Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer: Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: The product featured was provided for review.

As you may have seen, I recently got a ton of Korean makeup from Althea Korea. One standout product was the Dr. Althea Cushion & Primer ($24 USD), an SPF 50+ facial sunscreen that's packaged in a cushion compact. I've brought the cushion with me on my trip to New Orleans and Orlando and am really impressed with the texture and wear. So today, I'm sharing with you a full review......

Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer

Packaging:
The Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer comes in a standard plastic cushion compact with some cute summery illustrations on the lid. The inside has two compartments- one holds the cushion applicator and the other houses the product-soaked sponge. To apply, simply press and dab the applicator into the cushion sponge to pick up the desired amount. The compact holds 15g of sunscreen, which unfortunately is not a whole lot. I've used the product daily for a couple of weeks now and already am more than halfway through the cushion.

Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer

Formulation:
Made with octinoxate and zinc oxide, the Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer is essentially a face sunscreen that provides both physical and chemical sun protection. It offers an SPF 50+ that protects against UVA and UVB. The formulation is also infused with niacinamide (vitamin B3), squalane, and green tea leaf water. Texture-wise, the product feels like a thin and lightweight liquid sunscreen. It absorbs quickly but does leave behind just the subtlest hint of a white cast (see image below). Because I am quite fair, the color is virtually invisible. However, if you have a very dark complexion, the white cast will definitely be noticeable.

Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer

Although also advertised as a primer, the Sun Cushion & Primer doesn't have a whole lot of smoothing or pore minimizing effects. It makes the skin tacky enough to cling to powder, but aside from that, it's really just more of a sunscreen. Once absorbed, the product has a dewy finish. It feels refreshing and cooling on the skin but the dewiness will start to look shiny after a while, so blotting or powdering is needed for a matte finish. As compared to your standard facial sunscreen, however, the Dr. Althea Cushion & Primer wears a lot better. I have combination/oily skin and whenever I use sunscreen on my face, I end up looking like an oil ball after just a couple of hours. However, with the Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer, my face doesn't appear as greasy or shiny. The product is formulated with silicone, but it doesn't have that thick, slippery texture that feels chunky and icky by the end of the day. Whew!

Dr. Althea Sun Cushion & Primer

Overall, this is a pretty awesome product. Although it's advertised as a sunscreen and primer, I see it primarily as a lightweight, non-greasy sunscreen for the face. The packaging makes the application a breeze but you really don't get a lot of product, which is the only drawback.

Note: Dr. Althea is not related to Althea Korea, despite the similarity of their names!

Availability:
Too Cool For School is available at Althea Korea. International shipping is free for orders over $50 and you can get $10 off of your first order by signing up for an account.

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