Jung Saem Mool Essential Star-cealer Foundation

Saturday, November 25, 2017

This is my latest blind buy success, my first product from Jung Saem Mool. It took me a while to get used to the boxed format, but the Essential Star-cealer Foundation quickly became my favorite foundation.

The inside of the matte box contains a small little concealer brush (lost it like five minutes after opening it) and a close textured sponge. Next to the large pan of concealer is a skin texture printed surface where you can mix the liquid foundation and stiffer concealer.

This foundation dispenses through this tiny pinprick of a hole on the side of the flat region. It will still dispense foundation after you've stopped pressing the bar, so stop pressing after you see 3/4 the amount you want appear through the hole.

I'm in between MAC NC20-25 and found Medium to be a pretty good match. It's a fairly yellow ivory-beige. The foundation has a very faint floral fragrance.

You get significantly less foundation in this box than you do in a traditional 1 oz bottle of liquid foundation. This compact only contains .52 oz of foundation, though you get an additional .16 oz of heavy duty concealer. On one hand I'm going through this foundation much quicker than any other foundation in the past (I can finish half of the concealer pan in just six weeks, no idea how much foundation is left since it's not visible) but I don't have to buy a separate concealer and worry about it's finish/creasing/color matching properties.

I use a tad bit of the concealer on my darkest spots and blemishes. Then mix a bit of the foundation with the concealer and apply in long strokes all over my face.

The concealer itself is thick and a bit sticky, similar to BECCA Ultimate Coverage Concealing Creme, but without the castor oil smell and not quite as tacky in feel. It warms up nicely with a finger, so often I use my ring finger to apply it.

Surprisingly my favorite way to apply this foundation and obtain max coverage is with the included sponge. Patting it repeatedly while staying in place creates a really nice finish. On the right, I've already finished patting it in.

Just wearing Jung Saem Mool Essential Star-cealer Foundation in Medium. For face primer I'm using Pure Heal's Propolis 90 Ampoule and Manyo Factory Galactomy T-Serum.

While it looks fairly matte in photos, in real life the foundation looks really REALLY luminous to my eyes. Star-cealer Foundation doesn't set for me until I've swept some powder over it. This version with the matte box is supposed to be for oilier skin, the glossy boxed Illuminous version is for dry skin. Even though my t-zone can get really oily, this foundation didn't break down from all the sebum. My face looks and feels pleasantly moisturized from start to finish, no dehydration over hours of wear. It's not 100% transfer proof, but stays mostly in place through occasional oil blotting and accidental face touching.

I love this foundation. Adore it. It's been a few years since I've really liked a foundation this much, the last foundation to make me feel this kind of way was Dolce & Gabbana Perfection Luminous Liquid Foundation (and it's been 3 years since I reviewed it!). Even though this compact is quite bulky and the pumping mechanism far from elegant, it's definitely the best foundation I've used in recent years. It's checking all the boxes for me: looks beautiful on the face, really buildable coverage, not dehydrating, doesn't oxidize, doesn't break down from my excess sebum, and feels pleasant during the duration of wearing it.

I've already repurchased (and have a back up to boot) this foundation during Peach & Lily's Black Friday sale. Normally I see this foundation for $44+ but I was more than happy to buy it 30% off (the Black Friday/Cyber Monday code is PEACHANDLILY30 if you see this post before the sale ends).

Price: Jung Saem Mool Essential Star-cealer Foundation is $44 from Peach & Lily, $35-$50 on eBay.

What's your favorite foundation right now? Have you tried any products from Jung Saem Mool?

Product featured was purchased by me. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.