Back at it with another cushion foundation review! The Etude House Real Powder Cushion is not just any cushion though. This beauty launched last year and is marketed as an “innovative multitasking powder cushion that provides all-day flawless face makeup with a light and powdery finish.”
Now I have tried a fair share of BB cushions, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cream-to-powder cushion before. That’s the cool thing about Kbeauty, they just keep on coming up with all of these new & innovative products at incredible speed while the rest of the beautyworld is watching. I believe Etude House launched at least 3 new cushions last year and this was their first attempt at a really matte one, which is quite unusual given the popularity of the dewy look (“Mul-guang“) in Korea.
What I first noticed about the Etude House Real Powder Cushion when I opened the packaging, is how slim the compact really is. It’s about half the size of your average cushion compact, which makes it a great travel buddy. Thankfully this doesn’t mean you have to buy a new one every time you run out. Like with most Korean cushions, you can buy refills afterwards. There’s no extra refill included with this one though.
It’s a bit hard to tell the colour by the photos, but I absolutely love the soft coloured design. The cushion has a smooth egg-shell top with rose-gold edge while the bottom is a peachy nude. Very innocent and sweet. It has a built-in mirror and a soft flat sponge applicator. There are 3 colours available and as always I got mine in the lightest shade; Light Beige which is close to MAC NC20. I’m more of a MAC NC15, but it’s definitely a colour I can work with.
After removing the seal the first thing you’ll notice immediately is how different the consistency is in comparison to other cushion foundations. It looks thicker and creamier. You only need to tap the cushion gently with the puff in order not to pick up too much product and end up with cake-face from the get-go. Slowly building is key. One gentle dip is enough to cover the entire face and it’s easy to go overboard with this one. It goes on fairly moist, but then slowly dries down to a powdery finish. The coverage is pretty decent too. I only wear a little bit concealer when I have breakouts but it covers my skin quite nicely.
Another plus is its longevity. I found it lasted almost throughout the entire day even when my skin gets oilier during the day. This was particularly great because I found that re-applying during the day didn’t do the look any good in comparison to reapplying using normal cushion foundations. It just looked more cakey, so I prefer not to touch up afterwards.
I also love the fact that the Etude House Real Powder Cushion has SPF50+ PA+++. I normally apply sunscreen either way, but I find they don’t always match that well. Sometimes the sunscreen and foundation will ball up and rub off when applying it. So yeah, I don’t recommend relying on makeup for your sunscreen but I have to admit I’ve worn the Real Powder Cushions on several occasions without any other sun protection just because I didn’t want to deal with that mess. But only when I was spending the day inside though!
Another downside to the Real Powder Cushion is that it clings to dry patches, as you can see around my nose in the picture. For me personally, my skin isn’t oily enough nor is the climate humid enough. Sometimes it looks okay but most of the times my combination skin is just a little too dry to make it work for me. Whenever my skin wasn’t feeling like building up much oil during the day it would end up pretty dry looking after 8 hours.
The final verdict is that the Etude House Real Powder Cushion is an interesting one indeed, but it’s definitely not for everyone. I could see this work for people with very oily skin or people with combination skin during times when their skin produces more oil and sweat (like in hot & humid climates). For everyone else: I would skip this and spend your money elsewhere as there are better matte options out there for you.
Etude House Real Powder Cushion SPF50 PA+++ (14g) – 18,000 KRW / $ 21
Available at Etudehouse.com
Disclaimer: Product was purchased