Review: Naturaglacé Emollient Cream Foundation

Before I went to Tokyo last year, I thought that “organic” and “natural” beauty products would be quite a niche market in Japan. However, I was surprised to find entire stores and sections dedicated to organic and natural beauty products. I have been a long time fan of this Japanese brand, Naturaglacé, which uses 100% natural ingredients. I loved their products so much, I have even ordered them off Ebay. So when I got to try their products in-person at one of their counters in Tokyo, it was hard not to buy everything. Luckily, I was able to restrain myself and only buy two products, which included their cream foundation and eye makeup remover.

Brand Overview

Naturaglacé is a beauty brand from Japan. It uses 100% natural ingredients and their ingredients are also organic. Their formulations are made with essential oils and plant extracts and are targeted at providing the benefits of skincare in makeup. The brand is also cruelty-free and attempts to produce less waste during its manufacturing process.

Claims

This foundation is meant to provide a glowy finish and smooth out the imperfections in your skin. The cream formula is supposed to be highly moisturizing because it contains ingredients like Blackcurrant Seed Oil and Streptomyces Leaf Extract. The foundation comes in six shades and has an SPF 39 PA+++. The sunscreen ingredients do not contain nanoparticles.

Application

I actually really love that this foundation comes in a tube. It is easy to control how much you squeeze out. Since it is a cream foundation, the texture is on the thicker side so the tube packaging makes sense. However, I don’t feel like it is so thick you have to really squeeze it to get the product out of the tube though.

This foundation is definitely best applied with fingers. I tried applying it with a Beauty Blender and it didn’t work at all. I have a feeling it has something to do with the fact that the oil from the foundation and the moisture from the Beauty Blender just don’t mix well together. Usually, I just dab it onto my skin and spread it out. As the name implies, it is definitely on the more emollient side, so it is does take a bit more work to blend it out.

Review

This is definitely one of my favourite foundations. It leaves such a beautiful glowy finish without looking oily. It does a great job smoothing out pores and fine lines. With a primer (I have been using Tatcha The Silk Canvas), your skin looks completely smooth. This is an ideal foundation for dry skin as it leaves even my super dry cheeks moisturized. Ironically, that is the same reason it might not be good for someone with oily skin or to be used as a summer foundation. Other things to note are the coverage is definitely on the light side and the longevity is good. It easily looks great for a 8-hour work day.

VERDICT: A glowy and moisturizing foundation that is perfect for the winter months or someone with dry skin. It provides that natural glow and also evens out your skin, which makes it perfect for everyday wear.

Current Favourites

After a long hiatus, I think it is time for another current favourites. Here are some of favourite things categorized according to the five senses.

Sight

I started collecting used vinyl a year ago. Most of the records I have collected are from the 70s and 80s and they are mostly classic rock albums. So when I went to watch the movie, Bohemian Rhapsody, I was thrilled to learn more about an iconic band, like Queen. To be honest, I knew Queen’s music mostly through it being played during intermissions in hockey games. After watching this movie, I gained a greater appreciation for the band and the mesmerizing power that Freddie Mercury had over his audiences. Music can truly transcend our differences.

Taste

Lately, I have been obsessed with Southern American food. I visited a Cuban restaurant lately and became obsessed with pinto beans and rice. I realized I really didn’t know too much about food in South America. Moreover, my new coworker is from Columbia, and hearing her talk about Columbian food got me more intrigued. Lately, I have tried their national dish, Baneja Paisa, which consists of red beans, ground beef, rice, plantains, chorizo, and chicharron. To be honest, I am not a big meat eater, but I loved the homemade chorizo and really enjoyed the caramelized plantains. I was an Anthropology major in university. I realized one of my great passions continues to be learning about other cultures.

Smell

There are some beauty products you look forward to using just because you love the smell of them. For me, lately, it has to be the Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask in Grapefruit. After seeing this sleeping mask all over Instagram, I had to give it a try, especially since it reminded me of my favourite Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm. This lip mask provides a lovely sheen on the lips and is not sticky at all. I actually don’t love even enjoy eating grapefruits (they are too sour), but I do love smelling them. So if you love citrusy scents, you will enjoy this. Plus, it really works. In the morning, even though your lips are no longer sheeny, your lips feel softer and less flaky.

Touch

I love the feeling of applying a thick moisturizer on my face. Somehow, it makes me think that a thick barrier keeps my skin more moisturized. One of my favourite moisturizers in the last few months is the COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream. When I scoop it out with my spatula, it is very thick. However, you only need a small amount because it spreads really easily over the skin. It sinks in quickly, but I feel like there is still a layer of product over your skin (which I don’t mind). Usually I have to resort to using snail mucus products during the dry, winter months to keep my skin moisturized, but this cream kept all my dry patches at bay. This is another solid product from COSRX.

Sounds

My sister is a big fan of Lady Gaga and I love her as well, so it made sense that we went to watch “A Star is Born” together. We both really enjoyed the movie and thought the acting was great. “Shallow” was the song that got the most radio play from the movie, but after my sister talked about how much she loved “I’ll Never Love Again,” I went back to listen to it and it is my favourite now too. It is such a heart-wrenching song and truly authentic to the feelings of the characters in the movie. You need to give it a listen if you haven’t already.