Today we are continuing our quest to find a good BB Cushion match for NC37; which sometimes feels like an exercise in futility.  So check it out:  Etude House Real Powder Cushion in Shade No. W24 Honey Beige.  Will it match?  Does it really help with oil control?  We shall see...

Etude House Real Powder Cushion
Shade No. W24 Honey Beige

Etude House Real Powder Cushion Shade No. W24 Honey Beige

INFO SHEET

Brand:  Etude House
Product:  Real Powder Cushion
Shade:  No. W24 Honey Beige
Coverage:  Light to Medium
Dewiness:  Matte
Scent:  Subtle, Flowery
Oxidation:  No
Price:  $21.60 + Shipping
Availability:  Etude House, Amazon

The packaging is cute and slimmer than the usual cushion cases.  The pot that contains the sponge is shallower too, so you don't need to press too hard into it to get product on the puff.  The case doesn't seem to firmly snap closed like my other cushion cases, and it has popped open in my purse on more than one occasion.

A note before we continue:  Before and After photos are taken in the same lighting, pose, and room position.

SWATCH

Etude House Real Powder Cushion Shade No. W24 Honey Beige Swatch on NC37

BEFORE AND AFTER

Etude House Real Powder Cushion Shade No. W24 Honey Beige on NC37

If you look closely, you can see my natural skintone compared to the application of Etude House Real Powder Cushion in W24 Honey Beige.  Notice that the color is a bit lighter and more neutral in comparison to my warmer skintone.  I also have a blemish on my cheek from when I had tested another product (literally one drop of Honest Beauty Everything Tinted Moisturizer) and it settled into the dry / uneven skin surrounding it almost immediately.  Not good for people with acne and bumpy textured skin.

I wore this cushion throughout the day and saw that after a few hours the Real Powder Cushion did not stand up to the test of time.  I think reapplication might be required with this cushion - which is something I do not like to do because I don't want to get the sweat and oils accumulated throughout the day in the cushion by reapplying.

As the day went on, my skin looked more and more uneven.  The makeup seemed to slide around my face; most likely because I was getting oily.  But wait!  Isn't this cushion supposed to be marketed to people with oily skin?  Well now we know that it does not do much in the oil control department.  Also, the makeup began to pill and settle oddly around the oily areas on my face.  I have never experienced pilling with my other cushions before.  You can wipe these little puddles of makeup off with your finger!  Maybe a nice setting powder will help prevent this, but doesn't the cushion already have powder in it?  It's in the name!

We all know that I have combination / oily skin (sidebar).  This means that I get the best of both worlds:  Dry and oily at the same time (yay, me!).  How did this cushion fare on the dry areas around my mouth and jaw line?  Well... it started to look pretty patchy around my mouth and jawline.  Pilling in the oily areas and patchy in the dry areas.  No sir, I don't like it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I wont be rebuying this cushion.  Which is a shame because so many people love it and had great things to say about it.  This just goes to show that we are all different and that your mileage may vary!  I do wish this cushion came in darker shades, but it still settles into dry and oily areas unevenly.  It just looked worse on me as the day progressed.

If I had a group of cushions to choose from, this will probably be one of the last ones I would reach for - even if the color matched.  This is more of a "going to run errands" cushion for me until I buy something better lol.  Shade W24 Honey Beige was just passable on my NC37 skin, and that's because I wear one thin layer of it and don't try to build coverage.  So if you are darker than NC35, have acne, uneven skin texture, and / or have oily skin then I would suggest skipping this one.

Rating

SWATCH COMPARISON LIST

Master Swatch List

There can be only one.

I have been using MAKE UP FOREVER's Aqua Brow for several years now and heard that Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade would be better for oily skin.  After taking a trip to Sephora to pick up a sample, I decided to let the two fight to the death.

I am Duncan MacLeod.

SWATCH

Here is the swatch of MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua Brow in Color 30 Dark Brown (left) beside Anastasia Bevery Hills DIPBROW Pomade in Chocolate (right).  DIPBROW Chocolate seems to be the closest shade to the Aqua Brow 30 Dark Brown (the Sephora associate and I swatched the DIPBROW pomades against the Aqua Brow 30 Dark Brown).

MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua Brow Shade 30 Dark Brown - Left  |  Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade in Chocolate - Right

It's a little hard to tell in the picture but DIPBROW in Chocolate is a little warmer than Aqua Brow 30 Dark Brown which is more ashy.  The swatches are still very similar and barely noticeable if you switch between the two.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

The two have different applications.  For MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua Brow, you simply extract a small dot of product onto your hand and dab the brow brush and apply.  Some claim that this is messier than DIPBROW but honestly it's not.  There is literally a dot of product on your hand that you can wash off.  No need to call the EPA for a mass clean up.

For Anastasia's DIPBROW you open the jar and dab your brow brush directly into the product.  This seems less sanitary to me than the tube packaging of Aqua Brow.

The consistency of Aqua Brow is more liquid than DIPBROW.  Both are easy to apply but I feel that DIPBROW adheres better (you can see in the swatch).  Sometimes when I apply Aqua Brow it seems to just not want to stick to my skin - and sometimes the brush will actually remove product than add more.  I'm not sure if it's the brush, because the same (clean) brush applies DIPBROW just fine.  Wiping the brow area with a towel to remove foundation helps, but for some that is not an option.

Another thing to note is if you live in a dry climate you may want to consider Aqua Brow over DIPBROW because the tube packaging of Aqua Brow will ensure the product doesn't dry out.  I have heard many times that DIPBROW will dry out within a few months.  Aqua Brow has lasted me a very long time - about a year of daily use.

THE SMUDGE TEST

I gently slide my finger perpendicular to the brow to see how smudge-proof it really is with oily skin.  "How hard did you press?"  Think sensually grazing a tomato.  I know we do what we can to not touch our face, but sometimes it happens and we need to see what that looks like.

THE HUG TEST

What the heck is that?  Well how else are you going to test that there brow filler, son?  Just imagine you finally got your hands on that new Jeffree Star Skin Frost highlighter palette.  Your girlfriend just texts you and as you reach for your phone, you knock that palette off the table.  Watch in slow motion as it bursts into a plume of fabulous chaos.  What do you do?  Cry, of course.  Cry to your significant other while you press your face into his or her manly bicep.  "How could this day get any worse?" you shriek.  Your eyebrows rub off on your SO's crisp white t-shirt.

So... the hug test is basically just that, oily skinned one.  Will your brows still be on your face after the above scenario?  Let's find out.
Note:  Simply press onto a white tee for ten seconds.  No rubbing and using reasonable pressure.  Since it's hard to measure pressure accurately for this, I replicated the same test several times throughout the week to ensure the results are comparable.  

RESULTS

I want to note that I did not use foundation, primer or a setting powder for these tests.  We all use different products and there are too many variables involved.  So I just applied on bare skin.  Setting powder or primer has not made a difference for me as far as lasting power anyway.  Now for the moment of truth...

I'm ready for my close up... Yikes!

So they perform pretty much the same.  At any rate, it's best to keep the product in your bag so that you can touch up after blotting.

WHAT I CHOSE

I am going to purchase the full size of Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade in Chocolate.  I just find it easier and faster to apply because the pigment jumps onto my skin better than Aqua Brow.  I feel like I need to use more Aqua Brow to get the same look as DIPBROW.

In the end, they are still very good products and I believe it might be best to try both!

Garden of Wisdom Mandelic Acid 5% Serum (No Alcohol/No Seaweed)

I purchased a sample size of the Garden of Wisdom Mandelic Acid 5% Serum (No Alcohol/No Seaweed) in hopes to find a mild AHA (alphahydroxy acid - a chemical exfoliant) that wouldn't cause my skin to freak out.  My skin will not tolerate Glycolic Acid so I needed something more gentle.  This serum is advertised to reduce pore size, improve complexion, even out skin tone and help to lighten skin irregularities and hyperpigmentation.  Honestly, I could not wait to give it a try.

