Unboxing Beauty

Back in August, I discovered this lovely Korean brand called Makeup Helper, which specializes in BB cushions and powders. What sets them apart is their customizable compact designs, as their shades are pretty limited.  For their BB Cushions, they have several shades:  Light Pink,  Natural Beige,  Pink Beige,  Nude Beige,  Natural Beige and they have  created both pink and warm toned shades.  From what I read,  Nude Beige is very popular.  Depending on the cushion you select, you may have different options for the shades, some have all of the options, some have less.  Their powders are even more limited in shade ranges as well.  They currently have four BB Cushion lines

• Green Tea Blossom  ~ this is for oily skin (click here for selection)
• Calendula Blossom ~ this is for brightening (click here for selection)
• Honey  Blossom ~ this is for moisturizing  (click here for selection)
• Luminous Real Essence ~ this is for a dewy and bright finish (click here for selection)
• Art Pack ~ this is their powder pack (click here for selection)

I decided to purchase some of their cushions and packs, using both YesStyle and Korean Buddy to supplement what I couldn’t find at YesStyle at that time.   The first three items are from their Art Cushion line ~ two from their Double Cushion line and one from their new Luminous Real Essence line.  All of the Makeup Helper products reviewed here,  except the No Sebum Pack,  have a faint floral scent.

Makeup Helper prides itself on its use of natural preservatives and avoidance of chemical alternatives. The brand’s skin care and makeup lines are primarily made using yeast and other fermented ingredients, yielding highly pure yeast-based products. All the brand’s products are made in Korea, including its bestselling Original Pact, No Sebum Original pact and Art Cushion. [description from YesStyle ]

Double Cushion Green Tea Blossom SPF50+/PA+++ in 22 Nude Beige (#32 case Moonlight Shower)  The Green Tea Blossom is for oily skin and is supposed to help with oil control and its beige base will help reduce redness.  It contains 20% of green tea for sebum control, 8% of tea tree extracts for soothing, calming and protecting your skin and 11% calendula flower extracts for moisture and pore care.  This is formulated with a “Natural Safety System”, which means that it is free from chemical   preservatives, such as paraben, tricolsan, mineral oil, triethanolamine and benzophenone.  It is a Triple Effect cushion with UV Blocking, Whitening (brightening) and Wrinkle Diminishing care.  This has a SPF 50+ rating with a triple PA rating, to help product your skin from UV rays and damage.

image makeuphelper.co.kr

The compact comes with a white bottom and the lid is in a rose gold metallic finish.  The design, Moonlight Showers, is between the base of the lid and the clear top of the lid ~ it is made of a thicker paper and this design has holographic bits scattered in it ~ you can see it in the moon and the girl’s hair.  I think it is quite clever how Makeup Helper has designed the basic compact and then they can tailor it for you just by inserting the appropriate paper round. This has a standard flip top with a 6.5 mm cushion puff.   The Green Tea and Calendula are called Double Cushion as the cushion is actually two cushions with the essence sandwiched in the middle, so it doesn’t dry out. This does have what I would say is medium coverage and it applies nicely on my hand. The Nude Beige shade is very neutral and it works fairly well.The photo below has three shots ~ from left to right ~ no makeup, with Double Cushion Green Tea Blossom, with Double Cushion Green Tea Blossom and Art Pact Original Professional Finish #22 Beige Nude .  These photos were taken on my vacation and my face was really red from the sun.  As you can tell by the middle photo, this cushion does reduce redness ~ it is all gone!!  However, as far as oil control goes, this had a weird finish.  It was “dry” but didn’t control my oiliness and shine that well.  I used the Art Pack over it to reduce the excess shine and dewiness.  I did not like the finish with this BB Cushion~  I found that my oil broke thru my T-Zone more quickly than most, has a chalky finish, dewy yet drying.  Does that make sense? This was is for oily skin and it seemed to me that it was drying, but dewy(oily??) and it caked horribly in my fine lines and wrinkles.  I did like how it reduce that redness (wow) and the shade match. 

