Lancome Oscillation PowerFoundation Review & Swatches

Lancôme 'Ôscillation Powerfoundation' Micro-Vibrating Polishing Mineral Make-up SPF 21 ($48)

When Lancome's new Ôscillation Powerfoundation hit the market I think we all let out a collective groan, wondering if we really needed yet another gimmicky product that wouldn't deliver on its promises. Well thankfully Lancome has obviated that concern by bringing us a product that actually delivers! Despite some flaws, this powder is quickly approaching holy grail status for me.

Check out the full review and tons of photos after the jump!


The Good: Apparently the beauty world really was in need of a vibrating mineral powder applicator as I can't imagine being without mine. Now you all know I'm not a big fan of mineral makeup, and while I don't know how much I love Lancome's Oscillation PowerFoundation as a stand-alone foundation powder, as a setting powder it's really second to none (except maybe maybe my La Mer loose powder).



The 7,000 micro-vibrations per minute break down the powder so that it seems to almost melt into the skin, providing a truly seamless finish that just disappears into your complexion. You'll never look powdery or overly made up using PowerFoundation, and as an added bonus, the micro-vibrations in conjunction with the minerals in the foundation provide your skin with mini-massages during each use, making for softer, smoother, healthier skin in the long run.


As for the flocked applicator - it's bouncy, soft, holds and distributes the product well, and really is all-around pretty great. Coupled with the beautiful powder formula (think light, airy, yet slightly creamy with light to medium coverage and up to 14 hour wear) Lancome Oscillation PowerFoundation is a winner in my book.


The Not So Good: Of course no product is perfect, and Oscillation PowerFoundation is no exception. My main gripe is the fact that I couldn't find a shade to match my complexion - Beige 10 (which I got) is way too yellow, and Ivory 10 was much too white. Luckily the powder is fine enough that I can get away with wearing it, but I'd love to have a shade that actually matches my skintone. The other gripe? The fact that you can't wash these puffs - I've been using mine for weeks and it's starting to look a little gunky and nasty, and while Lancome has been promising to bring us replacement heads at some point, I want them now! =P



The Verdict: Lancome's Oscillation PowerFoundation tends to be a little too sheer for me to use as a stand-alone foundation, but layer it over some liquid foundation, let it work its complexion-smoothing wonder and you'll have some serious magic on your hands. It smooths down even a rough liquid foundation application job and wears beautifully without oxidizing. At $48 it's pretty pricey for the 0.28 oz of foundation that you get, but if you can afford the splurge do check it out!

I purchased this product myself at Bloomies, especially to review for you! You know I can't resist trying all the latest and greatest gimmicky products!

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Chanel White Essentiel Light Reflecting Whitening Compact Foundation Review

I know I'm a little late in adding the text for this post, but I've had the worst morning! My subway caught on fire halfway through my commute and idiot that I am I decided to stay in the station which was filling up with smoke to wait for my connecting train =X. Needless to say we were evacuated a few minutes into my wait and the station was floodeed with police and firemen. But onto our review!


I picked up Chanel's White Essentiel Light Reflecting Whitening Compact SPF 25 in #30 Beige Cendre while I was in Korea (full haul photos HERE) for two reasons: (1) it's not available here in the US, and (2) I loved the sleek white compact. It's refreshing to have a non-black compact from Chanel, as fingerprints on a shiny black surface drive me a little nuts.


Like the Guerlain Parure Pearly White foundation I reviewed HERE, Chanel's White Esesentiel Compact Foundation claims to be designed specifically for Asian skin, whatever that means. I've been using this on and off for over a month now, and as expected, I haven't really noticed any whitening benefits, but then again I wasn't expecting them. The foundation is enriched with a Vitamin C derivative which Chanel states is an active whitening ingredient, but really how well can a powder foundation whiten your complexion? Don't get me wrong, that's not to say that I don't really like this!


Chanel's White Essentiel Compact doesn't offer much at all in the way of coverage as I really have to pack it on to get anywhere close to medium coverage, but it does really brighten the look of your complexion while smoothing out the surface texture. The foundation contains light-reflecting pigments which help to capture and diffuse light, creating the illusion of smooth skin.


And my favorite thing about the White Essentiel compact? The way it leaves my face feeling silky smooth post-application. White Essentiel has a micronized airy texture that really leaves your skin looking and feeling exceptionally smooth and almost airbrushed.


Silica microbeads in the foundation help to absorb any shininess without leaving you looking too matte, making this a pretty fabulous touch-up powder. This powder foundation has become an indispensable part of my makeup arsenal, and I always carry it in my purse for touch-ups throughout the day--it eradicates shine while leaving your skin looking smooth and radiant, all without disturbing your underlying foundation.

Unfortunately the color I picked up, #30, is a little on the dark/yellowy side for me, but this powder is so sheer that it doesn't really me much. If you're in Asian and have access to this, definitely check it out and let me know what you think!

The White Essentiel line also had these fabulous color-correcting, radiance-boosting primers that I LOVED but that I couldn't purchase due to customs issues, and I'm also dying to try the whitening foundation, but those will have to wait until another trip.
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