Tom Ford Traceless Touch Foundation Cushion

So Tom Ford created a cushion foundation. As I'm addicted to cushion foundations and Tom Ford I knew I had to try it. The Traceless Touch Foundation Cushion is Tom Ford chic in it's brown and gold packaging as always. It was only in the UK & Asia so far but is set to launch in a few select places in the US soon. I got mine at Selfridges but I know the Neiman Marcus Tom Ford counter in Houston will be one to get it. Details per Selfridges:

Tom Ford’s Traceless Touch Foundation Cushion Compact is the essential step for a flawless face complexion on-the-go. This refreshing, skin-perfecting formula with sun protection hydrates and delivers a balanced complexion that glows with vitality and radiance. Blended with the label’s Infusing Complex, a potent combination of specially selected nutrients that helps skin stimulate its natural repair mechanisms, it cares for skin on wear.

This is a refillable compact so you have to buy the refill and case separately. The foundation refill cost me $46.50 and the case was around $26 on Selfridges. The Tom Ford site has the refill listed for $52 so I'm guessing the case will be $28-30 when it comes out in the US. The compact comes with a faux suede drawstring bag and the refill comes with one sponge applicator.

It's actually listed on the Tom Ford website right now but you can't select it to buy it yet. Here's the details from the Tom Ford site:

CREATED IN JAPAN EXCLUSIVELY FOR TOM FORD.

TOUCH AND GO WITH TRACELESS. THE ESSENTIAL STEP FOR A FLAWLESS FACE PREMIERES IN A PORTABLY CHIC CUSHION COMPACT. TRACELESS TOUCH FOUNDATION SPF 45/PA++++ INTRODUCES A REFRESHING, SKIN-PERFECTING FORMULA WITH SUN PROTECTION AND SEAMLESS SATIN-MATTE COVERAGE THAT CREATES A NATURAL LOOK ON THE GO. FRESH, LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-TASKING POWERHOUSE CUSHION COMPACT HYDRATES AND DELIVERS A BALANCED COMPLEXION THAT GLOWS WITH VITALITY AND RADIANCE WHILE SPF 45/PA++++ PROTECTS SKIN FROM THE SUN.

THIS MULTI-TASKING SKIN-NOURISHING COMPACT FORMULA IS RESISTANT TO WATER, SWEAT AND HUMIDITY. IT CONTROLS OIL AND SHINE WHILE GIVING SKIN A FLOOD OF MOISTURE. LONG-WEARING AND COLOR-TRUE WITH BUILDABLE COVERAGE FROM MEDIUM TO FULL, TRACELESS TOUCH FOUNDATION SATIN-MATTE CUSHION COMPACT INSTANTLY MINIMIZED THE LOOK OF FINE LINES AND WRINKLES.

I grabbed shade 5.5 Bisque as I normally wear Bisque in Tom Ford foundations. As cushion formulas are normally sheerer in general you can play around a little with these and a perfect shade match isn't as necessary as when it's a full coverage foundation. Bisque is a medium warm toned shade suitable for a NC 25-30 roughly. It's a tad golden for me but so is the regular Bisque in the stick and liquid form & there's not really a good neutral match for me in Tom Ford shades. As this is the darkest shade this foundation comes in it obviously leaves a lot of people out from trying it. Sadly cushion foundations tend to have a pitiful shade range in general.

Top to Bottom-Kjaer Weis Illusion, Tom Ford Traceless Touch 5.5 Bisque, La Mer Warm Bisque 33, Armani Cushion 4.5, La Prairie Essence-in-Foundation Satin Nude N-30:

The case itself is very Tom Ford. It's a little cheaper feeling than I had hoped for. It's just very lightweight and missing that heavy luxury compact feel. It's very practical & portable. The case sadly has been mostly sold out at Selfridges and I don't see it anywhere else right now. It was the hard piece to find of the set. Hopefully that gets better when they launch it in the US. The refill snaps in place. The refill flip top closes securely and I have no issues with the foundation drying out. I love that the sponge then fits on top of the closed lid so it stays separate from the cushion and it still remains portable. The sponge is a good quality and it holds up well to washing. This has a small scent very much like the usual Tom Ford fragrance in his cosmetics.

The foundation itself gives light to medium coverage with a satin skin like finish. I disagree a bit on their description of being medium to full. While this is a pigmented cushion in general it's not full coverage. It's very layerable without being cakey but getting above a medium finish in this is not really what I see with this. They also said it instantly minimizes lines and wrinkles and that I do not agree with. It minimizes my redness and pores instantly but not my lines and wrinkles. It covers well as it's pigmented but you can still see your skin peeking through so it looks natural. It's a very comfortable foundation to wear. It's hydrating but not a dewy almost greasy kind of hydrating. It just feels really nice on the skin. It's also not drying for being lightweight like some foundations can be.

This lasts all day on me. It really has a great wear length. It doesn't break down even in the heat and humidity. I haven't tested it in full on Houston summer heat yet, but I still tested it on 75% humidity/85 degree days so that should suit most people. I haven't tested it's waterproof claim yet but as it holds up well without budging in general. I don't get much fading until at least 8+ hours in. I do get a little bit of oilyness in the t-zone at the end of the day without powder. This depends on which primer I use. The heavier the primer the more the t-zone shows up. If I use a light gel style primer it's really pretty good at lasting all day with no t-zone changes. Overall this is a very lightweight, longlasting, buildable foundation that's comfortable on the skin, not heavy or greasy and it gives a medium skin like coverage with a satin almost satin-matte finish.

This reminds me very much of the Armani cushion in texture and finish. I've really been loving these new cushion launches. They give me the lightweight foundation texture I crave with great coverage. It's nice to have really lightweight choices without being too sheer. Are you enjoying this new wave of cushion foundations? Tell me your favorites below.