Aqua Foundation

10 Reviews

1. 

   wakefulThrushe5

   Reply

   This has been a standby of mine for a few years now but today I really felt compelled to leave a review. Why? Because cracking open a brand new bottle of this and applying it made me realize how superior this is in comparison to all the other foundations I own.
   I ran out so I replaced it. My replacement arrived and even though I just did my makeup for the day (Boujours Healthy Skin #51), I immediately removed it. I was so excited to shake shake shake that new bottle and apply it. Even though I had to perform nearly my whole morning skincare routine again under it (quick removal with baby wipes, P50, vitamin c serum, Hada Labo Hyaluronic Skin Moisturizer, Biore Watery Essence SS, Dior Backstage Primer) I was so excited I didn’t care. And wow. One pump and I was blown away yet again. I’ve tried many foundations, high end, low end and in between. In my current rotation is MUFE F&B Y245, MUFE HD225, MUFE Stick Y225,KA SSE SX03&SX06,Bourjois Healthy Mix 51, Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundation Huda Faux filer in Shortbread (just for my nose). They are all good for everyday use, depending on what I’m doing, my skins mood, etc. And I would repurchase any of those and I like them all for different reasons.But KGD? Is so different. Makes my skin look naturally glowy and glassy. Even though my skin is relatively in good condition due to P50 and various retinoids I rotate it just does something to amplify the good qualities in my skin. It doesn’t cling to dry patches, works seamlessly with Hourglass Veil loose powder. I love the glow it gives so I don’t use a ton of powder, on hotter humid days I use Mac blot in my t zone only. It’s a good, medium coverage with a nice, satin finish. You can work up to a fuller coverage by waiting for layers to set before applying the next. A definite must have for dry skin on days where you need some (natural looking) coverage.
   I initially ordered samples from KGD’s website to get my color match (113)and have purchased from Sephora so I’m familiar with the authentic product. I have since found a reputable ebayer that sells it for a better price (I always compare color/texture to old bottle just to be sure). It’s still expensive but wow. If you are on the fence, buy a couple samples and you’ll know what I mean 🙂

2. 

   finickyGranola7

   Reply

   I can only conjure up one word to describe this: “Badass”! I know, not elegant or delicate though that’s definitely the finish this consistently provides. But nothing else makes sense. Not exaggerating but this is art in a bottle. It makes people’s skins look like a baby’s tush: Doesn’t everyone love a baby’s fat ass? They’re so soft, full of life, squishy and just so darn cute. Until they poop but what’s life without the occasional crap? In this case it’s the price. That’s evil. But this is what God (or whatever your spiritual leader is… it’s a big world out here) would have worn would he enchant humanity with his radiance. They should rename it “Benjamin Button in a bottle”. You too can look like you have a great lighting crew at your beck and call if you get this.

   I use this in Warm 143. I actually didn’t have high hopes for this color (not the product) since as Japanese brand, I expected the shade selection to be restrained. To my surprise, the color selection is not half bad. It was easy to find my coloring. I just picked the tan one. Not as great for anyone on the very dark end of the color spectrum be warned. I hope they fix that. Anyways, I only use it on special dates and events where there’ll be lots of photos. Too expensive otherwise. And boy does it deliver. I look perfect every time. It’s easy to apply and I look like me, just with a lightbulb atop my head 24/7. The level of shade other women give me when I use this is enough to make your skin crawl…I think that’s what we want though. This has a juicy finish compared to the Maifanshi Foundation. You might want to exfoliate before using since it will show those things easily. It’s a sheer, medium finish. It can certainly be made thinner as it is opaque yet the luminous remains always. This is a winner for everyone, since it has no acne activating ingredients or irritants. Others like this include: MAC Face and Body (not safe for acne. Less radiant as this). RMS Un-Cover (not acne safe. Actually run if you’re prone to acne)…Aqua’s twin but with hippie ingredients. Armani is good if your skin has no natural “dewiness” but embrace it. Glossier Skin Tint (acne safe)…this is the “Kid” version of Koh Gen Do Aqua and MAC F&B. I cannot do it justice. This blows all other foundations and makes them look like wimps. Think of your favorite Mike Tyson knockout. I swear Cleopatra or some rich lady from the olden days would have very likely built a temple for this.

