All About BB Creams

          We've all heard of BB cream's evolution and how it conquered the makeup industry. Blemish balm cream, more popularly known as BB cream, was originally formulated in Germany and was initially recommended by dermatologists for post laser surgery patients. It made its way to Asia and instantly hit worldwide stardom when Korean telenovela actresses swore by them. Now most skin care brands, from drugstore to high end, have BB cream in their product lines.
       
          When I first heard of this most raved about cream, it didn't really interest me much since I wasn't a fan of tinted facial products even the ones from Olay (my most favorite brand of moisturizer). I never got to try it until last month when I was on a look out for a decent facial sunblock. The facial sunscreens I saw in different stores didn't have matte finish on their labels. So I thought of trying BB cream since it boasts of high SPF protection in a matte, nonsticky finish. I finally had a good enough reason to buy my very first BB cream so I searched the net for reviews of different brands and found several that are locally distributed. I narrowed the list to these three items based on the reviews I got from other users:

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream (50 mL)
(Missha SM North Edsa P1,600)

          This is the very first BB cream I purchased but is actually my least favorite among the three. Though this seems to be the most talked about and highly acclaimed brand by beauty gurus in youtube and blog sites, I must say I couldn't just agree with them on some things. The texture is thicker than I expected making it more difficult to blend with your skin. It takes more than a few gentle strokes to really spread this all over your face. The pigment I got is no. 23 as recommended by 2 Missha sales representatives from different branches. I was quite disappointed with the way it made my skin look. It gave off a very noticeable grey undertone which made my complexion a shade or two darker. I waited for the product to settle on my face before freaking out but nothing really changed. I have no issues with having a darker skin that looks natural but this one really didn't do me any good. It did give full coverage and a matte finish with SPF 42 but the odd color was really disturbing. Maybe they recommended the wrong shade and the other one will look good on me but I decided not to try it.

Tony Moly Dear Me BB Cream (30 gm)
(Tony Moly SM North Edsa P328)

          When my first attempt on finding the best BB cream failed, I became more determined to find out which among the locally available brands will suit me. I read good reviews of Tony Moly's Dear Me BB cream so I tried it next. It has a slightly thinner consistency thus application was quite easier. They only have one shade which complimented my skin without the grey undertone I noticed with Missha. It initially looked a little fairer than my complexion but it eventually blended well with my skin. It gives good coverage which lasts the entire day with a natural and matte finish that doesn't cake or appear powdery. It comes with SPF 30 and is way cheaper (P328) than most other BB creams in the market. Needless to say that this became my instant favorite.

Neutrogena Fine Fairness
BB Cream UV (30 mL)
(Watson's The Block P720)

          They say that the best BB creams are the ones formulated in Korea so this one didn't make it on my list initially. I eventually found out that it's made in Korea as indicated on the label. What also kept me from trying this was the lack of SPF info on the box as well as on the bottle so I thought it didn't have any but Neutrogena confirmed that it has SPF 24. I wasn't really planning to try another brand but I was lured into trying this when I found out it only costs P720 which I think is a reasonable price for a product made by a reputable brand. This cream has the perfect consistency (comparable to a runny lotion or serum) and is the easiest to apply and spread all over the face compared to the other two. It can instantly lighten the skin upon initial application and eventually blend with your complexion. I also love that it feels light on my face and it leaves my skin moisturized without the sticky feeling. It offers good coverage over uneven skin tone but doesn't totally conceal dark pimple marks. This product has won my heart and is my current favorite because it surprisingly matched my skin color with a naturally moisturized and healthy look which I now prefer over a dry matte finish.

          For you to find a BB cream that will work best to your advantage, I think your choice should be based on what your skin needs. If you need full coverage with maximum SPF and you're not tight on your budget, Missha might be good for you. Just make sure to swatch it directly on your face to get the best match.  If you have oily skin and want a BB cream that leaves a matte finish, has good coverage and SPF without having to spend much, Tony Moly's Dream Me BB cream is a good choice. But if you're like me who doesn't need much coverage or loves to have natural looking, moisturized skin without the heavy and sticky feeling or if you don't get too much sun exposure and an SPF 24 is enough to keep you protected, then Neutrogena is best for your skin.

NOTES:

*All products mentioned were personally bought and not intended for advertisement.

*I was suppose to include Tony Moly's Aura BB Cream in this review but there were none available in the 3 different outlets I visited.

ADDENDUM:
*I finally got to try Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream, click here to see my review.