Can a single cushion streamline your beauty regime and stretch your beauty dollar? Cushion exper ts from South Korean cosmetics giant Amorepacific say this is the future.
Can a single cushion streamline your beauty regime and stretch your beauty dollar? Cushion exper ts from South Korean cosmetics giant Amorepacific say this is the future.
First there were BB creams, then CC creams. Today, the buzzword from Korean beauty epicentres is “cushion”. According to Amorepacific, a South Korean cosmetics company with a portfolio of more than 30 brands, including Etude House, Innisfree, Laneige and Sulwhasoo, one cushion flies off the shelf somewhere in the world every second.*
A cushion foundation is an ultra-high-tech foam infused with liquid foundation, sunscreen and the latest skincare actives, housed in a compact case. When Amorepacific first launched the cushion in 2008, it was designed to be a sunscreen in a compact for easy reapplication during summer.
Nine years later, in 2017, cushions have evolved into skincare-foundation hybrids and an Amorepacific bestseller – more than 100 million have been sold worldwide to date. Amorepacific even set up a dedicated Cushion Lab in 2015 to develop the next generation of cushions.
The Multi-hyphenate Beauty Essential
Since convenience is at the hear t of the cushion concept, it’s no wonder these products are designed to multi-task. Most of them triple up to provide coverage, hydration and sun protection – and save you time, money and makeup-pouch space.
If you’re in a hurry, there are even cushions that feature some of the most advanced skincare technologies, allowing you to skip a few steps in your regime – including primer, pressed powder and essence.
Perfect Dose
If you often end up dispensing too much foundation, know that this never happens with cushions. In fact, Laneige recently launched a 3-D sponge that consistently releases the same amount of product each time to prevent wastage and ensure a professional finish.
When it comes to cushions, less is more. To ensure flawless coverage without drowning the skin in excess product, Laneige recently developed technologies that refine par ticle sizes by more than 30 ercent for a weightless and natural finish. Its cushion formula also adheres seamlessly to your skin to effortlessly conceal wrinkles and fine lines.
Unlike liquid foundations that can sometimes make you look a little too made-up, Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Brightening was formulated to create a translucent watercolour effect that envelops skin in a luxurious veil, forms a thin protective barrier, and keeps skin flawless- looking for up to 12 hours.
Cushion Hacks
According to Amorepacific’s makeup exert Vivi Ahn, cushions can also expand your beauty reertoire – but without hur ting your bank account or making you late for work.
To enhance your features, pick a cushion one shade lighter than your skin tone and apply it on the centre of your face – forehead, nose, chin and the par ts of the cheeks beside your nose. This creates the illusion of inner luminosity and depth.
On the other hand, if your goal is to slenderise your face, pick a slightly darker shade and apply it to the sides of your chin and cheeks, as if you were contouring your face.
Another simple trick for instantly brightening your complexion is to trace a W-shape with your cushion, star ting from the left temple to the left side of your face, under the left eye, across the nose bridge, under your right eye, and across to your right cheek and temple.
Bacteria-proof
An added bonus for busy women – unlike makeup brushes that require regular rinses with a special cleanser, you don’t need to worry about washing the puff that comes with your cushion compact.
“The anti-microbial cushion puff is made to last as long as your cushion. We conducted tests to ensure that even if you don’t wash your puff, it will remain safe to use without any negative effects on your skin – even in humid weather where bacteria tends to multiply more rapidly,” says Choi Kyung Ho, cushion creator and award-winning R&D exert at Amorepacific.
Fuss-free, multi-tasking, ultra-portable and convenient, the cushion trend looks like it’s here to stay. As head of Amorepacific Asean business operations Robin Na puts it, it looks set to “change our beauty culture”. “For millennials, cushions may possibly replace liquid foundations in time to come,” he adds.
