Featuring everyone's new favorite cream-to-powder cheek tint, a 12-hour test drive, and zero touch-upsĀ
Does the Sunnies Face Airblush really need an introduction?
I could go into a long-winding introduction about the local beauty sceneās newest cream-to-powder blush. But would that really be necessary? Thereās no doubt that everybody has heard of the product, sees all the swatches, is familiar with the budget-friendly price tag. (though weāll admit the hard part is deciding just one shade to spend on). But the question on everyoneās tongue is, is it worth making space for in our existing beauty routines?
In true Wonder Test Drive fashion, we set out to answer this question with a first-hand foray into the world of Sunnies Faceās Airblush.
The Airblush range serves up six shades, each with its own personality. There's Moon, that one shade that seems moody and brooding but is flattering and tender when applied; Biscuit, a refreshing take on toasty nude; Peached, the warm, friendly shade that everybody and their mom's skin tone is bound to get along with; Doll, a shade the Sunnies Face site describes as a carnation pink and brings back vivid memories of my favorite childhood Barbie; Razz, whose color is as vibrant and cool as its name; and Disco, which has all the fresh, fun vibrance of a scorching summer day channeled into a rich, poppy red.
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Now, I'm not usually so generous and well, descriptive, with my shade descriptions, but after having swatched these colors on my wrist and then streaked and spread on my cheeks, it's fair to say that each color on the Airblush spectrum is wildly different from the other. Each is its own character. If there's anything the Sunnies Face team does brilliantly, it's coming up with a color bible made up of lively, just-right shades that dance gracefully across warm to cool and pale to tan.
For the sake of the test drive, I hand-picked a total of three shades to take out for a spin: Razz and Moon on one day, and Biscuit on another.
The First Test: Razz (on cheeks) and Moon (on lips)
Right from the get-go, I knew I'd love Moon. The moodiest shade of the bunch, its burnt rose color was probably the first one I gravitated towards. Razz, on the other hand, was a color I was less sure about. You see, there's a deep-seated berry trauma at play here. When I was just getting into makeup years ago, I found that berry was a nice safe zone for warm-toned skin like mine when I couldn't quite find a nude or red or pink that suited me. That perspective crumbled when I came across one particularly bad photo of a berry-lipped meāāone of those captured in such bad lighting they sort of change you forever. Since then, I've steered clear. I reached for Razz in the hopes that its lively pop-of-berry would change my mind. And hey, I'll admit, it did a pretty good job at pulling me out of my anti-berry rut.
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At 11AM, I started my day a little late but in a good mood nonetheless when I discovered that hey, this is a shade that would look good on everybody. Despite the rich fuchsia Razz manifests when nestled in the product pot, it applies just thin enough to give the skin an electric kiss of color. Also, they weren't lying when they claimed this stuff applies seamlessly. It's trueāāat least for the cheeks. With no primer, no skin makeup, I picked up product with a finger, built it up and blended.
Applying Moon on my lips was a different story. While Airblush is primarily marketed as a cheek tint, part of the product's charm is the fact that it holds potential for being a multi-use color pot. The website reads that it “comes in six buildable shades you can use on your cheeks, eyes, lips, noseāanywhere you want a little extra color,” which is why my expectations for Airblush as a lip tint were high. Upon first application, it seemed promising enough: smooth application, no drying feeling, a good kick of pigment. |
As the day progressed, though, I found that the Airblush indeed delivered better as a cheek tint than an all-around product. At 5PM, my magenta flush had faded a little but was still in relatively place, but my makeshift lip tint had begun falling into the cracks of my lips despite the exfoliation and prep I'd done beforehand. The color had completely faded from the center of my lips, too, holding its own only around the edges like a blended-out lipliner.
| After a full 12 hours, Razz on my cheeks had dwindled to a barely-there touch of color. It definitely put up a good fight, though. I snuck a peek at the elevator door mirror before making my way out of the office at around 7PM to find that there was still a shy flush on my cheeks. While it didn't quite last until I arrived home, this is easily the longest-lasting cream-to-cheek I've ever tried.
The makeshift Moon lip tint? Well, let's just say it never happened. |
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RELATED: We Put Universally Flattering Makeup to the Test
The Second Test: Primer + Biscuit
With a shade range as flattering as the Airblush's, it was personally hard for me to pinpoint a favorite. Normally all I need is one good look at the shadesāāno wrist swatches neededāāto take my pick, but it was only when I smeared Biscuit on my cheeks that I realized this nude shade was the one I'd be using the most from the bunch. On lighter skin tones, Biscuit has all the makings of a nice, subtle contour shade. On tan skin, it lends an extra hint of warmth without the risk of looking muddy.
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Learning my lesson from the day prior, I spread a thin layer of my go-to primer before going in with Airblush in Biscuit on my cheeks at 11AM. Again, seamless beyond belief, but with a little less color payoff than Razz. What then of the longevity?
5PM marked the test drive's half-time check-in and by then, Biscuit was still holding up. As early as then it looked like it wasn't going to last any longer than Razz did, even with my trusty primer as a reinforcement.
Come 11PM, I'd walked all around Poblacion for a chocolate bar crawl, downed at least five drinks and lost most of my makeup to the humidity. Yet surprisingly, the last licks of Biscuit's unmistakable toasty nude were still in place, maintaining a subtle hint of color to my otherwise zombie-chic look. She's a fighter, y'all.
The Verdict for Sunnies Face Airblush
P445 is a sweet spot in terms of the price range. Comparable to some drug store prices, it's a comfortable spendāāand with cute packaging, a mirror-equipped mini compact and a pigmented blusher that builds and blends like a dream, it's a sure win. The only con to the Sunnies Face Airblush is its claim to being a good-for-anything pop of color, but hey, as a cheek tint, this range serves. There's truth in its claims to seamlessness, it doesn't come off at the hands of an oily skin type and lasts somewhere between 6 to 8 hours (or even longer with a little boost from a mattifying primer).
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Remember what I said about choosing a single shade being the hardest part? Sorry if this review made it even harder. Good luck!
Shop SUNNIES FACE AIRBLUSH and products at their brick-and-mortar branches or online via Lazada, Zalora, Shopee or Beauty MNL!
Swatch photos c/o Sunnies Face
Art Alexandra Lara
