Since I was gifted a free Saturday, and since random comments about subject products sprout in my head every other hour anyway, I figured I might as well write a review of sorts. A things to know:
1. I don’t own an SLR and I am the laziest picture-taker ever, so I beg your pardon for the crappy pictures. There will be no swatches, no before-and-after pictures, no pictures of my face (shy) in this blog. Ever.
2. Giving the givens: I am Asian, with fair-ish (yellow undertones) combination to oily skin that is still sometimes pestered with spots here and there, and I live in a tropical country often humid and polluted.
Here goes. Since the BB Cream trend latched onto my sister, and irrevocably, to me, we’ve been going through more than what two faces really need in one time. I think the first one we tried was Etude House Magic BB Balm and Missha Silver Matte, but that was months ago, and I’ve already forgotten. Therefore, I will focus on the three products above, all used in rotation.
1. The Face Shop Quick & Clean Oil-Free BB. This BB promises oil control control and light coverage, both vows it delivers sufficiently. It has a nice green tea smell, is relatively easy to apply (better if on top of moisturizer or base), but has no SPF. So people scared of sun damage and early skin aging (raises hand) will want to put sun screen before this.
- Pros: cheap-ish (Php600+), smells super nice and clean, light matte coverage, blends well
- Cons: needs blotting after a few hours
- Verdict: I recommend-ish (God, this blog will have the most iffy makeup reviews ever!). Good for BB cream beginners who want a fresh, no-makeup look. Its ashy color blends well with most skin tones, and melted well into mine. And did I say it smells good?
2. The Face Shop Aqua Tinted BB Cream. This one says it has 70% moisture content including deep sea water, and promises a cooling sensation upon application. Also has SPF 30++. Yes to all! Definitely felt the moisture and its effects on one with oily skin such as mine (failure rests on me). But I bought this one mostly cos it just glides on the skin, and felt like a splash of water when applied.
- Pros: cheap-ish (Php600+), light, dewy finish, very easy to apply and gives a refreshing cool feeling upon application
- Cons: not recommended for oily skin, cos the moisture bit rises soon after application. It must be the deep sea water, but either way, I need to blot a lot.
- Verdict: Probably will work wonders for dry skin. Does not do oil control at all, though bystanders observe it looks dewy on my face rather than oily. It is a bit lighter in color than Quick and Clean, and has a fresh scent. I might buy it again though, as a little thing to take in the bag for emergency touch-ups.
3. Dr Jart Rejuvenating BB Cream Silver Label. Whitening and rejuvenating, purposely for acne-prone skin. We bought it cos my sister once read a blog entry that said a plain girl suddenly looked so pretty after using this (an Internet fairy tale??). It has SPF35, the highest in our collection. This one is thicker, has a grayer cast than the Quick&Clean, and is whiter on the skin after application. Best matched with a fair complexion.
- Pros: super good coverage, doubles as concealer for my eye bags and blemishes. Lasts the WHOLE day, due most likely to its thickness. Not sure about killing blemishes, but mine do not erupt anymore when I continually use this.
- Cons: a bit expensive (Php1400, I think), will not blend well if you have darker complexion, no matter what they tell you. My sister’s face and neck come out in two different colors when she insists on using this. Still requires blotting.
- Verdict: Will repurchase if I am not tempted by another brand. We have decided that you need at least one serious BB cream in your stash, and for this batch, this one is it. I use it on Mondays or on when I have late night dinners/meetings, basically at times when I expect a long day. This product lasts the day and night with me, and just for that, it makes me happy.
Oohh reviewing is fun! Btw, the Face Shop loot is available in malls all over this country. Dr Jart too is available in SM, but I got it for cheaper through the best online seller ever >> http://wehaveit43.multiply.com/
Okay, I think I deserve my P&P replay now.
