Sunday, March 24, 2013

Quickie Review: Battle of the Drugstore BB Creams!

The only drugstore BB cream that I have ever tried is Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream and I wasn't very impressed, the color was off and it was too oily for my liking. 

Today, I am reviewing 3 other drugstore BB creams, CoverGirl cgsmoothers BB cream, REVLON Photready BB cream, and L'OREAL Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB cream (although I am aware that there are many others). 

To quickly define what exactly differentiates a BB cream to a tinted moisturizer and foundation....I'd say if a foundation and tinted moisturizer had a baby it would be named BB! Kidding! BB cream originates from Asia and it is simply a makeup and skincare product in one. It usually has some SPF, anti-aging, waterproof, skin-improving ingredients in it minus the full or medium coverage that a foundation offers. It can be used as a primer before applying foundation, a substitute for moisturizer, or just on it's own. 

Now onto the fun reviews! First off is from one of my favorite Drugstore brands...CoverGirl.
Covergirl cgsmoothers BB cream. The shade I got is in 810 light to medium. The tube is a typical one, nothing extraordinary. There is 1.35 Fl. oz of product and I purchased this at CVS pharmacy for $8.29.

Here is how the back looks. It claims to be a 10-in-1 skin enhancer...

1) Natural Looking Radiance
2) Sheer Color Check mark symbol
3) All Day Hydration
4) Improves skin elasticity
5) SPF 15Check mark symbol
6) Blends effortlessly
7) LightweightCheck mark symbol
8) Helps Skin Feel Smooth
9) Covers to help instantly improve skin's appearanceCheck mark symbol
10) Won't clog pores

This is how the product itself looks...it's pretty thick, reminds me of when you whip eggs to meringue consistency.

It has a pink undertone to it, so I wasn't sure if this would match w/ my warm olive skin tone.

This was the perfect time to test these BBs since I've broken out a bit. I have NO makeup in this picture, so you see my acne healing up and I  have redness around my nose and on my cheeks.

After applying the Covergirl BB cream...you will notice some shine but not too bad. It doesn't do much as far as coverage, but it did help slightly with evening out my redness.

After applying some powder over it. It looks much better. Definitely got rid of the shine on my face and the coverage is much better as well.

Here's a look at the same side of my cheek. It's not bad.

Now let's try L'OREAL Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in 814 Medium. There is 1 Fl Oz of product in the container and this is $11.49 at CVS pharmacy.

Back of packaging. This promises 4-in-1 Beautifying actions (that in my opinion are more realistic). This DOES NOT contain SPF or any sun protection. Non-comedogenic. Does NOT clog pores.

1) PrimesCheck mark symbol
2) CorrectsCheck mark symbol
3) Hydrates
4) Perfects

Although the packaging is also a plastic tube, the end is quite different. The tip is small and pointy, though I'm unsure as to what the purpose of the shape is to be honest. Maybe for more precise application or to control the amount dispensed?

When first dispensed on the back of my hand, the product is interestingly and surprisingly white at first then spreads out to beige color with yellow/warm undertone. The consistency is more liquid/loose. 

This is how it looks on it's own without any powder. The packaging claims that it gives the face a "Flawless bare skin finish." It wasn't as hydrating as I thought it would be (since it was more liquid than the CG BB cream). It has more coverage than the Covergirl BB cream and my face wasn't shiny after application. It did a wonderful job cancelling out my redness.
Now here's how it looks with powder on top. It seems to emphasize my dry areas and it looks blotchy. I'm not too happy about this BB cream. I think this would be better for people with oily skin.
My face looks significantly brighter though, which is the only thing that I like about this BB cream.

The last Drugstore BB Cream I am reviewing today is REVLON Photoready BB Cream in 030 Medium. Retails for $9.99 at CVS Pharmacy for 1 Fl. Oz. This has SPF 30 (smells like sunblock). This doesn't really seem like a BB cream to me. The packaging only says that it is a skin perfector and does not list any skin benefits aside from the broad spectrum sun protection.  Ulta.com list some details about this product's benefits as...

A lightweight, multi-benefit Beauty Balm by Revlon that combines skincare, makeup, and sunscreen into one step.
  • HYDRATES like moisturizerCheck mark symbol
  • SMOOTHES like primerCheck mark symbol
  • COVERS like foundationCheck mark symbol
  • BLURS FLAWS like concealerCheck mark symbol
  • PROTECTS with SPF 30 like sunscreenCheck mark symbol

Here's how the back of the packaging looks.

The end of the tube.

It is quite thick, but easy to blend.

It looks too dark, but I don't mind since I am planning to use this in the Summer for when my skin is darker.

This is how it looks on its own without any powder. It gives my face a lot of shine. Maybe too much but I know that it's due to the SPF 30.

 This is with powder on top of the BB Cream. I think I like this one the most! Even with though it was oily because of the SPF 30, I think it gave the best coverage compared to the other two BB creams. 
It does NOT emphasize dry areas on my skin and it blends easily.

This one is a keeper for me! I think I will use this for the summer for when I go to family trips to the beach or parks.

What do you think of these US BB creams??



1 comment:

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