Phyto-Blanc Cushion Foundation

I have mature skin which tends to be dry, so finding that perfect base has been a nightmare. Thousands of dollars and drawers full of foundations, and I still hadn’t found a base I enjoyed wearing and looked forward to applying. After seeing a blogger review this Sisley cushion, I gave it a try. I had zero expectations because I’ve not had luck with cushions in the past, but to my surprise, this was my diamond in the rough! At first application, I wasn’t sure how I felt because it appeared a bit cakey in the areas where I tried to build coverage. However, after about 5 minutes, the foundation melded with my skin and left the most beautiful finish...I was seriously awestruck. It’s dewy but not greasy at all, and it is wonderfully moisturizing without being heavy. I don’t know how Sisley did it, but Phyto-Blanc is the only foundation I’ve ever used that nourishes my skin, has a luminous finish, AND lasts all day (even through my hot flashes!). I like applying with my fingers best, as the included sponge and my beauty blender seem to soak up/waste too much product. Coverage is light but is buildable to almost medium. It covers my redness well and performs impeccably under my eyes, which is typically a major problem area for me (deep set eyes with lots of fine lines and very dark circles). It has a fantastic brightening effect that I find hard to explain...my skin just looks and feels healthy, hydrated, moisturized, and smooth. I don’t have to obsessively check my mirror to look for creasing in my forehead furrows or under eyes, this foundation is truly a makeup wish granted for me. There is, however, one major flaw: The shade range. I’m roughly MAC NW20, Tom Ford Fawn, Cle de Peau B20, Chanel BR22, Hourglass Shell, and I wear the DARKEST shade in this Sisley cushion, 03-Light Rose. The other two shades available are very aptly named, White Opal/White Pearl. They are, in fact, pale alabaster with Opal having pink undertones and Pearl having more yellow undertones. That’s it...three shades. It’s disheartening to say the least, and while I feel lucky to fall into the shade range, I feel incredibly torn about shouting my excitement from the rooftops. I hope Sisley will consider making more shades in the very near future. One more thing to note: There is no refill included. It certainly is spendy at $130 for less than a half-ounce, so I definitely recommend getting to a counter to test it if possible. For me, it’s absolutely worth the splurge...I just wish the shade range was better!

I’ve been using Sulwhasoo cushions (no.25) but I saw this at Nordstrom and decided to give it a try. The price is very high for a cushion, so I expected a lot from it. I got it in shade no.3 and it’s just a little bit brighter than what I prefer. I would consider it as semi-matte finish. It feels light on the skin, with medium-full coverage (depending on how much you use). I have problem with the texture, though. It seems to magnify every pore and texture on my skin. I’ve tried to use different primers but nothing seems to fix it. I don’t have this problem with other cushions that I use (Sulwhasoo, AmorePacific, Iope...). For the price, I expect it to be better. I’ll exchange it for another cushion.