. Also, I remember it having a really divine scent.

 

Drugstore

 

I actually think that a lot of drugstore cushion foundations are really good, though sadly, some of the drugstore brands are almost discontinuing them and I don’t know why.

 

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 55 in 30 Buff & 20 Natural Ivory

 

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 55 in 30 Buff swatch

 

Up next are not really cushion foundations, but they can work as such. I discovered them when I forgot to bring a cushion foundation during one of my travels and I had to rush into the nearest drugstore to see if I could find an affordable alternative that I might like. I found the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 55 in 30 Buff & 20 Natural Ivory (14.59 USD) and though they’re actually cream foundations, they can work as cushions especially if you moisten their sponge applicators. They do kind of feel a bit scratchy and a bit powdery, but if you tap them on the skin lightly, then they’ll do the job. I like that these have no scent and they do have a high SPF.

 

drugstore cushion foundation

 

L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation in N3.5 Classic Buff (12.95 USD) – Discontinued but still available HERE and HERE. This foundation and the Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation in 20 Classic Ivory (10.49 USD) – which is also discontinued but can still be found HERE, have a very similar design in terms of packaging and even the finish. Both have no discernible scent and both have a cheaply-made sponge, but they still deliver a fresh-effect dewy finish. Between the two, I kind of like L’Oreal’s finish better because the Maybelline one tends to be a bit more matte.

 

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation in N3.5 Classic Buff

 

Wet N Wild MegaCushion Foundation SPF 15 in 108A Nude Beige (8.99 USD) –ย  This a very affordable cushion foundation and it looks and feels great on the skin. The effect is dewy, glowy, youthful, natural, and really almost like a second skin due to its lightness and very good coverage. This does tend to oxidize, so you may wanna choose a lighter shade than your skintone when buying this.

 

Other cushion foundations I’m planning investigate are the YSL Touche ร‰clat Cushion Foundation, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation, Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Foundation Compact, and the Amorepacific Color Control Cushion Compact.

 

best high end cushion foundation

 

That comprises my favorite cushion foundations. Have you tried any of these before? Are you also a fan of cushion foundations?

 

 

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 & The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 Review

La mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 natural 12 review

 

Hello Friends! Several weeks ago, I stumbled upon a sample of the La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation and I was really impressed with it. Before that, I think I may have only tried a few La Mer products, like their famous Creme de la Mer and their Moisturizing Soft Cream (reviewed HERE). But when it comes to La Mer makeup, the last one I’ve tried and reviewed was the limited-edition La Mer The Bronzing Powder (read HERE), after that, I don’t think I’ve talked about La Mer items lately until I tried the amazing Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation sample which was kind of life-changing for me.

 

I wasn’t really on the market for new foundations but since trying the La Mer Soft Fluid Foundation, I felt like I’ve got to have more of it. Since then, I also got curious about their Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation and have read good reviews about it. So, here’s a side by side comparison and contrast of two of La Mer’s bestselling foundations.

 

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 in Warm Vanilla

 

The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 + Refill in Warm Vanilla ($120) – This cushion in Warm Vanilla is definitely meant for light skin with warm undertone. On my skin, I don’t find it to be very warm or too golden, but more like a subtle one. The cushion itself has the same scent as the Creme de la Mer but perhaps slightly milder. It has a really lightweight feel on the skin, to the point that it almost feels like not having anything on the face. It has has a natural to dewy finish that doesn’t make your face look flat or cakey. Also, there is no need to dip the sponge applicator that hard on the cushion because there is a lot of product in this sleek compact. Since the coverage of this foundation can go from medium to full, you only need to lightly tap the sponge applicator to your face. I really love the no-mess fuss-free application of this, and I find the finish to be very complementing on my skin, it’s kinda like a second skin that lasts the whole day without giving me any breakouts and I get lots of compliment whenever I use this cushion. Most of the feedbacks I typically get are from people saying they like the way my skin looks, or that it looks more even and almost poreless and flawless. Can you imagine? LOL! I also love the fact that it’s so easy to take this cushion to my travels and it’s perfect for a quick foundation application or a retouch. On top of that, it’s great to use as an everyday foundation for that minimal “no makeup” makeup look, and though it’s pricey, I’m glad that there’s a refill and an additional sponge applicator included in its packaging. Overall, this La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation is definitely now in my holy grail list, but I feel like I also wanna test the Cle de Peau one which I heard is also good, and I’ll be giving you my two cents of the La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In Foundation (seen HERE)ย  when compared to these two high-end cushion compacts. In fact, since I’ve been loving the cushions lately, I’ll be reviewing my favorite cushion foundations both high-end and drugstore pretty soon here on the blog. So stay tuned for that guys.

 

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 shell 11 swatch

 

The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 in Shell 11 (1 oz: $120) – Theย  Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation sample shade that I’ve tried several weeks ago was called Natural 12 which really fits me well, but it did kinda pull a little too warm on me, so I got the regular size in Shell 11 shade which is meant for light skin with cool undertone and this shade seems perfect on me. My skin right now tends to have a neutral to cool undertone although I can still pull a mildly warm undertone like the Warm Vanilla shade of the La Mer cushion above, it just all depends on the product’s pigment, its tendency to oxidize with time, and of course the season. So far, with these two La Mer foundations, I haven’t noticed any extreme oxidation, and if there is, it’s probably very light. So back to this Soft Fluid Foundation, I find this to be very liquidy and very light, which kinda reminds me of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (reviewed HERE) or the Dior Forever Perfect Foundation (seen HERE). These are the type of foundations that are weightless, set well, and almost feel like second skin. The La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation doesn’t settle into fine lines and doesn’t make you look like you packed on a ton of makeup. It has a soft luminous glow to it, kinda like a lit-from-within finish yet still very natural and the packaging is really luxurious with a heavy weighted glass material. The coverage of this foundation is medium and can be layered. I really don’t need to apply much of this on my face and I only dab a little bit of setting powder on top of it just to set the foundation well. My top favorites for setting powders are HERE. In total, I find this foundation to be very long-wearing and it stays on my face throughout the day without making it look too oily. However, this does have a weird alcohol scent blended along with its typical La Mer cream fragrance which really doesn’t seem to be so enticing to my senses, but apart from that, this foundation gives a nice youthful finish to the skin, giving you that “your skin but better” effect, blurring all the fine lines, blemishes, pores, and some other imperfections.

 

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 in shell 11 swatch

 

Final words, I love both of these foundations, but I think I may be slightly biased towards the Luminous Lifting Cushion because it’s easy for traveling and it’s perfect for a mess-free foundation application. As for the Soft Fluid, I adore its skin-perfecting effect, but the smell can be too much at times and it’s not ideal for traveling because of its heavy glass packaging. Both foundations are expensive but they’re totally worth it for their natural luminous skin effect or that effortless lit-from-within glow that lasts the whole day. They don’t slide off the face and they are definitely long-wearing. Because of these reasons, I think these foundations might be the best I’ve tried so far.

 

Have you tried these already? What do you think of the La Mer Makeup line in general?

 

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 review

 

The La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 and The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation are currently available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales,ย Harrods, Selfridges, and Net-A-Porter

 

  • Pink Jade Roller is from Amazon
  • Fenty Beauty Foundation Brush 110 is available HERE, reviewed HERE
  • An Inspired Life Book Journal is from Anthropologie
  • My Favorite Essie Gel Couture Nail Colors are swatched HERE