All about: Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau foundation

They seemed to come out of nowhere and then there was an onslaught… I’m talking about the cushion. Cushion foundations, cushion blushes, and even eye shadows are ultra-popular in South Korea and have been for a few years now, and finally the Western world is catching up on the trend and with damn good reason. When used correctly they give you a near-flawless finish, and they are an absolute godsend for both travel and touch ups on the go. What’s not to love?

Cushion foundation compacts basically contain a sponge soaked in foundation, and they are designed to create a smooth, uniform canvas that minimises shine factor and gives you that dewy finish we all want, with moisturising and protective benefits often thrown in to boot. Although I sometimes use brushes or a beauty blender to apply the foundation formulas from some brands, the compacts generally come with antibacterial sponges that are perfect for application and touch ups.

Any day now Yves Saint Laurent will be launching their owncushion foundation, Le Cushion Encre de Peau (AKA Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation) into the New Zealand market, and I have been lucky enough to have one to play with over the last few weeks’. This seems like the year when all the major brands are coming up with their own version of cushion foundation, and not all are created equal. First it was Lancome, then L'Oreal, then MAC Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder… the list is endless. Now Yves Saint Laurent is joining the game with a formula that translates their famous Fusion Ink Foundation into a highly portable cushion compact, and it’s a winner.

From the get-go the packaging is to die for, with the glossy lacquered black and gold so synonymous with YSL's glamorous aesthetic taking centre stage. Then there’s the foundation inside, which as aforementioned is a formula based on Fusion Ink Foundation, which was introduced back in 2014 as the most scientifically advanced make-up in the world. The special lipophilic active material - originally developed by NASA for trapping fine particles in outer space! - absorbs four times its weight in sebum to keep skin matte but with a super comfortable 24-hour wear. Amazing.

The sponge applicator is ideal for blending and giving you a perfect, natural finish. The applicator is soft, easy to work with and picks up enough product for one application, which is a rarity amongst cushion foundations of late. The formula reportedly contains the same acrylate copolymers that you find in many setting sprays and some long wear foundations, and it never looks powdery. To say I love it would be a vast understatement – call me obsessed!

I nailed the application technique after a few attempts, but recommend that you ask one of the YSL counter staff to give you a quick 101 for a great finish first time. At $100.00 this beauty is definitely at the “splurge” end of the spectrum but by golly it’s worth it!

On counter May 23, the Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau comes super highly recommended.