While I used to be a bit of a trend- and hype-follower when it came to makeup, as I get more into the whole beauty and blogging thing I've been realizing how much I love discovering new brands and products for myself. I first heard about CLE Cosmetics (CLE stands for Creative Lass Esthetic) in an xoVain article - first of all, I need anything that might give me skin as beautiful as Sable's, and second of all, she described the brand as "The Glossier of K-Beauty." So basically I was sold.
CLE Cosmetics is all about the essentials - a melting cleanser, a foaming cleanser, a cushion foundation, CC cream, and lip product. That's it. It's pretty refreshing to see such a minimal take on beauty, although my collection of products is far from minimal. One look at their Instagram showed me their gorgeous aesthetic, and I was even more sold. They ran a giveaway a couple months ago for their Essence Air Cushion, and after falling in love I picked up two more products in their Black Friday sale, the CCC Cream and Melting Lip Powder in Hot Choco.
I've been super into cushion foundations lately (I mentioned that I'm loving the AmorePacific one in my Five to Try post this week), so the Essence Air Cushion has been really fun to try. I'd say it has a little less coverage than the AmorePacific one, but it gives the skin such a healthy glow. It truly looks like you've been keeping hydrated, getting enough sleep, doing lots of yoga, and drinking green juice. It's good, healthy skin in a compact. It's also super buildable, easily layering from a sheer to a medium coverage with no cakiness.
Just look at that Micro-Capsule Technology in action (CCC Cream)
Despite falling in love with the cushion and also having lots of other base products to get through, I couldn't resist trying the CCC Cream. The CCC stands for Color Control & Change. It comes out as a white cream that transforms into a flesh tone as you rub it in. This has much higher coverage than the cushion - the first time I applied it, I used way too much and ended up looking like I was wearing a mask. Now that I know that you really only need a pea-sized amount spread over the face, I'm in love. It works into the skin so easily and is so glowy. It also keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day, so instead of my skin sucking up the product during the day my skin remains supple and smooth. I can't even decide if I love this or the cushion better.
Wearing the CCC Cream, Hot Choco on lips & cheeks, & touching up with the Essence Air Cushion
I've been so intrigued by the Melting Lip Powder - it starts out as a powder, but when you apply it to the skin, it transforms into a matte stain. Be careful when you take the applicator out of the tube to avoid spilling excess powder, but once you get the hang of it, it's not difficult. If you get one product from the brand, definitely get this as it's truly a unique experience - I've never used anything like it. Once on the lips or cheeks it feels totally weightless, and you almost can't tell you're wearing anything. Despite being super matte, it doesn't feel overly drying or chalky. The shade Hot Choco is a lovely deeper nude - it's quite warm on me, but it's not too orange. I've seen it look like a beautiful mauve nude on people with warmer undertones than me, too. It works beautifully on the cheeks as well, like a powder to cream blush. I really want to try one of the brighter shades next.
If you're into minimal makeup and Korean beauty, definitely check out CLE Cosmetics. This post hasn't been sponsored, I've just been loving the products and thought I'd spread the word!
Have you tried this brand before? What are your favorite minimal makeup products?