Garden of Wisdom Mandelic Acid 5% Serum has a PH of approximately 2.5

PH:  2.5 

INGREDIENTS 

Spring Water, Rooibos (red) Extract, Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid, L-lysine, Sodium PCA, Panthenol B-5, Sodium Lactate, Hyaluronic Acid

Notable Ingredients:

• Rooibos (red) Extract - A powerful antioxidant with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
• Mandelic Acid - A mild alphahydroxy acid (AHA) derived from the hydrolysis of an extract of bitter almonds and is said to have germicidal qualities.  It acts as an anti-inflammatory and pigmentation suppressant.  
• Lactic Acid - An alphahydroxy acid (AHA) derived from sugarcane or milk; used to gently exfoliate dead skin cells.
• Sodium PCA - Skin repairing agent.
• Hyaluronic Acid - A humectant and skin conditioner that it helps prevent skin dehydration.

Hnnggg, a limited ingredient product packed with goodies?  It's what my body craves.

Get on my face!

COSDNA Alerts:  

Ratings for potential Acne Triggers, Irritants and Safety Hazards.

• Lactic Acid - Rank 4 Index Safety
• Sodium Lactate - Rank 4 Index Safety

(According to COSDNA, the Safety Index is ranked from 1 - 9 with "the lower number means this ingredient is low hazard... Safety is a comprehensive index focus on safety on long term usage, according to harmful report from CIR, RTECS, FDA and other related information. The purpose of the index is more inclined to assess whether long-term injury of skin, cells or the human body.)

Scent:  

The scent is kind of like... that plastic smell when you put a laminating pouch through a laminator.  It doesn't bother me, it's just strange and it doesn't linger either.  But hey, there are no added fragrances.  Not everything smells like roses.

Texture:

Watery... like water.  Well that's the first ingredient isn't it?

Results:

As previously mentioned the product was advertised to reduce pore size, improve complexion, even out skin tone and help to lighten skin irregularities and hyperpigmentation.  I have to say that it did most of the things on that list.

I didn't notice a difference in the reduction of the size of my pores but I did notice that it definitely evened out my skin tone and hyperpigmentation.  I also noted that whenever I did get a pimple it would heal significantly faster with reduced PIH.  Before using it, I would run my fingers across my skin it would feel bumpy from the closed comedones under the skin.  Those have also been reduced after several weeks of use.  As I said I did not notice a difference in pore size but maybe because it is only at 5%.  There are higher percentages available through Garden of Wisdom.

Purchase Again?:

Yes I would definitely repurchase this item.  It was gentle enough to not cause any purging when I *slowly* introduced it into my routine, but it also got the job done.  Garden of Wisdom also offers other variations of this serum with up to 15% Mandelic Acid.  You can view their list of Mandelic Acid products here.

GRADE A-	A Ingredients	B+ Effectiveness	A Wearability	B- Packaging
Garden of Wisdom Mandelic Acid 5% Serum (No Alcohol/No Seaweed) essentially performs as advertised but did not reduce pore size.  The packaging is practical, but ordinary.

The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream

I not so recently picked up a jar of The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream on impulse. It's advertised as great for banishing excess sebum and ideal for sensitive oily or combination skin.

Leslie Jones, you so funny.

INFO SHEET

INGREDIENTS 

Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Glycerin, Peg-32, Betaine, Alcohol Denat., 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Beta-Glucan, OrthosiphonStamineus Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Peg-40 HydrogenatedCastor Oil, Plankton Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, PropyleneGlycol, Parfum/Fragrance, Disodium Edta, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl TaurateCopolymer, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Phenoxyethanol

Note that the first ingredient is Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, AKA Chia Seed Extract.  Chia Seed Extract which is an emollient that helps prevent water loss and has a soothing effect on the skin.

COSDNA ALERTS 

Alcohol Denat - Rank 5 Index irritant
Butylene Glycol - Rank 1 Index acne trigger
(Ranked from 0 - 5 with 5 being the highest / greater chance of happening)

So while there are quite a few ingredients that can have a soothing effect on the skin I found it to be interesting that there is also Alcohol Denat included as well.  Alcohol Denat can be irritating to some, including (unfortunately) myself.

