Woah, it's a breakthrough in the American drugstore cosmetics game! A cushion foundation that's not a Laneige import (and flagrantly overpriced!?) and available at any ole CVS, Target, etc.!? I've even seen it online at Ulta.com for $16.99.
The L'oreal True Match Lumi Cushion ($15.99 at Target) contains 0.51 fl. oz of product so it's not a complete steal, but it's a fun way to try a product that's usually catered to fair-light skintones. Similar to the other products in their existing line-up, there's the typical warm/neutral/cool division and several shades in each category giving you a total of 12 shades that range from light to deep (W2 to W8, for example.) I couldn't find a true olive match in Lancome's release of a cushion foundation and didn't care for the high price tag.
The rose gold packaging is sealed at the store. It's made of a sturdy (albeit very lightweight) plastic and is not refillable like its Korean counterparts. I'm sure you can pump your own (thin consistency) liquid foundation into the cushion once you're out of product but I would suggest buying a new one for sanitary reasons...
Because the sponge is WHITE AS FUCK on both sides, you can expect a giant nasty mess of foundation residue all over your compact lid if you're not careful. I believe these sponges are "rubycell", meaning they don't harbor too much bacteria if you're diligent about cleansing them frequently. You can buy extra sponge puffs at Daiso or online if you like to use several times and toss.
Here is a weird part. I saw swatches for W3 and N3.5 online and they both looked yellow in pan. However, the W3 dries down too peachy and the N3.5 is more neutral yellow. W2 would have been too light for me and I'm guessing it's for NC15-20 skin. I pulled the trigger on N3.5 and it's a great match for me at NC25. Derp?
Here's the short and sweet round up for its performance:
- Portable with a big mirror but dodgy/convenient sponge application- standard issue cushion pros and cons.
- Lightweight and light (not sheer!) coverage that lasts for 6-7 hours.
- Dewy finish but not ultra glossy.
It's suspect that the formula is the same as L'oreal's True Match Lumi foundation bottle poured into a cushion delivery method. Very suspect. However, it's a fun way for American consumers to touch up during the day or bounce/pat their foundation on during our long commutes to work.
But you know what would REALLY make this product awesome? A thinner setting powder nestled in the packaging for setting everything down.
xo Be
