I have an obsession going on for a few beauty products at the moment, as I mentioned before in a blog post a week ago. One of it is foundation in any form, be it liquid, powder, cream or stick foundation. I couldn’t find any cream compact foundation or it could be that I wasn’t aware where to get any here so I ordered one online. Imagine me doing the happy dance when I found out that Shu Uemura will be launching a new cream compact foundation, The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation coming September 2014. And guess who get to try it out earlier than the public release date 😀

The Story Behind The Lightbulb Legend

The Lightbulb phenomena started with Shu Uemura first launched The Lightbulb Fluid Foundation back in 2013. The foundation has quickly became an icon for the brand. Inspired by Shu Uemura’s expertise in Asian skin and professional tools,  The Lightbulb Fluid Foundation is favoured for its ability to create a beautiful “glowing skin canvas”. Combining The Lightbulb™ Oleo-Technology with a tool is none other than Shu Uemura’s unique ‘the lightbulb’ shaped sponge that was inspired by the brand’s makeup artists expertise and experience as well as the tapping motion of traditional Japanese kabuki brushes. Then, Shu Uemura launched The Lightbulb UV Compact just a few months ago. This new powder foundation is also formulated with The Lightbulb™ Oleo-Technology for glow and coverage. When used together with an original double-sided polishing sponge and with added The Lightbulb™ Pearl, you get a polish up yglow for a flawless complexion without a powdery look.

This coming September 2014, Shu Uemura Malaysia is pleased to release yet another The Lightbulb product into the range. The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation is a “no water added” cream compact foundation.

Maintaning glow and coverage at the heart of this formulation, the new The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation is now with new jellified oil complex and an all new original dome-shaped sponge, a tool that is crucial for the product in order to create a dewy satin glow and streak-free finish for a fresh complexion that lasts longer all day long. If you ask me I would prefer to use a brush to apply my base makeup as it’s much more easier for me to clean. However, having to work with cream compact foundation with a brush before, I know now that it might not be the best tool for the job. I figure that cream foundation can be a bit too heavy on my oily combination skin but it turns out the brush thins out the coverage so I was piling and piling the foundation on my face. In the end I would end up with oilier skin and cakey base makeup by mid day. For this The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation, I would highly recommend you to NOT ditch the dome-shaped sponge and to use a brush. Bad move people. There’s a reason why Shu Uemura invented or include this sponge with the compact.

Little did I know that the new dome sponge was specially created with the input of make-up artist professionals specifically for use with creamy compact foundation. Have you ever notice that most makeup artist would bend and hold the sponge in such a way that it is shaped like a dome? This is because the round surface makes it easier to apply foundation while avoiding streaks on the skin and holding the sponge in such manner will give you a better pressure control for an even application with smooth and flawless finishing. Now it makes more sense as to why dome-shaped sponge and not any shape sponge for this new The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation isn’t it?

The sponge compartment is on the top while the product and the mirror is placed at the bottom compartment. I know some people is particular about having the sponge hidden at the bottom. It doesn’t bothers me which comes first but personally I would prefer the product to be at the bottom compartment mainly for the reason that I always accidentally dipped my finger to the compact if it’s on the top. It is also good that a mirror is included. I don’t touch up my makeup on the go therefore I never use the mirror included in any compact that I have. Not even powder, eyeshadow, blusher. I prefer to use a separate mirror if I need a mirror. Odd, I know 😛

The shade that I have is 764 Medium Light Beige. The shade runs from the higher number being the lighter shade to lower numbering for darker shade. You know me. I always wanted to choose the lightest shade as all foundation oxidize on my skin no matter what but I was told that this The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation color tend to stay true longer due to it’s “now water added” formulation. This formulation also guarantee that makeup would be less easily become dull. Uh huh? Really? Well, it turns out this is the ONLY foundation that does what it claimed. 764 is the second lightest for yellow skin tone and it matches my skin tone perfectly. It doesn’t oxidize on me at all. That’s another plus point for Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation.

The shade selection is quite reasonable I would say. There is a total of 16 shades to choose from.

Truth to be told. The first time I swatched and used the cream compact foundation was also the day I was photographing it on my face. I would usually use the product before taking photograph but knowing how nasty the cream compact would be later on, I’ve decided to test it out during and after photographing. It was kinda nerve wrecking for me just in case the shade is off or I haven’t master using the dome-shaped sponge. Let’s just say the shade is spot on but I was fumbling with the sponge on the first half of my face lol!

On the first application on the half of my face, I was bending the sponge while applying and I couldn’t get the smooth and streak-free finishing. I was disappointed and I try and try again. Then it hit me. Why the heck would I bend the sponge when the shape of the sponge is already dome-shaped to resemble a bending sponge! Duh! I reapply again using the clean side of the sponge and it was the most seamless, satin velvet but glowy finishing I ever seen with a cream compact foundation. The coverage is medium I would say but completely buildable as desired. I find that the coverage gets better when I apply thin layer by thin layer. It covers and smooth out my hideous large pores, it covers my dark circle, evens out all the redness on my skin and the shade of my face matches my neck thereafter. It may be in cream texture but it does finish off with satin velvet finish. Shu Uemura said there is no need to set it with translucent powder due to it’s semi-matte finish. It is a bit tacky to touch. I’m not going to lie. I’m not fond of stickiness on my face unless I have dry skin. I find dusting the overall face with a tiny bit of powder helps. As for the lightweight claim, maybe because I have combination skin now, I don’t find it to be lightweight. I can feel a layer of foundation of my skin but it’s definitely not heavy. But if I set the cream foundation with too much powder, it gets very heavy and cakey by mid day. If you must set it with powder like I do, do it sparingly.

The Lightbulb Oleo-Pact Foundation lasted the whole day on me. It provides my skin with the necessary moisture thanks to its conditioning oils formulation. My face doesn’t get oily on faster rate, which is good. I also don’t find the foundation slipping by mid day. It just stays put throughout the whole day. I didn’t need to use my concealer whenever I have the foundation on because the coverage of it managed to covers up all the imperfection for me.

Disclaimer: Press sample.