Ingredients: camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf water (20%), calendula officinalis flower water (11%), titanium dioxide,, cyclopentasiloxane, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf water (8%), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, cyclohexasiloxane, purified water, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, PVP, niacinamide, octocrylene, zinc oxide, trimethyl silocysilicate, PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate, PEG-10 dimethicone, butylene glycol, sodium chloride, quaternium-18 bentonite, houttuynia cordata extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract,  rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, monarda didyma leaf extract, anthemis nobilis (chamomille) flower extract, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract, freesia refracta extract, diospyros kaki leaf extract, artemisia princeps leaf extract, cinnamonum cassia bark extract,  chrysanthellum indicum extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract,  chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, dimethicone, 1,2-hexanediol, ozokerite, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax,  chlorphenesin, triethoxycaprilylsilane, aluminum hydroxide, adenosine, fragrance, yellow iron oxide (C1 77492), red iron oxide (CI 77491), black iron oxide (CI 77499) cosDNA analysis

Double Cushion Calendula Blossom SPF50+/PA+++ in #23 Natural Beige (#31 My Universe)  This cushion is for Brightening and Skin Soothing.  I did one test with this as this does contain a lot of rose in it and I was too stupid to notice that when I purchased it.  As mentioned, this has 33% calendula flower and 11% rose flower water, along with a slew of other floral and herbal ingredients, including tea tree, lavender, rosemary, cinnamon and peppermint.   Just like the Green Tea Blossom, it is a Triple Effect cushion with UV Blocking, Whitening (brightening) and Wrinkle Diminishing care.  This has a SPF 50+ rating with a triple PA rating, to help product your skin from UV rays and damage.

image makeuphelper.co.kr

The compact set up is the same as the Green Tea Blossom version ~ one thing I noticed with the Double Cushion compacts, at least these rose gold versions, is that the catch is a bit loose, so it doesn’t shut with that nice satisfying “click” to let me know that it is completely closed.  I feel that the catch on these compacts is flimsy, despite the rest of the compact being sturdy.  Again, this has some nice holo bits on the design, so it catches the light nicely.  Whoever designed these inserts did an amazing job. Again, nice job with the coverage ~ medium coverage.  Photos below ~ left to right ~ no makeup,  with Double Cushion Calendula Blossom, with full makeup.  My face isn’t as red in this shot, as this was taken after my vacation.  This  has a dewy finish as well and is more moist than the green tea blossom. It is not a chalky finish, and since this has a really moist finish and has rose in it, it was not for me.

Ingredients: calendula officinalis flower water (33%), rosa damascena flower water (11%), titanium dioxide, cyclopentasiloxane, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, cyclohexasiloxane, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, niacinamide, octocrylene, zinc oxide, trimethyl silocysilicate, PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate, butylene glycol,vinyl dimethicone/methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer, PEG-10 dimethicone, purified water, sodium chloride, quaternium-18 bentonite, dimethicone, chlorphenesin, triethoxycaprilylsilane, aluminum hydroxide, houttuynia cordata extract, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf extract, adenosine, phenoxyethanol, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract,  rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, monarda didyma leaf extract, anthemis nobilis (chamomille) flower extract, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract, freesia refracta extract, diospyros kaki leaf extract, artemisia princeps leaf extract, cinnamonum cassia bark extract,  chrysanthellum indicum extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract,  chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, fragrance, yellow iron oxide (C1 77492), red iron oxide (CI 77491), black iron oxide (CI 77499)  cosDNA analysis

 

Art Cushion Luminous Real Essence SPF50+/PA+++ in #23 Natural Beige (#02 Oriental Pink) It’s ironic that the one that I purchased JUST FOR THAT DESIGN and I figured I would loathe and hate, was the one that I loved the most.  This is marketed as a “ultra hydrating cushion pact with a highly enriched essence, for perfectly moisturized skin all day long”

• highly-enriched hydrating essence delivers moist and fresh makeup all day long
• quickly forms essence water drop to instantly rehydrate skin
• delivers perfect coverage, covering flaws without leaving skin greasy
• coconut water delivers healthy and youthful-looking complexion while preventing it from aging.

This contains coconut water for intense moisturize and a fruit complex ~ prickly pear, raspberry, guarana and pomegranate along with anti-aging ginseng berry, full of antioxidants for aging skin. And once again, it is a Triple Effect cushion with UV Blocking, Whitening (brightening) and Wrinkle Diminishing care.  This has a SPF 50+ rating with a triple PA rating, to help product your skin from UV rays and damage.

