You'll need to buy the compact case (S$27) and the foundation compact ($65) separately, and assemble the little set-up yourself. Kinda like IKEA furniture, no? :P
Fortunately, assembly is pretty nifty. The case and compact have a catch mechanism that allows the foundation compmact to be snapped in very easily into the case itself. I actually like this - it's definitely an improvement over those clunky pans we had to fit into the case.
Here's a closer look at the foundation pan. You can see the little latch mechanism sticking out at its sides. The colour I picked out was O-01, and I'm about NC20. From what I can tell, though, this is a little less yellow than NC20, although it has the same depth of colour. The undertone is a lot more neutral than MAC's NC20, which tends to be yellower and warmer.
I know I've said this in my previous Maqui Miracle swatch post, but I'm so convinced of this point I'll say it again - the shade range of Maqui Miracle is excellent. I love how nuanced the shades are, and how warm, cool, and neutral undertones are all covered within the context of Asian skin shades. You know how hard it is to find a cool-toned yellow-beige shade of foundation? Now you have three options! If you're like me, and most yellow-beige shades are way too orange for you, it's hard not to get excited about that!
Anyway, enough with that little diversion on Asian shades. Back to assembling the compact! You take that foundation pan...and snap! In it goes into the compact, from the back. I actually quite like the mechanism, it makes it very easy to refill your compact foundation. The compact itself is also very nifty - it closes shut magnetically, instead of with a latch. I quite like it, although I do worry that if I were to bring my Maqui Miracle compact with me while I was travelling, it would open up in my bag.
So the compact is nifty. The foundation case is nifty. Did you know the sponge is also nifty? I never knew foundation sponges were so important, but I guess it makes sense - after all, just like how brushes are important for a good application, sponges can also lend a big hand when it comes to application skill. The Maqui Miracle foundation sponges are double-sided, and one side is rougher (basically your typical foundation sponge surface), while the other side has a much smoother surface. I actually really like touching the smooth side - it feels very velvety.
The idea behind having a dual-sided sponge is that you first use the porous, rougher side to apply the foundation, and then finish off with the velvety smooth side to give a better finish. I honestly can't tell much difference unless I look closely at my face, but it does seem to give a slightly better finish.
So, we have the case, the compact, and the sponge! Here's the entire set, in it's very chic-looking case:
The texture of the foundation was smooth, very smooth, and coverage of the foundation was pretty decent by powder foundation standards - it will cover only minor flaws, and if you have any scars, eyebags, or major discolourations, you're best off using it together with a concealer. But if you only have minor imperfections, this would be good worn on its own.
I have to admit, while I was impressed by the design, shade range, and unsparing attention to detail (hello, a double sided sponge?), what won me over was really the quality of the foundation itself.
In order to test the claims of being able to absorb oil and prevent shine for 12 hours, I actually wore this one out for all 12 hours, without touching up. And I was very impressed by what I found. At the end of 12 hours, I found that it was getting oily, but not by very much. And the foundation hadn't oxidized, either. To be fair though, I was spending most of the 12 hours indoors, so it wasn't like I was running a marathon. But still, I'm impressed.
Here's a shot of myself wearing the foundation:
So, who should check out this foundation? The first thing that comes to mind would be Asian girls like myself who have trouble finding shades in most brands, especially neutral and cool-toned girls (like myself). But anyone looking for a good quality powder foundation with light-to-medium coverage and the ability to resist shine should really consider this one.
(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company for this review.)
