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Though BB creams (beauty benefit creams) have been fairly popular for the past couple of years, I had never tried them. Like I have mentioned several times on this blog, I have extremely sensitive, acne-prone skin, and I am extremely picky about what I put on it. I stay away from tinted moisturizers, concealers, and foundation as much as I can, and on a regular day, I only like to wear my moisturizer with SPF. Like my dermatologist once said, being makeup free is better than having to deal with breakouts.

When Garnier India sent over their recently launched BB cream for a review, I was tempted to give it to a friend to test out; someone whose skin isn’t as problematic as mine. But when I read up on BB creams and how they  were originally created by dermatologists to prevent and soothe patients’ skin after surgery, and that it’s a one-stop shop for moisturizing, covering up blemishes, and evening out your skin tone, I was intrigued. I have acne scars that require a lot of coverage, and I am forever on the lookout for an everyday product that is light and doesn’t really feel like makeup but can still make my scars less visible, and so I decided to give it a shot.

Garnier’s BB cream likes to position itself as “your perfect friend.” But does it live up to the standards you have for one? Read on!

BENEFITS

• The perfect friend helps you out and makes your life easier, just like Garnier BB cream does. It’s an all-in-one daily moisturizer that saves on a lot of time by providing the benefits of three products- moisturizer, sunscreen (SPF 24), and coverage makeup- in one travel-friendly and easy-to-use tube.
• With ingredients such as Vitamin C, almond extract, and minerals, Garnier BB cream brightens and lights up your face, just like the perfect friend would.
• The perfect friend takes focus away from your imperfections and urges you to play up your good qualities. Garnier BB cream does just that by minimizing your flaws and bringing a healthy glow to your skin.
• A perfect friend is someone who is always there for you. Garnier BB cream’s easy availability and affordable price (Rs. 99 for 18 grams and Rs.199 for 40 grams) ensures that it will always be by your side, even when you are on a budget.
• Just like all great days start with the company of your perfect friend, a good day for your skin starts with Garnier’s BB cream. I have combination skin, and I feel that this cream keeps my skin moisturized for hours and controls the redness on my face without aggravating it and causing breakouts.
• Just like a perfect friend, this moisturizer lets you be yourself but also helps you improve in little ways. It blends easily into your skin without looking fake and cakey (in fact, it barely looks like you are wearing it!), but at the same time, it helps to even out your skin tone and complexion.

DISADVANTAGES

• Currently there is only one shade available in India, which I think will only work well for people with a light/medium complexion. The US version comes in two shades, light/medium and medium/deep, which still doesn’t leave us with very many options to play around with.
• The moisturizer only gives you a UVA/UVB protection of SPF 24, which is somewhat low, especially for Indian summers. I prefer products that are SPF 30 or higher, so I will be wearing my regular sunscreen underneath this product.
• My biggest problem with this moisturizer is that it doesn’t give enough coverage. So if you also have blemishes like me, know that you can’t use it in lieu of your foundation. It made my pores less visible and calmed the redness on my face, but the acne scars were still visible.
• This cream is best worn during the day in natural light. The coverage is quite sheer (at least on my skin tone); it’s barely visible at night/indoors and in photographs, unless you top it off with foundation.

So, will I be buying this in the future? Of course! I think it’s a great everyday product for someone with normal skin who likes that no-makeup makeup look. Someone with skin imperfections can use it like a primer with extra benefits, which is how I intend to use it. I think one of my favorite things about it is how it’s so easy to apply.  I have multiple coverage products sitting at home collecting dust right now, because they just don’t blend well and feel dry. Garnier BB cream has a liquid-like consistency that spreads easily and keeps your face hydrated without looking greasy. It’s still winter though, and my skin tends to get more oily in the summer, so we’ll have to see how well it works during the hotter months. But for now, I am pleased!

P.S. – If you have tried BB creams before, do write in and share the brands that you swear by. I’d love to give them a shot too!

xoxo,

SK