image makeuphelper.co.kr

I chose the same shade on this one as I did with the Calendula version ~ natural beige is not a brightening shade, but a warm based color.  This compact is totally different from the Double Cushion line ~ it is from their “Black Edition” and it comes in a brushed antique gold case (top and bottom) and the inner lid is in black as well as the puff.   The design of Oriental Pink (hey, that is what Makeup Helper called it, not me!) is just stunning and is my favorite design ~ it is very sensual looking ~ the paper is pearlized and although there aren’t holo’s like the other two cushions, the deep pink flowers and gold outlines are metallic.  There is also a panther in the background ~ so cool! The puff is very special as well ~ it is made of a special material that doesn’t absorb the essence ~ the moisture stays on the surface of the puff.  It is quite a different feeling when I use this, as the puff material is more slick and stiff. The cushion inside is also quite different looking ~ the sponge is more “holey” and looks quite rough compared to the other sponges I have seen for cushions.  The essence is watery and oily at the same time ~ oily in the sense that it is properly waterproof and this essence does form water/oil droplets on my skin.  You can see that better in the other photo below that compares all 3 BB cushion types/shades. Nice medium coverage and it does have a moist and dewy finish, but not as much as the Calendula cushion!  This finish has water/oil droplets, so yes, it is quite moist and dewy. My photo below, left to right: no makeup, with Luminous Real Essence, with Luminous Real Essence and Art Pact Original No Sebum powder.  This finish might be moist and dewy, but it doesn’t settle into my fine lines and wrinkles, and by using one of the powder packs, I can dampen down the shine.  There is no cakey, chalky finish, it lasts longer than the Green Tea version and whereas it doesn’t cover the redness as well as the Green Tea cushion, I am pretty happy with the coverage.  All of the cushions do not feel heavy or like I am wearing a mask. I know it looks more yellow in these photos, but it is the same shade as the Calendula, which doesn’t have the yellow cast.  I chalk it up to my mother’s bathroom here, with the grey walls as the yellow is on my forehead, which has the grey walls behind it.  This actually looked really nice on.  Excuse the goofy, pissed off look ~ this was my 2nd day on vacation and I was still pretty tired. 

Ingredients: water, cocos nucifera (coconut) water, titanium dioxide, ethylhexyl methyoxycinnamate, butylene glycol, ethlyhexyl salicylate, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, glycerin, niacinamide, octocrylene, zinc oxide, phenyl trimethicone, sodium chloride, opuntia ficus-indica fruit extract, stearic acid, hydrogenated polyisobutene, quaterium-18 bentonite, chlorphenesin, 1,2-hexanediol, aluminum hydroxide, triethoxycaprylylsilane, sorbitan sequioleate, adenosine, paullinia cupana seed extract, rubus idaeus (raspberry) fruit extract, punica granatum flower extract, panax ginseng berry extract, fragrance, [+/-] iron oxides (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499) cosDNA analysis

I did swatch all three shades side by side so you can see the difference in texture and color. Notice the water/oil droplets on the Luminous Real Essence swatch!

 

Art Pact Original No Sebum (#01 Prism)  I always can use a translucent oil controlling powder, so I chose this one with the #01 Prism Case Design, which I really love the design ~ all in greens, using that pearlized paper to get a sheen and then a prism rainbow across the woman’s face.  This compact case is in a mint green with a silver toned clasp.  It is a pressed powder, but once you run a brush or puff across it, it is fine grained and will help absorb and prevent excess oil

• Botanical extract soothes trouble skin into healthy skin
• Tea Tree Leaf Extract: for clean and healthy skin
• Centella Asiatica Extract: for damaged skin care

image makeuphelper.co.kr

I normally do not use the puff as I find it to be a waste of time, but it is nice to have in there, in case I need a touch up and I don’t have a brush.  This powder doesn’t leave a white cast if you use it properly ~ if I apply too much, then it is quite blindingly white  ~ I can blend and buff it out, however.  With the right amount, it is translucent, immediately absorbs oil and is a good product to have on hand.  You can see it in the 3rd photo with the facial shots with the Luminous Real Essence  cushion.

Ingredients: talc, mica, silica, dimethicone, titanium dioxidate, polymethyl methacrylate, boron nitride, trifluoromethyl C-4 alkyl dimethicone, tocopheryl acetate, metaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf extract, centella asiatica extract, triethylhexanoin, dipentaerythrityl exahydroxystearate/hexastearate/hexarosinate, elthexyl methoxycinnamate, 1,2-hexanediol, cerium oxide, glyceryl caprylate, aluminum dimyristate, methicone, hydrogenated lecithin, disodium stearoyl glutamate, squalane, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, alumina, aluminum hydroxide, pentylene glycol, caprylyl glycol cosDNA analysis

Makeup Helper Art Pact Original Professional Finish in #22 Beige Nude (#05 Climbing Day)  And finally, as there are some days I need a bit of color in my setting powders, I chose their Original Professional Finish pack in #22 Beige Nude ~ a neutral bright shade. This is another favorite of mine ~ this has a lot of botanical and floral extracts, plus squalane, but its main top ingredients are the same as the No Sebum.  This  will help control oil and is a blurring powder, helping to conceal pores.  

