Foundation Friday: Lancôme’s Absolue Cushion

Foundation is like the white shirt of your beauty bag - an everyday essential that always works when and where you need it. But we all have a few white shirts depending on the hour and the season, and this also applies to your base. Consider the idea of building a closet full of foundation choices, as there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to makeup.

Every foundation wardrobe needs a cushion, and there are plenty to choose from out there. Like many great things beauty, the basic idea for the unique cushion delivery system for foundation comes from Korea. Back when I was a wee one and they didn’t have self-adhesive stamps, post offices kept a little round sponge sitting in water in a little round dish so you could moisten your stamp without having to lick it. Sometime back in 2007, Korean beauty brand AmorePacific was reportedly inspired by the idea of putting a "stamp of approval" on a new must-have concept, and developed the first cushion compact. They released the IOPE Air Cushion in 2008 and since then, the use of cushion compacts has become so popular that apparently 75 per cent of Korean women have used/are using a cushion compact. Pretty amazing, huh? 

Lancôme was the first Western beauty brand to create its own version of the cushion back in 2015, when it launched the Teint Miracle-inspired Miracle Cushion. With a waiting list a mile long, it instantly sold out in many markets, verifying its status as a modern beauty legend.  A year later they released Teint Idole Ultra Cushion, another huge hit that was once again inspired by one of their legendary foundations.

Two years after the international launch of its first cushion, Lancôme, driven by its pioneering spirit, took things a step further with the release of the Absolue Cushion, which is on counter now. A true “luxury cushion”, its secret resides in the interwoven fibres of the sponge cushion that allow it to encapsulate richer, creamier formulas for an extra luxe feel. This makes the Absolue Cushion perfect for women seeking high coverage and a soft, lightweight texture. The mesh covering the cushion allows only the right quantity to be distributed while helping keep the product fresh for a natural, uniform make-up result. 

Super luxurious to have and to hold, the Absolue Cushion comes nestled in an elegant case trimmed with black and sheathed in a suedette pouch. Inside the case are two sophisticated tools in the form of a rose petal applicator perfectly adapted to the curves of the face and the Absolue Cushion kabuki, an indulgently soft make-up tool the makes it possible to perfectly smooth make-up over the flat zones of the face. Its fibres capture the formula for a natural result and offer the soft sensation of a gentle massage at each application. Amazing.

Lancôme’s Absolue Cushion is available right now, and with an RRP of $150.00 certainly doesn’t come cheap. If you have the spare beauty dollars though, I say take the plunge – you won’t be disappointed.