On skin, it has a very natural finish and the advertised blurring effect on wrinkles and pores is real, especially up close. Closer than 5 feet I wouldn't say it looks superior to many other excellent powders I've used. But perhaps ten feet away, it really does have a blurring smoothing effect! It is so strange, and I love it so much. I think it is just as beautiful on the skin as other high SPF powders I've tried that cost 3, 4, 5 times as much.
It comes in 3 shades, 01, 02 and 03. I got the palest shade which is O1. It is still a little too warm and a little bit too dark for me.
It comes in a little cute compact, with a nice inset mirror and high quality velour puff.
Ratings: SPF 50+ PA++++
Cost/Value: $7-15 / cheap/reasonable price
Claims: Moisturizing & pore blurring powder
Active sunscreen filter: Zinc Oxide and Octinoxate.
Ingredients (Good): Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolysed Collagen, Alendula extract, Japanese Rose extract, Chamomile extract, Artemisia extract, Arnica extract, Argan Oil and Vitamin C.
Ingredients (Bad): Talc- some people prefer to avoid talc in their cosmetics, though I personally do not believe it to be problematic.
This pressed powder does not achieve a matte look. It has 2 ingredients, Synthetic Fluorophlogopite and Mica, which are specifically intended to give this powder a little bit of shine and little bit of life and a natural skin like texture. If you are going for that super matte, super powdered look, you can't get it from this powder.
If you are bothered by even minimal scent maybe this is not the product for you. It has a mild baby powder type scent.
How I use it: In the morning, I set my face with whatever beautiful powder I feel will be flattering for me that day. If I know I am going to be outside all day, I like to use a high SPF setting powder like this, or if my makeup starts sliding off my face during the day when I am getting oily, I love to use a high SPF powder or powder foundation for touching up. After all, if my make-up is starting to come off, the sunscreen underneath must be coming off as well.
While SPF powder and SPF make-up in general cannot substitute for sunscreen, when you are setting your make-up or touching up in the middle of the day; that extra sun-protection factor cant hurt.
The weaknesses of this product:
1. This powder can't be buffed into skin like many powder or mineral foundations. It looks best tapped onto skin.
2. This powder will cake up if you overapply. It is good for multiple touch-ups over the course of the day, but if you apply too much initially, or overaggressively blend it over the skincare and makeup products already on your face, it will start to look cakey.
3. It is not great for sucking up oil. It is OK as touch up powder, but not near the best I have ever used. If you use this to touch up, it's best if you first blot your face and then apply this powder. Don't expect the powder to do all the work.
On balance, I think the super high sun protection ratings, very low price and beautiful blurring effect more than make up for the small shade range and inability to mattify skin. I very highly recommend this powder!