3. 

   stressedViper5

   Reply

   I’m so excited and eyes on this foundation after review so many video on Youtube, however the price tag make me hesitance to grab it. Holly cow one day I saw a good discount at local store I grabbed it immediately, and it doesnt failed me, one of the best foundation I’ve tried despite the fact that I have 8 bottles of foundation with different brands. It is light weight and the most skin like foundation, light to medium coverage, amazingly hold up my oil production than any other foundation I’ve tried. I will buy more of it when running out.

4. 

   boredLard3

   Reply

   Amazing Foundation. Terrible colour range. Goes on like a second skin with a healthy glow. I find that it is a sheer – medium coverage but buildable. I deff. have to set it with a powder and put a mattifying primer underneath and a pore minimizer. I have Oily T-Zone and have to powder throughout the day which is the life of an Oily Skin Gal but it is an amazing foundation and continues to be one of my Holy Grail. I have used it for over 4 years and it never ceases to amazing me.

   Although, does not go well with mixing a mattifying primer with it (learnt that the hard way). Doesn’t cling to my flakey patches and doesn’t break up on my face like most foundations I wear. I would say that if you are considering buying it, Invest your money and give it a go because it is a good, solid and reliable foundation.

   People who have sensitive skin please read the ingredients list first before you purchase as there are a few ingredients that may not gel well with your skin.

5. 

   thrilledSnail0

   Reply

   A “your skin but better” foundation but not sure if cost is justified.

6. 

   anxiousClam3

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   Please don’t skewer my head on a stake for this review. I LOVE this company! I LOVE their OTHER foundation – the Maifashani Moisture Foundation in the tube in 002. I have combo skin as I am now 52, but it is OILY. The Moisture Foundation DOES NOT make it oily. You can see my “Cadillac Recipe Review” if you wish. It does have silicones in it, but not enough, or the ones to bother me.

   DISCLAIMER: This review is 2 STARS because it was ruined for my by silicone ingredients, thus this is specifically written only to catch the attention of the undiagnosed “silicone sufferer” out there. They are considered good ingredients. The HIGH majority of EVERY foundation available will be full of these ingredients, and WILL NOT BE NEARLY AS GOOD AS Koh-Gen-do’s Aqua Foundation. So, IF you are going to try a new FOUNDATION (WITH SILICONES) DO TRY THIS KOH GEN DO AQUA FOUNDATION.

   Silicones make foundation spread and cover like a bouncy dream. They DO NOT AFFECT EVERYONE ADVERSELY. What happens: A few minutes after a “dream application” of silicate heavy foundations (most of them), it is like you put a plastic grocery store bag over my face and head (is it a toy now?) and I start to sweat UNDER the foundation and producing – well some oily condensation under the now “mask” of the foundation. Very much like your car windows get “sweaty” inside when it is raining and you have to turn the fan on and a/c to see out and cool it down. And then the foundation is not “one” with your skin anymore which is also a problem.

   About 5 years ago while at Sephora I decided to try foundations other than Chanel. After trying all YSL foundations and others, the following happened: the smoothest best bouncy coverage – for about two minutes. Then the sweaty underneath the foundation effect as described in the car . Then I wanted to blot, but how do you blot underneath your foundation? Then I had to get it the hell off of my face. -WHY? WHAT was happening? I asked both MUA at Sephora. One knew: silicones. Then the web clued me in more. I found a “haters of silicones” type of site. BOOM! they listed all my problems.

   Based on the reviews here most people are overjoyed. However, if you find yourself loving this line and this foundation the first few minutes but cannot account for a bad effect later and blame yourself, don’t. You might have skin that does not like the silicone/s. Beauty products will be much more difficult to find because you now have to beauty read labels. They are in everything under so many names it is mindboggling. The good news: there are now products that advertise “silicone-free”. I will say that I can use products with some in the mix, just not a majority.

   Here are some various forms they come in: from “www.beautyeditor.ca” At end I will leave their opinion that I share.

