Finally, Etude House churns out a BB cushion with a matte finish. Those sweating our guts out here in Singapore have been waiting far too long. Apparently, it's specially catered for the SEA region. Those of you in SEA - you know how dreadful to have hot humid weather almost all year round, right?!
Before committing myself to the full product, I decided to get a mini sample first. Just to test out both colours and the claims of having a matte powdery finish.
Swatches
Above is a quick swatch of both 'Light Beige' and 'Natural Beige' on my hand. I'm pretty fair skinned with pale pink undertones.
I also swatched other cushions for comparison purposes (see above). Missha M Magic Cushion in #21 fits me perfectly. I found Banila Co CC Cushion in BE10 slightly too light for me. The Innisfree Longwear Cushion in #21 (Natural Beige) is quite OK but I do find it a tad too yellow for me. Here is an in-depth review of my Banila and Innisfree Cushions, for your reference.
The Etude House Real Powder Cushion in 'Light Beige' suits me better and has neutral undertones (which is great because I hate yellow undertones which turn yellowish-brown upon oxidation).
Oil-Control/Lasting Power
I've slightly sensitive, combination skin (oily T-zone). BTW Missha Magic Cushion makes my nose shine like a mirror after just 2 -3 hours, which calls for the need of a finishing powder (my fave is the Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder). This Real Cushion Powder does the job of controlling the oil pretty well. I think it fared slightly better compared to the Innisfree Longwear Cushion in terms of oil control. Both the Real Powder and Long Wear Cushion does tend to appear a little cakey around the sides of my nose though. I would recommend applying the Innisfree No Sebum Blur Primer if you have enlarged pores on your nose as these cushions do sink into my pores after awhile.
It claims to be able to last 12 hours. Of course, this depends on each individual's skin type. For me, without any finishing powder, shine appeared after 7 - 8 hours indoors with my AC blasting away. With the Innisfree no sebum mineral powder layered over the real powder cushion, it lasted me the whole day from morning to night, with majority of my time indoors freezing under an air-conditioner.
Price
The full-size cushion costs 18,000 KRW (without refill) in Korea. For Singaporeans, it costs SGD 32 if you buy it from retail stores. As for the online realm - the cheapest seller on Qoo10 sells it here for just SGD21.90 + SGD1.90 shipping fee.
Scent & Sun
The cushion has a light floral (barely noticeable) scent. Not overpowering or cloyingly sweet/artificial (which I absolutely detest).
Love the sun protection it gives (SPF 50+ PA+++). Sometimes, I still apply my trusted Biore UV Aquarich Watery Essence under the cushion especially on hot days when I'm 90% outdoors.
Repurchase?
I'm actually waiting for my Etude House AC Clean Up Mild BB Cushion (see below) to arrive from Korea before deciding whether to buy the full-size Real Powder Cushion. It's fairly new and not available in SG yet (even samples cannot be found). So, I bit the bullet and bought the AC Mild BB Cushion in full size. I have high hopes for this as the ingredients look great (Tea Tree Oil + Salicylic Acid)
Will update soon so watch this space!
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