I’m responsible for a recent spate of korean BB Cream buying with a lot of girls and there’s a lot of you who are really interested but unsure of which one to buy.
So here’s a mini break down of some of the Korean BB Creams along with some readily available alternatives I’ve bought and I’ll make a point of updating this post through the months as I buy others! Hope this is helpful!
Skin79 Hot Pink BB Cream:
In my opinion this is the best all-rounder. It can be a little strange looking as it goes on with a distinct grey tinge but it oxidises on the skin after a few minutes and will suit most fair to medium tones. This only comes in one shade which will be a sticking point with some but if you think this will match you, I really, really urge you to try it. This has a satin finish and is great on all skin types but most suited to oily and combo skin.
Skin79 Gold BB Cream:
This is what I’m using at the moment. This applies quite wet on the skin but more neutral in tone to the Hot Pink version so is therefore a teeny bit lighter. The wetness disappears once powder is applied but is great for dry skin and really helps on flaky patches. It’s so good I can apply this over existing makeup to refresh it and it won’t look cakey at all. A total god send along with the Hot Pink version!
Skin79 The Prestige:
Neutral in tone and good for fair shades, this offers nice coverage but for some reason doesn’t grab me as much as the other two Skin79 offerings!
MISSHA #13:
I wanted to try this out because it’s one of the few Korean BB Cream that comes in different shades. This is the palest shade MISSHA provide, which is decent and will cover most fair tones. This is thinner and drier than the Skin79, not as easy to layer to get desired coverage and tends to highlight my dry patches a little more. I don’t dislike it, but for me, Skin79 wins hands down. If you have oilier skin though and want light coverage this would probably work a treat.
Dr. Jart Water Fuse:
This is a little darker than the others although still doesn’t look orange on my fair skin but wouldn’t be quite the ideal shade. I like this, it’s a decent option aimed at dry skin and it’s great to have a Korean brand readily available in Boots. There’s a few in the range to choose from, but again, having only one shade that’s a little darker will be a bugbear for a lot of people. This isn’t personally a winner for me due to the shade, but I’d urge people to sample them in store.
17 BB Cream Light:
I was surprised by this one, it’s actually really nice. I wish the light was a wee bit lighter but the coverage is light, fresh and buildable. Strangely, this swatches quite dark but isn’t once it’s on the skin. This would suit drier or normal skin tones so if you’re oily use a good primer and powder. I’d actually buy this one to have alongside my others which says something!!
Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream Light:
This shade is slightly darker on the skin than the 17 version, and not quite as nice. This seems the thinnest of all I’ve tried and therefore would take a lot more to get decent coverage. For really light coverage though, it’s not bad and does come in two darker shades which is good for darker skinned gals.
L’Oreal BB Cream:
This feels gritty initially as the pigment beads burst inside and then turns into a satin smooth BB Cream. It’s definitely too dark to be considered as light though and looks really orange on me which is such a shame!
MAC BB Cream:
I’ve used up all mine so don’t have any more to swatch but this is a great product that’s not a little hard to get. It’s lovely and light, can be used as a primer or alone as a BB Cream and gives nice light coverage.
Shu Uemura UV Base in Pink:
This is classed as a BB Cream but honestly I’ve only ever used it as a primer. It’s great for underneath products and certainly is nice enough to make you feel confident to go out with nothing else on your skin, but is nothing like a BB Cream in comparison to the others! Still, a fab primer if you’re in the market for a new one!
