Foundation Review
Cushion Foundation X Combo Skin X Malaysia Climate = YES! Giorgio Armani My Armani To Go Essence-in-foundation Cushion #4
I first learnt about Giorgio Armani Beauty many years ago when a friend of mine pulled her Face Fabric Foundation out of her bag and told me that was the best foundation she had ever used. Her natural and flawless complexion made the best testimony and I was instantly sold
There used to be Giorgio Armani Beauty in Malaysia but unfortunately they had withdrawn from the market many years ago. (WHY??!! GIORGIO ARMANI PLEASE COME BACK!!) I was really reluctant to purchase foundation online, knowing very well
that that it will be totally unusable should the shade selection go
wrong. Hence I never really got the chance to try their products. :(
I am not really a big fans of cushion foundation to begin with because:
1. It dries up
2. It is a warm bed for bacteria thanks to the contact of used puff and the cushion
3. It is SO expensive.
The pricing of cushion foundation is similar to that of a liquid foundation but very often with 50% less product. In this instance, it comes with only 15g of product while the liquid foundation is normally 30g or 1oz. However, this does not apply to Korean brands as they usually come with a refill to make up 30g/1oz of product.
When this cushion foundation was launched, it was so hyped up I could not not pay attention to what it has to offer. I managed to try this cushion foundation on the back of my hand when I was traveling via Changi Airport early this year and I actually really liked it. I did not buy it right away because I had no plan to get it at due to the aforementioned reasons.
BUT.
I could not stop thinking about it (I KNOW) and my Nars cushion foundation was running out (good to have a cushion foundation for touch-up and traveling) so I thought maybe I should give it a try.
After searching up and down for swatches, for the very first time, I bought a foundation of shade which I had chosen solely based on information I found online. I was so so so worried that it would not match because dasssssespensive!
I very much wish that the case could be more compact and travel-friendly since cushion compact is generally great for touch-up when you are on-the-go. It is probably the most bulky one I have ever come across.
The snap closure is really tight which hopefully prevents the cushion from drying up so quickly.
The snap closure is really tight which hopefully prevents the cushion from drying up so quickly.
The packaging is actually pretty interesting. This is how it looks when seen from the front.
Turned it 90° counter-clockwise. See the difference? It looks like a horizontal oval looking from top which turns into a vertical oval at the bottom.
I love the pointy puff!
It works so well for the corner of mouth, under-eye and also nose area where precision is very much needed.
When I was trying to peel off the seal, I realized it was not even sealed to begin with as the white seal was just sitting on top of the cushion which can be easily lifted up for removal. There was also some bubbles on the inside of seal which quickly collapsed and was gone in minutes.
I wonder if it could have caused by the tightly shut lid?
There would never be an answer so I just let it pass since the cushion was unused and the foundation had worked fine after testing out.
There is a mesh on top of the sponge for even distribution of foundation.
If this image belongs to you and not bulldog_studio on Instagram, or you know who it belongs to, please email me and I will credit accordingly. Thanks so much it advance for this useful swatch!
This is the best swatches I had found online, not in terms of shade accuracy but how it is able to show the differences between shades. I have light skin tone with yellow undertone hence shades #4.5, #5 and #5.5 will be out of question. #2 and #3 seem too light for me hence #4 will be the best candidate. Thank God the shade matches so well in real life!
COVERAGE
Medium but buildable that it is able to cover redness, acne scars and 80% of my dark circle.
FINISH
I really, really like the natural, skin-like finish of this foundation. The level of glow is just right that it stills look great when the shine peeks through on my combination skin. Despite the high coverage, it does not look like you have a thick layer of foundation slapped on.
TEXTURE
The foundation feels really lightweight and can be applied evenly with ease.
This cushion foundation has the best lasting power among all the cushion foundations (Hera, Iope, Sulwhasoo, Nars, Dior, Bobbi Brown) that I have ever gotten my hands on. I was able to wear it without setting with powder and it still looked great after 6 hours' wear. There was shine for sure but nothing near oily at the end of the day. Some foundations melt into facial oil and appear separated from the skin but this cushion foundation stayed intact even after the oil had been blotted off.
Last but not least, no oxidation issue was observed.
What they claim about this product:
"The Armani secret to stay perfect on the go. More than a Cushion
compact, a must have accessory for face to be beautifully perfect
anytime and anywhere.A next generation makeup essential that brings together a truly advanced formulation, a sleek, travel-friendly compact foundation with a professional applicator.
Skin is instantly transformed with one simple gesture. A high-tech essence-in-foundation formulation - the essential accessory is complete. Supreme coverage, comfort & silk glow: with the precision of a couturier, formulators of MY ARMANI TO GO CUSHION COMPACT, strikes the perfect balance between tailor-made, buildable coverage and a light, “no make-up” sensation.
Giorgio Armani Essence-In-Foundation Cushion with SPF 23 comes in 6 shades from yellow beige to pink beige and sandy tones, matching very light to medium complexions. "
This
cushion foundation did live up to its claims and I wish they will
expand their shade range one day because this is such a beautiful
foundation that no one should miss it without even giving a try.