Spring 2011: Kanebo Kate Mineral Liquid Foundation SPF20 PA++ in OC-B

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One of the good things about browsing cosmetics myself in Hong Kong was checking out foundation colors instead of ordering, hoping to get a good match, being disappointed again with a too-dark or too-yellow foundation color.

I found the new Mineral Liquid Foundation from Kate in one of the drugstores and swatched the lightest color OC-B, which usually is a shade that´s too dark for me, but to my surprise the Mineral Liquid Foundation turned out to be a good albeit not a perfect match but all in all it blends in well.

The Mineral Liquid Foundation contains mineral powder, olive oil, jojoba oil and almond oil, furthermore it´s free of parabens and fragrance.
This is a medium creamy liquid foundation with sheer coverage, a bit like a BB cream though not as heavy. Even though the coverage is sheer it´s sufficient to cover slight redness or unevenness.

The foundation feels smooth and rather lightweight and gives a natural slightly satiny (but not shimmery, shiny or dewy) finish.
Lasting power is good, though like most other products, it fades a little if it´s a hot and sweaty day.



Overall a good foundation and a nice color match for the summer for my skintone (I am *slightly* more tan now than usual)... in winter it probably won´t match though.
I don´t remember what I paid for it but I think it wasn´t more than around US$15 or so.

Rating 4/5

Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation in 584

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I stumbled across a Shu Uemura store in Langham Place Mall in Hong Kong so I thought to take chance of this and check out if there would be a proper foundation for me as the color codes puzzle me too much to be able to order one online =)

I swatched quite a few foundations with the help of a friendly SA and finally purchased the Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation in the color 584. I believe that 5 = neutral, 8 = very pale and no idea what´s the 4 =P

The foundation comes in a frosted heavy glass bottle and contains 27ml. It´s a cream which spreads like silk without any pilling or blotchiness and offers medium coverage. It feels smooth and dries down to a rather matte finish without any greasy feeling however it doesn´t feel like it´s drying out my skin.
Staying power is good however after about 5 hours or so I need to reapply some concealer around my nose and chin and this bugs me a little.

The foundation is slightly scented but it´s quite subtle and not bothersome.
I didn´t experience any skin irritations at all since wearing this (and I started using it over a month ago).

Color 584 is a pretty perfect match for me as it´s neither too yellow nor too pink/orange and is really a fair tone.

Overall I am really happy with this product as the color match and overall even and smooth result is really great.

I am not sure regarding the retail price but it wasn´t more than around US30 in Hong Kong however I know HK is the cheapest place to get Shu!

Rating 4.5/5

Summer 2011: Integrate Mineral Watery Foundation SPF23 PA++ OC-00

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Integrate added a new liquid foundation to their Mineral line and to my delight they had the color OC-00 which is usually a pretty light color suitable for fair skin like mine.
The new Mineral Watery Foundation comes in a very small plastic squeeze bottle with a slim nozzle. The packaging is simple but quite hygienic and easy to tote around.

The texture is a very liquid cream which offers sheer-medium coverage. It applies nicely and gives super smooth, moisturized and soft skin but doesn´t feel heavy or greasy. I can´t comment on oil-control since I have dry skin.
The result is not shimmery nor dewy but not flat matte on me either.
The Mineral Watery Foundation is unscented and doesn´t irritate my skin at all.

Unfortunately it is quite yellow and very dark so even though the color code suggested otherwise I can´t wear it as my skin is lighter and more pink.

This would get a good rating (4/5) as it´s a really nice product but the color match is off so a personal and individually sensed
Rating of 1/5

I got mine from Adambeauty for somewhere around US$20.

Kanebo Media Moisture Foundation AA SPF 20 PA++ in PO-B1

Seems currently I am lucky with my foundation picks as I found yet another fab but cheap foundation in a matching color for me =D

To me Kanebo Media seems to be the direct competitor of Shiseido Integrate Gracy (or the other way round as Media has been much longer in the market than Integrate Gracy).
Kanebo and Shiseido seem to always have competitive brands in all sorts of cosmetics customer groups like Lavshuca vs. Majolica Majorca, Kate vs. Integrate, Coffret D´or vs. Maquillage etc.


Media and Integrate Gracy are both very affordable price-wise and aimed to a more mature and conservative customer, focusing mainly on obtaining immaculate skin and lips and subtly defined eyes in sheer matte or satin tones. Overall easy no-fuss elegant makeup.
Even the general product design looks similar (dark blue plastic, clear glass, the eyeshadow duos etc.)!


