Shiseido Week: UV Protection Compact Foundation SPF 35 PA+++

Last Saturday I decided, on a whim, that I wanted to go on an adventure. I usually roam inside the Fort or Makati area so I thought I'd go out of my comfort zone by visiting Divisoria. It's been five years since I was last there and my, how it has changed! There are like three malls separated from each other by a mere narrow street. Everything I can think of buying is all right inside the hundreds of little shops inside the malls!

However, I didn't actually buy much. I was specifically looking for art materials but couldn't find the store. -_- Well, at least I got to take home some washi tapes and statement accessories. Everything was so cheap!

And so we come to segue time, haha. I knew it was going to be hot and muggy in Divisoria so I chose a foundation that'll protect me from the sun while staying intact in the extreme humidity. Three guesses on what it was. 

Ta-dah! Check out the Shiseido UV Protection Compact Foundation with SPF35 PA+++ (price to be updated). As you know I really love its liquid counterpart, since it stays put even when I get super oily or splash around in the beach. You also can't beat the sun protection. The powder foundation promises to be water and oil-resistant as well - does it live up to its claims? 

Here's a rundown of what I like and don't like about this foundation! 

What I love about the product

• It makes my skin look super smooth and silky. It has a matte finish but unlike other high SPF foundations this doesn't look white when worn. 
• Coverage is light to medium, but buildable to a heavy one when applied wet with the sponge.
• Staying power is awesome. I wore this for six straight hours and it didn't even fade or cake! I did get noticeably oily but only after three hours. That's a pretty good no-shine interval!
• It contains SPF35 PA+++, which is a must in foundations for the summer.  
• I didn't break out at all. I don't know how but my skin feels nice after I remove it. It actually has a cocktail of protective ingredients + hyaluronic acid.

• There's a generous 12 grams of powder per pan, and even though the compact needs to be purchased separately at least you'd only need refills moving forward.
• I love the two-level compact that separates the sponge powder. It also has the mirror on the bottom of the sponge pan. Unlike the typical rectangular Shiseido compact, this takes up much less space in my bag.

Wore only a light layer here on top of concealer. Love how flawless it looks! The shade is used in Medium Beige. I am O60 in Shiseido foundations.

I've got a few brown spots, yes. Didn't conceal all of them since they were small and I want people to still see my skin showing through.

What I don't like about the product

• Medium Beige is beige-r than I'd like. It makes my skin ever so slightly grayish. It's not detectable in the photos though! It also has a white cast, which is hard to avoid since the powder has a high sun protection factor.
• The texture of this foundation is kinda hard, not at all like the uber silky Shiseido foundations I've tried before. It does take a bit of hard rubbing to get the right amount of powder on my brush - although I think this hard texture is what makes this powder adhere so well on the skin. I've observed that the looser or powdery a foundation is, the less likely it is to stick.
• It's quite expensive, even for high-end foundations.

 

Recommendations

Nitpicking aside, the Shiseido UV Protection Compact Foundation SPF 35 PA+++ is perfect for those with seriously oily skin who need something that'll stay with them and help their skin look smoother. This is a great summer foundation as it will defy the humidity while also providing pretty good protection. Just remember to retouch every three hours to maintain that layer of sun protection!

It's also fantastic with the Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF43. When you layer them together, you'll get excellent heavy coverage - no need for concealer, most likely. I highly recommend this duo if you're going to be swimming or traveling this summer. They're very water-resistant.

The catch is, you might not be able to get the perfect perfect shade match. :/ Just make sure to have the sales assistant apply your shade choice all over your face before you buy it.

Verdict. I like it a lot even though Medium Beige not my ideal shade - I'll purchase a different shade refill next time. I appreciate the high SPF and the convenient compact, so I'm willing to overlook the slight grayishness. It's actually not that obvious! I'm just OC about my foundations. :P

What do you think? I'm also interested to know what your summer foundation is!