I’ve been using this foundation for several months now and finally feel that I can clearly articulate my thoughts on it. The Pur Air Perfection Foundation is Pur Cosmetics cushion foundation offering. Cushion foundations are liquid foundation housed in a sponge compact. The idea is that it’s a self contained way to use and apply a liquid foundation that is also portable. It’s an idea borrowed from Korean beauty trends and has really taken off! The market is flooded with cushion foundations. So is the Pur Air Perfection cushion foundation worth it? Let’s go over all the pros and cons!
The Price
I purchased mine in the summer (in July) at Shoppers Drugmart for $46 CDN. That’s fairly average price for a high end foundation. Whether it’s Pur or Too Faced I have a hard time shelling out $40+ for foundation – I do so grudgingly. However unlike brands I get at Sephora I was able to score this with my Optimum points so it didn’t really hurt my wallet! Another bonus is that the Pur Air Perfection foundation comes with a free refill so you technically get 2 foundations for $46, making it $23 each. Slightly more than the average drugstore brand.
The Packaging
The Pur Air Perfection foundation comes in a opalescent white compact that includes a mirror and sponge applicator. It’s aesthetically quite pretty and matches their “air” motif. It’s also rounded and bulbous which makes it awkward to store in my makeup drawer. That’s just a Sheena problem though.
Under the sponge applicator is a little door that reveals the foundation saturated sponge. You have to ensure that you close that door properly or else the foundation could dry up. I personally find that it applies best with the included sponge applicator. I tried a beauty blender and a brush. The product is so liquidy that I find other applicators just soak it up. I’m not a huge fan of using the sponge applicator. I find that it’s a little tricky to get an even application. That’s another personal preference of mine. I also have to admit that the more I use it the better I get at applying it.
The Foundation
Once I actually finish applying the foundation I’m left with lovely, glowing skin (depicted above). I’d call it a solid medium coverage because it’s hard to make just a light coverage with the sponge applicator. There is a luminous finish that’s more “lit from within” than “dewy/wet.” It’s also a little tacky. I didn’t care for the tackiness at first but later I discovered that if I really set the foundation the tacky feeling went away and left me with skin that looked even and alive. Not too matte, not too dewy.
If you want this foundation to last all day you would need to use a primer and set it. I tried it on it’s own and it lasted about 4-5 hours. That’s pretty typical wear in my opinion so I have no complaints on the longevity of the foundation.
The SPF
Pur’s website claims that they have a long lasting SPF that blocks 98% of UVB rays. It has an SPF rating of 50. At first I thought this was amazing until I flipped over the box and read a warning that some ingredients can cause sunburns so always wear a sunscreen with this product. This to me is typical cosmetic company marketing. It’s a good example of why you shouldn’t rely on your makeup to provide the bulk of your sun protection. Very disappointing Pur.
Final Thoughts
I will definitely use up this foundation. I hope it doesn’t dry out on me. That’s my final concern about this product. I’m not certain if I will repurchase it or not. Mainly because I don’t personally care for the application method. Perhaps when I near the end of this foundation I will change my mind? I don’t use L’Oreal Products (generally speaking) so I would say that this is a nice, cruelty free, cushion foundation option for someone in the market for that. If cruelty free is not a priority for you perhaps you might want to check our Nat’s review of the L’Oreal Cushion Foundation? It works out to be the same price per unit but you don’t need to buy 2 upfront.
Sheena
3 Canadian Beauties 