Powder is my all-time addiction. For the past 10 years, I’ve been living on just powder foundation and it has been working out well for me. I may have pick up the habit of using liquid foundation these days but I still set my foundation with a powder. Till this day I still have the tendency to keep buying and buying without realizing I have too much at home and I needed to stop pilling up the stock. Whenever a brand came out with a new collection, powder is the first item I would check out. So when Bourjois Malaysia’s been posting up about their new Silk Edition Compact Powder, the name ‘silk’ alone is already enough to intrigued me. Introducing Bourjois Silk Edition Compact Powder, as soft and as fine as silk, as melting as a cream. This is the powder to have if you want convenient, coverage, long lasting and all-day oil control. That’s right. ALL-DAY OIL CONTROL.

First thing first, the unique 360º rotating mirror. How interesting can it gets? I’m easily distracted with anything that is cool and new as this. When I first got it I couldn’t stop playing with it. It makes a great handbag mirror as the mirror stands up well and easily rotated to any direction that I want.

Bourjois Silk Edition Compact Powder is inspired by yes, you’ve guessed it right…silk! It is designed to glide over the skin as lightly and as caress as silk. It has an innovative formula that gives the user a bare skin sensation. This means you can build the coverage as much as you like and yet still feel as if you have nothing on the skin.

The compact of course comes with a sponge. This sponge is thinner, denser and more rubbery that any other sponge that I ever used. The special sponge is designed in such a way to help smooth the powder out and reinforces the smoothing effect. Many people toss way the sponge included but I always believe that it has to be a reason why the brand include a sponge. So yes, I always start with the sponge. And if things doesn’t work out then only I’ll switch to a brush.

What I like about this new Silk Edition Compact Powder is that it is compact and small as the sponge placement is on top of the powder pan itself, unlike others that are on the side. The powder is densely packed as well. No matter how hard I ran the sponge over and over the powder, I can still see the Bourjois logo engraved in the powder. And there isn’t much fallout as well. Just a teeny weeny bit.

All together there are four shades to choose from – 52 Vanille, 53 Beige Dore, 54 Beige Rose and 55 Miel Dore. The shade I have is 53 Beige Dore. When I first glance through the small shade sticker on the side, I already knew the shade is going to be too dark for me. I was told that the shade preference this time is different comparing to the rest of the products within Bourjois range. For example, if you’re a 52 Vanille wearer, you have to go with 53 Beige Dore because the shade runs a shade lighter. Just in case you’re wondering, my Bourjois shade is 51 Vanille Clair 🙂

Here’s the Before and After, with just moisturizer and Bourjois Translucent Smoothing Primer.

Now, let me give you a tip of two with this compact powder. This is actually a foundation powder so there is no need to apply any liquid foundation, BB or CC Cream prior. On a usual typical weekday, I piled up quite a lot of skin care, follow up by suncare and face primer (not the mattifying primer). When the face is properly prep and hydrated, oh my gosh this powder glides over smoothly and with full coverage. The sponge really does a good job in distributing the product evenly all over my face. I like that it doesn’t pick up too much product at one swipe but of course the downside is I need to swipe like a mad woman sometimes lol. For this review, I prep my skin differently. I used just a moisturizer and I thought I would pair it with a mattifying primer i.e. Bourjois Translucent Smoothing Primer. That was a wrong move because the sponge hated the primer and it flakes as I smooth the powder on my face. I would suggest you to use a normal face primer if you are an avid primer user like I do. Skip all the nonsense mattifying primer alright?

The only downside that I experience with this Silk Edition Compact Powder besides the wrong shade is also the oxidization. It’s not the product fault. It’s my skin. Everything oxidises on me. By 2 hours at work, I was 3 shades darker at least. I must have been pilling up too much lololol. Remember the above Before and After photo? I applied onto the right side of my face and 5-minutes later the left side. So…the right side is funnily darker than the left! My advice is to go a shade lighter. My philosophy is very simple – always go the lightest! 😀 . Bear in mind everyone is different. I’m one in a hundred special case so do take my review with a pinch of salt. You may not experience this according to your skin type.

Bourjois said that this powder provides a flawless skin and matte complexion for 8 hours. That is so not true! I had it on for 13 hours max per day and IT STAYS MATTE AND FLAWLESS ALL THE TIME. I was so so happy that I don’t need to blot or look at the mirror the whole day. Bourjois, you’ve underestimated yourself this time! 🙂 . The mattifying effect are because of the crystalline powders contained in the formula in the powder. The silkiness of the powder also provides a ‘soft focus’ effect to it’s user and this effect blurs out pores, blemishes and fine lines. It also has corrective pigments in it to evens out uneven skin tone and covers up blemishes if any.

One thing I find really unique is the brightening effect. Despite looking darker than my original complexion, I find that whenever I try to build coverage, the particular area become instantly brighten before it sets to the same color as the rest of my face. However, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I do find the powder to be a little bit drying so please don’t skip your proper skin care routine before applying makeup. Believe it or not, skin care will help to prep your skin and the powder adhere better on moisturized skin. There is a difference because I’ve done both – with proper skin care and without so that is why I advise you to moisturize properly. If you need to do concealing, you can either use a concealer first before applying the powder or use a small brush, dip into the powder and spot conceal after the powder. I’ve done both too and both method works out well for me.

Here comes the good news. Bourjois is currently offering an introductory price for their new Silk Edition Compact Powder. This cutie is retailing for RM53.90 and it is now going for RM49.80 until 4th March 2015. Do check it out at Bourjois kiosk in Sunway Pyramid or at Watsons stores to find out more. You can also drop by to give it a try and get your shade match at the kiosk. As for me, I would be getting the lightest shade of the lot 😉

Disclaimer: Product was sent to me for review consideration. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.