Missha BB cream

I am going to start this review with something I really never thought I’d be able to say:

Holy crap, I found a BB cream that doesn’t make me look like a corpse.

Ok then! Now, I know that half of you know what a BB cream is and are dying to know all about my new foundation love, and that the other half of you have no clue what the hell a BB cream is. So, for those of you that do know, I apologize for the quick lesson!

BB Cream: An all-in-one wonder product that originated in Germany and made popular in Korea for post-laser patients; BB creams are meant to act as skincare and base makeup. Some of the claims that BB creams generally make are: anti-aging, skin lightening, blemish healing, sun protection.

Basically, BB creams are meant to do everything except make babies and pleasure you. They are supposed to eliminate such pointless steps as skincare, sunscreen, primer, foundation, concealer, and powder. Whew! What a list of claims. Now, next all I need to do is tell you they cost $19.99 and this will sound like an infomercial.

However, considering the ridiculous popularity and huge selection of BB creams in Asia, and the emergence of US brands releasing their own BB creams (MAC comes to mind, and Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge can be seen as a sort of BB Cream), I thought I’d take it upon myself to accept a request from Missha to review three shades of their popular Perfect Cover BB Cream. I was curious about this line of BB creams for a few reasons:

1) How could I not want to try a product with such a crazy list of claims?!

2) I had been told by a few blogger friends that the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream was one of the best available.

3) I had also been told that the general Missha BB Cream range is special because - unlike 99% of available BB creams - they come in a range of shades besides “a lovely shade of grey-beige for the ‘average’ Asian skintone” (and if you’re curious, that grey undertone that dominates most BB Creams has a visual lightening effect, and Asian women in general apparently really like clear, light, even skintones.

Before I get to my review, I highly, HIGHLY recommend you read this post from Musings of a Muse. The Muse is probably the definitive expert on all things BB Creams and in this post she lays out very clearly the difference between BB Creams and tinted moisturizers. Also, she has reviewed a mindboggingly large number of BB Creams. Check out her posts before trying one!

Ok, so enough of that and onto the review: I received three shades of Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA++ : #21, #23, and #31 (there is a fourth shade, #13, but I was not sent it because the PR rep believed it would be too light for me and thus pointless to try). I will tell you right now that despite the huge differences in color, I could wear all three. I found that #23 was the best match for me right now, but I could make #21 and #31 work - although it was easier to use #21 than #31 because I noticed that these oxidized a bit on my skin, making #31 just a taaad too dark for me. I think that (on the MAC scale), NC/NW 20-30 would be #21, NC/NW25-40 would be #23, and NC/NW37+ would be #31. Also, if you see that greyish tone in #23, what that did to my skin was make it very, very even; mannequin-ish, even. I loved that!

(From left to right: #31, #23, #21)

(Spread out, in the same order as above - #31 isn't that scary orange on the skin, I swear!)

Now, I can’t address any of the anti-wrinkle claims or whatever, but I can tell you the following:

1) I used these BB Creams over clean, unmoisturized skin. The texture of these is like nothing I’ve felt before: thick but weightless on the skin, very pigmented but I could still see my skin through the product. I did not need moisturizer underneath.

2) The BB Creams contain silicones and mineral oil but I did not break out. In fact, a few pimples that I had forming dried out or came to a head, which was great. I did not require a primer because of these silicones, nor did I require powder to set the BB Creams.. In fact, these held up beautifully at work (remember, I manage a hot yoga studio). They did not crack, crease, sweat off, rub off, etc.

3)With the exception of a few spots on my face, I didn’t need concealer when wearing these BB Creams. A half-pump was enough for my face.

4) My skin has seemed more even when I’m makeup-less, which is interesting because I haven’t changed my skincare routine in a while. The “do good” ingredients in these BB Creams include beeswax, glycerin, caviar extract, algae extract, jojoba oil, rosemary leaf extract, and rosa canina fruit oil.

5) If there was one complaint I had about these BB Creams, it’s regarding the finish: I was super matte/porcelain, and I prefer a more satin/glowy finish. My illuminators have been working overtime in the couple of weeks I’ve been reviewing these products. (**I must note that I was sent a sample of the BB Boomer cream which is an illuminating base for the BB Creams but I didn’t try it yet.)

The summary: Despite the matte finish, I freakin’ LOVE these. They live up to their all-in-one claims, and I love how streamlined my makeup routine has become because of them. Also, since they are so pigmented and I need so little, each 50ml tube will last me forever. Happily, these retail for $29.99USD which I feel is a bargain, and when I run out, I will definitely be purchasing them. I also want to try some of the other types of BB Creams Missha carries!

So, will you be giving this wonder product a try?

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream retails for $29 USD and can be purchased from the http://www.misshaus.com website.