Foundation Steal: Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation Review

A few weeks ago, I ran out of one of my favorite foundations, Lancôme Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation. I love that it is super lightweight, blends perfectly into my skin, and just makes me look like I have great skin, instead of rosacea.

Maybelline (which happens to be owned by L’Oreal, just like Lancôme), just released a very similar cushion compact foundation. I’ve tried similar foundations from other brands, but didn’t find them worth mentioning. This one is worth mentioning. I probably won’t be repurchasing my Lancôme, since this Maybelline is so close.

The set up of the foundation is pretty similar to the Lancôme. There’s a top that comes down and seals the foundation, so you can travel with the compact without it spilling all over. A sponge applicator sits on the top. Inside you’ll find a dense sponge that has been saturated with the liquid foundation.

The foundation comes in 8 shades, and while they do have some light colors and a few darker shades, I’m really hoping they come out with more shades. Note that while the color on the packaging varies, I really don’t think it reflects the color of the foundation accurately.

I’ve been wearing 10, the lightest shade. In the Lancôme I wear 110 (from Nordstrom), in Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk I’m 3.75 (from Nordstrom), and in Bobbi Brown I’m Cool Sand (from Nordstrom). I was surprised by how much the undertones varied in the different shades, but I think this picture does show them accurately.

Application is very easy! I just dab the sponge applicator onto the foundation to pick up a bit of liquid, and then I pat or roll it on to my skin where I need coverage. The foundation is very lightweight and provides medium coverage, but you can easily just add more where you need fuller coverage. After some experimentation, I’ve discovered that if I wait about a minute before blending the foundation, I get the best results. The minute lets the foundation set a bit, if I blend too early then I’ll remove too much of the foundation. To blend, I roll a slightly damp BeautyBlender (from Sephora) over any areas that need it.

I’ve been using this foundation with Maybelline’s Dream Brightening Concealer (from ULTA, I’m using 20 Light), which I just draw onto any trouble areas such as under my eyes or a blemish. Together they create medium, luminous coverage that looks very natural. It lasts all day for me, though I do get a little shiny mid-day in my t-zone, so I blot gently with a BeautyBlender Blotterazzi (at Sephora) to remove the excess shine but leave my foundation intact.

My husband actually commented on my skin this weekend, asking if I was wearing anything and saying that my skin looked great! I think the lightweight foundation looks super natural, but underneath my rosacea is definitely still there. If there’s a shade that matches you, this is definitely worth checking out!

You can find Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation at ULTA, Walmart, or Amazon

Check out more tips, hacks and product reviews in the Foundation Guide!

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