Makeup Review: Kanebo Kate Powder Foundation in BR-C

I've been on the hunt for a good powder foundation to use for normal school days ever since my old SK-II foundation ran out. I was actually deciding between this foundation and Majolica Majorca's powder foundation, but this one had a ton of favourable reviews online so naturally I gravitated towards it.

Firstly, I bought it in the shade BR-C, which is a brightening powder and the only one that is contained within a white packaging. The other shades are packaged in black and seem a tad darker in shades. The compact. It's made of super reflective plastic that is a total dust and fingerprint magnet! Within a few uses, it was covered in scratches and smudged fingerprints and such, so if you're picky about appearances, then its better if you find an alternate compact.

I've already used quite abit of it, so pardon the dirty sponge. I'd forgotten to take a pic when it was still nice and clean. The powder is very fine, and the coverage ranges from fine to medium and covers minor blemishes. It also contains SPF20

After full makeup, the effect without flash is a luminous, light finish that I love. I can also fake perfect skin with it haha!

With flash, you can see that it has a slight sheen to it and is generally quite smooth in application with no patchiness. BUT!!! This effect came about only after I had changed my makeup base to Majolica Majorca's Skin Lingerie Pore cover which I had reviewed before.

Me after a long day in school and then going out to sing karaoke with some friends, so pardon the tired look. I also used a peach instead of pink blush for a more au naturel look.

The foundation on the whole is a decent product however, it has caused me to change my makeup quite abit. Firstly, I was using Kate's Mineral base (which I keep forgetting to review about) and being from the same brand, I naturally assumed it would work together just fine. I was so wrong!! This foundation doesn't work to give a matte finish and if you apply a mattifying base, it'll just go all patchy and wrong and look horrendous. So I had to switch to a base with less oil control in order for it to work fine. The good thing is that if you prefer the luminous, dewy look., this foundation is just what you need.

However, a few warnings to take note! When I applied this foundation, I was really shocked at how pale and white I looked and it wasn't fair, it was literally white! But after applying my other makeup such as mascara and blush, the shade looked just fine. I'm also glad I got it a shade lighter because the foundation does have a tendency to oxidise since it doesn't control oil very well, so do get a shade lighter then your usual if you have oily skin. It also doesn't work as well with my favourite Candydoll loose powder, but with Kate's own loose powder, it works just fine and keeps the powder in place and minimizes smudging. I also have problem contouring my nose now because I use a waxy concealer and a brown eyeliner to darken the sides of my nose, but whenever I use that method now, the powder slides and creates terrible smudges that are super difficult to fix, so I have to use my bronzer instead.

So in summary:

Coverage: 7/10 (average coverage, but it does leave a sheer, luminous finish. So its good for faking perfect skin)

Texture: 9/10 (super finely milled powder, that go on smoothly and need minimal blending)

Oil control: 3/10 (Do not depend on it for oil control! Use blotters and bring along some loose powder to touch up instead)

Price: 6/10 (More pricey compared to average drugstore products. I remember the foundation costing $38 and that's not including the compact case, which I can't remember the price)

I'm getting used to using the foundation now, though it was initially incredibly frustrating to figure out how to make the best of it. I had to change quite abit of my makeup products and routine to accomodate it. So do remember, when done right, the effect is amazing but if not applied with the right products, it can go horribly wrong.

I'm still on the fence if I should continue using the product or try out my other option which is the Majolica Majorca powder foundation. I'll probably continue using it out of habit more then anything else, but I'll see how when this initial pact finishes.