This Innisfree Ampoule Moisture Cushion was, in a way, one of the fastest purchases of my life. However, it also took the longest because I ended up in store for another hour or so shopping and buying everything else (and I bought a lot there… which I completely blame on Sophia and her bad influence). For this reason, I’m actually somewhat surprised that it took me to long to write this review. It has been sitting in my drafts since last year October and, while I had already made up my mind and gathered my thoughts about this product, it seemed that I was a bit lazy about getting it all down in post form. Well, what else is new? Haha.
Anyway! So this is a BB cushion that Sophia recommended to me while I was in Korea. This is the product that I used alongside my IOPE for the entire time was I was in Korea – it was cold, windy and my skin was drying out like a desert. I was in serious need for something really hydrating and, being a big fan of the dewy finish, I naturally gravitated to this cushion. All it took was one swatch on my hand and I told the store assistant to gather it up for me.
Ready for the review? Let’s go!
So this cushion is a bit unique in that it doesn’t really come with a set case – you can choose your own! There’s a wide variety that Innisfree had available with colours ranging from baby pastels to deep navy tones – there are even limited edition ones that are released for special occasions (their Christmas cases were super cute). I chose to go with a simple blue striped case, though I’m now feeling like I might have preferred an even simpler style and maybe in a softer colour. I chose this one because it reminded me a bit of the Etude House Sun cushion and of RGB blue, which I am a little bit obsessed with.
Regardless of the colour though, the case is pretty good! It has a matte finish which minimizes on fingerprints and fits in well with Innisfree’s environmentally friendly, no animal testing sort of brand image. It has a fairly slim design compared to many older designs and fits easily in your purse. It’s light enough to carry around to touch up during the day (and trust me, you will need it) and clicks securely shut. Overall, I’m very happy with the packaging and I love the idea of being able to pick your own cushion, though I do wish their designs were a little more elegant overall. It took me a while to pick mostly because there wasn’t any case special enough for me to cling to it obsessively.
The mirror is good too and maximises the case size, though this is a pretty common style now so I don’t find it too interesting. I also only got the standard puff, which is good but nothing special. However, I heard that Innisfree has a new puff now (that was released right after I bought this, darn it!) that can give you a better finish too – I think I saw it on SSINNIM’s Youtube as well but I’m not entirely sure. I’ll be looking out for it the next time I buy it, but I’m a bit disappointed I missed out.
So for this cushion, I got it in a number 21 again, which is a little bit lighter than my natural skin tone. This cushion comes in three shades: 13, 21 and 23, so it is unfortunately a bit limited in deeper colours. However, I find that the tone is quite natural. This product has a brightening effect that is immediately apparent. The coverage is medium and buildable, but definitely on the natural side; if you have trouble skin then you will definitely need a concealer to go with it. Aside from UV protection (which almost all cushions have) this product also contains Jeju mineral powder and Jeju green tea.
According to the website, the Ampoule Intense Complex protects your skin barrier and keeps your skin hydrated for up to 24 hours. It has highly reflective oil ingredients that give your skin a natural glow and the formulation absorbs quickly into your skin to form a platform layer. The ingredient list is quite lengthy but you can find it on their website.
See below for the swatch on my hand, first impressions and my final thoughts on this product.
This is definitely the most dewy cushion I have ever set my eyes on. As soon as it was applied on my hand, my skin was bright and incredibly radiant – I think that this has been enhanced in their new formula. The Ampoule Intense cushion is marketed as a winter cushion, and I agree that it wouldn’t be very suitable for hotter weather. It is very hydrating and feels great on the skin but, due to it’s shininess, can enhance oily skin. When I bought this though, my skin was very much drying up so this worked really well for my complexion.
The product has a slight scent to it but I think that this is common in almost all of Innisfree products; it actually smells a bit like my friend’s apartment to me. Some commenters have said it is a tea tree scent, others say sunscreen and I say it smells like my friend so… go figure. Overall, it isn’t an unpleasant smell though and it doesn’t linger. I don’t think that it would be bothersome to anyone unless you are extremely sensitive to scents.
The coverage is really easy to build up but, that being said, I don’t have any major blemishes. I loved the natural finish and, by setting it with some powder, I was also able to easily mattify the base. On immediate application, the cushion looks flawless but it definitely transfers. As with all super dewy foundations, I feel that it is difficult to set this base completely and I have to avoid touching my face while I have it on or I will have finger prints along my cheek.
The longevity of this cushion is average, but you can’t expect too much out of these type of formulas. It tends to cake around midday but is easily fixed with a bit of reapplication. If your skin gets oily as the day goes by, the cushion will make you look shinier than usual and the base make up will fade. For me, it fades around my T-zone quickest and I usually have to blot and reapply after lunch.
Here’s the final verdict!
THE GOOD
- You can choose your own cushion case
- Fingerprint free matte finish and a large variety of designs to choose from
- Slim and light design
- Super dewy
- Hydrates skin for a long time
- Medium, buildable coverage
- Natural finish
- Light, pleasant scent
- Easy to mattify with powder
THE BAD
- Not suitable for oily skin or hot weather
- Transfers and does not set completely
- Designs are, overall, average
- Does not completely over blemishes (concealer recommended)
- Limited shades
- Average longevity
WOULD I REPURCHASE?
Although there were many points that I was unsure about, I definitely believe that this will be my go-to cushion in the Winter seasons (when my skin is at its driest). There are points that I hope Innisfree will improve upon for future versions of their Ampoule Moisture cushion but, so far, I was pretty happy with it. I won’t rush out to repurchase but, when I need a hydrating cushion, I know what I’ll turn to.
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
I got mine from the Innisfree store in Edae, Seoul so below are links to different sites that all carry this so you can definitely check them out! All are sponsors for Oh My Stellar and are trusted websites that I always recommend and purchase from myself.