   The easiest way to identify silicones on product labels is to look for words that end in one of these:

   -Cone
   Dimethicone
   Methicone
   Trimethicone
   Cyclomethicone
   Amodimethicone
   Trimethylsilylamodimethicone

   -Siloxane
   Cyclopentasiloxane
   Polydimethylsiloxane

   -Conol
   Dimethiconol

   -Polymers
   see site..

   Keep in mind, silicones can lurk in all of the following types of products:(I left all the harcare out due to space- hair touches skin).

   Skincare
   Moisturizers
   Serums
   Face oils
   Sunscreens
   Face masks
   Face mists
   Acne treatments
   Anti-aging treatments
   Makeup
   Foundations
   BB and CC creams
   Tinted moisturizers
   Primers
   Concealers
   Powders
   Blushes
   Setting sprays

   7 Reasons to Avoid Silicones on Your Skin

   Michelle VillettMar 27, 2017
   1. Silicones trap debris in your pores.
   Like plastic wrap, silicones form a barrier on top of your skin. That barrier can lock in moisture, yes, but it can also trap dirt, sweat, bacteria, sebum, dead skin cells and other debris along with it!
   2. Silicones can cause acne and congestion.
   Prolonged exposure to oil, dead skin and bacteria underneath the semi-occlusive seal of silicones can lead to increased breakouts. If you are acne-prone, I consider silicones among the most important ingredients to avoid—maybe even THE most important. Silicones can also be a culprit in under-the-skin clogs,(Makeup primers are a culprit behind congested skin).
   3. Silicones can make your skin dull and dehydrated.
   Silicones could also be clogging your pores, but manifesting as dryness and dullness instead of acne. Not only do silicones prevent additional moisture from getting in, but the impacted materials can dehydrate your pores and throw your skin’s natural regulatory processes off-balance.Your skin becomes less able to shed dead layers and hydrate itself.
   4. Silicones interfere with cell renewal. -Skin renews itself every 28 days, old cells are sloughed off/ new cells make their way up to the surface. Silicones inhibit this process by slowing down the production of new cells and keeping dead cells stuck longer. Impaired cell renewal could decelerate the improvement of conditions such as pigmentation, redness, fine lines and scarring!
   5. Silicones deliver nothing beneficial to your skin.—it’s simply a short-term smoothing.
   6. Silicones block other ingredients from absorbing. – If you are layering products, they are prevented from doing their jobs properly. If you use a silicone-based micellar water or serum, any moisturizers or treatments you put on next could rendering them less effective because they can’t penetrate very I even suspect that siliconesimpede absorption of any beneficial ingredients within the same formula!
   7. Silicones are difficult to remove.
   The most common silicone, dimethicone, is extremely heavy and leaves a coating on the skin unless it is carefully removed. This is often why people see such a difference from nightly double cleansing, because it’s properly removing the silicones from your skin—a single pass with a regular face wash simply isn’t enough! The same goes for silicone hair conditioners; even if you’ve rinsed with wate

7. 

   needyPaella7

   Reply

   I have dry, sensitive skin, and this is one of my favorite foundations… in a more cool climate (Scandinavia). I have also tried it in California, and it doesn’t really work very well – slides around on me and doesn’t last as long as in a cooler climate. I apply this with my hands, as it kinda self-levels and thus applies evenly this way. A beauty blender would suck up the thin-ish product, and I just don’t like brushes, and I’m not sure the gel texture of this would apply well with a brush. One bottle lasts me about 7 months when I use one pump of this per application

   There are several things I really like in this foundation: the shade 213 suits my NC20 (Pro Longwear as reference), neutral yellow/olive skin very well – better than most other foundations. It is totally perfume free, alcohol free and doesn’t upset my sensitive skin at all, nor did it clog my pores (16 h/day wear test for over 12 months). It is very good at hiding dry spots and flaking areas. Heavy concealer that can otherwise make drier spots look drier goes very well over this foundation. The reason is the gel-cream type of consistency – it almost creates a semi transparent layer that evens out all kinds of surface issues. It makes my skin look like skin because of its coverage and texture, and powders apply well on top. On top of all of this, in the climate I usually live in, this lasts all day long on me, and doesn’t break up on me or look strange as it slightly disappears during the day. I like this foundation so much that it was what I wore on my wedding day (cool and very rainy), and aside from me not applying enough blush, my skin looks very good in the photos. This is till now the only foundation that I’ve soon used up two bottles off, and will purchase again.

