Maybelline Dream Cushion foundation

The foundation I used in the month of May was this Dream Cushion foundation by Maybelline that I have had for nearly 2 years and wore but never reviewed. I decided to make a point of trying to use it up this month as it was on the older side and I am not sure how hygienic this products gets over time as the packaging doesn’t keep the products airtight per se. That is why today I am finally reviewing the Maybelline Dream Cushion foundation for you.

Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation | 10 Porcelain

Wait what?! I hear you think: wasn’t this discontinued? Well I thought so too and then it would be quite pointless to be reviewing this. But this is still listed on the Maybelline official website, so I am guessing it may be hard to find in a brick and mortar store, but online, you can still find this quite easily. This foundation comes with 14.6 grams of product (yeah right!) and retails for $15.99.

The Packaging

Let’s get started with the packaging. This is a cushion foundation. That means that this comes in a plastic compact, with a mirror in the lid, a sponge for application and a little compartment that holds a sponge like cushion that is filled with product. The compartment has a lid that clicks shut. So while this is safe and secure, since you are dipping your fingers, brush or makeup sponge into the product continuously it is not the most hygienic foundation on the market. The compact is a bit bulky but since you technically don’t need a brush to use this, it is great for travel.

The Cushion

Cushion foundation suddenly became the IT thing to try after the hype came over from Asia where cushion foundations are the norm. They are mostly a light coverage foundation that give a dewy finish. The actual foundation is in a sponge, which is why I don’t believe you actually get 14.6 grams of product in this. I believe it if that weight includes the sponge, but not the actual product itself. This doesn’t come with a whole lot of product and that is why it is easy to use this up as well.

The Foundation

Apologies for this close up picture. I hope not too many of you reading this have that aversion to little holes and makes you cringe, but I thought I’d show a closeup of how saturated the cushion is. The foundation looks to be quite dark in the pan, but I would say that is mainly due to the sponge. At first this sponge is very nice and saturated, but it quickly starts to become apparent, product is becoming low. This sponge is only a few milimeters thick, so you don’t get a whole lot of product. A trick to get more use out of these is to turn over the sponge and use the product on the other side as quite a bit of product seeps to the bottom of the sponge.

The Swatch

This is very similar to the L’Oreal Nude Magique Cushion foundation that I reviewed years ago, but the Maybelline definitely has more coverage than that. It also comes in a slightly darker shade: the L’Oreal is definitely a better shade match for me. Since this is such a lightweight foundation, you don’t get a whole lot of coverage of course, but I love this in the summer time. I don’t like heavy bases in the summer time and this still give a bit of glowy goodness, while evening out your skin tone and not feeling cakey or heavy in the warmer weather.

The Coverage

So does the Maybelline Dream Cushion actually do what a foundation should do? Yes it does! What I want from a foundation is that it evens out my skin tone and makes it look healthy and natural. I am not looking for a super flawless airbrushed effect. I like when my makeup still shows some imperfections. In these before and after pictures you can clearly see the effect this foundation has: it looks dewy, natural and it makes my cheeks look less red and gives just the right amount of coverage for my needs.

The Shade Match

While the shade of this foundation looks great head on, in my neck it looks to be just a little bit too dark. Again, great thing I love wearing this foundation when it is warmer, because that’s when I am also a little bit more tan. And this is not the kind of too dark foundation that a bit of bronzer and application of other makeup products won’t fix. In short, this foundation is a great one.

The Conclusion

I really like the Maybelline Dream Cushion foundation, but I won’t be repurchasing this. It is a bit too expensive for how much product you get and the application can be a bit of a faff. That said, I do really like the product and the finish this give. If I can’t find another great lightweight summer time base this definitely has potential, but for now I still have plenty of other foundations that could suit that need to try out. So I will be going back to those first. Would I recommend? Yes, but only if this suits your budget and makeup needs.

Have you used a cushion foundation before?