review: Lotree Rosa Davurica Oil Skin Care Pact & Triple Cake SPF32PA++

My secret to a long lasting make up throughout a busy day:
Primer + good BB Cream + Powder Pact

Powder pact's purpose is to set your foundation/ BB cream and give extra coverage for that matt finish. This is extremely important for my skin type, where my face gets shiny pretty easily.
I have tried a few Korean powder pacts out there: BRTC Sun Pact, Sulwhasoo's I-forget-what-its-name, Hera, to name a few.

Then, I came across Lotree and their Rosa Davurica line, a very pretty looking cosmetic line with rose scented powder pacts.
My first dab on Lotree was a purchase of Rosa Davurica Two Way Cake; which gives adequate coverage and shine control, but then I sorta upgraded to their Triple Cake. And I never looked back.... .... ... until of course, my curiosity got the better of me and I ended up buying their Triple Balance Oil Skin Care Pact. GMarket Shop HERE.

Lotree Rosa Davurica Triple Balance Oil Skin Care Pact

The box looks pretty as usual, there is no difference in outer packaging and the pact case. It is pretty, it is purple :D. The shop always gives some freebies that changes every once in a while. On this occasion, I received an eyebrow pencil, mascara, and some face lotion.
However, to a bit of my disappointment, I canNOT use this Oil Pact as a substitute to the Triple Cake Pact.

Lotree Rosa Davurica Triple Cake. Received freebies: face lotion & primer, and pink eyeshadow.

Lotree Rosa Davurica Triple Cake with SPF32PA++. GMarket Shop HERE

The Oil Pact does not set into the skin like the Triple Cake Pact does. It provides decent coverage (as good as Triple Cake Pact), but in a few hours, it kind of melt off your face. Not a pretty look where your face looks blotchy.
What I found out though, it provides REALLY good shine control if used after the Triple Cake Pact. It easily add a few hours of shine control compared to using the Triple Cake alone.

However, I don't really use the sponge applicator that comes with the Oil Pact. Instead, I just use my big kabuki brush to lightly cover my face with the powder. Works a charm, and looks very natural.

On a side note, if you just want adequate coverage, go for the Triple Cake. It has SPF32 and it holds pretty well on its own.

The Triple Cake Pact though, apart from its usual purple applicator, also comes with a white sponge applicator that is of the usual kind you use to apply liquid foundations. I tried using the Triple Cake Pact wet, but I still much prefer it as a setting powder.

Boxes' comparison. Bottom shows Triple Cake box with the white sponge applicator

review: IOPE Air Cushion Sun Block Ex-Cover

My good friend who resides in Singapore texted me about a month ago, bringing my attention to a quite recent addition of Laneige BB Cream - Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion.

They claim to be anti-sweat and provide long-lasting shine-free make up.

With that alone, I'm sold.

Alas, unlike Singapore, Laneige selection in Australia is exteremely limited; and I could not find one to buy from GMarket either.
After a bit of research, apparently Laneige's new addition is not too new for the brain behind the brand. The mother company (Amore Pacific) carries quite a range of cosmetic and skin-care brands - some of which I am using and absolutely loving (e.g. Sulwhasoo and Etude). And one of the brands under their wing has been carrying the same/similar Air Cushion BB foundation type for a while.

And yay, GMarket has it: IOPE Air Cushion Sun Block Ex-Cover  (I bought tone no. 21)

Note that there are 2 kinds of this item: the EX, and the EX-COVER. As you might have guessed from the name, the Ex-Cover provides more coverage (thicker and more even application) on the skin.

I compared the result with my long-lasting BB cream friend - BRTC Blemish Recover Balm.

The above was after 8 hours of windy but extremely sunny Australia autumn day. No blotting, no touch ups.

Verdict:
Shine-Proof: IOPE > BRTC
Sweat-resistance: IOPE > BRTC
Brighter complexion: IOPE > BRTC
Value for Money: IOPE < BRTC

Summary:


I actually have a kind of love and hate relationship with the sponge/cushion-thingy applicator of the IOPE. The cushion is velvety and kinda moist upon application and - granted - the cream glides evenly on the face. In fact, in the end, it creates almost of an air-brush look. It took several layers of the BRTC to reach the coverage that I got from one swipe of IOPE.
However, it seems that a lot of the cream actually were left inside the sponge, which is wasteful. I know this, because when I cleaned the sponge, I could squeeze out a lot of the cream out of it.
So now I ditch the cushion applicator altogether - unless if I have special occasions where I really need to be airbrushed :D - and just use my usual foundation brush.

For users of BRTC Blemish Recover Balm, perhaps you already notice that your complexion tone would change somewhat after a few hours of application - slightly darkens the tone. I was glad that the difference was not too obvious (though you could see it somewhat from the direct comparison above), otherwise, I'd already be walking around with half of my face darker than the other.