Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation On-the-Go Review + 3 Wear Tests
The main reason this post is so delayed is because I didn't want to rush and half-ass it. I really want to publish more reviews but also want them to be more in depth but also struggle to find the time to do so. You see my dilemma?
Claims
As the name implies, this is supposed to be an on-the-go product. According to the Maybelline site, it's a luminous liquid complete coverage foundation that leaves you looking fresh faced and natural.
Maybelline has a BB cushion foundation that's sold in Asia which looks similar but does not have the exact same ingredient list (found here on yettez kiedoodle's blog.) Interestingly, the cushion sold in Asia is made in China whereas the American one is made in Korea!
Price & Size
$15.99 at Ulta, $13.99 at Target, $12.49 at Harmon's for 0.51 oz/ 14.6 g
Ingredients
Aqua / Water / Eau, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate / Dicaprate, Methyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Trisiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Talc, Magnesium Sulfate, Acrylates / Stearyl Acrylate / Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lauroyl Lysine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Root, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides
Packaging
Pretty standard plastic packaging. There is a soft but audible snapping noise you hear when you close both the inner cushion compartment and the outer compartment so you know that you've properly closed the compact. There's also a handy mirror on the inside of the lid.
One thing I really liked is that there was a seal on the outside as well as on the inside over the cushion. As most drugstores don't have testers, some people like to take that as an opportunity to open up products to make their own testers. It ain't cool and it sucks for the store and other consumers. Nobody else is gonna want to buy something that's been dipped into by a stranger's grubby hands. Safe to say that Lucille Bluth said it best.
Cushion Puff
This is something I can't really comment on as this is only the second cushion foundation I've ever tried. But the puff seemed nice enough to me. It was soft and didn't crack when I bent it.
As far as cleaning the puff goes... DO NOT USE A BEAUTY BLENDER SOLID. The soap will accumulate in the cushion and come out in weird chunky bits and worst of all, your stupid puff won't even be clean. I was so grossed out that I even took photos of it.
But then I cleaned it with the Boscia cleansing oil and all was well.
Shade Range
While there is definitely room for improvement, this is one of the cushions with the widest color selection. There are 8 shades total ranging from fair to dark. I was able to find the full color range at the displays at Ulta, Walgreens, and Harmon's but the display at Target only had the lighter shades. Maybe it's different at every Target but I noticed that whenever the Target near me has a new foundation range, they never include the darker shades 😑.
I picked it up in the shade 45 medium beige which is basically number 6 in the range (as in there are 2 darker shades and 5 lighter shades.)
Color Accuracy
As there aren't any testers and you can't see the actual cushion color before you buy it, you're pretty much relying on the color on the outside. Of course I can only speak for the one shade I bought but I would say it's pretty accurate. It was a teeny bit too dark and orange for my skintone, but I do think it was the same color as was on the outside of the package.
I wish that Maybelline followed L'oreal's footsteps and numbered the shades by undertone. Then again, perhaps they don't have enough shades to make this distinction.
Coverage
This is a solid medium foundation although if you go in with a very light hand you can make the coverage even sheerer. I guess since I'm new to cushions I have a tendency to push down too hard. Even so I haven't found this foundation to go cakey on me.
If you look at my before and after pictures on the wear tests, you can see that it did a pretty good job at covering up my acne scarring. Some of the darkest scars were still partly visible but I don't mind.
Finish
After reading so many cushion foundation reviews, I was living under the assumption that all cushions are very dewy. But that ain't the truth. This cushion has more of a satin finish. It would definitely work with dry skin. I can't say how well it would work for oily skinned folks but I would guess that with a mattifying primer it could work really well!
Wear Tests
Just a little bit of background: I've got dehydrated, acne-prone skin. Since I've been maintaining a solid skincare routine, it's been pretty normal lately. In all these shots, including the before shots where I'm not wearing any foundation, I am wearing sunscreen so that's why there's a bit of a flashback. I also think my lighting situation (which I'm still getting a hang of) tends to emphasize any hint of oil on my face.
For these wear tests I didn't apply foundation on my T-zone (forehead + nose) because those are areas I generally avoid putting makeup on. I did try putting it on those areas on a different day and as expected, it got all cakey and gross. Note that this also didn't wear very well on the areas where my glasses sit on the bridge of my nose.
Wear Test 1: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer & Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water vs. Nothing
Wear Time: 8 hours
Outcome: I had contemplated re-doing this test because the day I shot these photos I went shopping at an outdoor outlet mall. And it was cold. And snowing. So my face was facing a whooole lot more of the elements than it does on a normal day. But then I said fuck it because maybe this would make for an even more legit test. If it can last the snow, it can last anything!
