Hi all.
first blog ever, here we go - and what better way to start than with a base!

Big thing ATM... BB cream....they are quickly becoming the alternative to foundations.
BB creams, aka blemish balms, basically offer a 5 in 1 for your skin - along the lines of coverage, texture, glow, hydration and protection.

I own 3 BB creams, and use 2 on a regular basis.

Loreal new nude magique BB cream

 - bare skin beautifier, 24hr hydration and spf 12. costing around $20

i got the medium skin tone, it has smart pigment capsules - didnt fully comprehend until tryied it out only to find a whitish cream!

but then...magique!

as it blends, it transforms into foundation on contact with skin.

here is a pic without flash - very even coverage and texture. I found it very dewy on the skin -as you can see in the pic with flash it is not very user friendly for photographs on its own...it def needs a matte setting powder. but it terms of coverage...me likey. it smells a bit like sunscreen as its applied, but it settles very quickly and i cant notice it after a while. the only con i found is that it gets oily on my skin after a while, and i felt it was not breakout friendly....but on a clear face...amazing.

 

Garnier BB cream, miricle skin perfector for combination/oily skin

 

 

costing around $13, this bb cream is great value for money! i have shade medium for oily skin. i find the coverage good, but when i have breakouts it is not quite enough on its own. it doesnt smell like sunscreen, rather just has a "foundation" smell about it. it has a more matte fininsh than the Loreal bb cream, but on par with coverage offered.

with and without flash as above it has an even coverage and a lightweight feeling on the skin. it is the one that matches my skiin tone EXACTLY. with the matte finish, it is a stand alone face product.

 

Lioele Triple the solution BB cream

made in korea. an asian BB cream, it only comes in one shade, but the coverage is more like a foundation than a bb cream. it has a cute pump dispenser, one pump does my entire face. it has a floral smell, nothing over powering. main functions are Whitening, UV Protection, and Wrinkle Care.  it also moisturizes  with yogurt and hyaluronic acid, and claims to have good oil control.  costing around $30 online

 

as you can see, its way to light for my Aussie skin tone on its own.

 but no matter- i have overcome this by combinig it with my garnier BB cream. it igves me a finish more like the garnier, but coverage like the lioele!!!! best of both worlds.

 

 

compare the 3:

loreal

garnier

lioele

 

my pick - for coverage of blemishes and redness, whist getting the benefits from a BB cream - i go for a mix of lioele and garnier bb creams to get the correct skin tone but heavier coverage.

with the loreals more lighter and dewy finish i think it would be great for spring/summer look, but i have trouble covering my acne and redness with it alone.

 

hope this helps, its just a peek into the world of bb creams. remember, all you can do it try it out. if it doesnt work for you, no matter :)

to see how i use bb cream for an everyday look check out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgo7yhFwdfg