Even though I haven’t been able to head over to Korea in the last 6 months, my lust for cushion foundations have been satiated, because of the sudden influx of cushions from western brands! Yay! I’ve already reviewed YSL’s Le Cushion Encre de Peau, and next up, is Biotherm’s cushion. Like you, I’m also somewhat surprised that Biotherm, a brand traditionally known for its skincare and not so much for its makeup (which probably makes up like 5% of its entire product repertoire), has suddenly plonked a cushion foundation on us.
Biotherm Aquasource Evermoist CC Care-in-Cushion – S$69
(And guess what? It comes with an extra refill: Case + refill in the case + extra refill)
I say…
The Packaging: The usual compact casing measuring about 7.5cm across) with the airlock-cum-sponge-holder tray as well as an inbuilt mirror. Now I like that the surface of this casing is flat so that I can stack my cushions on top. The puff applicator is soft and non abrasive.
- Note: The refill for this is not compatible with the Korean brands (Laneige, IOPE, The Face Shop, Belif, Etude House, Innisfree). It is compatible with YSL’s Le Cushion and Lancome’s Blanc Expert Cushion Compact (review to come soon!) – I see what you did there, western brands hurhurhur.
The Scent: I love the scent! It’s a fragrant that is refreshing and doesn’t set off my sensitive nose. It only stays on for that moment that you’re applying the product, and wafts into nothingness rather quickly. Oh well.
The Texture: The cushion is soaked / almost overflowing with foundation – I must say Biotherm is really generous. It doesn’t literally flow out though, but as you can tell from the pictures above, the moment I peel open the sticker, you can see the amount of foundation is mucho mucho. What’s more, it’s pretty pigmented, so a little goes a long way. It’s lightweight, not sticky and not greasy, and applies easily to the face. It may say “evermoist”, and it actually does feel rather moistfull, so be sure to let it set before applying your blusher/powder or else it’ll streak. Now here’s where it gets good – it may have a glow (about 75 matte: 25 dewiness), but I absolutely love that it settles down into a believable / healthy level of glow (aka it doesn’t look shiny!). It brightens up my overall outlook too! The cushion gives a medium coverage that unfortunately cannot cover my dark eye circles completely, but I guess that’s what concealer is for.
The Verdict: Now you’d be surprised, but I actually really, really like this cushion! In fact, I’d even recommend this over YSL [gasp!]- it brightens, gives good coverage, hydrates the skin (no more dry cheek patches after several hours in office), and is great for touching up cos it helps re-hydrate the skin too. The biggest pro of this cushion is the fact that it somehow manages to get a good balance of the matte-dewy seesaw that many cushions (even some Korean ones) can’t quite grasp. It doesn’t oxidise, but instead melts/disappears off the skin after about 4-6 hours, which is the norm anyway. Because it’s buildable, you don’t have to worry about your makeup getting patchy /cakey after touching up. What’s more, it’s at a more affordable price at S$69 (for a case, refill in the case and an extra refill) – you may not have to activate the refill any time soon considering: 1) it’s brimming with so much foundation, 2) the coverage is good, so you won’t need as much for the whole face. The one downside? Its obvious lack of shades cos it only comes in Fair Beige (Laneige shade 13-21) and Natural Beige (21-23). It may not look like much, but if you’re considering starting off with a western-brand cushion foundation, I would highly recommend this one. It’s suitable for almost all skintypes – I’m a combi-oily and I love it. I can only imagine that those with dry, combi-dry skintypes would also love this. Psst: You can sign up to receive a complimentary sample here.
