Are European BB Creams worse than Asian ones? Avon Ideal Flawless Skin Loving Beauty Balm review

I decided to have a closer look at some non-Asian BB Creams. I've came across a few opinions, that it's just a marketing catch and European BB Creams are just foundations only named "BB" on the packaging. Are they really so poor comparing to Asian ones? Let's have a look!

Product description: Lightweight beauty balm with mineral pigments feels breathable and delivers moisture and SPF15 protection without clogging pores. Infused with moisturisers, antioxidants, minerals and vitamin E to help hydrate and protect your skin.

The full size product is 30ml tube. There are also 4ml sample tubes, I was using 2ml sample sachets.

This BB Cream - in opposite to it's Asian origins - has 5 shades to choose from. As a pale person I was testing out three of the brightest ones. 

Depending on lighting the difference between shades is very subtele or even invisible. The darkest one from shades I tested - Natural Beige - is the most pinkish one.

The consistency is quite rare, but still good enough for easy application. Unfortunatelly either cream is not very efficient or the samples are not very generous - one sachet lastes only for two easy applications (I think I could get a third one, but with a lot of hassle). Coverage is delicate - it just covers blackheads and evens skin tone a bit. I would say it looks natural on face if it wouldn't roll so much in my wrinkles :( The glow effect is not too strong, can do without mattifier. As for sebum control it' neutral, my face became oily after 2-3h, my standart time. After 6-8h it's starting to look a bit patchy a cakey.

Price: full price is £12, but depending on offers you can get it from £6.

Pros:
+ five shades to choose from
+ hades I was testing matched well my complexion
+ doesn't smudge during application
+ glow effect is not too strong
+ easy to get thanks to many Avon Representatives

Cons:
- rolls up in my wrinkes
- after some time becomes cakey and patchy

Overall I think it's not a bad product, you can find a lot of positive reviews about it across the Internet. I think it'w worth a try, your Representative can get you samples.

So, are the European BB Creams worse than Asian ones? Not necessarily. Sure, there is some marketing catch about the fact, that suddenly BB Creams became more popular and almost every Western company made their own BB Cream. But I think, that before we criticize them just because they're Western, it's worth to try few of them out. When Garnier made their BB Cream you could order a free sample throught the website - I did try it, but quite a while ago, so I don't remember much details about it, but it didn't harm my skin and certainly was better than some foundations. We should remember the fact, that ingredients of Asian BB Creams are not top secret, everyone can look them up, so knowing the ingredients why Western companies wouldn't be able to make a good BB Cream as well? We should also remember that not all of Asian BB Cream are awesome - my favourite ones are Asian, but mostly because I tried out more Asian than European ones. Avon's BB Cream isn't worse quality than some of the Asian BB's I tested.
In the future I am going to test out some more European BB's, my priorities are Avon Solutions, Oriflame and Simple.

Active ingredient:  Titanium Dioxide 5.40%

Other ingredients: Water/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pentyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Trifluoromethyl C1-4 Alkyl Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Polysilicone-11, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Aluminium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Stearic Acid, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Undecylenate, Ethyl Undecynelate, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactoone Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Edta, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl, Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Hexylene Glycol, Calcium PCA, Hexyl Laurate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polylyceryl-4 Isostearate, Methicone, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/malachite Ferment, Saccharomyces/Tourmaline Ferment. 

May contain: Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891, Iron Oxides, Mica/CI 77019

Skin79 Hot Pink Super Plus BB Cream Review

Hello after longer break! I needed Christmas Holiday to catch my breath and find some time to write reviews. Fortunately there was no break from testing products, however after writing break I forgot some things I was meant to write =.=

Today I am going to review very popular BB Cream, considered to be classic.

Product description: Our lightweight BB Cream readily absorbs to skin, hydrating to reveal a healthy looking, fresh and natural looking hint of color. With added sunscreen, the formula protects form the sun's UV rays SPF25/PA++, while promoting whitening, wrinkle care and sebum control effects.

Full size product is a cylinder shaped bottle with pump containing 40g of product. There is also a travel version available, 15g, also with pump. I was testing out 2g sample which lasted for three applications.

