Cushion compacts are about to go mainstream!
You have probably been hearing a whole lot these days about Korea’;s most recent consider on basis. What is a cushion compact? Believe of it as a BB cream in compact kind, with the makeup dispensed via a bouncy sponge and utilized with a pressed sponge applicator.
Lancôme is about to introduce a single up coming month (stay tuned on that!), but so far, the manufacturers supplying cushion compacts have been Korean imports. Think Holika Holika, whose cushion I already shared my thoughts on right here, or AmorePacific, whose cushion I’;m about to get my scorching little hands on (evaluation coming shortly!).
Right now, I carry you my ideas on 3LAB—an American brand produced by a Korean-born entrepreneur. (So it even now kinda counts as Korean, correct?)
This is their Aqua BB:
The outer packaging of 3LAB’;s Aqua BB. Within, you get the compact plus an extra refill. Which undoubtedly helps make the $ 95 value tag a bit less difficult to digest! In essence, you’;re acquiring two foundations in a single bundle.
Each 3LAB Aqua BB package contains an additional refill. Right, now let us examine the compact itself:
The 3LAB Aqua BB cushion compact. 
The back of the 3LAB Aqua BB cushion compact. When you open it up, it is the same deal as with other cushion compacts. You get a flat, circular sponge applicator… and if you happen to be a clean freak, it may bother you that it starts to get all grungey-searching as quickly as you use it. Like this:
The sponge applicator within the 3LAB cushion compact. When you lift up the little sponge-holder component, this is what is inside and the place the actual makeup comes out of:
Within the 3LAB Aqua BB cushion compact. When you initial open it, the sponge (or “cushion”) will not be saturated with makeup… it only gets like this after you press on it with the applicator, fingers or a brush.
The makeup-saturated “cushion” of the 3LAB Aqua BB. Swatch time! This 3LAB cushion comes in 3 shades—Light, Medium and Dark—and this right here is the Medium.
Swatch of the 3LAB Aqua BB in Medium. As you can see, it’;s not an ideal match to my skin tone. Medium—no matter what the makeup brand—is never ever my very best shade. I would most likely do much better in the Light shade, despite the fact that I hear that it really is a quite light Light (hehe), i.e. on the ghostly, whitening side. That seems to be a widespread theme with Korean makeup—for illustration, it was a big complaint I had about the Holika Holika cushion.
So I quite considerably want 3LAB had a colour alternative in amongst Medium (as well dark) and Light (also light). This is my major issue with what is, otherwise, a extremely good cushion compact.
As far as texture goes, it is Great. I’;m not knowing how some individuals are describing it as “as well dewy,” due to the fact for me the dry-down is excellent—you can not even come to feel this things on your skin. Despite that, it does seem to give you some nice hydration, along the exact same lines as what I truly feel like I get from my trusty HydrExtreme (most likely from the rose water and glycerin in this). It also is made up of a whack load of peptides, so you get an anti-aging advantage as nicely. Oh, and it truly is a mineral SPF forty, as well!
The ingredients in 3LAB Aqua BB. Here is the complete elements listing:
Cyclopentasiloxane, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Water, Butylene Glycol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Alumina, Trisiloxane, Glycereth-26, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Methicone, PEG/PPG-twenty/15 Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer, Polysorbate twenty, one,two-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil – See a lot more at: http://www.murale.ca/13374-3LAB_3Lab-Aqua-BB.aspx#sthash.TXYHDv8z.dpuf
The coverage is sheer. For any random imperfections or blemishes, you will absolutely require to use a concealer—which does not bother me, as I constantly prefer a sheer-ish skin base. It is somewhat buildable, but I locate it much less difficult to work with a domed basis brush rather of the awkward/clumsy flat sponge.
Here is a comparison of the 3LAB cushion on its personal and then with other makeup.
The 3LAB Cushion Compact worn alone (left) and with other makeup (right). On the left, without having even any concealer, the Medium isn’;t going to do a excellent occupation of covering my redness—especially notable in the chin location. I uncover that’;s normally the case every time I try foundations that are a fraction also dark.
But then on the appropriate, when I include concealer plus eye makeup, blush and lip colour, you don’;t really observe the chin colour discrepancy anymore. I consider come summertime, when I have a bit more colour, this will probably be okay.
The Bottom Line
Truthfully, the colour match is the only thing “wrong” with the 3LAB Aqua BB, as far as I am concerned. It is a stunning truly feel and finish, has fab elements and I love that the sunscreen isn’;t a chemical one.
If your skin is either lighter or darker than mine, then this could actually work for you!
Where To Acquire
Uncover the 3LAB Aqua BB at:
Have Your Say
Have you tried the 3LAB Aqua BB? What is your favourite cushion compact?