Anyway, since I got the Cream Foundation Moist from Integrate Gracy I just couldn´t resist getting the equivalent product from Media, called Moisture Foundation AA (the revamped newest version from about a year or so ago).

I generally find it easier to get a good color match among Shiseido´s foundations but I thought that the color PO-B1 from Kanebo Media might be worth a try.


The 25g glass jar retails for 1100 Yen in Japan which is quite affordable (about US$13).
The foundation has a lighter less creamy texture than the one from Integrate Gracy so it´s good to use even in summer for me. The Moisture Foundation AA offers good coverage, about medium I´d say. It feels a little sticky after application which doesn´t bother me as I always use a face powder but if you prefer to wear your foundation solo then you might dislike this.


The finish is slightly dewy, not over the top as there is no shimmer in the foundation. As most (or all?) Kanebo makeup products this is not scented and doesn´t cause any irritations or allergic reactions on my skin.

What I really notice about this product, especially for this price, is that it gives such a nice even finish without any blotches, streaks or settling in fine lines and pores. If this 1100 Yen foundation wouldn´t perform nicely it wouldn´t astonish me but for me it´s a perfectly good product and worth purchasing!

The color PO-B1 looked overly orange for me when I first opened my jar but after trying it out it´s pretty much a perfect match for me. I didn´t see any orange cast or unnatural look after application, just flawless even skin.


I´d say this is a good foundation for me to wear all year round as it´s not very rich so good for summer but not very lightweight either so it would be great maybe except on those super cold winter days when it reaches below -10°C.

Overall I am thrilled with this product and must admit you notice that Kanebo is the company behind Media as the quality is definitely there!

Kanebo Kate Lasting High Coverage Liquid Foundation SPF 20 PA++ in BR-C

If your skin color is extremely light and you don´t have a lot to cover then I know the perfect foundation for you: Kate Lasting High Coverage Liquid Foundation in BR-C!
When I visited Japan about 4 years ago I discovered the Kate Liquid Foundation in OC-A and it was my HG foundation until they discontinued it about a year or so later. The color was extremely light (much paler than other Japanese foundations) and the coverage was decent so the foundation was a great choice for me.
Kate discontinued the OC-A color altogether but introduced a new color BR-C to their revamped foundation line.


The BR-C color is not really a part of the regular color chart as it´s a "Bright-Up Color" used to lighten and brighten the skin thus the coverage it offers is much less than the other foundation shades.


The Lasting High Coverage Liquid Foundation comes in a small pump-bottle containing 30ml and retailing for 2100 Yen (though you´ll get it about 20-30% off if you buy it in Japan).
The BR-C color has a lightweight yet creamy consistence which feels comfortable and moisturizing but not like it´s heavy or too rich. I am not sure if the other colors sport the same texture etc.
The coverage this gives is really sheer but in conjunction with a bit of concealer and powder it gives a very nice natural and even finish. My skin has no blemishes, very small pores and isn´t oily so I can´t say how the foundation will behave on those skin-types. It covers the red small bumps on my cheeks quite decently though so I am quite happy with it.


Actually this color is almost too white for me which is something I hardly ever experience. Normally even the lightest color in a foundation line will often be too dark for me.
The finish is a slightly silky shine which looks really nice. The foundation doesn´t contain shimmer or glitters though.
This is not fragranced and contains SPF20 PA++. I don´t get any skin irritations when wearing this.


Overall a nice product, would probably be also good to mix with darker foundation or as a brightening makeup base with a little coverage.


I also reviewed the BR-C color from the Lasting High Coverage Powder Foundation which is currently my favorite setting powder as it offers decent coverage and the color match is excellent! Actually the liquid and powder foundations are a great combo to use!

Integrate Gracy White Liquid Foundation in PO-10 SPF26 PA++

Maybe you remember my post about the Integrate Gracy Cream Foundation Moist in PO-10. It´s the perfect color match for me albeit a more moisturizing formula so I was checking out the White Liquid Foundation in the same color hoping it would be just as perfect and as it should be a bit more lightweight for the coming summer.


The White Liquid Foundation comes in a squeeze tube which I definitely prefer over the glass tub. As I expected the formula is lighter though still moisturizing so it´s a great foundation for normal-drier skin-types to wear in warmer weather.