   However, there will be people that won’t appreciate this foundation as much, and I understand that too. First off: one of the reason I wanted this foundation is because of the light coverage – I had good skin that mostly needed light coverage and some minor concealing. The foundation can be built to light-medium, but no more, IMO. Second, if you have combination or oily skin, this is no going to stick well – it kind sits slightly strangely on oily skin and doesn’t last far as long. If there is high moisture in the air, this doesn’t hold up well on my skin, which makes this unsuitable for me in warm, humid environments (which is not my usual environment). When it’s warm and humid, this foundation almost doesn’t “bond” to my skin, but just sits on top of it, with a barrier of moisture in between. The last thing is the price: this foundation is pricey! Personally, I’ve tried many foundations and not found anything like it, but it’ possible to achieve a similar finish, color and texture by mixing… which I don’t like to take time to do.

   Personally, I love this, but it isn’t a foundation that will suit everyone or work in every climate, so I’d recommend to think about the pros and cons of it and read reviews before you buy, unless you have money to waste. Maybe buy a sample of this from camerareadycosmetics, if you can

   If anyone is interested bout the packaging: pretty, but annoying. When there’s about 1/5 left of the foundation, this begins to get hard to get out, and the opening when you unscrew the lid is really small, and it’s hard to get the product from the sides out, which is wasteful. I have to pick the product out with a q-tip… definitely not something I think should be required with a luxury foundation…

8. 

   spiritedRuffs0

   Reply

   One of my best foundations ever!

   I range from an NC 30-35 and at my ‘tannest’ I lean at an NC 37-40 (I stay out of the sun and religiously apply sunscreen) and I use the shade ‘143’. Offhand it can look a little dark but it is amazing once you blend it out, it also has great warm olive undertones without leaning too yellow on me.

   Because of its undertones, I actually like to use it as an ‘olive foundation mixer’. The other day, I mixed in a pump of this with my YSL Touche Eclat Foundation in B40 (which leans a little too neutral for my liking) and it created a fantastic base!

   It is pricey, but the coverage is amazing without being cakey while still looking luminous. I find that it looks better with a brush; I use the Real Techniques Expert Face brush.

   You can’t get it in Malaysia however, I purchased mine from Takashiyama in Singapore.

9. 

   scornfulPiglet3

   Reply

   I saved my money and I was so excited to try this Foundation. I have been eyeing it for quite some time and after watching review after review on YouTube I finally splurged and bought it. For starters I went with the color 123 thinking that it would match my nc25 to 27 winter skin. I tend to go with neutral foundation colors as really warm colors tend to pull too Yellow on me. The color itself is a nice neutral undertone to it but the color is way too light on my skin. Secondly, due to living in a very dry climate and my body going through a lot of hormonal changes, my skin tends to be on the dry side lately. After reading the reviews I thought for sure this would be great for dry skin.

   So on to the application. First I dotted the foundation on my face and blended it out with a beauty blender. That did not work. It seemed splotchy and hard to blend which is very odd because everyone Raves how it Blends like a dream. So I tried to put primer underneath and used a blending brush. This time I had more luck but still thought it was pretty hard to blend. You can definitely build it to a medium coverage which I like, but I still have found that the more product I added, the more pale I looked.

   When it comes to wear it held up alright.

   All in all, it was super hard to blend for me into my dry skin. It made me look more pale than I am. And for the price it just did not wow me. I find that bourjois healthy mix does a much better job. I have to blend Shades 53 and 54 to get the right color so i didn’t want to spend the extra money having to blend two foundations. However at 16.99 each, it’s a steal comparatively speaking to this.

   Sorry ladies I really tried to love it but didn’t.

10. 

    ferventPretzels3

    Reply

    This is definitely a your skin but better foundation the glow it gives DOES imitate your face after a facial. I liked that there is a true pale olive shade that was a great match. Things I didn’t care for is the price, and id I wore it two days in a row, I got clogged pores/ skin reaction. It has a long ingredient list. I tried one of their Spa moisturizers and same reaction. No nore Koh Gen Do for me :/