There was definite fading on both sides of my face. I think this was largely because of my scarf constantly wiping against my cheeks. On the side where I didn't wear any primer, I had some of the product start to separate around my mouth and nose but it wasn't too obvious unless you were looking really closely at my face. Despite the fact that my face felt hella dry from being outside in cold, dry weather for so long, I didn't have any dry patches.
Wear Test 2: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer vs. Laura Mercier Moisturizing Primer
Wear Time: 7 hours
Outcome: Since this is a water based foundation, I didn't try it over any silicone primers. Also I tend to stay away from silicone primers in the winter to begin with. But I still wanted to give it a try with a more matte/ pore minimizing primer so I tested it with the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and compared it to a hydrating primer-- the Laura Mercier Moisturizing Primer.
I had lunch sometime within the testing period and my lipstick rubbed off on my chin meaning that some of the foundation underneath my bottom lip also got rubbed off. Naturally the side with the moisturizing primer was considerably dewier than the side with the pore minimizing primer. Both sides wore really well with minimal fading. My chin is the only place with any real fading, and that's mostly because of my lipstick + my inability to eat food without spilling it on myself.
Wear Test 3: Set With Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette & MAC Fix+ vs. Set With Nothing
Wear Time: 10 hours
Outcome: For this test I applied Becca's Backlight Primer all over my face, and then set half my face with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette and Mac Fix+.
Please excuse how haggard I look in the after shot 🙈. It was a long day and part of it was spent outdoors. But regardless, both sides held up pretty well! There is some fading on the side where I didn't set it and you can see some of my discoloration becoming more visible. Basically setting it with powder + setting spray definitely improved the wear, but I don't think it's a necessary step. Since Maybelline markets this as a foundation to-go, I'm glad to see that setting it isn't required for me.
The bottom line?
This is the first drugstore foundation I've bought in a few years and it did not disappoint! I like the medium coverage and how easy it is to use. It did a good job of covering up my scars and didn't oxidize throughout the day.
When I first heard of cushion foundations I thought they were a bit gimmicky but they really are perfect for quick makeup days. Unlike a beautyblender, you don't have to worry about wetting a cushion before you apply. The one downside is that I have to clean the puff every other use. While I can easily use a foundation brush or beautyblender for a week without cleaning, the puff gets too saturated with foundation rather quickly. Either way, I think this is a good foundation for the price!
One thing I'll have to look out for in the future is how long this takes to dry out. I've heard that the L'oreal Lumi cushion dries within a few months but I hope that isn't the case for this one.
I'm excited to see more and more Western brands come out with cushion foundations. That means those of us with medium, tan, deep, or dark skin tones can finally join in on the cushion fun! Have you tried any cushion foundations? What's your favorite?
As the name implies, this is supposed to be an on-the-go product. According to the Maybelline site, it's a luminous liquid complete coverage foundation that leaves you looking fresh faced and natural.
Maybelline has a BB cushion foundation that's sold in Asia which looks similar but does not have the exact same ingredient list (found here on yettez kiedoodle's blog.) Interestingly, the cushion sold in Asia is made in China whereas the American one is made in Korea!
Price & Size
$15.99 at Ulta, $13.99 at Target, $12.49 at Harmon's for 0.51 oz/ 14.6 g
Ingredients
Aqua / Water / Eau, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate / Dicaprate, Methyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Trisiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Talc, Magnesium Sulfate, Acrylates / Stearyl Acrylate / Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lauroyl Lysine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Root, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides
Packaging
Pretty standard plastic packaging. There is a soft but audible snapping noise you hear when you close both the inner cushion compartment and the outer compartment so you know that you've properly closed the compact. There's also a handy mirror on the inside of the lid.
One thing I really liked is that there was a seal on the outside as well as on the inside over the cushion. As most drugstores don't have testers, some people like to take that as an opportunity to open up products to make their own testers. It ain't cool and it sucks for the store and other consumers. Nobody else is gonna want to buy something that's been dipped into by a stranger's grubby hands. Safe to say that Lucille Bluth said it best.
Cushion Puff
This is something I can't really comment on as this is only the second cushion foundation I've ever tried. But the puff seemed nice enough to me. It was soft and didn't crack when I bent it.
As far as cleaning the puff goes... DO NOT USE A BEAUTY BLENDER SOLID. The soap will accumulate in the cushion and come out in weird chunky bits and worst of all, your stupid puff won't even be clean. I was so grossed out that I even took photos of it.
But then I cleaned it with the Boscia cleansing oil and all was well.
While there is definitely room for improvement, this is one of the cushions with the widest color selection. There are 8 shades total ranging from fair to dark. I was able to find the full color range at the displays at Ulta, Walgreens, and Harmon's but the display at Target only had the lighter shades. Maybe it's different at every Target but I noticed that whenever the Target near me has a new foundation range, they never include the darker shades 😑.
I picked it up in the shade 45 medium beige which is basically number 6 in the range (as in there are 2 darker shades and 5 lighter shades.)
