The Body Shop Brightening Compact in 04 Review + Swatch

Here's a review on The Body Shop Brightening Compact Review.

Price: P1,695.00

From: Free

Other Locations: Available in all The Body Shop stores

THE VERDICT:

The Body Shop All-In-One Face Base is one of the brand's best products, next to the Bath and Body Care range. I even think it's one of the nicest powder foundation products out there. When The Body Shop came out with Brightening Compact, I got pretty curious as it said that it can brighten skin instantly. Skin brightening? Dang, I need that all the time and I'd love to have it anytime and anywhere!

Let's inspect this product.

THE BODY SHOP BRIGHTENING COMPACT IN 04 REVIEW

This powder is part of the recently launched Moisture White Collection, a line tested on Asian Women. It features Brightening as its key effect and is delivered through the Advanced Shiso White Complex. Brightening Compact promises to deliver instant and overtime brightening effects to the skin and claims to conceal rough skin, hide obvious pores, and cover skin discolorations. It has SPF 25 PA++.

Packaging is pretty similar to All-In-One Face Base. Not really sure how many shades this one carries because there's very limited information online. I could not find sufficient information on this product on any The Body Shop websites too.

Ingredients

The sponge that comes in this compact has a flocked and rubbery side for varying coverage. Flocked= light; Rubbery= heavy.

Here's the product. It features a highlighting strip at the topmost portion of the pan. You can use both products separately or swirl them together to boost the powder foundation. I end up doing the latter all the time because it's actually inevitable swiping the sponge on the highlighter part.

04 is a midtone beige with a neutral undertone. The highlighter that comes with it is a pale Pink shade with silver micro shimmer.

THE BODY SHOP BRIGHTENING COMPACT IN 04 IN ACTION

Bare skin

One layer of the powder foundation

Oh, now I see how this product brightens the skin: it turns your skin to one shade lighter. Not the kind of brightening I had in mind. I know that brightening is just a less offensive term for lightening/whitening in Asian countries, but I stand by the fact that both have different effects on the skin. This one has lightened my skin.

As for the product aspects, coverage is light to medium and it yields a very obvious white cast. It is unscented.

TIP: Use a powder brush for a more natural coverage and to soften the white cast.

I fix the shade of this powder foundation by dusting bronzer all over my skin. Staying power is okay: it can control oil for about 2-3 hours, making it ideal for combination oily/normal skin types. The powder has a semi-creamy texture so that makes it ideal for dry and normal skin as well. It smoothed my skin's texture and covered some of my discolorations, but those are the light to moderate ones only.

I've found a better use for this product and that is as a correcting powder for dark bases and matte highlighter. It's going to come out really expensive though if you're going to use this product for those purposes only.

Brightening Compact has a pretty good texture and I feel that it's a potentially great product provided that it matches your skin tone. It's got a nice concept, but hopefully, The Body Shop will improve on the powder foundation part.

I'm back to my favorite, All-In-One Face Base! ;)

THE BODY SHOP BRIGHTENING COMPACT IN 04 RATING

Visit THE BODY SHOP PHILIPPINES on Facebook for more information on this product.

28 Comments

UnknownAugust 4, 2015 at 10:39 AM
Bummer! Seeing the thumbnail I thought this could be a great shade for morenas but alas! Too bad. I actually laughed at the part when you said about how you had a different kind of brightening on mind. I also thought differently. I wanted a brightened look, not whitened. Lol. I have yet to try powder foundations but I really want to try one eventually. Thanks for this post! :)
StacieAugust 4, 2015 at 11:15 AM
Wow, brightening nga. I sometimes buy foundations a shade lighter than my skin because I have acidic skin :) I remember Etude House releasing something similar to this except both products are cream type if I'm not mistaken. :D I consider that coverage as high! If only it stays better or doesn't have a white cast, it can be a perfect compact :)
Mabel A.August 4, 2015 at 11:29 AM
yay, the brightening word almost sold me.. I thought this would "brighten" a dull skin effect..

Thanks Martha such a helpful review.
Rhania E.August 4, 2015 at 11:57 AM
wow, it really does its work, brightening effect, perfect para sa mga girls na laging puyat hihi.. (gaya ko) but the price! almost ka presyo na ng MAC! pero i think it is worth it! i love TBS my list to buy in TBS inlcudes: The Brush Set!!! it's been on my list for so long! i love their eyeshadows too.. i alway buy their lip balms its a necessity hehe (for my dry and cracked lips huhu) lalo na ngayon lapit na ber months, will go back and see your review on TBS all in one face base =)

UnknownAugust 4, 2015 at 12:40 PM
Ahh what a shame. The product isn't worth the price. :( But I did get something good from this review--I'm glad you differentiated the two sides of the sponge. I didn't know sponges have that feature! Thank you, Martha!
Jen DesturaAugust 4, 2015 at 12:53 PM
Now that's instant whitening! But if I were to use this foundation, then maybe I should pick a shade that is one shade darker than my skin tone. I'd rather use the foundation for a more even base on my face rather than brighten it up.
CJAugust 4, 2015 at 4:22 PM
it's too expensive if not used as a powder itself (alone) nevertheless it looks good on you ms. m, i think bronzer is the way to got for this one. ;)
Merii de OcampoAugust 4, 2015 at 6:27 PM
I've been longing to try this out. The staying power is so-so considering the price though. But I like the effect on your face. Thanks for reviewing this!
jeremy garciaAugust 4, 2015 at 8:07 PM
Seeing the powder, I thought it actually a perfect shade to you. So happy pa naman with the brightening word from it. It's a bit pricey too for me. Are all sponge in a powder foundation has different side just like that sponge? Hehe. I did'nt know that either.
MykikaystuffAugust 5, 2015 at 12:06 AM
Perhaps a darker shade can yield a better match?
UnknownAugust 5, 2015 at 4:59 AM
I also had a different 'brightening' in mind. I already am satisfied with my skin color, I just wanted it to have that certain glow coz I look so anemic without make up on. It is on the expensive side so I have to pass. Seeing and reading about the product and the swatch is enough for me (for now). The more knowledge, the better for all of us. (^-^)
AnonymousAugust 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM
You look different in your last photo.. Younger/fresher, maybe? :)
Hemingway, I was kind of disappointed if it'll just make your face whiter, you can have morena skin and still have a brighter skin!
But yeah, I agree with Jing, maybe a darker shade can yield a better match? Baka brightening nga talaga, it just so happened you got the lighter shade.. :)
KhawenAugust 8, 2015 at 1:58 AM
I’m on the lookout for a brightening powder & seeing your post made me giddy and all but after reading your review, I didnt like the “one shade lighter” effect...I’m looking for the brightening aka glowing effect...youthful glow. Any suggestion? Thanks!
UnknownAugust 8, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Not a good buy for me maybe? :) First it's expensive. Second I don't want to be whiter since I'm already fair. I don't want to look like a vampire. Third, most of the time I don;t have time to correct a foundation's color so this product is really not my thing. :/ I hope they improve the formula.
AnonymousAugust 23, 2015 at 11:54 PM
Hi Martha! What a thorough review! It's as if I experienced using the product myself. :) For girls who are not an expert in make-ups like me, having an honest and helpful product reviewer to rely on is a big help. Thank you! PS Your last picture is one of your prettiest photos I've seen :)