I was lucky enough to get picked to trial this product, so thank you BR.
The L’Oréal Paris Nude Magique Cushion Foundation is a liquid foundation in a compact.
The compact is a light purple colour and has layers. When you open the compact you get the mirror and the applicator puff. Open the next layer and you get the foundation which is initally covered by a seal to keep the foundation contained I assume. Once the seal is open you discover that the liquid foundation is under a sponge. To get the foundation out, you simply press down on the sponge with the applicator puff and you will get a reasonable amount of foundation on the puff.
When applying the foundation with the puff L'Oréal recommends a tap and glide motion, with one to three taps depending on how much coverage you want to build up. And particularly when first applying the foundation to your face, I find this technique really useful.
The coverage of this foundation is as stated light to medium, being buildable. This means it is a weightless foundation on the face, but can still conceal to an extent. Obviously if you have a pimple lets say, you are also going to need to use concealer to conceal it. But the foundation definitely helps disguise it. In terms of consistancy, it was a thinish liquidy foundation. What you'd expect I think from a light to medium coverage foundation. The finish of the foundation on your skin is quite dewy, which does give you a natural glow. However if you are already quite a glowy person you can easily combat it with a matte powder on top. Which does bring me to finishing powder. I tested this foundation with and without finishing powders and primer. I found with these things the foundation did last longer, but not actually that much longer than without. Which in terms of longevity was maybe 6 hours of decent coverage on average for me. Though it could be more or less depending on things such as physical activity or how you apply it.
After finishing applying my foundation, my only gripe is that I was left with a hard to clean applicator puff, because even though I clean it after each use it doesn't seem to clean up that well. Please feel free to comment below if you have found a way to make it look like a new puff again.
A final thing to consider is cost. If you look at other foundation compacts from similar brands, they are similar prices. So I think it is a fair price.
I think it is a great foundation and it has finally given me a foundation. It does what it says: it's a weightless light to medium buildable liquid foundation that you can use at home or on the go. I really like it for that on the go aspect in particular as that is something a lot of foundations don't do all that well in terms of how they package their product.
Eek, I was insanely excited to be selected for this trial! I had heard mixed reviews about cushion foundations but proofs in the pudding, right!? First off, the packaging is too toot but really different for L'Oreal! Its a round compact with a light pink plastic base & the top is a light purple, metallic finish. There is a sticker on the top with branding but other than the number being on the wee security tab, which you remove, you wouldn't know what colour it is. That won't be too hard to remember though because we only have 6 colour options in New Zealand. (This really limits the options for darker or lighter skin tones & cooler or warmer tones!). There is a really convenient mirror under the lid. There is also a round puff applicator that sits in the inner lid. The foundation is held inside a sponge (cushion). All I could think about was... hmmm, how will I keep this applicator clean! I think compared to my other foundation sizes of 30mls, this being only 12mls makes is quite spensy! That's the negatives now the positives. I love that it is light weight & easy to transport. I decided that if I was to do a true review that it was important to use the applicator, following the instructions under the base of the container, I pressed the applicator into the sponge and was really surprised at how much product load there was, it was really wet! Instructions say to tap the product on so away I went, tapping like a tap dancer! I chose shade 03 vanilla (which I don't think is quite cool tone enough for me), it looked so much darker in the sponge! OOOOH, it doesn't really have a fragrance, big bonus for me! I did one layer to check coverage and texture. It definitely looked dewy with decent light coverage. I applied another layer and then concentrated on areas where I consistently have break down of product. I am quite impressed with how it covers my broken capillaries and it makes my skin look fresh but what I love most is that is looks like healthy skin, it doesn't look or feel like you have a couple of layers of foundation on. It’s really buildable and blendable. My skin is really dry so I always add a drop of serum to my foundation but this formula is perfect for my dry skin and although it gives a dewi/glowy finish, it wasn't over the top for me. I tried it with and without setting powder and decided that I prefer it with, just to take down some of the glow under my eyes. I found it slightly tacky but just waited a few minutes for to settle prior to applying the rest of my makeup. It holds together quite well, though there was some break down around my nose and chin, no biggy. I will definitely be purchasing for myself!
Tips: Always have a good, clean base prior to applying. Give the sponge applicator a go at least once because it gives an air brushed look and its purpose built for the job... and then use your beauty blender or flat top brush for future apps. DO NOT STICK YOUR CHUBBY SAUSAGES IN TO THE SPONGE...EWW, GERMS! LOL