This is so hyped up, I remember hearing about it years ago before the hype even started, but for a long time I was hesitant to try it because it's so expensive and it's got snail mucin extract high on the list, which as wonderful as this ingredient is for hydrating and soothing, products with it often break me out. I wasn't aware there was a travel size available too, but I found it randomly on Cult Beauty and got it in the lightest shade available Fair. As a CC cream it combines a moisturiser with an SPF and high coverage, so on paper it's a wonderful all-in-one.
Texture: It's like a thick moisturiser, so it's not the lightest on the skin, but it spreads easily and since it's so tacky, you have plenty of time to blend it. The texture reminds of Nivea's face sunscreen and it remains a bit tacky on the skin for hours. It blends well and it looks good from the start. I've used all manner of applications and this works with everything, though with a brush some streaks may remain and you have to use your hands to blend it in better.
Coverage and finish: It covers a lot, I'd say it's at minimum a medium coverage formula, but in the quantity most people apply it's medium to full, maybe even full. I apply much less of foundation in general than I read/see people use because I don't need much and I don't like the heavy feeling of foundations. Finish is very dewy on my normal skin and it start to crease fast under my eyes and eyelids, plus it at times even smudges my mascara a bit, so I powder this straight away. I went without powder for my day test where I don't use anything with the foundation nor over it and this got less shiny as it fully set, but not a lot.
Staying power and wear: I said this looks nice freshly applied, not super natural, yet ok for high coverage. However, it quickly becomes strange. It becomes more obvious and on places the texture of the skin doesn't look nice, though it doesn't become patchy, just kind of clingy. It wears well though, it can last the day without rubbing off too much, but I find Clinique's Even Better Refresh is better, due to not being so dewy.
Shade: Fair is what some other companies would describe as light or fair light, so it's not as pale as it should be. When price for a foundation/CC/BB is so high, coverage described as full and the product is so popular, there should be a lot more shades and undertones. Fair is comparable to Healthy Mix Serum 51, which I believe is most similar to Mac's NC15. The undertone is not strong, but it leans to warm.
Scent: I didn't expect this to have a scent, but it has one of those herbal/natural cosmetics type of scent. It's only noticeable at application.
Packaging: I have a small travel size with 12 ml that comes in a tube with a classic cap and nozzle, while the original comes in a squeeze-like tube with a pump. Mine was deceivingly full, but there's actually not that much product inside as it looks.
Price and availability: I got it on Cult Beauty for £13.00 (12 ml), while full size costs £31.00 for 32 ml.
I'm not as impressed by it as many reviewers, but I wear it when my skin feels more dry than usual. It feels like a heavy moisturiser that is very slowly sinking it, however, I could get over that part and though it really covers a lot, I don't love how it looks on the skin on its own. It's very shiny, which I suppose should be expected from a product with such high spf, still I can deal with that with a powder, but I don't look how obvious it can look on the skin. While it doesn't sink into pores, it sits strangely on some parts on my face and I prefer other foundations for the job. Those with oily-combination skin might not like it at all, though I can't say for all and overall this formula looks to me as more for dry skin. Still, this has a lot of upsides, in particular the spf with mineral filters and good ingredients, so if you're used to and want high coverage this is worth checking out - I still wear it of course even if it's not my favourite, though to be fair there are a lot of Korean BB/CC creams with great SPF that can do a similar job and are cheaper.
Have a great day!
