As the cushion fever reached out to "West" early this year, Lancôme became one of the first to embrace the trend. I was wondering about the cushion thing already last year and thanks to my dear friend Linda, who gifted me a Laneige BB Cushion, I have tested and reviewed it. You can read my thoughts here.
Lancôme's Miracle Cushion Foundation is launched in the beginning of February. Suddenly there were many voices, reviews, thumbs in both directions and discussions. Only way to find out was to try it out. Here is my two cents after testing it for two weeks.
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| Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation |
What is meant by "cushion"?
Cushion products are offered with a large pad in which the product is soaked in. That way very watery formulas become easy to apply. Such formulas are usually light weight and they give a natural lit within glowy finish. There are not only foundations or BB cream but also eye shadows, eye liners, blushes and every product which might come in liquid form. Since the liquid might dry up in time, these product ranges usually offer a refill to exchange the pad for a more affordable price.
The packaging
Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation comes in a very similar package with Korean cushion foundations. The compact is white and has a mirrored lid. It is opened by a push mechanism. There is a lid which covers the cushion and holds the puff. Puff is for touch ups on the go but at home I prefer applying the foundation with my beauty blender. Under the lid, the cushion comes with a sticker on top. Once you remove the sticker, you have to make sure to close the compact tightly to prolong the life of your cushion. I personally place the sticker back to its place after the application and that way it is held fresh for a longer time.
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| Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation |
The Application
Since the product is liquid, it is best to apply it with a sponge or with the puff included in the package. I find the application with a beauty blender quicker. I also find the result to be more homogeneous. The included puff is great if you want to touch up during the day. All I do is to press the beauty blender on the cushion and tap it on my skin. For other foundations I make my beauty blender slightly damp before the application but since this formula is watery, it is not needed.
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| Swatch: Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation |
The finish
Similar to Laneige BB Cushion, the finish of Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation is very natural. It gives a lovely glow without being greasy. During the application there is a cooling sensation, probably due to water evaporating. I believe this formula is best for dry and normal skin types since it hydrates nicely. I found Lancôme Miracle Cushion to have slightly less coverage than Laneige BB Cushion. All in all I would classify the coverage being light to medium. I am satisfied with it though and my face needs little concealing afterwards.
The Shade
I tried #2 which is a good match for my MAC NC20 skin. These come in 4 shades, which is rather restricted but since the formula doesn't sit on the skin but shows it through, one can get along with a tad darker or slightly lighter colors. I thought #2 would be a little darker by the first application but it looked fine afterwards.
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| FOTD Before / After with Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation |
Lancôme vs. Laneige
These are the points which I observed.
- Lancôme's formula is a little wetter but it can be because of the different pore sizes of the cushions. It is not necessarily better or worse. It doesn't make a difference during application.
- Lancôme Miracle Cushion applies slightly sheerer but it is still enough to even out my skin tone.
- Cushion pore sizes differ between the two brands. I don't see an advantage of a cushion pore being smaller or bigger. I haven't recognized any advantages or disadvantages of this property during my test.
- The shades of Lancôme Miracle Cushion go deeper and they are adjusted with more rose undertones. Brands claim that deeper shades and rosier undertones are in more demand at western markets.
- Price range is similar but for the first package, Laneige comes with a compact with cushion and an extra fill. Lancôme comes with a filled compact without an extra.
- Both are made in Korea. Laneige offers 50+ SPF, Lancome has only 23. Although most of us are happy with extra SPF, there are also many people I know who are going to solarium to get their faces burned. I believe the selection of SPF in between those demands and ours make sense in terms of marketing point of view.
- The sticker on the cushion can be reused more often in Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation which resulted in a longer lifetime of the product.
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| Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation vs. Laneige BB Cushion |
I don't want you to feel like I am playing the devil's advocate but here is what I think. There is a trend going on which makes total sense. Just look at the finish on your skin and you love it. Some brand rush to bring it here and those who rush are taking a risk. When I posted photos about the cushion foundation at Instagram some stated that they were not feeling the wet sponge. Let's face it, it is hard for a customer to change whatever they are accustomed to for something which is totally different. That risk some "more innovative" companies take should be praised and not discouraged in my book. My applause to Lancôme for the braveness and I hope that we see more old-minded established companies such as those with two Cs move a little faster than repromoting their 50 year old lipstick formulas. 'Nuff said!
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| Swatch comparison: Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation #2 vs. Laneige BB Cushion #21 |
Final thoughts: I think cushion foundations are a lovely trend which gives a neutral dewy finish without being greasy in any way. Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation is very easy to apply, gives enough coverage and it is light weight. It is most suited to dry to normal complexions with its hydrating and cooling properties. Thumbs up.
Have you tried any cushion products? Do you see yourself being converted?
Disclaimer: The product in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.
