Working in Boots means that I get asked the question 'so what exactly is a BB cream' a lot. I answer this question by simply saying; 'it's pretty much a re-formulated tinted moisturiser.' I split up BB cream into two categories - the original ones and the new ones. The new ones are the BB creams from brands like Garnier and Clinique - basically Western BB creams. And the original ones are those that were originally introduced into the Asian market from brands like Skin79 and Missha.
Western/New BB creams:
To me, these are tinted moisturisers with added skin care benefits. They don't provide any coverage and you're lucky if these cover up redness never mind blemishes. They have a high level of SPF in them and they don't irritate your skin but what is the point in them unless you have perfect skin to begin with? Apparently you don't have to wear moisturiser or primer with these BB creams either but I've seen no end of reviews disagreeing - once again, maybe you don't have to if you already have perfect skin.
Original/Asian BB creams:
These are very lightweight in texture but provide coverage that is on par with foundation. These also have a high level of SPF in them and the skin care benefits are great as they were originally formulated for those who had had skin surgery in Asia. The only problem with these is that they aren't available in a variety of different skin tones so if you're anything darker than light/fair then you'll have a hard time finding one in your shade. I have one of the Skin79 BB creams and you can see how wonderfully is covers here.
So I guess you could say that this is a 'harsh' way to describe what BB creams are. I'd recommend the original BB creams if you require more coverage and are fair-light skinned. But if you just want something to mix with a heavy foundation to make it thinner, go for one of the new BB creams as the skin care benefits are great but the coverage is shocking.
What are your thoughts on BB creams? Are they worth the hype?
xxx