Cushion cosmetics have been around for years, but I’ve stayed away from them for a few reasons – the main one being they appear gimmicky and are not good value for money. So much investment goes into the packaging that the product inside is often a fraction of the amount you’d get if you bought the same formulation in a bottle.
Most cushion formulas come in the form of a compact. There is a sort of sponge or mesh ‘cushion’ inside which distributes the product when pressure is applied via a puff-type applicator. While issues of hygiene do niggle at the back of my mind, I was willing to give a cushion foundation a try. A friend recommended I try one from Iope.
As a foundation for mature skin, Iope sounds perfect. Made up of 30% pure water and containing an array of peptides, vitamin B5, vitamin E and an SPF of 50+, it should work well with ageing skin. I wanted something lightweight for spring and summer, and I was sure this would be exactly want I was looking for.
I decided to try the Iope Air Cushion N23, Natural Sand at £30.10. The product arrived with the compact and a refill, a total of 30ml, which is what usually comes in a bottle of foundation, so the price was actually quite fair. The included applicator puff felt more like a beauty blender than a traditional puff, so I was hopeful I could get a good finish when I tried the foundation the first time. Sadly, it was not to be. I ended up with extremely patchy, uneven coverage and found the rest of my makeup didn’t sit well over the top if it. Complete fail.
The next day I tried it with a primer and was a little less heavy-handed with the applicator. It was better, but still not quite right. I couldn’t get an even, natural finish – and I didn’t think the product was working well with the primer. I could still see little streaks and sponge marks after loads of blending, and the foundation was cakey under my eyes and around my nose. Not a great look.
I was on the verge of giving up when I decided to try it with a foundation brush (Zoeva 102 Silk Finish) instead of the applicator, and this is when Iope foundation and I became friends. Buffed into the skin with a brush, the watery liquid foundation blended effortlessly and looked glowy, fresh and natural. It didn’t settle into pores or fine lines and, with a touch of powder, it lasted for a good eight hours before beginning to fade slightly.
If you’re after a light, fresh foundation with buildable coverage, the Iope Air Cushion formula is good. Because it’s made for the Korean market, the colour choices are extremely limited and it only works for those of us with the palest of skin. But if you’d like something feather-light for the warmer months of the year, this should make you very happy indeed.
Fig and Pen 