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I think that Son & Park might be my new obsession? At least, what I’ve tried from them has been really good and so I’m crazy keen to try everything else. Those who know me know that I have a thing for brands – when I love something (like CLIO, Laneige or my new found love for 3CE) then I will be pretty loyal to the brand. In a way, this makes me an ideal consumer because you can make a lot of money off of me. However, since I trust in a brand so much, it’s also really important to keep impressing me because my judgement tends to stay ingrained in me for a long time.
This product was only the second that I tried to Son & Park (the first being the Lip Cube) but I’m already pushed it onto my list of HG base/foundation make up products because it ticked off so many boxes for me. Of course, considering that this brand was created by two top celebrity make up artists – and it’s always great when the people in charge actually know make up and aren’t just business people – I had high expectations for them.
This is the Son & Park Glow Ring Foundation – which is the dewy version of their foundation sticks (the other is a fit version, which I haven’t tried before). It was a welcome change from all of the cushion foundations that I’ve been testing lately and it’s not a secret that I actually love balm type base products, though I’ve been a bit hesitant with foundation sticks. I was worried that this would be heavy or difficult to use but, instead, I’ve been totally obsessed with it and I reach for it every time I want a simple, natural look.
This product was sent to me for review by BB Cosmetic and you can get this one their website. Remember to also use my code for 8% off your purchase: QAL3F6ZA8YZ (I don’t make any money from you using this, but you do get a discount so why not?)
So I got this foundation stick in the shade 21, which is their light colour. They also come in a shade 23 (called natural), which is pretty standard in Korean foundation formulas. It would be good if they could bring out more shades and undertones, but this is so common that I can’t even criticise it for this. If Son & Park wants to expand more into the international market though, they will definitely need to do more in this area.
The packaging reminds me a lot of their Lip Cube in that it also features their logo as a main design. The style is really elegant and classy – nothing too ornate, with a good use of black and a single solid colour. Design wise, their brand is definitely winning it for me. The tube is made of plastic and has a slight shimmer to it – it doesn’t bother me much, and overall, the material is pretty ordinary. Decent quality, looks nice, though I personally think that a more solid colour (no shimmer) would have looked more elegant.
The tube is quite long in comparison to the Etude House Play 101 and other stick foundations that I have, so I definitely like that. This product has 12g of foundation (compared to Etude, which has 7.5g). The higher price reflects the size difference but, considering the contrast in brand image, value and quality – I think that this is pretty fair.
I just realised that I’m missing a photo of the brush! Goodness, I got too excited about doing this review that I lost it. Anyway, I’ve popped in an extra photo of the full product (where you can see the brush) below – it’s an official image and the real product looks identical to it.
So this is a dual ended foundation stick! On one end, you have a very dense and soft blending brush which allows for quick touch ups when you’re out, as well as fast application. I actually prefer to use my own foundation brush when I’m home, since the included brush is a little too small to do my entire face, but it’s definitely useful for on-the-go. However, this isn’t a very unique concept, and I found that most of my stick foundations and blushes have this brush. The quality of it is really good though, and I find that it blends well.
As for the foundation, this stick has a very soft and dewy foundation formula. It also has a section of essence in the core to give you extra hydration and nourishment while you’re wearing make up – which is probably why you get such a beautifully dewy finish. It also claims to have a Sebum Capture System, which minimizes oil through the day without need for touch up but, to be honest, my skin greased up in the T-zone the same as it usually did. However, through out the day, I only needed to touch up my oily areas; on the rest of my face, the foundation was surprisingly intact.
And above is how it applies and blends into my skin – it’s so natural and seamless! I love this foundation stick for it’s light formula and natural, dewy glow. It doesn’t look greasy, but it gives you that kdrama shine that so many of us lust for. Not surprisingly, Son & Park popularized the dewy trend (or so I’ve been told) so it’s expected that they’re the masters of this.
The finish has a light coverage, so you will need a concealer on top if you have spots to cover up. I generally like to use this when I want a easy, I-woke-up-like-this look. The foundation applies a little bit sticky because of the hydration, but it’s fairly easy to set with some powder. Personally, I like to just wear it by itself so I can make full use of the dewy finish and because I find that it lasts pretty well. Also, the foundation is really soft and easy to blend. This also means that it’s easy to use cream blusher or contour on top of this – it all blends together like a dream and so effortlessly too.
Over the day, I find that the lasting power of this is average – my own oils start to wear away at it by the afternoon. However, it fades really naturally and without any caking; which is what I really look for in a foundation. It’s easy to reapply and touch up, since the formula doesn’t bunch of weirdly when you add more on top. Overall, this formula is really almost perfect for me and I love it so much.
Here’s the verdict!
WHAT IS IT?
A hydrating, dewy finish foundation stick
THE GOOD
- Classy packaging design
- Includes a brush on on-the-go touch ups
- Very hydrating
- Natural, dewy finish
- Feels light on the skin
- Good size and good price for the quality
- Very soft and blendable formula
- Wears well during the day and is easy to reapply
THE BAD
- Limited colour choices
- Decent, but average packaging quality
- Light coverage – needs concealer
- Little to no oil control
- A bit sticky
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
This has made it to my HG list so easily and I do recommend that people try it. However, since there are definitely some negatives to this product, I think that people with oily skin, problem skin (who wants higher coverage) or who doesn’t like dewy foundations – maybe give this one a skip. However, if you have dry to combination skin and only need light coverage, then this is definitely worth it. I’ll be wearing this foundation right through to winter because I have a feeling it’s going to be a dream once I start drying up.
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
You can get this from BB Cosmetic for USD$19.65 with free shipping, 10% credit back for SNS reviewers and a 8% discount using my code! They are a regular sponsor for Oh My Stellar is a trusted website that I always recommend and purchase from myself.
You can use my code for 8% off your purchase: QAL3F6ZA8YZ.
