My mom got into Estee Lauder BB Creams before I did, so I trusted her enthusiasm when I tested out the Estee Lauder DayWear BB Cream. This was one of my companions when I was at Bahamas, as I needed to keep my face protected from the sun, give an illusion of smooth skin, and keep my skin hydrated. [Read more…]
Battle of the SPFs: Kiehl’s BB Creme vs NARS Tinted Moisturizer vs Marcelle CC Cream
Herro everyone! Since summer is approaching quickly and Vancouver is seeing plentiful of summer days, it’s time to get that SPF on! I admit I am quite lazy when it comes to SPF, so I’m trying to work hard on that so I can stay young and keep my skin as undamaged as possible! Prior to the extreme sunniness, I’ve been using Benefit Cosmetics Triple Performing Facial Emulsion SPF 15 PA++. I want to purchase another moisturizer with a higher SPF, but I have a BB Cream, tinted moisturizer, and a CC Cream that has SPF and I should use those up! [Read more…]
Two B or not two B: Dr Jart++ Water Fuse (BB) Beauty Balm
The last time I was in Sephora, I was in the states and bought my first BB Cream. I opted for Dr Jart++ Water Fuse BB Cream since I read fairly good reviews on it,and it is in Asian brand, so I gave it a try. I don’t have/wear foundation, so I thought this BB Cream would be a to-go product for my bad skin days.
What it is:
A one-step skin perfecting balm that minimizes the need for foundation or concealer.
What it is formulated to do:
A moisturizer, sunscreen, and treatment serum, this all-in-one product also hides imperfections. Made with 50 percent water, Dr. Jart’s Advanced Water Bead Technology helps hydrate and maintain healthy moisture for a dewy, fresh look. Like a drink for your skin, once applied, tiny droplets of water appear before being quickly absorbed, generating an instant soothing and cooling effect.
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A little goes a very long way for this product. 1.5 pea sized amount would cover my face. It has a very sheer coverage, which is fine with me. I’m worried about clogged pores. This BB Cream does a fairly decent job hiding the redness around my nose without primer underneath.
This product is supposed to be hydrating- and it is! My face didn’t feel dry, nor did I see any dry patches. When I apply it to my face and start spreading/dabbing it, water droplets actually form. Water is infused in this, for sure! It’s very light weight and it absorbs quickly, so I have to pat in my face hastily. I also like the sunscreen inside, however, I wish the SPF was higher. It also looks very natural on my skin, so it doesn’t look like I put anything on at all.There is a slight scent, not irritating ,and it goes away after it is put on my face.
A disadvantage of this product is that, there is only one colour available for this. So if your complexion is slightly off, it will show. Please sample this before buying to make sure your skin tone matches this!
I am pleased with the consistency, colour, and moisture content of this BB Cream. The freshness this product gives me is great for the summer! This definitely replaces my lack of foundation and concealer!
[REVIEW]: Garnier BB Cream Sample
Couple months ago, I received a sample of Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in the mail, which I signed up for via Facebook. As it was my first time trying BB Cream, I was a bit excited since it seems to have many skin-helping properties.
Firstly- this BB Cream is said to
- even skin tone
- brighten skin
- hydrates 24 hours
- renew skin
- SPF 15 sun protection
I used it last month and I just got around to reviewing this. For this product, a little bit goes a long way- a pea sized managed to cover most of my face. I wore it for a day (approximately 10 hours) and here are my thoughts:
- It didn’t dry out my skin, but it did feel a bit sticky at the end of the day.
- Minimum coverage, but it reduced a bit of redness around my nose
- Although I received the Light/Medium colour, I still felt it was a bit darker compared to my natural skin complexion.
I didn’t really see any effect in “brightening” or evening in the skin tone, as I looked fairly the same after, except a bit darker. I think is easier to dab the product around then using a finger and blending it in.
The cream also had a floral-fruity smell to it, similar to the shampoo. If I closed my eyes and smelled the product, I wouldn’t have thought it was BB Cream. To me, this is more of a tinted moisturizer than an actual BB Cream. I don’t think this BB Cream was worth the hype!
Anyone else experienced this product? What BB Cream do you use?
