My Picks from AVON x The Face Shop
Back in the glory days of old school MEMEBOX (circa 2014-2015), I was super into Korean drugstore brands. Some of my favorites included The Face Shop, Tonymoly, Missha, Etude House, Nature Republic, Skinfood, Innisfree and many others. The main selling points for me were their attractive ingredients and low price point. The Face Shop stood out to me for their sheet masks and select makeup products, and I was especially fond of their cushion foundation and lip tints. The Face Shop recently collaborated with Avon by introducing Korean beauty innovations to a broader Western audience via the newly launched AVON x The Face Shop Collection.
WHY THE FACE SHOP?
This may seem like a totally random collaboration, but it actually makes sense. AVON as a brand split into two separate companies in 2016: Avon USA (New Avon LLC) and Avon Products Inc (Avon Worldwide). Avon USA was acquired by LG Household & Healthcare, a Korean cosmetics powerhouse that owns The Face Shop, belif and Philosophy. Meanwhile, the international branch – Avon Products Inc – was recently acquired by Natura & Co, which owns Aesop and The Body Shop, making it the 4th largest beauty company in the world, behind L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and Shiseido.
Rumor has it, the next Avon collab will be with a professional haircare brand CHI, which is also owned by LG.
AVON x The Face Shop Ink Lasting Cushion Foundation Slim Fit in W10
I picked out three products to try: a cushion foundation, a lip tint, and a velvety-matte lipstick pencil. The Face Shop used to be famous for those and I wanted to see if the quality is still there.
Based on the swatches I found online, I figured that AVON x The Face Shop Ink Lasting Cushion Foundation Slim Fit ($31 retail / $25 from a rep) in W10 would be a good match for my skin tone, and it was. The formula is concentrated, so a little goes a long way. If it’s your first time trying a Korean cushion, I would recommend starting slow and building up because you’ll need less product than you think. This foundation provides medium to full coverage and sets on the skin with a matte finish. I think it will work best for those with normal, combination, and oily skin types because it can feel a little drying, which helps control the shine in the T-zone. It can also replace an undereye concealer – my dark circles were perfectly covered so I didn’t even need to use a separate product. The formula is scented and has a light cucumber-like fragrance.
AVON x The Face Shop Ink Tint Tattoo Matte in About Coral
These lip tints come in two finishes – glossy and matte. I’m not really into lip gloss lately, so I ordered AVON x The Face Shop Ink Tint Tattoo Matte ($15 retail / $12 from a rep) in About Coral. It has a light, airy, almost weightless feel on the lips, and looks just like the swatches – bright and fun pop of watercolor. When the balmy part wears off, the tint remains for a couple more hours and wears off evenly. This is a nice lippie for casual everyday wear and any time you feel like playing with brighter shades but don’t want them looking too dressy. Keep in mind that it’s scented and smells strongly like roses, so if you prefer fragrance-free makeup this one won’t work for you.
AVON x The Face Shop Flat Velvet Lipstick in Rosé Pink
Last, but not least, I picked up AVON x The Face Shop Flat Velvet Lipstick ($12 retail / $10 from a rep) in Rosé Pink, which feels like a proper waxy long-lasting lipstick and has full, opaque coverage. It doesn’t wear off easily, and when it does, it lightly tints the lips, extending the color for another hour or two. I like the convenient twist-up packaging as well because whenever I got a chubby lipstick that needs to be sharpened, I just never did it. According to the ingredient list, the formula does contain added fragrance but I couldn’t smell it at all.
BOTTOM LINE:
These three products are fantastic and I was reminded once again why I fell in love with The Face Shop all those years ago. I’ve also always had a soft spot for Avon because I grew up shopping their catalogs in the 90s – retail beauty experience in Russia was kinda crappy back then and direct sales felt a lot more personal. I really want to see Avon rebranded as a legitimate beauty company with products sold in stores as opposed to their current MLM structure.
Have you tried The Face Shop makeup or skincare? What do you think about this collab?
