The compact revolution

Cushion foundations have helped us save time by making it easier to touch up on the go, but have you been using your cushion correctly?

There was a time when a compact was just a compact. Click, lift the lid, and you’d see the firmly-packed powder foundation, which you'd swipe and apply with a flat sponge. But in 2008, the first cushion compact, the IOPE Air Cushion, created by South Korean conglomerate Amorepacific Group (which owns beauty brands Laneige, Etude House, Innisfree, Sulwhasoo and Mamonde), was launched.

This beauty innovation has made a huge impression – in 2016, 100 million cushion compacts, across the Amorepacific brands, were sold in Asean countries alone. Even Western beauty brands took notice of the trend, and have now come up with their own iterations. A staple in most women’s beauty regimes, cushion compacts have cushions that are presoaked with liquid foundation.

Allowing for easy and mess-free touch ups on the go, it's easy to see why they’ve become so well-loved. Besides providing lightweight coverage, cushion compacts are now formulated with antiageing, whitening and UV protection properties to help women achieve that healthy, natural radiant glow.

Brands like Innisfree also offer case customisation, so you can pick a compact to suit your skin’s needs, and also choose a cover to match your style or personality. You probably already own at least one cushion compact. But did you know there are ways to create different looks and finishes with it? The Weekly asked Vivi Ahn, Amorepacific’s makeup expert and trend leader, to show us how.

DABBING OR TAPPING

Insert your index, middle and ring finger under the ribbon of the puff applicator. Gently soak the middle part of the cushion with foundation and dab the formula onto your skin, blending as you go along. This technique helps you achieve a softer, more dewy look. For a slightly matte finish, dab more foundation on the oilier parts of your face.

SWEEPING

Insert all three fingers under the ribbon of the puff applicator, and gently sweep and swipe the formula around your face. Always start from the inner parts of your face and work your way out. This technique results in a dewy finish, with lightweight coverage. For an extra dewy look, spray facial mist onto your puff applicator or use a hydrating serum before applying foundation.

FOLDING

Folding helps provide even coverage in hard-to-reach places, like around the nostril and along the nose bridge. Fold the puff applicator in half, and apply the formulation onto these parts. Dab and blend further for a matte finish.

Compact Leaps

From its first compact cushion launched in 2008, Amorepacific has continually spent on research and development to help develop products that give women a radiant complexion, effortlessly.

The 1st Generation Cushion: IOPE Air Cushion Sunblock Amorepacific developed the polyurethane foam for cushion cosmetics, and released their first product featuring liquid immersion technology – the IOPE Air Cushion Sunblock. It’s now called the Air Cushion XP.

2nd Generation Cushion: Cushions With Cell-Trap Technology Looking to improve user experience, the company integrated cell-trap technology into their cushions. This innovation keeps liquid foundation from spilling out (very clever!).

3rd Generation Cushion: Cushions To Meet Your Needs To meet demands of consumers, Amorepacific expanded their cushion range to include foundations that did more than just conceal. The improved cushions were formulated with anti-ageing, whitening and UV protection properties.

4th Generation Cushions: Ultra Fine Dispersion Ultra-fine dispersion helps minimise foundation particle size, giving users a more natural finish.

3D Sponge Found in fourth generation cushions, the 3D sponge helps to reduce wastage by dispensing the optimum amount of foundation per use.

Cushy Future

In 2017, expect to see more developments in cushion blushers, cushion eye makeup (brow kits and eyeliners) and even cushion foundations for men.

Photo: Alexanderow.