The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Cool BB Cream is a new product designed to illuminate, even skin tone and moisturize for 12 straight hours.
On The Body Shop website, the BB cream got mixed reviews—some love it, some hate it. Some complaints include that the cream is too thick and it made the skin look blotchy. Other reviews say that the BB cream is in fact lightweight, goes on smoothly, has nice color and hydrates.
My review is also mixed. The product is very creamy, is easy to apply and goes on very smoothly. I typically use my fingers to massage the product into my skin. Once applied, it does provide my skin with a really nice tone and hides any unevenness.
One of my complaints is about the color—and this is also a complaint about BB creams in general. Since the creams only come in limited shades, it’s just not possible that it will work for anyone. Even the creams that claim they’ll adjust never look completely like your own skin. The Body Shop BB Cream blends easily, but only comes in one color and is a tad orange on me. In addition, the BB cream doesn’t hide blemishes very well. It will even tone, but it won’t hide all imperfections.
Vitamin E Cool BB Cream is available at The Body Shop for $22.
Have you tried any makeup products from The Body Shop?
You’ve heard of BB (beauty or blemish balm) creams—those seemingly tinted moisturizers that pack a punch with major skin benefits. They can be used in lieu of a foundation or as a primer and go on flawlessly. It’s no wonder they’ve become so popular.
You’ve heard of CC (color correcting) creams. While the BB cream really focuses on providing skincare benefits with a hint of color, the CC cream really strikes more of a balance between color and skincare.
And now, the beauty world is getting ready to unveil DD creams. What! Yes, it’s true. DD, which stands for daily defense, is rumored to be a product that focuses more on the body and feet rather than the face. The cream is supposed to be very heavy duty in order to provide serious moisture for skin.
Supposedly there are a few products already on the market—one intended to help heal cracked and dry feet and the other that has sunless tanning agents. Doesn’t seem like a continuation of the BB/CC trend, but more a marketing scheme to get people to buy. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how the new DD creams differ from existing body products and what benefits they offer.
Have you tried BB or CC creams? Will you try a DD cream?
I really enjoyed my Birchbox this month. Sometimes it's a hit or a miss but overall I really enjoy receiving these samples each month. I have found some great products I wouldn't have tried otherwise and am so happy that I did!
1. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: Benefit’s daily cleanser comes in a chic blue tube that will make your other products look humdrum in comparison. Appearances aside, the gentle formula works into a creamy, meringue-like lather that softly removes dirt and impurities. And unlike some cleansers, it gets the job done without drying out your skin.
and
We seldom go a day without makeup, which means it’s important to take extra good care of our skin. The beauty experts from Benefit devised this pore-purging facial polish to clear away all traces of product residue and breathe new life into dull skin. Use it to leave skin feeling refreshed and clarified, never dry. It’s formulated for all skin types, making it a no-brainer addition to your cleansing regimen.
My review: I LOVE BOTH OF THESE. Sorry for the caps but honestly they smell amazing and left my face so clean and soft. I suffer from dry skin and most of my face washes dry it out even more. Not these products, they left my skin feeling more hydrated then before I washed my face. I couldn't believe how much I liked them and will be purchasing them once my samples run out.
2. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: We desperately try to adhere to the less-is-more philosophy, and Dr. Jart’s Water Fuse Beauty Balm helps us minimize our routine. A moisturizer, sunscreen, and treatment serum all-in-one, this tinted BB cream even helps hide imperfections—so there’s no need for foundation or cover-up. Think of it as the Swiss Army Knife of your beauty cabinet.
My review: When I opened the tube it looked like the product had already been used. There was BB cream all over the lid and top of the bottle and I wasn't sure if it happened during shipping or if someone had previously used it. After disinfecting the top, I applied what was left to test it. It covered well and matched my skin tone fine (I'm tanner than normal so I'm not sure how it would look in the winter) but it wasn't as moisturizing as my normal BB cream. I would not purchase this.
3. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: If you update your polish nearly as often as you check your Twitter feed, you’re not alone. We designed this share-worthy custom collection with Color Club for all the social media addicts out there. You’ll be inspired to tweet, pin, tag, and post these four gorgeous shades with your followers.
My review: I've received another Color Club polish in a past Birchbox and enjoyed the color, but it didn't last long before chipping. Sadly, I experienced the same issue with this one. I got a fall/winter shade this time called Status Update and it was a darker grey/slate color. I am always looking for more colors to add to my growing nail polish collection so I was not totally disappointed. I just wish it lasted longer before chipping.
4. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: It’s a fact of life: as we get older, our once-firm skin begins to lose its elasticity and fine lines start cropping up. Instead of flying into a panic, we’re enlisting Caudalie’s lab-proven anti-aging serum. It’s formulated with grape-based actives and other botanicals that soften the look of wrinkles, plus tightening agents that go to work right away to lift sagging skin.
My review: I tried this a few times before bed and in the morning before I started my beauty routine and didn't notice a difference in the firmness of my skin. Perhaps after regular use this product would start working, but it didn't dazzle me.
5. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: We never paid much attention to our hair ties before Twistband came into our lives. Now we can’t go anywhere without one (or three) of their snag-free, super soft elastics. They keep hair secure without leaving ugly creases behind, and look as good on our wrists as they do in our ponytails. These colorful collections come with twelve ties, so you’ll always have plenty of spares on hand.