When I opened sample colour of the product seemed to be very greyish, however after application it seemed to match well my complexion. This product has only one shade, different shades are in different coloured bottles and have slighttly different features. The consistency is fine, not too rare and not too thick. It creates smudges during application, but I was applying with my fingers and a few pats sorted it out. Hot Pink offers quite good cover (covers blackheads and evens skin tone), but still looks natural. As a classic BB cream it gives skin quite sharp glow effect - it looks nice and fresh around eyes, although I wouldn't leave the house without some mattyfier on my nose ;) Product has pleasant scent, a bit soapy, but in a nice way, fresh. I surprised my nicely with sebum control - my oily skin stayed fresh for 4 hours. My skin is a bit dried out recently, so I think I owe that sebum control to the moisturising properties of this BB Cream.

Price: from £7 on e-Bay (for 40g version).

Pros:
+ covers imperfections and still looks natural
+ moisturises
+ looks good on skin all day long
+ controls sebum

Cons:
- a lot of fakes in the market...

Overall this is quite decent BB Cream, however I won't buy a full size version. Because of it's popularity there is a lot of fakes in the market - you can find a lot of advices across the Internet, how to tell if it's genuine product, but a lot of bloggers warn that fakes are looking more and more genuine now. To be perfectly honest I can't even guarantee my sample was genuine 0o

Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, titanium Dioxide, IsopropylPalmitate, Talc, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxtstearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Arbutin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Adenosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Triclosan, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Lycium Chinese Fruit Extract, Helianthus annus (Sunflower) Extract, Cornus Offincinalis Fruit extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Dimethicone/vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Poper Methysticum Leaf/roqt/Stem Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trihydroxystearin, Glycosyl Trehalose, Aluminum Hydroxide, Alumnium Stearate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Methicone, Tobopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytic Acid, BHT, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Iron Oxides

Lioele Dollish Veil Vita BB : Natural Green

Good evening! :)
Another BB Cream review & my first product from Lioele.

Product description: This is a BB Cream with double function for those who want a natural coverage. It works as make up base and foundation to even out the skin tone. A new type of BB Cream that protects the skin with vitamins and gives change of color that matches your skin tone after application. It gives you feeling of moisturized and matte finish. 

The full size product comes in a 30ml bottle with pump, I was testing out 2ml sample:

Dollish is available in two shades: #1 Gorgeous Purple and #2 Natural Green, easy to guess which one I have ;) According to numbers, the purple version after changing into skin-like colour is lighter than the green one. I usually choose the lightest available shade - I have no idea why I went for the green one, but it turned up to be the right choice - colour matched my skin tone well.

Talking about colour - how does it change from green to skin-like? Ofcourse it doesn't "change color that matches your skin tone after application" - similary like the Tony Moly Aura CC Cream, which I tested earlier - it just contains the colour capsules, which break during the application releasing tint.

Out of curiosity I also tested out the colour change on the paper:

It came up so dark because paper is textured and all the capsules broke close to each other.

Now what was the Dollish's performance?
It smells nice, subtle and fresh. It's easy to spread on skin (I was applying just with my fingers) and a little goes a long way - sample lasted for five applications, record! The name "Dollish" is very accurate - it evens skin in such a nice way we can feel like porcelain doll. It doesn't cover my acne scars 100% (but I wouldn't count on that anyway), but beautifully covers all enlarged pores. It looks very natural and it's lightweight, I couldn't feel it on my skin. Against producent's promise it isn't fully matte, but gives such a delicate and healthy looking glow, that I don't cover it with powder. My face become oily after approx. 3h, so my standart time. It doesn't roll up in wrinkles.

Price of the full size product: from £8 on e-Bay.


Pros:
+ shade matches well my complexion
+ perfectly covers enlarged pores
+ gives natural look and it's lightweight
+ a little goes a long way
+ doesn't roll up in wrinkles

Cons:
- the whole "change of colour" thing is completly spare, but it also doesn't spoil the product, so I can sa there is NO CONS :)

I could say I found my perfect BB cream, but I still got some samples to try out, so I have to give a chance to competitors ;) However I am sure that I am going to purchase full size product some day :)

Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethyhexyl Methoxycinnamate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Zinc Oxide, Hexyldecyl Myristoyl MEthylaminopropionate, Talc, Dimethicone/Vinyl Diemthicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Betaine, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopheryl Lioleate, Hydrogenated Lechitin, Squalane, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cyclomethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Jojoba Esters, Mica, C12-14 Pareth-3, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Silica, Glycosyl Trehalose, Polyester-1, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Methicone, Palmitic Acid, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Aluminum Stearate, PEG-200, Retinol, Biotin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Pearl Powder, Panthenol, Aluminum Silicate, Ceramide 3, Chloesterol, BHT, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Chorium Oxide Greens, Ultramarines

Etude House AC Clinic Intense Trial Kit

Hello :)
I wasn't here for a while, so here you go: a well deserved, quite large review.

