Botanic Farm has been on my radar since last year, but until recently I had no idea they made anything but skincare. As it turns out, the company also offers a small but well-curated range of color cosmetics to accentuate that healthy glow you get from using their skincare products 😉 At this time the collection includes lipsticks, brow pencils, eyeliners, a makeup primer, blushes, concealers, and of course, cushion foundation. BB cushions are a huge trend in Korea right now, so it’s not surprising that they are also becoming mainstream in our neck of the woods. Speaking of cushions, I finally had the chance to try Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion #21, and seeing as there aren’t that many reviews available, I thought you guys might be interested in hearing more about it!
As most Korean cushion foundations, Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion comes in two shades #21 [Fair-Light NC15’ish] and #23 [Light-Medium NC/NW 20-23]. This limited shade range would not fly in the US, but in Korea, where most men and women have fair to light skin tones, it just makes sense commercially, especially for small and indie brands. I received the shade #21, which is what I use for most of my Korean foundations and cushions. It’s something between NC15 and NW20, with mostly neutral undertones, but leaning just a little more on the pink side to brighten the complexion.
Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion contains nourishing ingredients that hydrate your skin throughout the day. It is recommended for most skin types, except very oily, because it’s packed with emollients that might be too heavy for some. Here is the full list.
The best part about Korean BB creams is that they function similarly to skincare, providing skin-loving benefits just like your favorite serums and moisturizers. Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion includes over a dozen antioxidant plant extracts, nourishing botanical oils, and a powerful broad spectrum physical SPF50 PA+++ sunblock to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. It’s important to remember that any SPF in your makeup, regardless of the number stated on the packaging, is not enough for thorough skin protection, so you should always double up with actual sunscreen underneath. This layer should go over your moisturizer, if you even need one, and under the primer/foundation/concealer.
As far as the packaging goes, Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion comes in a standard plastic round compact, with a small “door” that locks the foundation inside the pan to prevent leaking. This plastic inner cap is also where you would put the round applicator included with the compact. I think this applicator is pretty good on its own and works really well for on-the-go touchups, however, if I am applying my makeup at home, I found that using my beautyblender instead gave better results as far as coverage goes.
Speaking of coverage, Botanic Farm lists it on their website as light to medium. That couldn’t be farther from the truth, in a good way! The coverage is closer to full, but can be sheered out for light or medium if needed. In the full-face swatches below I am showing you just how well it can cover redness and imperfections, providing doll-like airbrushed finish. None of the photos are retouched, they are not even adjusted for brightness, so you can get a pretty good idea what my skin looks like before and after. The coverage is almost too perfect, and I don’t really wear makeup like that on a daily basis.
I know my face looks like I totally caked on that cushion, but I actually didn’t. This layer is very breathable, and very very thin, because the formula is extremely pigmented. When I use it normally, I tap the sponge very lightly and it still covers all of the redness exceptionally, while giving me natural-looking coverage that’s like my skin but better.
I mentioned earlier that Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion is not suited for oily skin, that’s just my opinion though. Thing is, even though this cushion is super pigmented, it does not set at all, so you will definitely need to use some sort of setting powder, or next time you scratch your nose or accidentally touch your cheeks, that color will come off just like that. Also, since I have combination complexion, it means that my skin will always produce extra oil in the T-zone. A couple hours after the application the cushion just melted off in those areas because my face became too greasy. Those are the main reasons why I don’t think it will work for oily skin.
Here is the full list of pros and cons for your reference.
PROS:
- Truly customizable coverage, can go from full to sheer without cakiness.
- Highly pigmented formula.
- Ingredient list is packed with skin-caring botanical extracts and nourishing oils.
- Very moisturizing.
- Broad spectrum SPF50 PA+++.
- Works well with skincare underneath, even if you like to wear 10 layers of serums and ampoules.
- Round sponge applicator is actually pretty good.
- Refills are only $10 each, so you won’t need to buy a new compact when you run out.
CONS:
- Shade range is limited to Fair and Light complexions.
- Not really suitable for oily skin type [that’s just my subjective opinion though].
- Doesn’t set on its own, needs to be set with powder or the next time you touch your face for any reason, the color will come right off.
BOTTOM LINE:
All things considered, I think Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion is a fantastic choice for anybody with Fair or Light skin tone looking to try a hydrating foundation that will be your go-to jack of all trades. It can give you custom coverage that will look perfect every time, whether you need to completely cover up acne and discoloration, or just want to brighten and even out the complexion a little bit. You can also buy cushion refills for half the price of the original compact, making this an economical choice. The cons are listed above, so it’s up to you to decide whether they are significant enough, as I know some of those things could be a dealbreaker. I just know that I will be using my Botanic Farm Waterfull Serum BB Cushion for months to come, because my skin can definitely benefit from extra hydration during the colder months.
Have you tried cushion foundations before? Do you like Korean beauty products, and if you do, what’s your favorite kbeauty product so far? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