VIB Sephora Haul + My Terrible Customer Experience
Today was the first day to use the Sephora V.I.B 15% off coupon + V.I.B’s get a free umbrella + bag full of samples with any purchase. Of course, I was hooked and went to my local Sephora to see what’s in store.
I ended up buying three things – Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup SPF 10, NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick, and Dior DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & Primer. Needless to say, I blew half of my biweekly paycheck, but at least I got things I don’t have and that I wanted, right?
Here’s a quick review/rundown of my haul!
1) Dior DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & Primer
This lash primer is supposed to be a base before you put mascara on. It claims to comb, curl, and coat each lash. It is also a treatment to enhance lash growth and strength.
I wanted to get this for a while because I’ve heard great reviews for it. Also, because I have uneven eyelids, my eyelashes look shorter than they actually are, especially on my right eye. I tried this on when I got home and my eyelashes did look longer. I’m going to try to wear this regularly for the next week to see if I see any change in my eyelashes and let you know!
2) NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick: My first lipstick! I was looking for something subtle, but pink. Sheer, but build-able. I was poking around the NARS area and the assistant showed me this color and let me try it and I love it!
Product Story from the site:
A beautifully sheer formula infused with ingredients to improve the condition of the lips. Sheer, long lasting color pigments have been suspended in this tranlucent formula to provide a sophisticated shine.
- Lightweight formula glides on smoothly
- Lush shade range
- Patented blend of conditioners and antioxidants hydrate, nourish and protect lips
After wearing this for several hours, my lips didn’t feel dry or flaky. The color was still visible too!
3) Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup SPF 10
I have been looking for a liquid foundation for quite some time now, and a sales associate tried this on me and I was blown away how natural it looked on my skin. It had a hefty price tag, but all the other foundations did too, and I had 15% off so I decided to try it. The sales associate only used a little, but it covered my entire face. My face did not feel dry or look cakey at all.
Because I am a V.I.B, I get a free goodie bag + umbrella.Getting the umbrella is quite a story, but I’ll save that for the end.
Goodie Bag of Samples:
The samples came in a striped Sephora plastic bag (you can see a bit of it in the picture at the top right hand corner.) I recieved
-Viva La Juicy Perfume Sample
– Givenchy Mister Light
– Sephora Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara
– Make Up Forever Smoky Lash mascara
– Bumble and Bumble thickening shampoo + conditioner
Quite a bag! I can’t wait to try these and review how they are!
Now onto the umbrella.
When I purchased my stuff, the sales associate did not give me an umbrella. Naturally, I questioned why. She said that customers were at the mall since 9am and they were all sold out. Fair enough. It was my fault I shopped later in the day.
I walked past the store again later, and I saw a girl coming out with an umbrella. That spiked my curiosity. Then I saw another girl with an umbrella. I was getting curious so I went into Sephora. I stood near the Benefit area, where you can see the area behind cashiers, and I saw umbrellas.
So I went to another sales associate and this is the conversation:
Me: ” Hi, I purchased something earlier as a V.I.B, but I never got an umbrella!”
Sales A: ” Oh really? I think we ran out of them earlier.”
Me: “Are you sure? I just saw a lady walk out with one.”
Sales B comes over: “‘I think there’s three left, isn’t there?”
Sales A: “No, it’s sold.”
Me: “But I saw someone go out with one.”
Sales A:”I’ll go check.”
Sales A comes back with an umbrella and apologizes and says I should’ve gotten one, after I showed her my receipt.
Seriously?? If I didn’t say I saw someone walk out with an umbrella, they would’ve found an excuse to push me away. I never liked the location at Richmond Centre, but this lack of customer care and service seriously turned me off. I won’t be coming back anymore. I rather take the skytrain to go to a better Sephora with better service.
Luckily I got the umbrella, because it was raining hard when I was busing home.
And, when I got home, I found this sitting in my mailbox!
A sample of the new Garnier BB Cream.
BB Cream is famous in the Asian markets, and now it has hit the American markets! This cream can even skin tone, corrects imperfections, brightens complexion, hydrangeas for 24 hours, and protects skin with SPF 15. I can’t wait to try this out!
Have you tried Garnier BB Cream? Let me know what you think about it!
Also, let me know if you went to the Sephora V.I.B Event! Hope your experience was better than mine!
[edit on July 6 2012]
I have returned the Christian Dior foundation since I couldn’t justify the price 🙁