Review: VDL Beauty Metal Cushion Foundation (2015 Upgraded Version)

And it’s Monday again~! I’m considering doing a theme for my blog – Mei mei Mondays anyone? (Mei mei 美美 is a more casual and colloquial term in mandarin taken to mean pretty). Not sure if that’ll ever start trending, but hey, at least one awesome trend is the BB cushion. And yes, true to my somewhat-usual style, I’ll start my week off with a base product review (cos the skin feels so much smoother and cleaner after my weekend pampering with AmorePacific’s Live Bright Enzyme Peel,  Kiehl’s Deep Pore Cleansing Masque as well as CNP Laboratory’s Soothing Face Mask.

VDL Beauty Metal Cushion Foundation (2015 version) – SGD$52

Here’s the official spiel: “The first cushion foundation that VDL has ever released, the Beauty Metal Cushion Foundation is an innovation and functional foundation that not only provides long-lasting coverage for the face but also infuses skincare benefits in it to provide a complete makeup experience. Designed with a LG patented Metal Plate™ Technology, the metal plate found in this cushion foundation keeps the low-viscosity foundation cool and maintains the moisture level of the foundation while providing mild anti-bacterial benefits by reducing contact point between the application sponge and the foundation formula.”

Can you see some remnant of my fingerprints on the side of the plate? I was trying to dispense the product without using the puff (so that I could get this pretty dotted design)

I say…

The Packaging: It’s the usual compact casing that’s rounded – similar to the BB cushions and touch-up powders, but this is slightly taller. Laneige’s Pore Control BB Cushion stands at 3cm tall while this one stands at 3.5cm tall. It’s not that much more cumbersome but you can definitely feel the difference when you hold it. It opens up to reveal an inbuilt mirror and a metal tray with eensy weensy miniscule holes that dispense the foundation when you press down on it. I know it’s meant to be hygienic and all that, but I’m not a huge fan of this because of the following reasons:

1. The sponge puff goes back onto this metal tray after usage, which means that you have to clean the tray after every applicator to make sure not a single drop of foundation is left (or else it’ll be soaked into the puff, leaving it somewhat wet and moist the next time you use it). Yes I know that it should be cleaned but it sort of adds an extra step into my routine.
2. When cleaning, you have to be careful not to exert undue pressure or you’ll end up dispensing more foundation and having to clean that up as well – vicious cycle, anyone? It’s mostly  wastage of product and some sort of a waste of time to me.
3. Also, perhaps it’s the material of the plate, but dry tissue doesn’t seem to get it clean completely – it always looks somewhat blurry. Wet tissues do the trick but I’m a bit iffy and paranoid that some of the wet tissue’s moisture might drip into the holes and into the foundation instead.

The Refill: Yes it’s refillable. No it is not compatible with Laneige, The History of Whoo, IOPE, Etude House, Mamonde (review coming soon), Missha (review also coming soon), Hera.

The Scent: It has a lovely scent that smells somewhat fruity and floral. It’s rather mild and not overpowering.

The Application/Texture: Gripes about the packaging aside, this actually gives a very beautiful, brightening and radiant finish! I’m so pleasantly surprised :D The foundation goes on very smoothly and blends in very naturally. The finish is 65% matte and 35% dewy, and the glow / dewiness shows at the right spots such as the cheekbones and nose bridge. I also love that the corners of the nose don’t become too shiny (some others immediately show shine within the first hour of application). It also feels really lightweight and doesn’t weigh down on the skin.

The Coverage: About 7.2/10. Pretty decent save for the dark eye circles which needed a few more layers to cover.

The Oil Control: Medium. I blotted after about 6 hours of wear, and the sheet wasn’t even fully soaked with oil. What’s more, I absolutely love that the foundation did not come off on the sheet – the remaining makeup on the face looked natural, not patchy, not dry – it just looked like freshly-applied foundation but with a higher matte finish. You can get the same effect by dabbing with a sheet of tissue paper too.

The Verdict: I love it! Packaging teething problems aside, this gives a superbly natural finish with good coverage and decent oil control, and doesn’t overdo the shine factor. I personally prefer applying it with a brush/fingers instead of the puff cos of its spreadable and blendable consistency.  It fades instead of oxidising, which is always a good thing in my book. I also love that when I touch up, it doesn’t cake and still looks so natural. Its consistency bridges the BB cushion and actual foundation worlds (medium, somewhat watery consistency), and suits my oily-combi skin perfectly by toning down the shine, while the dry portions of the face look sufficiently hydrated because of the dewiness. Defo a huge improvement from the first generation metal cushion – Go try this one out!