Challenges

This section of the Blog is where I show options or loosely termed “dupes” or alternatives to higher-priced products. Whether a product is a good “dupe” or whether it is deemed a budget buy depends on an individual’s budget. This will be updated as I go along, and as I come across products that may do a similar job for a smaller price tag.

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 5 : The affordable Mamonde Brightening Cover Watery Cushion & Brightening Cover Powder Cushion

March 30, 2018 Paris B 3 Comments

Hello friends, and welcome to Day 5 of Cushion Foundation Week 3! Almost there! Anyone still with me?

This week, the cushions are a mixed bag, featuring a Japanese brand, a couple of Western brands, and featuring some Korean brands too. The categories will be kept as per previous posts, so you can refer back to them all and it’ll look fairly familiar. The difference will be in the products featured. Also, I will do a round up at the end of the week, just to give closure to this week. To see all the cushion foundations I’ve featured, you can go here.

Some time last year, Korean brand Mamonde released 2 new cushion foundations. I decided to cover them at the same time, because they are from the same brand, although on hindsight, I think it would have been better to separate them.

They are the Mamonde Brightening Cover Watery Cushion and the Mamonde Brightening Cover Powder Cushion. Some of you may remember that I featured the Mamonde Cover Powder Cushion in the K-Beauty edition of the Cushion Foundation Week. It was one of the more affordable options I’d tried, with very high coverage. This one is no exception. Continue Reading

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 4: Shiseido Synchro Skin White Cushion Compact SPF40 PA+++ for a more radiant complexion

March 29, 2018 Paris B 5 Comments

Doo-doo-doo-doo *cue the theme from Twilight Zone*

Yes folks, it is deja vu time again! On Day 1 of Cushion Foundation Week 3, I featured the Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Cushion Compact, that I professed blew me away with how nice it was to wear. Today, we are on Day 4 of Cushion Foundation Week 3, and it is another cushion from Shiseido!

Day 4 of Cushion Foundation Week 3 brings us the Shiseido Synchro Skin White Cushion Compact. This was launched in 2017 I believe, and that holographic packaging was a limited edition festive packaging that was available around Christmas 2017.

Lest you jump all over the use of the word “white”, know that it is something that is a staple in Japanese cosmetics. White or Whitening usually denotes something that targets discolouration like pigmentation, while Bright or Brightening usually refers to general radiance. I think sometimes, things get lost in translation as well, and personally, it doesn’t bother me. But used in this context of makeup, it did puzzle me somewhat as to what they are getting at.

However, it is not unusual for many brands to have a range targeted at whitening or brightening – Diorsnow, Guerlain le Blanc, Chanel le Blanc are examples. Even Laneige derives their name from “neige” which is French for snow. Granted that brands should drop this naming convention, yet it cannot be denied that there is a market in Asia for such products that stems from something very deepseated in our psyche. Such is the reality and these lines usually encompass skincare and makeup. Now, enough preaching, onto my thoughts on this cushion! 😀

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 3 : Not sure what to make of the Bobbi Brown Skin Radiant Glow Cushion Compact

March 28, 2018 Paris B 6 Comments

Day 3 of the Cushion Foundation Week 3! If you missed the earlier featured cushions, find them all here.

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 3 brings a sense of deja vu. Did I not already feature the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact prior to this? Yes I did. If you remember, the packaging is a sleek black case. This time, Bobbi Brown has released something different as part of their Extra Glow collection, in a sleek white case.

This is the Bobbi Brown Skin Radiant Glow Cushion Compact SPF50 that comes in just 1 shade – Rosy Glow. The purpose of this rosy-pink tinted product is to diffuse harsh light, and infuse complexion with a youthful, soft luminosity – why don’t you decide if it does 😛

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 2 : Clarins Everlasting Cushion Foundation SPF50 PA+++ is impressive for a Western brand cushion

March 27, 2018 Paris B 2 Comments

Day 2 of the Cushion Foundation Week 3! If you missed the earlier featured cushions, find them all here.

Cushion Foundation Week 3 Day 2 features one of the newest brands to the cushion foundation game – French brand, Clarins. Honestly, yes I was surprised they went there, although not too surprised. It is a growing trend that doesn’t seem to be dying, and it pays to jump on board and strike while the iron is hot!

I will say this. I had experience with Clarins foundations back when they were first around, and I found them quite good. I had tried their Everlasting Foundation in particular, which is a longlasting foundation. Considering that this is the Clarins Everlasting Cushion Foundation, my guess is that it is part of this family.

Challenges

The fun and previews happen on Instagram @parisbmws