Chica-Y-Chico, I believe, is a high-end brand from Korea. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any English "about the company" or "about the brand" page on them, but judging from their line of products (medicated or vitamin skin creams) as well as their prices (on Althea Korea, there's nothing originally priced below Php1,000.00, or around $21), I would place them along the ranks of brands like Laneige, which I believe is more well-known among Korean cosmetic enthusiasts here in the Philippines.
This is a review of their "Mat Fix" Matt Cushion in No. 23, "Medium Beige," which is the darker of only two shades available at the time of writing. It comes in only one size and weight: 15 grams.
According to the product page on Althea, its active ingredients are:
- Methyl methacrylate crosspolymer ("oil blotting powder") which provides freshness, a cooling effect, increases skin elasticity and moisture, controls sebum, absorbs oil, and gives UV protection.
- Sodium chloride, which removes dead skin cells.
- Acetylhexapeptide-8, which increases skin elasticity and smoothens wrinkles.
- Arbutine, which brightens and conditions the skin and improves skin tone.
- Adenosine, which also cares for wrinkles, acts as an antioxidant, and improves skin elasticity.
- Salix alba bark extract, which removes dead skin cells, controls sebum, cares for your pores, protects your skin, and removes active oxygen.
- Pulsatilla Koreana, which soothes and conditions skin.
- Usneam barbata extract, which also soothes and protects skin from UV rays.
Aside from acting as base makeup, it also provides a lot of skincare!
To get a really good feel for this product and assure the consistency and precision of this review, I used as my facial base for six days straight.
Let me start with the packaging: It is a matte-black plastic case that feels very sturdy, not at all cheap or flimsy. It cannot be opened by simply twisting or pulling on the cover, as it has a button that you have to push. There's also a very reassuring "click" when you close it. Once opened, you can see that it comes with a black sponge that seems durable for its thinness. The "Chica-Y-Chico" band also feels very high-quality and won't be tearing from wear. It also comes with a mirror, but I find it too small as I am highly accustomed to applying my makeup in front of a half-body mirror. Like nearly all other cushion compacts I've read/watched reviews of, the sponge is kept in a separate compartment from the cushion itself, which is very hygienic. The cushion is firm but easily pressed to get the product onto the sponge easily.
Next, scent! I adore how this smells. I don't know exactly how to describe it, though. It's not quite fruity nor vanilla-y. It smells quite synthetic, yet pleasant. It is not overwhelming at all, however. You'll only be noticing the scent if you sniff the cushion itself and when the product is still fully on the sponge and you're holding the sponge in front of your face. Once you've applied it, you won't even notice it.
Texture: I'm not sure if this cushion blends easier or more difficultly than other cushions, as this is my first-ever cushion compact. However, I can say that as a person who is used to breezing through liquid base application with a stippling brush, and using a powder/foundation brush even when there's a sponge available, I didn't have a hard time at all adjusting to using a sponge for a liquid product. Mind you, the sponge seems much less absorbent compared to other sponges that come with compact powders or foundations. The material seems just right for it to simply hold the product and then bring it to your face.
It is blended mainly by patting instead of swiping. I would advise you to work through areas of your face gradually instead of applying the product all over and then blending it, as it sets quite quickly. Despite its setting speed, it is very easy to get an equal application using this.
So does it live up to its promise of a matte finish? A big YES. When I use this cushion compact, I do not have to use powder. My first impression review might have stated otherwise, but that's because [I forgot to mention] I used a primer totally not recommended for oily skin the first time I tried this. For the past week, I have been using this cushion all on its own, and trust me, it does a great job at being an all-in-one base makeup item.
Below are photos of my face before application:
(rear phone camera, natural sunlight on one side and a lamp on the other)
Below, only the area around my eye, most of my cheek, and my neck are without product:
(rear phone camera, with a lamp nearby)
Here are the two sides of my face fully covered with the cushion. Notice the matte finish? There's no need for setting powder at all! I also noticed that my pores were less prominent even up close.
How long does it stay matte, though? While the visual description on the item's Althea page seems to promise a blissful, oil-free summer day when using this, that description is sadly too good to be true. I applied this before 7:30am today, and by lunchtime I did feel the need to blot. It didn't give me "grease face" and it looked acceptable on the tricycle mirror, but to maintain a fresh-faced look, I blotted. Mainly the oil was around my nose, forehead, cheekbones, chin, and jaw (told you I have oily skin).
I have very, very oily skin, by the way, so being able to look in the mirror and still thinking, "Hey, this looks okay," was a huge plus. I work in an air-conditioned office a mere tricycle ride away from my house, but the Philippine summer has Ilocos Norte feeling like an oven and it's not like I can hitch a ride directly in front of my office door (I always use an umbrella whenever I have to be under the sun, though). Plus today, I did quite a lot of walking around in our building due to preparation for an event, so it was more heat-exposure than usual, but the cushion still didn't fail me.
