Makeup is one of the biggest industries in the world, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. In fact, according to Statista, over one-third of women in the US wear makeup every single day; another third saying they like applying it multiple times a week. After all, spending a few minutes in front of the mirror each day can help us feel more confident in our workplace – not by completely erasing our imperfections, but by enhancing our natural beauty.
The foundation
Foundation is the unsung hero of most daily makeup routines. It evens out the skin tone and makes us look more awake. It covers nasty breakouts or dark circles. Depending on the finish you go for, it can make you look dewy or serve as a long-lasting base for the rest of your face. When we think about cosmetics, we have this exciting image of interminable rows of colorful lipsticks and endless shelves displaying bright and sparkly eyeshadow palettes pop into our heads. Browsing for a new foundation is not nearly as fun as buying a new lip gloss. More often than not, you spend almost an hour in the store trying to find the perfect match for your skin, only to buy something that’s close, but no cigar! And don’t even get me started on all of the additional purchases you need to make to even apply a liquid foundation: flat brushes, dense brushes, sponges, the list goes on…
Enter Korea
It seems like Korea was hell-bent on putting an end to this hassle and so, the cushion foundation was born. It completely revolutionized the way in which the foundation was worn by tweaking the formula and rethinking the packaging. Instead of bottles, it was sold to customers in cute compacts like those used by old Hollywood stars – think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Just like vintage powder compacts, it came with a mirror for ease of application on the go. The product was contained within a saturated sponge. It even came with its own special applicator! In spite of all of this, when it first hit the market around ten years ago, it left consumers scratching their heads. Because of its resemblance to a powder compact, the novel packaging made it confusing to understand what you were buying.
However, it didn’t take long for the Korean cushion foundation to turn skeptics into believers. Nowadays, it appeals mostly to those who don’t have the time (or energy!) to spread a thick layer of foundation every morning and struggle to blend it in. People don’t want to clean their brushes and sponges every week. Due to the nature of the container, the soaked sponge inside works like a stamp, allowing the product to be evenly distributed onto the face so it never looks cakey or dry. The other major advantage of the cushion compact is that it makes reapplying the product effortless. All you have to do is dip the applicator in and buff in the areas that lose coverage or get oily throughout the day. Some companies take it one step further and infuse their cushions with beneficial skincare ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, nourishing oils, or vitamin C for that added hydration and glow.