How I finally solved my liquid foundation problems

I love liquid foundation. It gets me the coverage I need while still maintaining a skin-like finish - something that's not easy to find in other types of formulas. However, I don't use them as often as I want, i.e. every day. I have two main issues: the first is that I don't always have time to fuss with brushes or get my fingers dirty. Application can be messy and tedious! My second issue is that I have fantastic formulas with me, but often in the wrong or just not-quite-right shade. I can mix them manually per use but then again, that's too much work for a normal day.

So yesterday I finally arrived at a solution: why don't I pre-mix them in an empty cushion compact? I know, it's not a particularly bright idea nor is it unique. We've already written about DIY cushions previously but we made that tutorial with the idea of copying how Korean CC (color correcting) compacts apply. This time though, it's purely to tweak the shade of a too-dark foundation I have and adjust its heavy coverage to make it lighter for everyday wear. 

Here are a few notes on how to do it!

1. Choose only formulas that will actually combine with each other. Water and oil do not mix, so make sure to mix only water and oil-based foundations. La Mer The Soft Fluid Foundation and the Lancome CCCover are both creamy, oil-based products with the same texture, so I chose them for this project. They combined perfectly!

2. Consider also the coverage of each product. If both are heavy coverage, you might find that your cushion would dry up faster. Add distilled water, serum, or face oil (again depends on the base formula) to liquefy the texture a bit and keep it moist for longer. If the foundations you plan to use have light coverage, there is no need to add emollients. In my case, I combined a heavy coverage foundation with a lighter coverage one, to thin it down a bit.

3. Do you want to lighten or darken the base shade? It helps to determine the correct ratio of the foundations you're going to combine. This will require some trial and error, and I recommend mixing a small amount first to get the right amount. Swatch your test batch on your jawline to see if it matches perfectly then tweak as needed! For this batch, I combined the La Mer and Lancome using a 3:1 ratio. The La Mer is two shades too dark on me, while the Lancome is about three shades lighter (it has less coverage though).

4. Now is the time to make your foundation dream happen. I love the La Mer The Soft Fluid, but the SPF is too low for me and it doesn't offer broad spectrum protection. So, I chose to combine it with an SPF50 PA++++ base! The UV Expert is actually closer to a heavily tinted sunscreen than actual foundation (smells like it too); it was the perfect thing to add. The Soft Fluid has more coverage than I'd need for everyday use so it made sense to thin it down just a bit.

5. Fill up your cushion case about halfway. I actually mixed too little at first so the cushion was barely soaked when I put it in; I had to take it back out (all messy like) and add more product to the pan. About half should be the right amount! Gently massage the cushion to soak it all the way through.

By the way, I used the It's My Cushion Case Set and it's only P250 at Althea  if I remember correctly. Such a great buy! I intend to get maybe three more so I can mix up my other liquid foundies.

Here's what the mixed foundation look like. I want to fall on my knees and cry, guys, the foundation matched so perfectly. It also bears mentioning that if you have too light pre-made cushion compact, you can add a drop of darker liquid foundation to adjust it a bit. 

The formula I came up with was so easy to apply with the rubicell sponge! I just have to clean it regularly but it's not a hassle with this technique.

So there you go! Hope you enjoyed my insights. If you've ever been frustrated by bottled liquid foundation, well, it's time to cushion up. ;) What do you think, will you be trying this out too?