Bobbi Brown BB cream

My quest for a BB cream has not been easy; most brands only make shades upto caramel and I'm dark (think 50% Lindt). Smashbox's darkest shade just made me look pastey. I didn;t even try the others, a simple wrist swatch will tell you weather it'll work on your skin or not. I wanted a BB cream beucase I don't like wearing heavy makeup during the summer, so a year ago I searched high and low to end up at the Bobbi Brown counter. The makeup artist applied the cream in the shade #deep onto my face and voila ...a bb cream that gives me a natural finish. I bought it hten and there how could I not. This is the darkest shade offered by Bobbi Brown so if you're darker than me... sorry no dice! I've used this BB cream for over a year now and I'm impressed with how it performed, especially in the summer (it didn't melt off my face). I've applied it with my fingers and with a beauty blender (I prefer fingers) after my morning cleansing routine. I also love that it has a high SPF (I never go without). It doesn't have best oil control (I tend to get oily in the T-zone), it's nothing a little bit of blotting can't fix.

Pros
deep shades available (though still limited)
SPF 35
light
widely available (online, Edgars, Red Square, Bobbi Brown stores)

Cons
price point ZAR 505 (that's a lot of money)
only 7 shades are available

I'm still on a mission to find the perfect BB Cream for myself. I've never really owned (a full coverage) foundation. The first and last time I had foundation on my face was for my matric dance when I had my makeup done. I don't like it. Or I don't like the idea of the "masking" effect, rather. Yes, I know we've come a long way and there are super stuff on the market that "melts" into your skin and becomes a "second skin". Maybe I'm just hesitant because I have a post-acne reactive skin. Either way, I prefer tinted moisturizers, and now BB creams. Plus, I'm a sucker for multi-purpose products.

Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35 is said to cover imperfections and, therefore, even skin tone; moisturize and control oil; brighten skin instantly and over time; help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help protect against UVA/UVB radiation.

I haven't worn this on it's own (without sunscreen underneath) during the day so I can't really comment on the protection element, but it definitely provides some cover, moisturizes and brightens. I'm not entirely convinced on the oil control factor, as my forehead can get oily over time, and I've noticed this while wearing this BB cream. However, I don't think it's anything a little powder can't fix, and I'm hardly ever without blotting sheets. I'm not big on powder.

It comes in 5 shades: Extra Light, Light, Fair, Medium, and Medium to Dark. At first glance, I assumed I'd be the Fair, but after testing it (and the Medium) on my skin, with much appreciated help from one of the assistants at Bobbi Brown, I'm the "Medium to Dark" shade. There wasn't anything darker, but it works for me.

It has a light-to-medium texture, with no obvious scent, and would probably be best applied with warm fingers. I often use a foundation brush to apply this, but I find I look a bit like a pastry that has just been brushed with melted butter or egg yolk: a bit wet and slightly yellow. So, I always end up using my fingers to blend it into my hairline and all along the "perimeter" of my face, right down to my jawline. I also do this above my brows and on the sides of my nose. It just looks better once I've gone over it gently with my fingers and once I do it, it really looks like it just "melts" into my skin.

On first application, before blending completely, it looks like it has yellow undertones (hence the butter/egg yolk brushing), which is great, because I have yellow undertones, so matchy-matchy, right?. But on my hand it looks pinkish. The pink is not obvious on my face, though, and I suppose it contributes to brightening up my face. Also, the yellow undertones help cover any under-eye blueness, and some slightly green veins showing through the delicate skin around the eyes. Mine are quite obvious, and I didn't need to use concealer with this Bobbi Brown BB cream. I just dabbed a little more (a second layer, as such) BB cream over the visible veins, and they were gone. Gone gone. Looked completely covered, but still natural, like I never had it to begin with.

It provides a smooth, medium coverage. My face looks matte but not dry, and usually by the time I've applied the rest of my makeup, it looks more natural and glowy, but not shiny. If you want a more matte look, you could apply powder, but as mentioned above, I don't love powder. I know it sets your makeup, etc, but I'm a minimalist, and I don't like looking too matte. I like the radiant, glowy, I-just-moisturized look.

Overall, I like it, and it looks natural on photos, with minimal flashback, despite the high SPF. Unfortunately, I can't use this everyday. I've been using it for over a year and noticed that I start breaking out when I use this on consecutive days for longer than 2-3 days. It may be a little too rich for my combination skin, so I save it for "special occasions." Having said that, I think this would be great for someone with a normal-to-dry skin.

I am currently using the Bobbi Brown BB cream (1.35 FL.OZ/40ml), the thickness is just perfect, with medium coverage and SPF 35. I have pretty much stopped using foundation completely except every now and again when I go to a special event or function. What I love most about this BB cream is that it contains tiny light reflecting particles that gives you a very natural and dewy finish – Definitely a must try for those who can get their hands on it. I purchased mine in the beginning of January during my trip to Hong Kong and I’ve used it everyday since (except the days I don’t go anywhere) and I still have half a bottle left because you only need a pea size amount.