What is it with BB Creams?

Lately there has been a BB cream craze since Smashbox Cosmetics came out with their line of BB creams. However, little do we know that BB creams originated in Germany after a dermatologist created a cream that would protect patients' skin after surgery. The BB creams were introduced in Korea and Japan as a form of cosmetic. The most distinct feature about BB creams is it's ability to provide a healthy, blemish free, and porcelain-looking skin which amazed many Asian women. 

So what do these BB creams do? First of all, BB stands for Blemish Balm and an all in one tinted moisturizer. In Asian countries, BB creams are formulated to moisturize, even and whiten complexion, as well as treating and covering blemishes. There are also anti-wrinkling and skin regenerating properties. However, the BB creams formulated in the western countries are more focused on moisturizing, covering blemishes, evening skin tone, SPF protection and coverage. Basically, BB creams strive to become the alternative to a heavy foundation routine. It is meant to be worn by itself, but through experience, it is recommended to set with a translucent powder or a light mineral powder foundation for a longer lasting wear and coverage.

I have tried three different BB creams: Garnier's Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector, Maybelline New York's Dream Fresh BB Cream, and L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. I have come to the conclusion that L'Oreal's version had the best overall performance.

Garnier's BB cream gave good coverage, but it wasn't long lasting. I have oily skin, so I usually look out for products that leave me feeling really oily at the end of the day. Sadly, Garnier did not help with controlling oil. I would recommend this product for those who have dry skin. It did really well in keeping my skin very moisturized and hydrated.

Maybelline's BB cream was my least favorite of the three BB creams. First, I have acne scars that I usually cover up with a concealer. Since Garnier gave me good coverage, I was expecting the same coverage with Maybelline. However, I found that Maybelline was very sheer coverage. I also found that it left your face looking very dewey and sticky which is good for moisturizing, but I find it better to set with a powder. Also, another reason why this is not my favorite is because it left me really, really oily. After only a couple of hours, I can start to feel my face oiling up and needed a blot touch up by the end of the day.

My favorite would have to be L'Oreal's Magic Beautifier. This BB cream is very unique from the other two because instead of coming out already pigmented, the cream comes out white with small pigment beads that burst when you rub it on your face. The cool thing about this cream is that after the cream is applied, it will need a few seconds to set itself to accomodate your skin color. After setting, the cream has less coverage than Garnier's but more coverage than Maybelline. So, if you have perfectly even skin or just need the right amount of coverage for a natural look, this product is for you. Also, this product did very well with keeping my skin oil free at the end of the day. A tip for using L'Oreal's BB cream is to set with a powder foundation to get the coverage you want. It also helps in enhancing the BB cream's ability to keeping your skin oil free.

My opinion on BB creams: these are nice for moisturizing and replacing your tinted moisturizer. However, if you need full on coverage, I would advise to stay with your concealer routine or use concealer with this product. These products are good for those days where you are in a hurry and need a bit of coverage. I would recommend to use translucent setting powders of powder foundations on top of these products.