TEXTURE

Shiny.

Clear gel-like consistency which leaves a dry-sticky film on the skin.

BEFORE AND AFTER

I applied The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream to half of my entire face before work (and without makeup), and now for the moment of truth...

The other kind of shiny...

As you can see above, after swiping each side of my face equally with a blot sheet; there was zero difference in the amount of oil / sebum control that The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream provides.  I did grow used to the sticky film on the side of my face as the day went on, but I felt that no matter how sparingly the product is applied - it still left a film.  I also felt that applying this cream does not leave me feeling pampered like when I apply other moisturizers.  It's more of an "Ugh, gross" feeling followed by some irritation.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It did not work for me at all.  I would put up with the stickiness if it did do something for my oiliness, but lo and behold - it does not.  Essentially, The Face Shop Chia Seed Sebum Control Moisture Cream was ineffective for sebum control and does not feel nice on the skin.  I don't believe it was very moisturizing either.  It did nothing for me.  Though the packaging is cute, at the end of the day I won't even use this as a hand cream :(.

Rating

If you are looking for a way to look up the ingredients in your skin care products, this may be a good place to start.  These are a few resources that I use to look up cosmetic ingredients as I like to be able to recognize the what each ingredient is and it's purpose.  

What's in your skin care products?

For instance, you go grocery shopping and look at the ingredients for ice cream: milk, cream, eggs - sounds good!  Why not do the same for cosmetics?  After all, you are going to put it all up on your face, right?  Once you recognize the most commonly used ingredients you will be able to say "Oh, this is a preservative" or "Oh, this has Vitamin C in it." You can even take it a step further:  When faced with two similarly priced products, you can compare the ingredients and make a more informed purchasing decision based on your skin's needs.

DHC Skincare & Ingredients Glossary

I am adding this one above Paula's Choice because of how user friendly it is.  All of the ingredients are on one page so it is easier to look up ingredients while shopping around.  It does not contain the research or sources that the other ingredient databases have, but it gives you exactly what you need when you are searching for something quickly.

Paula's Choice Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary

This is my go-to database when I am shopping around and come across an ingredient I don't recognize.  You will find most ingredients you are inquiring about here so it is kind of a one stop shop for information.  I also appreciate how sources are cited for many of the ingredients listed so you can use it as a springboard for further research.

COSDNA

I don't use this site often, but I really should.  You can search by the ingredient or by the product and it's cool because say you want to buy something with Green Tea Extract in it - you can search by the ingredient and it will list products that contain Green Tea Extract.  When you search by product you are taken to a breakdown of ingredients in the product where they are ranked for:  Acne, Irritant and Safety.  If you are very acne prone, you can check to see if a product you are considering contains common acne triggers.  This database contains a lot of user submitted information so it is constantly growing.

EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Database

This database does not go into much detail about what the particular ingredient is used for like Paula's Choice, but it does provide a list of the basic functions of the ingredient as well as alternate names that the ingredient may go by.  It also brings to light any concerns that may be associated with the ingredient and lists sources.

Examine.com - Your Unbiased Source on Nutrition and Supplements

This database does not have an extensive list of cosmetic ingredients, but the ones they do have are easy to understand.  They even take things a step further and summarize various scientific studies and provide sources as well.  The database is more for nutrition / supplement ingredient information rather than cosmetic information.

National Center for Biotechnology Information

This is one of my favorite sites to go to if you enjoy reading research material.  Since I like to DIY serums, I come here to read about the effectiveness of certain ingredients such as L-Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide.  I like to learn how the experiments were performed and what the results were.

In the end, if you just want a quick go-to database where you will find a majority of the ingredients you are looking for; I would recommend checking DHC Skincare & Ingredients Glossary or Paula's Choice Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary first; then check the product out on COSDNA for acne triggers / irritants if that is an issue for you.  I will continue to update this post if I come across any other databases that I have found to be useful.