There is a bit of confusion going on about Pigeon powders because two variants from different countries are available locally.
I reviewed the supposedly better variant from Japan a couple months ago, ignoring the Indonesian variant which seemed to cause pimple problems for those who tried it.
In this post, I am going to dissect the "problematic" Pigeon compact from Indonesia and see how well it stacks up against its Japanese counterpart.
Here's my Indonesian compact, which I bought three days ago. I got the pink variant because I was curious if it would give me a rosy glow.
The compact is manufactured by PT. Multielok Cosmetic under license from Pigeon Corporation Japan.
Perhaps the major advantage of the Indonesian compact over the Japanese one is is the inclusion of a mirror, which makes application much easier on the go.
It is also slightly smaller, making it easier to put in your pants pocket. This is a big plus for me, because I prefer using pockets over bringing small bags when I'm only going to go out for a little while.
If you remember my
Pigeon Japan review, I absolutely loved the sponge that came with it because it was super soft. Fortunately the Indonesian compact's sponge is just as soft, except it's much smaller and slightly yellowish, which I think makes it look less cleaner.
While the Japanese compact has a hinge opening kind of like a grandmother's coin purse,
the Indonesian compact has a pushbutton opening. In this aspect, I have no preference over either product. Both styles of opening are fine by me.
And here's the point-by-point rundown of both compacts:
Japan-made | Indonesia-made |
Pros | Cons | Similarities | Pros | Cons |
· Greater value for its price (P280.00 = 45g; meaning P6.00 per 1g) · Bigger sponge · Fragrance-free · Lasts relatively long (about 6 hours on my skin) | · No mirror · Quite bulky · Hard to find | · translucent blotting effect (at least on my skin) · velvety soft sponge texture · did not break me out | · Has a mirror · Very portable size, jeans pocket-friendly · Easier to find than the Japanese compact, but still quite uncommon | · Lesser value for its price (P230.00 = 20g; meaning P11.00 per 1g) · Smaller sponge · Fragranced · Doesn’t last long (about 4 hours on my skin) · No noticeable rosy effect (since pink powders should supposedly have this) |
So which one do I think is better? The Japanese compact gets my vote,
but only by a small margin. Because I didn't get the dreaded breakouts experienced by many users of the Indonesian compact,
I actually like both products - the original Japanese variant for its value and lasting power, and the Indonesian variant for its portability and its decent similarity in quality to the original.
The only real issue I have with the Indonesian Pigeon is its smell. It isn't particularly bad, but it isn't particularly good either. At least the scent doesn't stick to my face after application.