In terms of coverage, this gives medium, nearly-high coverage. If you'll go back to the before-and-after-application photos, you can see how it effectively concealed nearly all of my dark spots and pimple marks while still giving a natural finish. It doesn't look like a painted-on face, but rather like a coating of better, glowing skin.
Here is how I looked when all my makeup was done:
Here is a photo in a similar angle, but wish flash. We've got a white cast since it has SPF 35 PA ++.
The color/shade range of this product is a downer, though, as is the case with most Korean base makeup products. It's no secret that Far Eastern Asians (Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) have much lighter and milkier-white skin than Southeast Asians, who I think come in a wider range of skin colors, from morenas to mestizas to all the different shades and undertones in between. While I don't own any MAC foundations, I believe I am between NC30-NC35 ("Pure Beige" from the L.A. Girl Pro Concealer line is a perfect match for me), and the darker shade of this cushion, No. 23, was honestly already pushing my limit. I'm just relieved that it settles and blends into my natural skin color (best described as "honey beige," I think) quickly enough.
On to longevity! As stated above, the matte finish lasts for four hours, at most, in my very, very oily skin and during the summer season in this tropical country. So if you've got combination skin, I believe it would last longer. Dry-skinned girls would be advised to use a good moisturizer or moisture-rich primer before applying this cushion, though.
In terms of the longevity of its coverage, I think it is superb. After blotting my face, the finish goes back to its just-applied matte look, and while the oil has been removed, the coverage doesn't budge! As I'm writing this, I have already been wearing it for 12 hours and blotted twice since applying, and the pimple above my lips is barely noticeable a hand's length from the mirror.
Before I move on to my final thoughts, here are some more photos.
Lunch break (more than 4 hours after application):
Left: rear phone camera, natural light (in front of my window)
Right: front phone camera, artificial light
After blotting (no powder retouch whatsoever):
(same lighting/camera conditions described above)
More than 5 hours after lunch (total of nearly 9 hours after application + 1 blot):
(front phone camera, artificial light)
Left: rear phone camera, natural light
Right: rear phone camera with flash
After blotting (again, no powder retouch):
(front phone camera, artificial light)
Left: rear phone camera, natural light
Right: rear phone camera with flash
Time for my final thoughts!
Value for Money: Through Althea Korea, I was able to get this for Php610.00, which converts to around $13.00, more or less. However, its original price is Php1,920.00 or nearly $42.00. It's pricey, especially if you've already got trustworthy products that already do the job of oil control, coverage, and giving you glowing skin. Remember, though, that this is a single cushion doing the job of ALL your base makeup.
If you've got oily skin like me, go ahead and skip the moisturizer. It's got SPF, so you can skip the sunblock. Concealer? This cushion has got you covered (get it? Get it???). Foundation? This is it. And who needs setting powder with its matte finish?
Right now, I advise you to do a quick calculation of how much your products cost: moisturizer and/or primer, sunblock, concealer, foundation, and setting powder (or setting spray). That's 5-6 products, and I believe this cushion can take the place of all of that.
Remember: in addition to being a well-performing base makeup, it's also got a lot of skincare benefits. It is definitely good value for your money if the total price of all your products are nearly equal to or exceed the original price of Php1,920.00, but at its sale price on Althea Korea, it is definitely a STEAL!
I recommend this for:
- combination to very oily skin
- people who do not have the time to pile on base makeup products in the morning
- people who do not have the time to be in front of a mirror for retouches throughout the day
- people who want as little layers of makeup on as possible
- places with air-conditioning or very good ventilation
- daytime events or taking photos in natural light
Tips
- if you're going to be under the sun a lot, PLEASE have an umbrella or wear a hat, even if this does contain SPF (you can never have enough sun protection!)
- if you have very oily skin, you can skip moisturizer
- if you must use moisturizer, use one that has gel consistency or a water-based one that dries matte
- if you have dry skin, make sure to use a good moisturizer or moisturizing primer
- if you have combination skin, make sure to apply moisturizer to your dry areas
- feel free to apply a second layer on areas where you want extra coverage
Pros:
- good oil/sebum control
- great coverage
- doesn't take long to apply (just around 5 minutes)
- can replace 5-6 base makeup products
- blends well into natural skin tone despite being 1-2 shades lighter than mine (NC30-NC35)
- matte finish stays up to 3-4 hours
- coverage stays beyond 8-9 hours
- fades evenly
- pleasant scent that goes away immediately
Cons:
- leaves a white cast (not good for nighttime, flash photography)
- does not live up to its claim of eliminating the need for oil blotting paper
- very limited array of shades
