When BB creams burst onto our shop shelves about a year ago, I wasn’t rushing down to Boots in any hurry. I was sceptical and slightly confused – how could one cream do so many things? How is it much different to a tinted moisturiser? And would people replace their usual facial routines for just one product that supposedly does it all?
BB cream, otherwise known as ‘Blemish Balm’, was created in Germany in the 1960s to be used as a cream given to patients after laser surgery, and has since been a huge hit in Asia, finally moving its way to the anticipating European market this year. A product with a spectrum of benefits, acting as a sunscreen, moisturiser, serum and foundation rolled into one, many of the BB creams promise to ‘blur imperfections’ and some even guarantee clearer skin after a few weeks of usage due to added antioxidants.
I assumed, due to the marketing I’d seen, that BB cream was a product aimed primarily at grannies and anyone over the age of thirty. Surely my generation, with our youthful, dewy complexions, needed no such thing? How very wrong I was. With more thought, I realised my generation wear foundation and buckets of it, and BB cream could be the answer to our timesaving make-up prayers, and perhaps the lighter, more nourishing cream could be better for our skin.
Besides this train of thought, I was apathetic about the new ‘Blemish Balms’ until I found myself magnetically drawn into The Body Shop for some post-essay retail therapy. With just a glance over at The Body Shop’s range of BB cream, glinting in its enticing silver packaging, I was soon accosted by a sales assistant, who sang her praises of the cream and convinced me I didn’t look orange with it on. Before I knew it, I was at the till, impulse buy in my hand, and slightly apprehensive. Since using it however, I haven’t looked back once.
As someone usually too lazy to wear much (or any) skin make-up in the day, since buying the cream I have never looked less haggard in my life. The cream saves bags of time, gives a natural looking coverage for daytime and has definitely made my skin seem clearer and more blemish free. The BB cream I bought was a mid-range price, so I decided to hit the shops again (any excuse really), badger the beauty counters for some testers and find the best budget, mid-range and spend category BB creams.
BUDGET– Maybelline Dream Fresh
At £6.99 it might seem like a lot of money for a budget product, but if you consider the cream contains so many different products in one, it’s actually a big save, and not just in time. The Maybelline Dream Fresh cream made my skin look glowing yet not greasy, and the ever-so-light hydrating balm made my skin look practically poreless. It’s oil free too, which is perfect for those who suffer from clogged pores and blackheads.
MID-RANGE– Body Shop
At £12 this product comes in three different shades, yet the cream is white for each. The cream contains pigments which burst on contact with your skin and match your skin’s shade. Cool, right? The cream made my skin look warm and natural, and fresh like I’d had a good night’s sleep. It also made me abandon the matte look I had previously favoured – hello, dewy complexion of my dreams. Its only downfall is a strong smell. The hydrating emollients in this cream make it great for dry skin.
SPEND– Bobbi Brown
Bobbi is a make-up genius, and this skincare-make-up fusion does not disappoint. Bobbi’s BB cream has a hefty price tag at £28, but the product is well worth the blow to your bank account. It made me feel like someone had airbrushed my face, in a natural, non-Katie Price way, yet felt light on my skin. My face was brightened, probably down to the light-reflecting pigments. Amazing for oilier skins which need a shine-fighting product.