The coverage this provides is about medium which is perfect for me. It pretty much covers all minor skin flaws so I just follow up with a layer of powder without the need for concealer (except around my eyes).
The finish this provides is slightly dewy but in a silky not in a shimmery way.


The color match is excellent though I suspect this is about half a shade (or so) darker than the Cream Foundation Moist but nonetheless it´s a great match.
The foundation doesn´t oxidise on me but I always wear a makeup base underneath. Furthermore I don´t experience any irritations when using this and I have been using this regularly (about 2x a week) for the past 3 months.


This is not scented and I haven´t (and don´t) experience(d) any kind of irritations when using this.
Overall this is a great summer foundation for me and I´ll probably repurchase this when I run out!


Alphabeautyuk on eBay has this foundation in several colors up for grabs.

Sana Covercom Foundation Stick SPF50 PA+++ in 01 (Light Beige)

Sana Covercom is a small range of powders (I did a review for one of the powders eons ago...just check the label below) however recently they also introduced new foundation sticks giving full coverage.
There are unfortunately only 2 colors available of which I chose the lighter one 01 (Light Beige).


The Covercom Stick comes in a hot pink twist-up tube and offers high sun protection (SPF50 PA+++).


The color 01 Light Beige is a light (but not fair) tone with noticable yellow undertone so it would be perfect for many light-skinned warm-toned ladie (think about NC20-25).


For me it was too yellow and slightly too dark so I had to set the stick aside after trying it out (it will end up in my blog sale) =)
This doesn´t contain fragrance but otherwise I can´t say much about staying power etc. as I didn´t really wear this for longer than 5 mins.
Overall I don´t have really an opinion about this product as the color just doesn´t match.


I got mine from Adambeauty. Price was on the cheap side (maybe US$13ish?).

Spring 2010: RMK Gel Emulsion Compact SPF27 PA++ in #201

Hmmm yea, I still try new foundations hehe =) Despite having found pretty much my Holy Grail color match in the Integrate Gracy Cream Foundation Moist (and I got the liquid version recently for the upcoming warmer weather) I still can´t resist ordering foundations especially if the color swatch looks amazingly pale =P


I actually already ventured into RMK´s foundation world with their cream foundation but it wasn´t good for me as it oxidized really badly on me (though the color #201 looked perfect at first). So I was definitely hesitant to try their new Gel Emulsion Compact but alone the name made me too curious and the swatch in #201 looked super light so I bit the bullet (high price tag!!) and got it.


The compact this comes in is actually very plain and ugly as well as the velvet pouch it comes in (already looked worn as the refill was pressed against it inside the box!). Seriously for the price they charge they could come up with something more elaborate and pretty. Or at least something that feels heavier and sturdier.
Also the refill doesn´t snap into the compact tightly as it always pops out when I open the cover of the refill.


When I first got my compact and refill set and I opened the small case with the foundation I was shocked by how heavily pink it looked. I know that the colors starting with a "2" are the pink-toned color whereas the ones with "1" are on the neutral - slightly yellow side but it looked seriously too pink.
But as soon as I swatched the foundation I was totally thrilled as this was a super pale color and the pink tones weren´t as obvious on my skin as in the compact!


The Gel Emulsion Compact foundation feels creamy and moist at first but dries down to a nice lightweight velvety matte powdery finish some seconds after application. You have enough time to blend the color before it dries down so the finish is really even and smooth.
The coverage it gives is about medium so if you need flawless coverage you should use concealer in addition.


The thing I dislike about the foundation is that it has the tendency to accentuate any (even minor) rough patches, tiny facial hair or fine lines one might have. So if one´s skin isn´t totally smooth the foundation doesn´t look even. I wore it on a day where I really had rough irritated skin and no moisturizer and primer could help evening it out so the foundation looked absolutely terrible. I removed it and chose a creamier liquid one instead.
Otherwise it gives a really pretty smooth finish and a very even skin-tone.
The color is just perfection. I actually felt it´s even on the lighter side for me and that means a lot as generally the lightest foundation shade won´t work for me as it´s usually to dark. As mentioned above the pink tones of the foundation aren´t obvious and the color just blends into my natural skin-tone flawlessly.


So overall I can recommend this for anyone who doesn´t have big skin-troubles to cover up. Also I think someone with mature skin might not find this to be the perfect choice as it accentuates and settles into fine lines (I actually didn´t know I had so many =X)
However the price (5775 Yen) is hefty so I am sure there are more perfect foundations out there!