Hey There!
If you have been wondering why this blog has turned quite silent in the past days/weeks…. I have to submit my Japanese master thesis in LESS THAN A WEEK and I am going CRAZY over this fact and I also finally quit my shitty part-time job and started a new one/went back to my old job. I will record a vlog/life update video soon in case anyone’s interested in that..? Lots of ranting inluded, haha.
On a more positive note, I am dying to write this review about the Luna Water Essence Founpact since I first received it!! If you’ve been a reader of this blog, then you probably remember my rave review about their Long Lasting Tip Concealer – I am happy to report that I am still using it every day, I still haven’t run out (what kind of sorcery is this) and hence, have been extremely curious about their foundations. I love exploring „unknown“ brands, even more so when the products are the bomb. Which this one definitely is.
After a reader of mine let me know that I can find the Luna concealer at ibuybeauti, a Korean beauty online store I never heard of anywhere before, I was browsing their site when I found the promising looking Water Essence Founpact (dat name that makes dry-skinned people’s heart beat faster.). Unfortunately, due to my shitty part-time job that refused to pay me for 2 months, I was completely broke. So I did something that I have never done before: I wrote an email to ibuybeauti and asked them if they would consider to send me this product for review purposes (did I mention I was DYING to try this?!) And what an I say; the lovely people working over there were so generous to give me some store credit to not only get the founpact, but to also do a little haul and test out their website! So I will also include my shopping experience at the end of this post.
Ingredients:
Yeast Ferment Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Silica, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl PEG, Pueraria Mirifica Root Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Mineral Water, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Extact, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract (Ice Plant Mineral Water), Aronia Arbutifolia Extract, Betula Alba Juice, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract, Hydrolized Hyaluronic Acid, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris, Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate, Rahnella (Soy Protein Ferment), Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-8, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Sodium Polyglutamate Crosspolymer, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCI, Hexadecene Copolymer, Sodium Glutamate, Aluminium Hydroxide (CI 77002), C30-45 Olefin, p-Anisic Acid, C30-45 Alkyl Methicone, Adenosine, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499, Chromium Oxide Greens, Fragrance
Okay, this took just half of my lifetime to type out. As someone whose pores get clogged easily, a full ingredients list is always important to have at hand to check for major culprit (mine is, contrary to popular belief, mineral oil and olive oil in leave-on products.) I was so surprised to see the extract of ferments listed as the very first ingredient! And not only that, but the sheer mass of extracts in that was something I did not expect in a base make-up product – it certainly explains why this feels so much better than most other foundations I’ve tried. The Cosdna link reveals few low-grade triggers in regard to acne (which is suprising with such a long ingredients list), with stearic acid being the main „bad guy“ scoring a 2 out of 5.
PACKAGING
This foundations retails for around 30$ and it comes with a case and a free refill which makes it not too expensive in my books. (I got my IOPE cushion for about the same price (case + free refill) when I was living in Korea.) One incentive to try this foundation (beside the fact that they produce the best concealer I’ve tried so far) was the appealing packaging. I first thought this was a cushion foundation until I saw a video online about how to use it; it is actually a pressed gel-like foundation. Not gel-like in the sense of being soft though, but in the sense that it feels super moisturizing and refreshing (and not dry and chalky like other pressed foundations I tried.)
SWATCHES
Although this foundation imitates the look of a BB cushion perfectly, there is no sponge inside to be dabbed into. So the best way to apply this base is to „swirl“ the sponge it comes with in circular motions to mix the different layers and then dab it on to your skin. I found it a bit weird at first but I certainly appreciate the convenience to carry this foundation everywhere I go.
Another reason for my excitement for this foundation can be seen here: It is a perfect match. Like, being almost completely invisible on my skin perfect matchy. I honestly can wear almost all lightest foundation/bb shades somehow, but I don’t even have to make an effort to blend this in as this basically looks like my skin tone. If you are NC10-15 like me, you will love this. (A reader of mine got this foundation based off my Instagram swatches and she said it was a perfect match for her too.) A sad side note: My beloved IOPE Air Cushion XP doesn’t only clog my pores, it is now (after a year if constant sunscreen use) significantly too dark for my skin. Boo. Gotta sell my refills then, I guess.
PERFORMANCE
If you’re not convinced already, I do have another rabbit in my hat. Did I mention this foundation gives me the most flawless, pore-blurred complexion…?
Although my skin has cleared up significantly since I started this blog, I do have lots of PIH/hyperpigmentation that I want to cover up for such trivial things as work. Or having a social life. (Who has time to being social anyways..?) The coverage is not perfect, but very good and natural. If I feel the need for more coverage, I’ll just dab over some concealer to my troubled spots. I just love how smooth and subtle looking this makes my skin! It’s not really like using foundation – none of my foundations/cushions prior to this glided on as smoothly while feeling refreshing and even moisturizing! (I swear I’m not exaggerating on this one, I just really love it. Have been using it for a month straight prior to this review.)
Speaking of smooth: Of course there is a downside too. Due to the dewiness and smoothness of this foundation it does transfer like no tomorrow. Like, you cannot touch your face. EVER. If you touch it, one will be able to see it. I had this problem with all dewy foundations so far. I don’t think there ever existed a dewy, high-coverage foundation that stays put all day (if there is, let me know asap!) However, it doesn’t bother me too much personally since I started to apply my base make-up last when I use this product (and it really is the only way to preserve the flawless complexion it creates on your skin). I constantly destroy my base make-up by failing my winged eyeliner (happens more often than I’d like to admit..) or rubbing mascara on my undereye area by coincidence, so applying the base after I’m done with my eye make-up is the best way to go for me anyways. It also works well with powder or a setting spray (currently testing an Innisfree one!)
Overall, I think it is apparent that I just really love this foundation. Out of all the cushions etc that I tried lately, this is by far my favorite. It has rapidly become a staple in my make-up routine and I actually look forward to apply my make-up even on the more lazier days! 🙂 In short:
+ dewy finish
+ high coverage yet natural
+ blurs pores easily without a primer
+ has SPF35 PA++
+ coolest design ever
+ refreshing & moisturizing feel
– very prone to transfer
– not exactly a long lasting foundation
I don’t recommend this particular product for oily-skinned people or for anyone living in a very humid area due to the transfering. If you have any experiences with this product, please share! As for my own shopping experience, ibuybeauy processed my order fast and I received everything within two weeks. I did opt for a tracking number (just to be sure) and the store marked down my whole order to avoid any custom fees which I always appreciate! All in all, happy customer, 10/10 would shop again (especially since they seem to be the only store to sell my beloved Luna products so far…?)
The Luna Water Essence Founpact is available at ibuybeauty and retails for 29.32$ (case&foundation + free refill!) There is also a newer version that even contains snail mucin of this, the Luna Water Essence Founpact EX which retails for 35.40$ – I didn’t try this one as it has less coverage than the one I reviewed here. Did you try any rave-worthy products lately? Let me know in the comments! 🙂
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Shopping by those links means that colorcrrush receives a small commission, which helps to support this blog – see my full disclosure and review policy here.
Have a great day!
Lots of love,
Sam
