This Hera cushion was the very first cushion compact I ever tried back in September 2015 when I discovered them, and I haven’t looked back since. I love cushion compacts for their ease, convenience and multi-functional purpose that they have completely replaced normal foundations and BB creams in my regular daily makeup routine. It’s taken me awhile to get around to review this because my cushion collection has steadily grown bigger and I wanted to get a good feel of how other cushions perform in comparison.
HERA UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture:
Hera is a high-end cosmetic brand housed under the giant Amore Pacific brand, with 5 different cushion compacts to suit different skin types:
- UV Mist Cushion – the original (comes in 2 varieties: ‘N’ shades provide a more natural, sheer coverage to even out skintone, and ‘C’ which has a higher coverage to conceal imperfections.
- UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture – more moisturising than the original for winter.
- UV Mist Cushion Long Stay – promises 12 hour coverage for hot and humid weather.
- UV Mist Cushion Long Stay Matte – matte finish and sebum control for summer.
- Age Reverse Cushion – Hera’s newest cushion for anti-ageing.
Product Info:
The Ultra Moisture cushion is a 5 in 1 product – a combination of mist + foundation + sunblock + whitening + cooling effect. (As with most Korean cosmetics/skincare, it’s not really a whitening product, its just a term synonymous for brightening and evening out skin tone).
It comes with SPF34/PA++. That is slightly lower than most cushions with SPF50/PA+++ but is still more than the standard SPF15 you would get in the UK. Not to mention it is broad-spectrum meaning it protects against UVA & UVB rays, so it’s much better for skin than most Western foundations.
This cushion claims to provide a powerful long-lasting moisturising effect for healthy looking skin. This is achieved through their Moisture-Trap technology and using mineral clay water instead of regular water, which contains clay from frozen sea ice and helps in maintaining moisture from deep within and keeping skin clear by reducing sebum and dead skin. It also cools down the skin and provides a refreshing feeling.
Other benefits include hyaluronic acid (very hydrating), camellia oil (locks in moisture and gives a glowing effect) and yarrow extract (helps get rid of dead skin cells for smoother skin).
No.21 Cool Vanilla
Shade comparison with other cushions
I got this in Shade 21 Cool Vanilla which leans slightly yellow but is a good match for my neutral undertone. It is one of the more pricier cushions, retailing for $48/£33 (on sale) from IBBI which is where I bought mine but it does come with an extra cushion refill so really you are getting 30g (15g x 2) for that price.
Packaging:
Comes with refill, compact and instruction booklet
I love the whole packaging concept of cushion compacts but this Hera Ultra Moisture version is one of my favourites. It comes in a purple metallic box which contains the compact, refill and instruction booklet. The compact case itself is gorgeous! The cover is greyish-purple until it catches the light and displays beautiful rainbow colours.
Inner lid separates the cushion and puff and keeps the cushion from drying out.
Rubycell puffs can usually be identified by their blue colour but some brands opt for different colours. Hera’s purple one fits nicely with the rest of the purple packaging.
New cushions are sealed with a sticker reminding you to close it tightly after use.
Peel sticker back to reveal cushion.
As you open it up you see it has a mirror on the inside cover and the rubycell puff sits on the inner tray lid that protects the cushion from drying out and getting dirty. The compact is well built and sturdy but light enough to carry around in your bag. I like that the hinge of the lid is stiff enough so I can angle the mirror at various degrees as some compacts just flop open backwards.
How to refill:
On the bottom to the left it says ‘push’. Using both thumbs, push upwards and it should pop up.
Old vs new refill
Line up the refill to the compact and push down to click in place.
Application:
I typically apply this after all my skincare and pat the puff lightly onto the cushion to pick up product and then pat it all over my face. One layer is usually enough unless I have red blemishes that need more coverage then I’ll go over that area twice. It does have a strong perfumed scent to it which I looove, but people sensitive to fragrances in their cosmetics might not like this.
Performance:
After trying out other cushions, this one still really impresses me and it’s been my reliable and trusty cushion throughout autumn/winter for a natural everyday look. It has medium buildable coverage that evens out skintone beautifully. It can cover the redness on my cheeks and around my nose, although if I have occasional blemishes/spots then I would need an additional concealer.
I was initially unsure of this cushion because for normal-oily skin types, it’s always a bit worrying seeing anything claiming to be ultra moisturising. Thankfully, this works well for my skin type and the name can be misleading in thinking it is just for dry skin but it really isn’t. It doesn’t actually add moisture, but rather maintains and locks in the moisture already within your skin, so your face doesn’t feel dry and tight throughout the day. Some cushions I’ve tried tend to accentuate dry patches that I didn’t even know I had when my face is feeling slightly more dry (looking at you Missha M Magic Cushion), but I’ve never had the problem with this one.
The finish is also really nice. It has a semi-matte satin finish which I think is perfect. It sets fairly quickly and doesn’t move around on the skin too much. It isn’t overly dewy so you look oily, but neither is it so matte that your face looks like a flat canvas. It provides a subtle glow in all the right places and looks very natural. My skin but better.
As for the wear time, it is very long-lasting and holds up well. On a work day I need it to hold up for 10-12 hours and by the end of the day it still looks like I have good coverage, with just a bit of redness peaking through. It looks more dewy throughout the day but glowy rather than oily. However around the 6 hour mark my nose does tend to get oily and patchy, (which I think is the camellia oil in the product), and can sometimes crease around the sides of my nose. It also starts creasing in-between my eyebrows and can become a bit streaky. This isn’t that surprising since I have an oily t-zone and if I apply powder in those areas it does hold up better for longer.
I did wear this in Korea at the start of autumn when it was still quite hot, and without powder after 5/6 hours shopping and walking around, my nose did look like an oil slick so I would recommend this to oily skin only as a fall/winter cushion.
Overall:
This is a great cushion if I want a semi-matte finish which is long-lasting and provides good medium coverage. The cushion keeps my skin hydrated and doesn’t dry out throughout the day, making it perfect to use throughout winter. The only downside is how it makes my nose quite oily and creases/becomes streaky due to my skin’s natural oil and the oil in the cushion. I am interested in trying the original UV mist cushion and the long stay matte since they are less moisturising and might work better on my oily t-zone but I’m very happy with the Hera UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture and definitely recommend it to all skin types.
The cushion looks really smooth and even on you 👍 This is one of my favorite cushions (I have the same shade). –Angela
Thanks. ^^ Really is thanks to this great cushion.