    Do It Well With KohGenDo's Maifanshi Moisture Foundation
Generally speaking, I shudder when I see or hear the word "foundation" in any sort of beauty context. See, I associate foundation with that messy, runny liquid that I once slathered all over my face on "special" occasions when I needed to cover up every single skin imperfection. If you're above the age of 20, then you're probably acquainted with the horrors that accompanied old-school liquid foundations — from it caking up, leaving you looking like a French mime or some sort of masked creature at a costume ball, to it cracking harder than Humpty Dumpty, to it clogging up pores and leading to massive, volcanic-sized breakouts. After a few such traumatizing experiences, I banished all liquid foundations from my vanity set — and they remained in exile for years.
So it was with a great deal of hesitation and trepidation that I finally tested KohGenDo's Maifanshi Moisture Foundation (pictured above), an extremely lightweight cream that covers pores without clogging them. When you try it on, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how fine and gentle the foundation feels against the skin — it's comparable to a tinted moisturizer (except that this, of course, yields much greater coverage). Available in three colors (Light Ivory, Natural and Ochre), the foundation can be blended to create the perfect custom shade. Furthermore, it contains no artificial fragrances, alcohol or petroleum, making it a gentler alternative to traditional base makeup.
Wondering how it is that KohGenDo's foundation can provide such great coverage without clogging pores? Well here's the deal. First and foremost, the amount of silicone in the foundation is kept to a minimum (silicone covers pores and creates a smooth surface but does impede the pores from breathing, creating congestion that can lead to acne). Secondly, the mineral particles in the foundation are cut at an angle which allows it to deflect and reflect light in such a manner as to create the illusion of complete coverage (rather than actually sealing and blocking your pores). Finally, the jojoba, shea and olive oils in the formula soothe and nourish skin, so that the emphasis is on both skin coverage and skincare.
Already a hit in Japan, where it's been sold for over 22 years, KohGenDo is now making its stateside debut, hitting prestigious retailers like the Nigel Beauty Emporium and Alcone, among others.
The one complaint: the shade range is very limited, particular for darker-skinned women. I'm hoping that as the line makes its foray into the US, it will expand the range of shades available so as to better suit the needs of women of color.
Here's to starting off a new life with a great new makeup finish.
KohGenDo Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, $60. Visit KohGenDoCosmetics.com
Read the review on sickathanaverage.com.
Best in Beauty -- The All-Star Releases of 2009
December 31, 2009
Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, $55. Visit KohGenDoCosmetics.com
Back in May, I tested Koh Gen Do's Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, and I was floored -- it was deliciously lightweight, covering up any imperfections and providing an even finish without clogging pores or giving you a cake-y look. Since then, I've been singing the foundation's praises high and low.
Read the review on sickathanaverage.com
Dewy Skin With Koh Gen
Do
  
 
You might remember that back in May, I posted a piece on the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, a lightweight foundation that not only provides coverage but also soothes skin with hydrating ingredients like jojoba, shea and olive oils — all without clogging pores or leaving you with cake-y face syndrome. Well, as the Japanese line continues to ease into the US, I've been slowly but surely familiarizing myself with more of their offerings. What I appreciate most about these products is that, when they were conceptualized, skincare concerns were taken into consideration so that everything from the ingredients to the applicators are meant to treat and soothe skin.
Take, for example, the Maifanshi Natural Lighting Powder (pictured at top right). Unlike so many powders available now, this one isn't meant to replace foundation but rather, to complement the effect created by the Maifanshi Moisture Foundation. Instead, this powder contains tiny pearl particles that reflect light, giving your skin a fresh, dewy look, while also helping to conceal any blemishes, redness or discoloration. The powder comes with a soft microfiber puff which, in turn, has a small ribbon "handle" on its top surface, so that you can slip your fingers through it for an easier grip as you pat the powder on your skin. The powder puff is as soft as a cotton ball (and definitely more gentle than 90% of the brushes in the market), which is beyond important since you want to be as discerning with the tools you use on your skin as you are with the products. Another excellent example is the Koh Gen Do Fresh Face, a loose powder pigment that contains jojoba seed oil and shea butter to hydrate skin, as well as a built-in sponge applicator (which really reduces messiness).
In terms of results, the more I toy with these products, the more impressed I am with their results. If you caught the MTV Video Music Awards, you might remember how radiant Olivia Palermo looked on the red carpet. Well, it turns out her makeup artist, Dyana Aives, turned to Koh Gen Do to give Olivia her picture-perfect skin.
To create the look, Aives used the Koh Gen Do Makeup Color Base in Yellow (a moisturizing primer with SPF 16 protection and a light yellow tint that neutralizes any existing redness), the Maifanshi Moisture Concealer, the Koh Gen Do Moisture Foundation in PK23 (along with the Aqua Foundation, which isn't pictured above), the Maifanshi Natural Lighting Powder, the Koh Gen Do Fresh Face in Caramel Bronze (to give cheeks a warm glow), and the Maifanshi Lipstick in Nude Beige. The result was a natural look that merely accentuated Olivia's natural beauty — and these products will do exactly the same for you. I wanted to see if I could actually come close to replicating the look of Palermo's complexion at the VMAs, and I was surprised at how much of a skin makeover these products gave me. Granted: we don't have the same skin color or type (and she had her fashion and hair glam squad on deck), but if we focus on the complexion alone, you'll see how much this Koh Gen Do routine helped both of us achieve that fresh, dewy look. Below is a photo of me after applying these product (pardon the undone hair -- just wanted you all to focus on the makeup alone ;) ). The only product which I didn't use was the Aqua Foundation — simply because I didn't need that much coverage (I'm not hitting up any red carpets tonight!). You'll notice from the photo that it barely looks like I have makeup on, and yet my whole complexion looks smoother and brighter. Of course, you can add a bit of drama with a smokey eye or tons of mascara (or you can keep it simple and natural), but either way, your luminous complexion will have people talking (in the best of ways, of course). To watch as I create the look below, visit Sicka Than Average on YouTube.com
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