I was hearing a lot about the New Lancome Maqui Miracle product range that promises to ‘unveil your skin’s radiance with the new Aura-Bright technology’.
I never get taken in to bombastic words that merely describe some new formula tweaked from the old. On the other hand, I get deceived by the highly photoshopped faces that model for the brand and products. HAHAHA!
The MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation is a great love of mine due to the matte finish it gives, but it goes on a little rich and perhaps because of its opaque squeeze tube, I never know how much of the product is left. So I feel insecure about it running out soon.
A light-weight foundation for everyday use would be ideal. Then I chanced upon the Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle which is made in Japan and specifically for Asian skin. HOORAY!
'DESIGNED FOR ASIAN SKINS'
Packaging
While the rest bottle – cap, nozzle, pump – is made of plastic, the main bottle that houses the foundation is made of glass, making it quite heavy. It weighs about the same as the Revlon Colorstay Foundation, which is made of glass too.
There is no mechanism to ensure that the cap is tightly secured and this is one thing I think should be changed. I have sweaty palms and many times I almost let the Lancome foundation slip out of my grasp when I held it by the cap. Gawd knows what will happen if the glass hits the ground and shatters.
It looks elegant on the dressing table but does not make for a good travel companion.
I love the pump though. It is very sensitive to pressure and allows for good control of product required.
Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle Liquid Foundation Shade for MAC NC20-25
This foundation comes in 7 Asian specific shades.
COOL TONES (Pink-Ochre)
PO-03, PO-04
The cool tones PO-03 and PO-04 can work for Asians since they are not as pink as foundation shades made for Western pink skin undertones.
NEUTRAL TONES (Ochre)
O-02, O-03, O-04
Neutral colors for those with no significant yellow or pink undertones.
WARM TONES (Beige-Ochre)
BO-01, BO-01
For people with slightly yellow skin. ME.
Ochre and Beige-Ochre will fit most Asians.
I like to take a long time to find the right shade for me because foundation matching is absolutely important. I went to 3 Lancome counters to get the opinions of the MUAs, one told me to get BO-01, another told me to get O-02 or O-03, and the last one told me I can get O-02, O-03, BO-01, BO-02. She was swatching all these shades on my hands and jawline under less than optimal light conditions and told me all these shades would work for me.
Right. @_@
Eventually I chose BO-01, based on my own judgment. It looks slightly fair when first applied, like it just sits on top of my skin, but I know that my skin tends to oxidize foundations and turn a shade of orange.
So far, BO-01 looks natural on my skin after giving it about 15 minutes to settle in.
Fortunately for me, the skin tone on the back of my hand is not too much darker than that of my face so if it looks a little lighter on the back of my hand, I know it will look quite alright on my face. A more accurate gauge for me would be the underside of my wrist. The MOST accurate guide would of course be my jawline.
Very Easy to Blend
The thing I love most about this foundation is that it is incredibly easy to blend, making it a great time saver in the morning. It glides on to the skin softly and smoothly and blends well without leaving a cakey feel.
One small pump is enough for the whole face since its fluid consistency is so blendable and absorbs nicely into the skin.
Medium Coverage
I have all sorts of blemishes on my skin – acne scars, black spots, oil bumps. The Lancome Maqui Miracle Liquid Foundation gives sheer to medium coverage which I sometimes find not enough to conceal all these blemishes. I would need to use a concealer, like the Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Palette, to hide more obvious blemishes.
Dewy Glow
So here’s where the Aura-Bright technology comes into play. It is supposed to correct dullness of the skin and give it a healthy, natural glow.
The Lancome Maqui Miracle Natural Brightening Creator contains optic blue pigment to lighten up the skin, and a White Sapphire and Pearls Cocktail Complex formula which functions to reduce yellow tones. Brightening products don’t really work miracles on me, like the Make Up For Ever – HD Microperfecting Primer #5.
How to Keep Oily Skin Oil-free?
Like the Stage Cosmetics Photo Pro Foundation, the Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle also provides a dewy glow. However unlike the Stage one, the Lancome foundation is slightly weaker in oil-control.
The Maqui Blanc Miracle liquid foundation claims to have an oil-free formula (one of the reasons that attracted me) and is sweat and shine resistant.
It didn’t mention that it would give a matte finish, because it doesn’t, so I wasn’t expecting a matte finish like the MUFE one. But I was expecting more from its oil/shine control abilities.
You see, I have really oily skin, so oily you can see through the blotting film, that the Lancome Blanc Miracle liquid foundation does not do much in keeping shine off my face. Within 2 hours, I can feel the oil oozing out of my skin. The Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle Liquid Foundation does not excel in the oil control department.
To help keep my face break into shine later, I set it with NARS Loose Powder which helps a little, and also with MAC Studio Fix Foundation. I find that the MAC Studio Fix Foundation helps keep the face less oily for a longer period of time.
I find that the best way to do it is to, after stippling on the Lancome liquid foundation with the Sigma F80 brush which I use for every foundation, continue with my eye makeup. When that’s done, I use a tissue to absorb whatever excess moisture there is on the skin, and then use a large fluffy brush to lightly dust the MAC Studio Fix Foundation all over the face.
If you have oily skin like I do, I strongly recommend that you do not leave the Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle to its own defenses. Set it with powder or risk looking and feeling really gross. For daily use, I think the Lancome Lancome Maqui Miracle Liquid Foundation is a great foundation due to its lightweight texture and great blendability. And not forgetting that it has SPF 26! YAYS!
Bun Bun rates the Lancôme Maqui Blanc Miracle Natural Brightening Creator Liquid Foundation SPF 26:
Do you know of other foundations that have shades most suitable for Asian skin undertones?
I just ordered the MAC Blot Powder Pressed having heard great things about its oil-control abilities. Anyone tried that before?