Color Accuracy
As there aren't any testers and you can't see the actual cushion color before you buy it, you're pretty much relying on the color on the outside. Of course I can only speak for the one shade I bought but I would say it's pretty accurate. It was a teeny bit too dark and orange for my skintone, but I do think it was the same color as was on the outside of the package.
I wish that Maybelline followed L'oreal's footsteps and numbered the shades by undertone. Then again, perhaps they don't have enough shades to make this distinction.
Coverage
This is a solid medium foundation although if you go in with a very light hand you can make the coverage even sheerer. I guess since I'm new to cushions I have a tendency to push down too hard. Even so I haven't found this foundation to go cakey on me.
If you look at my before and after pictures on the wear tests, you can see that it did a pretty good job at covering up my acne scarring. Some of the darkest scars were still partly visible but I don't mind.
Finish
After reading so many cushion foundation reviews, I was living under the assumption that all cushions are very dewy. But that ain't the truth. This cushion has more of a satin finish. It would definitely work with dry skin. I can't say how well it would work for oily skinned folks but I would guess that with a mattifying primer it could work really well!
Wear Tests
Just a little bit of background: I've got dehydrated, acne-prone skin. Since I've been maintaining a solid skincare routine, it's been pretty normal lately. In all these shots, including the before shots where I'm not wearing any foundation, I am wearing sunscreen so that's why there's a bit of a flashback. I also think my lighting situation (which I'm still getting a hang of) tends to emphasize any hint of oil on my face.
For these wear tests I didn't apply foundation on my T-zone (forehead + nose) because those are areas I generally avoid putting makeup on. I did try putting it on those areas on a different day and as expected, it got all cakey and gross. Note that this also didn't wear very well on the areas where my glasses sit on the bridge of my nose.
Wear Test 1: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer & Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water vs. Nothing
Wear Time: 8 hours
Outcome: I had contemplated re-doing this test because the day I shot these photos I went shopping at an outdoor outlet mall. And it was cold. And snowing. So my face was facing a whooole lot more of the elements than it does on a normal day. But then I said fuck it because maybe this would make for an even more legit test. If it can last the snow, it can last anything!
There was definite fading on both sides of my face. I think this was largely because of my scarf constantly wiping against my cheeks. On the side where I didn't wear any primer, I had some of the product start to separate around my mouth and nose but it wasn't too obvious unless you were looking really closely at my face. Despite the fact that my face felt hella dry from being outside in cold, dry weather for so long, I didn't have any dry patches.
Wear Test 2: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer vs. Laura Mercier Moisturizing Primer
Wear Time: 7 hours
Outcome: Since this is a water based foundation, I didn't try it over any silicone primers. Also I tend to stay away from silicone primers in the winter to begin with. But I still wanted to give it a try with a more matte/ pore minimizing primer so I tested it with the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and compared it to a hydrating primer-- the Laura Mercier Moisturizing Primer.
I had lunch sometime within the testing period and my lipstick rubbed off on my chin meaning that some of the foundation underneath my bottom lip also got rubbed off. Naturally the side with the moisturizing primer was considerably dewier than the side with the pore minimizing primer. Both sides wore really well with minimal fading. My chin is the only place with any real fading, and that's mostly because of my lipstick + my inability to eat food without spilling it on myself.
Wear Test 3: Set With Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette & MAC Fix+ vs. Set With Nothing
Wear Time: 10 hours
Outcome: For this test I applied Becca's Backlight Primer all over my face, and then set half my face with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette and Mac Fix+.
Please excuse how haggard I look in the after shot 🙈. It was a long day and part of it was spent outdoors. But regardless, both sides held up pretty well! There is some fading on the side where I didn't set it and you can see some of my discoloration becoming more visible. Basically setting it with powder + setting spray definitely improved the wear, but I don't think it's a necessary step. Since Maybelline markets this as a foundation to-go, I'm glad to see that setting it isn't required for me.
The bottom line?
This is the first drugstore foundation I've bought in a few years and it did not disappoint! I like the medium coverage and how easy it is to use. It did a good job of covering up my scars and didn't oxidize throughout the day.
When I first heard of cushion foundations I thought they were a bit gimmicky but they really are perfect for quick makeup days. Unlike a beautyblender, you don't have to worry about wetting a cushion before you apply. The one downside is that I have to clean the puff every other use. While I can easily use a foundation brush or beautyblender for a week without cleaning, the puff gets too saturated with foundation rather quickly. Either way, I think this is a good foundation for the price!
One thing I'll have to look out for in the future is how long this takes to dry out. I've heard that the L'oreal Lumi cushion dries within a few months but I hope that isn't the case for this one.
I'm excited to see more and more Western brands come out with cushion foundations. That means those of us with medium, tan, deep, or dark skin tones can finally join in on the cushion fun! Have you tried any cushion foundations? What's your favorite?