I came across quite few good reviews of anti-acne products from Etude Huse's AC Clinic, but couldn't decide which one exactly I should go for. Fortunatelly I came across this handy Trial Set - five samples of product for approx. £5, which according to seller should last for four weeks.

 Set contains: cleansing foam, toner, lotion, two spot products and a few cotton buds for application.

I am going to review products in the order they should be used.


AC Clinic Daily Acne Foam Cleanser

Poduct description: Formulated with Salicylic Acid, Triclosan* and Sandalwood Oil, Acne Foam Cleanser removes acne causing germs to keep your skin clean all day. AC Clinic line is formulated without  acne-inducing ingredients to promote clear skin.

*Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent.

The trial version is a 30ml tube, protected with foil. The full size product contains 150ml.

The foam itself looks and smells like my dad's old fashioned  shaving cream ;)

 It's a thick, pearlised-white cream, which turns into rich foam when spread on wet skin. A little goes a long way - pea size of product is enough to clean the whole face. It has very characteristic, medicine-like herbal scent - I personally don't find it unpleasent, but I know some people might.

Pros:
+ a little goes a long way - when other products ran out, this one seems to be never ending ;)
+ leaves skin nicely fresh and squeeky-clean

Cons:
- dries skin up a little bit
- I haven't notice any improvment on my acne

Ingredients: WATER, GLYCERIN, STEARIC ACID, MYRISTIC ACID, PEG-32, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, LAURIC ACID, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, HYDRATED SILICA, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, SALICYLIC ACID, PEG-90M, DISODIUM EDTA, SODIUM BENZOATE, FRAGRANCE 

AC Clinic Daily Toner

 Product description: Formulated with Salicylic Acid and Hinoki Cypress, AC Clinic delivers trouble care. Skin toner removes pore clogging residues. 

That's a strong stuff. Contains alcohol, which I can smell quite strongly among the herbal scent known from foam. I definetly wouldn't recommend this product to people with sensitive skin.

Pros:
+ cleans well, what we can see on a cotton pad...

Cons:
- dries up skin :(
- doesn't last for long - from all the samples, this one get used up quickest

Ingredients: WATER, ALCOHOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERETH-26, SALICYLID ACID, CHAMAECYPARIS OBTUSA LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCOPROTEINS, AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM (CHORSE CHESTNUT) SEED EXTRACT, SAURURUS CHINENSIS EXTRACT, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) EXTRACT, AMPELOPSIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA FRUIT EXTRACT, ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) BULB EXTRACT, ALLIUM CEPA (ONION) BULB EXTRACT, ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER EXTRACT, LIPPIA CITRIODORA LEAF EXTRACT, MANNITOL, AMMONIUM GLYCRRHIZATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, CAFFEINE, PEG-60, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, CELLULOSE GUM, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, DISODIUM EDTA, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRAGRANCE 
 
AC Clinic Daily Gel Lotion

Product description: Formulated with Salicylic Acid and Hinoki Cypress extract, AC Clinic Gel Lotion clarifies and soothes troubled skin while maintain oil/moisture balance without aggravation.

AC Lotion is a lightweight moisturiser, white-ish, almost transparent. It has characteristic for this line herbal scent with a hint of alcohol (alcohol in a moisturiser?! Whyyyyy??!!). The application is annoying, because the bottle is hard and I can't squeeze the product out and shaking it out is also not very effective, so I ended up getting it out from the bottle with cotton bud.

The sample is 25ml, full size product 150ml.

Pros:
- absorbs quickly
- very lightweight, doesn't make skin oily
- moisturises a bit, but...

Cons:
- ...but not enough to make it the only mosturiser in my skin care routine, especially after drying foam and toner
- annoying application - what's interesting it doesn't improve in full size version, as it's glass bottle with casual cap and no pump or any other kind of applicator attached.

