Thursday, November 15, 2012

Exploring BB Creams...


      For the past few months, BB creams have completely substituted foundation for me; when I get pimples I rely on concealer to provide a more even coverage on the infected area and the result still looks great without the use of additional (and heavier) foundation. I started with the BB Diamond Collection - The Prestige BB Cream and at the end of this summer I purchased the Boscia BB cream to try out. Both products have been tested in various environments (hot or cold weather, for example) and the review is based also on how my skin reacted to each BB cream as well as what I have come to expect from a BB cream.

 Let’s start with the BB Diamond Collection cream since I purchased this first.

Pros:

-           Perfect coverage with one pump: One pump is enough for the entire face and neck. And it covers up everything too – no need to add more product here and there. Like I mentioned before, BB creams might not cover up pimples and the like (they’re more for hydrating and making the skin tone more even-looking), but a good concealer helps out just as well. The coverage for this BB cream is fantastic; my skin looks like it’s glowing without looking too shiny.

-           Feels lighter and more hydrating on skin: I don’t know what this cream is made of (^__^) but every time I put it on it feels like I’m putting on moisturizer again! Except it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin (like when you’re piling up the products), instead it re-hydrates my skin, which helps a lot since I have a mixed skin type and it hydrates the dry spots while nourishing the rest of the face as well.

-           Additional feature: Whitening. The results of the whitening features are not that drastic. You can hardly notice a difference when you take the cream off. Whatever whitening takes place manifests in a clearer and more well-rested-looking skin once the BB cream is removed.

-           Wrinkle improvement: I’m one of those “Prevent Now Instead of Cure Later ” people. That doesn’t mean I only buy anti-aging products but I appreciate a product that can also prevent aging. Especially since I live in a country where the sunlight is pretty strong and it’s good to have products that protect your skin from harmful sunrays.

-           40 g goes a long way: I have been using the same BB cream bottle I ordered in April 2012 and there’s still a lot of product left. I can’t really tell how much is left since the bottle is not see-through but the amount of product coming out of the dispenser has remained consistent over the months of use.


 Cons:

-           Warmer Weather Weakness: When I came back home for the summer and started using the BB cream in my country’s hot summer weather, it immediately felt too oily on my skin and it showed; I had to use finishing powder to keep everything in place but that made the whole result feel heavier on my face. It might also have been my skin reacting to the weather change; however I noticed that I was only able to start using this BB cream and get the same great results as before once summer passed and the weather became cold again.

-           Packaging is not Travel-friendly: Every time I had to go away, I had to worry about the cap falling off or the bottle breaking because it was being pressed up against something in the suitcase. I usually solve the problem by wrapping it up in a few pairs of socks (^__^)

-           Standard SPF (25): If the sun is not a problem for you, then just skip this. This wasn’t even a problem for me when I use this cream; my face is protected perfectly well with SPF25. However, my other BB cream has a higher SPF which is always welcomed by me since I burn like it’s nobody’s business.
p.s This BB cream comes in a shade that favors lighter skin tones, but unless you have really dark skin, I would try out a sample first.


After being extremely impressed with the BB Diamond Collection cream, I decided to purchase another one from a different company so as to also have the opportunity to compare and contrast.
So, let’s move on to the Boscia BB Cream


Pros:

-           SPF 27 (without making the face look extremely white): Most of the times, a higher SPF means that the face might look whiter in photos and such, however I didn’t notice that happening with this BB cream. I’ve worn it instead of foundation to most of my outings and it doesn’t seem to add any whiteness to my face. None the less, I might not be the best judge for this, since I am naturally pretty pale and the difference in skin tone may not show on my skin.

-           Oil-free: Again, since my skin type is mixed, sometimes foundation and other overly hydrating products make my skin look oily in certain areas. This BB cream controls oil and offers an even coverage.

-           One shade fits all: The product description states that it fits each skin type, as it a self-adjusting BB cream.

-           Great coverage/makes skin mat: The coverage with this BB cream is also really satisfying and it also seems to make skin mat – more than the other BB cream, which gives a more radiant, glowing skin. This is not to say that the skin looks dull with the Boscia BB cream, but since it is an oil-free formula, the results are more evident.

-           50 g: There’s more product in a smaller bottle. And it’s much easier to travel with!


Cons:

-           One pump is not enough: In the process of using this product, I have come to notice that one pump (or a squeeze, since there’s no pump-out dispenser), is not enough to cover the entire face. Also, the product doesn’t spread as well as the other BB cream; it needs more work to make sure there are no random streaks on the jawline etc. In addition to that, the texture feels less soothing on my skin, compared to the feeling of the BB Diamond Collection.

-           Runs out fast: Even though there is more product in this package (10 g more than the BB Diamond Collection Cream), I have almost run out of the Boscia BB cream, butI started using it in early July 2012!

-           No whitening: This BB cream doesn’t come with whitening features. Again, this is not so important for me, since whitening is not a priority or a concern.
A review of three other Skin79 (the company that distributes the BB Diamond Collection - The Prestige BB Cream) coming up soon ;)



*S

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