BB Creams Round Up & Review

I'm currently waiting for a delivery of a few of the new Skin Food Good Afternoon BB Creams but before they arrive and I review them I thought I would post a quick round up of the BB creams I have been using regularly and what I thought of them.

 

Over the last couple of years I've used quite a few so I thought it might be good to do a little round up before I add more to my collection.

 

First up, the very easy to get hold of readily available UK based BB creams.  Both of these are available in Boots or Superdrug or a variety of other high street stores so if you want to try one out they shouldn't be too hard to track down.

 

Garnier's formula is quite light and doesn't give a huge amount of coverage, it's definitely closer to a tinted moisturiser than a foundation type product and I find it can leave my often greasy skin looking quite shiny.  Saying that I like the light formula and I do wear this one fairly regularly in the summer when my skin is looking good without too much help.  Of all the BB creams I have tried this one is the darkest, even in the lightest shade, I suspect on very pale skin it might look a touch orange.

 

 

Next up Maybelline, this another lighter coverage BB cream which I have in two colours so that I can wear it normally and when I have a bit of a tan.  It definitely does give a fresh faced glow but it can also have the tendency to leave me looking a little shiny, it's lovely and light though and the darker shade (02) is perfect when I have a bit of colour.

 

Next up, the BB creams which I have ordered online (all through eBay) and are not so easy to track down in the UK.  With places like eBay it isn't much hassle to order them online there just isn't the instant gratification of buying them in store. :)

 

Shills was the first BB cream I bought (there's a post on it HERE).  It's a thicker formula which leans more towards a light foundation coverage than a tinted moisturiser.  That's really the biggest different I have found between the original Asian market BB creams and ours here in the UK, the Asian ones tend to have fuller, better coverage.

 

Some people might find the colour of the Shills looks a little ashy right out of the tube but I have found that it doesn't look that way once applied and blends nicely into my skin tone.  It gives great coverage and hides any imperfections and flaws without looking to heavy and cakey, definitely one of my go to products for every day wear, particularly in winter.

 

I also tried out a LE Cherry Blossom Oil Shine control version but to be honest I found it pretty much exactly the same as the original, so not bad but also not worth shelling out for if you already have the original.  Although it initially looked a touch lighter it didn't seem so when applied so basically a favourable review but not really any different from the original product.

 

Next up, two BB creams from Skin Food.  I love both of these, like the Shills they have a better coverage than the UK equivalents and hide any imperfections I might have on my face while not looking heavy or clogging anywhere. 

 

Ginko Green claims to protect sensitive skin and improve skin tone.

 

While Red Bean nourishes and moisturises rough skin.

 

So two fairly similar claims, both of which I would say stand up.  These two are fairly similar formulas too and I use them both regularly (so much so that the Ginko Green one is actually finished now), they apply smoothly and leave my skin looking fresh and glowing without being overly shiny.  Both last well throughout the day and definitely improve the look of my skin.

 

Overall I have been pretty impressed with all the BB creams I have tried but for my often slightly greasy skin which I like to give a bit more coverage the Asian BB brands really win for me, their slightly heavier coverage and shine control seem to suit my skin very nicely.  The pale shades are also a big plus with my skin tone, even the darker colours which I use when I have a bit of a tan don't look remotely orange when applied.

 

Based on that my new purchases are again coming via eBay from the other side of the world, check back for reviews of the Good Afternoon range over the next few weeks.

 

Shills Super Magic BB Cream

BB Creams have been the talk of the web for some time now and I was keen to try a few out when I first read reviews on various blogs and websites, Shills was one of the first brands I decided to give a go. I've never been a fan of heavy make up for day to day wear and have always favoured a tinted moisturiser over foundations. So BB creams sounded right up my street, first of all in case you've missed all the hype surrounding these magical creams here's what Shills have to say about them:

BB Cream (also known as Blemish Balm) is the much raved product that everybody is talking about in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the whole world! BB Cream was first used as an after treatment care product to cover the redness for people who underwent laser surgery. It contains healing properties that helps to conceal and protect the healing skin yet at the same time encourages skin regeneration!

The excellent result achieved was talked about and soon enough, Korean actresses started using BB Cream in their daily makeup routine to help achieve that natural flawless look! Use BB Cream to replace your make-up base/primer, concealer and even foundation! It's not only a foundation - it's a foundation with healing properties!

BB Cream makes a clean and natural skin tone by being absorbed into your skin with a soft feel of use. This enables speedy makeup because of not needing to apply makeup base or foundation.

This post is about two BB creams, both from Shills. The first is a repurchase for me, their 'Super Magic BB Cream' which is described as follows:

This BB Cream is specially formulated for normal and oily skin and comes with a matte finish. The shade is fair and more suitable for ladies with lighter skin tones.

6 in 1 BB cream UV protection SPF50 PA+++, skin whitening, oil control, moisturizer, concealer, makeup base all in one.

Refreshing & Moisturising Tonic which regulates the skin's PH & Restores its uniform color.

As I said this is a repurchase, I've already used up a tube which I ordered on eBay a while back, so rather obviously it's going to get a favourable review as I've used a whole tube and decided to buy more!

I find it ideal for my everyday skin care needs, it goes on beautifully and leaves me with a nice glowy coverage that isn't too heavy but makes me look more alive and well than I would bare faced. This BB cream is quite a light colour so may not be ideal for people with darker skin tones but for me it's an almost perfect match to my skin tone. I also find that I can make it through most of the day without getting a shiny t-zone which isn't something that can be said of a lot of the tinted moisturisers and foundations I've tried, so over all BB creams have been a bit of a revelation for me doing everything I like my make up base to do without looking too heavy or made up and best of all without slipping off halfway through the day.

Whether it's had any lightening effect on my skin is hard to say, it's winter in Scotland so I look the same shade of blue / grey I usually do at this time of year, I would guess the BB cream has very little to do with that though. My one worry with the Shills cream is that come summer when I have a bit more colour to me it may be a little pale but since I spend 90% of the year tan free and pale it's not a major worry.

While I was looking on eBay for a replacement for the almost finished BB cream I also found another Shills product which I decided to give a try. SHILLS Cherry Blossom Oil Control 6 in 1 BB Cream Foundation

Here's what Shills have to say:

Refreshing and moisturising tonic which regulates the skin's PH and restores its uniform color.

SHILLS Cherry Blossom BB Cream moisturizes dry skin giving it a supple look. Gingko, the licorice, vitamin C nourishes your skin. The cream keeps your skin tone even and translucent while keeping you face light and clean. This can be used on it's own or under your makeup as a base.

Active Ingredients: Gingko, licorice, vitamin C, green tea, Bolivian uric acid, Jojoba extract

Sounds similar to the original and for just under £5 I decided to give it a go too. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but if it's as good as the original then I think it'll definitely be worth the money. This version has a slightly stronger smell to it and appears to be a touch lighter when applied to my hand (on the right in this picture).



Hopefully it'll be similar to the original BB cream as it's already a favourite in my books. For now I would happily recommend Shills original 'Super Magic BB Cream' as an excellent starter BB cream, it's a lower price point than a lot I have looked at and for me does everything I would expect and want a BB cream to do so well worth checking out if you are looking for a first BB cream to test.