My review: I have seen these hair ties everywhere and was curious to see if they worked. I was so excited to get on in my box this month and couldn't wait to try it. It left my hair crease free and didn't pull out any hair like my normal hair ties do. I also like to wear them on my wrist if I might need to put my hair up at some point and was pleased that these did not dig into my wrist like my other ones do. I would definitely purchase these!
6. According to the Birchbox Breakdown: Traveling can be a stressful experience—whether we’re going through airport security or catching a subway during rush hour. After spilling the contents of our purse in public one too many times, we turned to tili’s stylish reusable bags. They’re small enough to fit inside your purse or carry-on but large enough to hold all your lip glosses, loose change, or travel-sized toiletries. Each pack comes in three colorful varieties.
My review: I thought these bags were cute. I wouldn't mind throwing one into my purse to keep all of my lip glosses and loose items organized. I don't think I would purchase these, but I'm glad I was able to try one. Perhaps if I traveled more I would be willing to drop down some cash for fancier plastic bags.
Summer is in full swing – is your makeup bag stocked and
ready? Here are a few things I consider must-haves for summer:
Eye and face primers
Don’t let all the work you put into perfecting your makeup
look go to waste when you step outside. Make sure you’re wearing eye and face
primers, and be sure to pick up separate primers formulated for each area.
A few favorites:
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original
This is my year-round go-to for eye primer. It’s
lightweight, easy-to-apply and it speaks for itself – my eye makeup always
lasts the whole day.
This eye primer comes in a close second. The product is a
little thick, but once blended it will help your eye makeup stay put. As an
added bonus, using a beige-toned eye primer helps cover any redness or
discoloration on your eyelids making the colors you apply more bright and
vibrant.
Summer is the time of year where you can wear fun and bright
makeup colors and it looks totally normal. I’m a huge fan of bright eye makeup,
especially eyeliner. My absolute favorite is wearing bright green. Come on –
you can’t really get away with that during the winter.
A few to try:
Sephora Collection Nano Liner in Chlorophyll
This bright green is adorable. And surprisingly, it works
with a lot of different eyeshadow colors.
Don’t apply a thick foundation – let your skin breathe this
summer! A BB cream or tinted moisturizer is perfect to wear “it’s hot outside”
is an understatement.
Here are a few favorites:
Garnier BB Cream in Fair/Light
This is the BB cream I am currently using, and I couldn’t be
happier. I bought this on a whim from Target and have been really satisfied
with how lightweight it feels and covers up any imperfections on my skin.
Second only to bright eyeliner, bright lip gloss is another
summer makeup must-have. I prefer it over lipstick, because it doesn’t feel or
look so heavy on the lips.
Try these:
MAC Tinted Lipglass (try Pink Poodle, Saint Germain or
Angel)
I can’t get enough of MAC lipglasses. These lightweight
glosses give a big color payoff without feeling too sticky or heavy.
Stila’s lip glazes are a little bit thicker than a normal
lip gloss, but they have so many color choices that are perfect for summer. The
lip glazes don’t wear off easily and no matter which one you choose, you can be
sure your lips will have a really pretty sheen or shimmer.
I religiously wear sunscreen, so I can’t say I’m sporting
any kind of a tan – even in the midst of summer. In order to fake it, bronzing
powder is a staple in my summer makeup routine.
Tarte Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
This is a perfect color for lighter skin tones – it doesn’t
look too orange or ruddy. It’s best applied lightly in layers.
I'm sure by now most of you have at least heard of BB Cream (Blemish Balm or Blemish Base) before but when I first tried it a few months ago it was just starting to show up in stores. I was using full coverage foundation during the winter months and although it felt a little heavy, it was okay because my face was so dry. In the spring and summer I tend to walk around with a lot less makeup on my face and hate the feeling of slimy foundation. I was searching for a tinted moisturizer to start using but I wanted something that provided a little more coverage.
Adrianne (the makeup expert that she is) told me all about this miracle BB Cream. She said it was a big thing in Japan and was just starting to surface here in the US and that I should really check out some before buying a tinted moisturizer. I forced her (okay ... she lives in this store who are we kidding) to run over to Sephora one day on our lunch break to show me different ones and help me pick one out.
The makeup artist who ended up assisting us was super nice, but MAJORLY overdone. I was terrified when she started to remove my normal makeup to apply the BB Cream. I really hope I didn't walk back into work looking overdone like that. Luckily it was perfect. She tired a few on my hands before I decided to have her apply the Smashbox Camera Ready brand of BB Cream to my face. It was amazing - light, fuller coverage than a tinted moisturizer but did not feel like I was wearing makeup at all. I couldn't believe how much it covered and brightened up my complexion.
The makeup artist told us that the BB Creams actually could help improve your complexion over time and could also be used as a primer if you were searching for more coverage for an evening out or special event. The Smashbox brand offers SPF 35 which I love and doesn't have a strong scent to it. I've been wearing it every day for the past few months and still love it. It stays on all day and even Jay has told me he liked the way it looked (he actually noticed!) So if that's not enough reason to try some of this stuff I don't know what is.
Adrianne has tried some BB Cream by Garnier and said for a drugstore brand it was actually not that bad. You might want to try out a lower-end brand before committing to a bottle of the more expensive stuff. Trust me when I say it's worth it though!
Have you tried BB Cream yet? If so, what did you think? Do you have a favorite brand you think we should try?