• Long Lasting: fine sebum care powder allows for long lasting makeup which is not easily removed
• Covering: Blurring powder portrays a radiant and soft skin tone by naturally concealing pores and unevenness of the skin
• Adhesion: Skin cleaning powder allows high adhesion by evenly distributing to skin surface perfectly.

This is an oversized compact ~ it is very much larger than the others.  I am not sure what Climbing Day is, but this design is really beautiful ~ showing a woman by an olive green ocean, which has blue holographic bits in the waves, and she is putting flowers in her hair ~ again, some holo bits there too.  The compact is white with a silver rim.  This one snaps shut with a nice click and is very sturdy.

I like using a fluffy brush to apply this over my face and I do use it as a setting powder over the cushion.  You can see it in the 3rd photo with the facial shots with the Double Cushion Green Tea Blossom cushion.  It doesn’t cause creasing nor does it settle into my fine lines/wrinkles.

Ingredients: talc, mica, silica, dimethicone, titanium dioxide, polymethyl methacrylate, boron nitride, trifluoromethyl C-4 alkyl dimethicone, tocopheryl acetate, squalane, melissa officinalis extract, perilla ocymoides leaf extract, centella asiatica extract, nelumbo nucifera flower extract, rose extract, jasminum officinale (jasmine) extract, narcissius pseudo-narcissus (daffodil) flower extract, lilium candidum bulb extract, iris versicolor extract, freesia refracta extract, triethylhexanoin, dipentaerythrityl exahydroxystearate/hexastearate/hexarosinate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, 1,2-hexanediol, cerium oxide,aluminum dimyristate, methicone, hydrogenated lecithin, glyceryl caprylate, disodium stearoylglutamate, C9-15 fluoroalcohol phosphate, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, alumina, aluminum hydroxide, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, fragrance, iron oxides (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499)  cosDNA analysis

Final Thoughts

Although I spent A LOT of money on these cushions ~ Makeup Helper is more expensive than YesStyle ~ I am glad I tried all of these out.  I was able to decide which one was best for me, even though it would seem that the so-called oil-controlling Green Tea Blossom would have been the one I liked.  I didn’t care for the texture of that one at all nor was it a matte finish, but I did love how it covered my redness nicely (good thing my face was really red that day when I took the photo!) and I did like the color of #22 Nude Beige.  If you have youthful, combo skin,  you might like Calendula Blossom ~ it is moist, dewy with no chalky finish.  However, if you have dry or flaky patches, both of those cushions will accentuate them.  However, the winner of the 3 BB Cushions was the Luminous Real Essence  ~ yes, it is dewy and moist, but it doesn’t settle in my fine lines and wrinkles, isn’t cakey or chalky and will not accentuate any dry patches.  I can dampen the shine down with some powder and I am very happy with the shade of #23, which is the darkest one they have, I believe.  It is warm toned, but not that dark or yellow.  I hope they will release this cushion in #22, as that one worked well on my skin and I would like it for the winter months. The fourth cushion, which I did not purchase, is supposed to be the most moist and dewy finish ever and it is for dry skin ~ that is the Honey Blossom version.

The Art Packs are good solid choices to have in your makeup routine if you are either looking for a blurring effect or oil control.  The Original Professional Finish is a twofer, as it not only has sebum control, but the blurring effect ~ however it has limited shades.  The Original No Sebum is a “universal” shade, as it will blend out to invisible but it is only oil controlling.  Have you tried any Makeup Helper products?  Which ones and how did you like the texture and finish?  Are you interested in trying Makeup Helper?

Where to Purchase

some of the cushion design styles

YesStyle has a lot of the shades and design covers, but not all of them.  However, the Double Cushions are on sale and all of their cushions seem much cheaper than Makeup Helper’s Korean online site.  You can check out the full line of Makeup Helper products at YesStyle here.  If this is your first time purchasing from Yes Style, you can use promo code YESSTYLE  to get 10% off your first purchase.  They ship internationally and if you live in the USA, they ship free with a $35.00 USD or more purchase.   These compacts seem to have a 14 to 21 day delay in shipping out, so keep that in mind when you order.  Oh and YesStyle gives you zero to a few samples ~ they are very stingy!

If you want a different shade or design cover, you can order from Makeup Helper’s site (click here) and use a shipping service.  Please note, I received no samples when ordering from Makeup Helper ~ this is a rarity with Korean online shops, as they normally send you several deluxe sized samples. I use Korean Buddy and what you do is select your shade, compact design and copy the link and open up a request to order with Korean Buddy (click here).  I have used them many times at different stores with no issues.  You can save 50% off the handler fee with Korean Buddy  by using my blog url as a referral https://beautyfindsforme.wordpress.com 

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