Creme Foundation Round-Up

So, a while ago I went on a Creme Foundation binge.

I bought colors from Graftobian, Joe Blasco, RCMA, and Cinema Secrets.

In terms of general formulation, Graftobian and Joe Blasco both contain Petrolatum. RCMA and Cinema Secrets use vegetable oil as the base.

Graftobian and Joe Blasco are more similar to each other. Graftobian is the least creamy, but also the easiest to mix with other bases. Unfortunately it doesn't set very well, and creases easily over the course of the day. I also find that it oxidizes the least of the lot (darkens the least) so what you see right when you finish putting on your make up is what you get a few hours later. On the plus side, it is the cheapest, and has a very good color selection for oriental skin. If only using sheer cover, this one works decently well, since creasing is not a major concern, and it spreads very well. It doesn't look very good with full coverage, it's fairly shiny/greasy, and once powdered, can look somewhat built up. For colors, Vixen is a close match for me, if a bit too ashy/grey. Ingeune mixed with Sunlit Linen is almost a perfect match for my skin. Buttermilk and Temptress are probably the next best matches, although those carry a bit more red.

I like Joe Blasco for it's "yellowness". All the foundations always have too much red/orange for me, but not Joe Blasco. I have the golden olive line, and this stuff has the least amount of coral tones out of all the foundations I have. The foundation spreads decently well, but tends to get cakey pretty easily. You really have to be careful to spread and blend this foundation well. it also creases a bit, so you really have to set it with powder. I found silica to be insufficient, and had to use RCMA no color powder to get it to stop sliding around. Poor in the durability department.

Both Joe Blasco, and Graftobian transfer on just about everything that touches my face.

RCMA is a little bit "crumbly" out of the pot, but once it warms up and you work it a bit, it does become more creamy. I find RCMA to be too reddish in general for my skin. KO1 works well for me as an undereye concealer though, with it's slightly orangish hue (compared to my skin which is very fair, yellowish cream color). It sits on skin really well and doesn't budge once it's on there. It required only a light dusting of power to set. It does crease, but is only noticeable on a close up inspection in the mirror at the end of the day, I think this level of creasing is unavoidable. Overall, my favorite of the lot if only they had the right color for me! Shinto 1 is both too dark, and too ruddy for me. RCMA is the most ruddy of the lot I have.

Cinema secrets is a little more spreadable than RCMA, while being roughly the similar. It sets very well, and doesn't crease too badly. It transfers more then RCMA but I find it to be acceptable. It's worth the ease of spreading. The bummer is IT SMELLS!! They have some really strong fragrances added to the creme, and when I open my palette I get hit with this really strong smell. I do not like it. It doesn't stink...but why would you add fragrance to a foundation......why? As for color selection, it's decent. The 300 line is good for me. 301 is very light, and peachy yellow, and I find 302-65a to be a somewhat ashy grey yellow. I was more looking for a creamy yellow, but those two are acceptable. 304-32 is a pinky toned yellow, and is also acceptable. I have a few of the yellowish 400 lines, but they are too red.

For price, Joe Blasco is the most expensive at 23$ for 0.3oz. Then Cinema Secrets 20$ for 0.5oz. Then RCMA 20$ for 1.0oz, the Graftobian at 10$ for 0.5oz.

Overall I would use RCMA if I could find a color match, but too bad. If I could only keep one of my pots, I would keep my Cinema Secrets 302-65a, since I feel like it carries the best combination of color match, durability, crease resistance, and spreadability. If I have all day to do my makeup and blend and blend and blend, and would have the opportunity to touch up my make up over the course of the day, I would use Joe Blasco for the color. For everyday sheer cover, Graftobian does well cut into moisturizer and just layered on in a very thin coat, but that defeats the purpose of a highly pigmented creme foundation, although I suppose it is a valid use.

I bought....a somewhat large number of colors :) So here are some photos of them to compare.