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BB Creams: Are they really the miracle product?
  • MrsSammyBB
    Everyday I see a new company come out with a BB Cream and I always ask myself what are these things and do they really do all the amazing things they claim?  I'm wondering if they really are the next best thing or if it's just another marketing ploy.
  • AmandaElisabethAmandaElisabeth
    It depends on which BB Creams you're talking about.

    Most of the ones in the US, at least drugstore ones, are not so great and aren't really "BB Creams."  It's pretty much a marketing strategy and is just slapped on for the hype.  It's sad, but true.  
    Of course whether or not they are true BB Creams doesn't matter if you like them.  :)

    Asian BB Creams are nice.  I just got some and have been testing them out.  But they are much like any other product and it depends on what kind of skin, etc...you have.

    Amazing, maybe...but it's a subjective term.  It depends on what kind of products you like.

    They are supposed to be a mix of makeup and skincare.  They are supposed to perfect and protect without being heavy or greasy.  They contain anti-aging ingredients, SPF, and other good-for- you ingredients.  So if that's something you like, then I say go for it and try it out!  

    You can find BB Creams on ebay and amazon, so they are good places to start if you're interested.  Skin79 makes the BB Creams I've used, but there are a lot of different brands such as Holika Holika, Skin Foods and Missha


    Musings of a Muse and Toxid Lotus have lots of info and reviews on BB Creams.


    Sorry for the novel, and I hope it helps!!
  • MrsSammyBB
    Thank you that helps a lot! I was also curious from a scientific stand point if these products could really do all they claim. It seems crazy to me you could have one product that has SPF, primer, skin care and correction all in one.
  • AmandaElisabethAmandaElisabeth
    Now that, I'm not sure  haha
    It all sounds too good to be true doesn't it?  And I think that's the reason behind the hype.



    Also some info I forgot to mention
    BB creams (or at least the idea behind bb creams) were first developed in Germany by a doctor (I can't remember his/her name off hand) to help protect and heal post op wounds while providing light coverage
  • Elana44Elana44
    BB cream is short of blemish balm. it covers them up and some formulations contain ingredients that help healing them (like salicylic acid). it's a high coverage foundation with high SPF (20 and up) that sits naturally on skin, kind of Photoshop effect without Photoshop :) I am using one now, by korean brand Dr.Jart+. I like it but to me it's too much coverage for every day, so i put it up only when i need to be phenomenally polished ;)
  • Ally E.Ally E.
    I wouldn't recommend the western ones, as they are cheap copies of what BB creams are really supposed to be, but Asian ones are pretty great. They work well with oily/combo skins. I have a few from Japan and Korea, but end up using Borjouis Healthy mix serum or rimmel wake me up foundations... it's the colour match and thickness of BB creams that keeps me from using them more often
  • brenni
    I started using BB creams because I hate foundation (it makes me feel like I'm wearing a mask), and tinted moisturizer has always been a little too shiny for me. I used to just avoid make up all together, but now that I'm in my thirties, I feel like I need a little coverage. This has more to do with working in a professional environment than it does with the condition of my skin.  I haven't tried the Asian versions, but I've used both Smashbox and Boscia. For me, Boscia seems to be the best. It looks super natural, my skin has a nice glow to it, and it doesn't make me break out. I also appreciate that almost every BB cream I've seen has an SPF rating. While it may not be a miracle for everyone, it definitely feels like a miracle to me. I can feel "put together" without hating the way I look.
  • Ally E.Ally E.
    having SPF is a must for BB cream as it's one of the 5 properties that makes it what it is
  • bebelyn86bebelyn86
    much gratitude, i was about to fork out some bucks for the garnier bb cream, not no more!
  • Spiderlegs
    Ditto on the superiority of the Asian BB creams, at least for the cheaper brands. I haven't tried any of the expensive Western lines. My favorite is a Korean brand, Skin79, especially the "triple function" one in the orange bottle, which has a high SPF and is suited to oily skin. This stuff is some serious snake oil. It dramatically reduced the redness of a patch of seborrheic dermatitis that I'd been unable to clear after several costly visits to the dermatologist. The redness is hardly visible now, even when the BB cream has been washed off. It also has good coverage and I use it in place of both foundation and concealer. On the negative side, a lot of the Asian BB creams I've tried are too "dewy" for my oily skin and slide off by mid-day. They also have a very limited range of colors, mostly suited to medium to light NC skin tones. Some of the brands are supposed to magically adjust their color to your skin but on me they still looked too grey or orange. So it's best to purchase a sample tube or try them out before you buy.
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