Ingredients: WATER, ALCOHOL, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, BETAINE, DIMETHICONE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, SALICYLIC ACID, CHAMAECYPARIS OBTUSA LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCOPROTEINS, AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM (HORSE CHESTNUT) SEED EXTRACT, SAURURUS CHINENSIS EXTRACT, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) EXTRACT, ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER EXTRACT, LIPPIA CITRIODORA LEAF EXTRACT, AMPELOPSIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA FRUIT EXTRACT, ALLIUM CEPA (ONION) BULB EXTRACT, ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) BULB EXTRACT, MANNITOL, AMMOINIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, CAFFEINE, DIMETHICONOL, OCTYLDODECETH-16, POLYACRYLATE-13, DIMETHICONE/PEG-10/15 CROSSPOLYMER, AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP COPOLYMER, POLYISOBUTENE, CARBOMER, POLYSORBATE 20, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, TROMETHAMINE, DISODIUM EDTA, FRAGRANCE


AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot

Product description: Contains Salicylate acid, Retinispora, Chaga Mushroom, Houttuynia. Two level concentrate spot care with pink powder and water. Treats sensitive skin for clearer look. Non-artificial color, Non-comedogenic.

The product is a cloudy  liquid containing pink powder, which stays on the bottom of the bottle. Important: don't shake the bottle! It should be applied on spots with cotton bud, which is meant to go through the liquid before reaching the treating powder, to make sure application is hygienic. It leaves pink marks on the skin, so it's recomended to use during the night.

The sample contains 5ml, full size product is 15ml. The full size product is not available on it's own, but in a little kit with sample size Pink Powder Water, as the products are supposed to be used together.

Pros:
+ dries up quickly, so doesn't stain bedding
+ helps treating acne

Cons:
- because of pink marks I can't use it during the day
- doesn't last for long

Ingredients: WATER, ALCOHOL, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, BETAINE, DIMETHICONE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, SALICYLIC ACID, CHAMAECYPARIS OBTUSA LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCOPROTEINS, AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM (HORSE CHESTNUT) SEED EXTRACT, SAURURUS CHINENSIS EXTRACT, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) EXTRACT, ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER EXTRACT, LIPPIA CITRIODORA LEAF EXTRACT, AMPELOPSIS JAPONICA ROOT EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA FRUIT EXTRACT, ALLIUM CEPA (ONION) BULB EXTRACT, ALLIUM SATIVUM (GARLIC) BULB EXTRACT, MANNITOL, AMMOINIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, CAFFEINE, DIMETHICONOL, OCTYLDODECETH-16, POLYACRYLATE-13, DIMETHICONE/PEG-10/15 CROSSPOLYMER, AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP COPOLYMER, POLYISOBUTENE, CARBOMER, POLYSORBATE 20, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, TROMETHAMINE, DISODIUM EDTA, FRAGRANCE

AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Water

Product description: Formulated with Salicylic Acid and Hinoki Cypress, Powder solution alleviates trouble swelling on contact to minimize damage.

The name of product may be confusing, as it's white not pink... It's also a cloudy liquid which splits into two layers just like the Pink Powder Spot, however in that case we have to shake the product before use. It is kind of a day version of Pink Spot Powder, as it not so visible on the skin:

However as it dries up it can leave white residue on a skin, which is annoying and hard to cover with make up.

The sample contains 5ml of Water, full size product is 45ml and it is availabe on it's own.

Pros:
+ not so visible on the skin as Pink Powder Spot

Cons:
- doesn't work as well as the Pink Spot
- sometimes leaves white residue on skin, which is hard to cover with make up.


Summary

Unfortunatelly I haven't notice much of improvement on my skin while using these products. I am a bit dissapointed, as usually my skin responds well to Salicylic Acid. Actually the only product from the Trial Kit which clearly worked was Pink Powder Spot, but I am not going for the full size version anyway. As it comes to efficiency, the only products that lasted four weeks were foam and lotion.

Skin Food Red Orange Jelly BB Cream

Hello :)
Today another BB Cream Review - I decided to check out this one because I wanted to try the jelly consistency :)

The full size product is a jar with 25 gram capacity. I was testing just the sample, which looked like so:

Description: This flexible jelly pudding BB cream contains moisture-rich revitalizing ingredients from orange to keep your skin ultra moisturized and to create a hydrated and jelly-like resilient skin with a smooth finish.

So the most interesting aspect for me - consistency - it just sticks together a little bit more than a standart BB cream. Usual BB would just fill bottom of packaging, when this one kind of stays in one place. When you touch a little bit of product - for example on lid - you won't feel much difference, but when you put your finger where cream is cummulated, you'll feel under your finger a subtle resistance. I was afraid that it may be too solid, so I will have to take out "chunks" of jelly and work them around face... but no, a bit of product stays on fingers the way just any cream would and spreads easily on face. However I am not sure if it would be suitable for brush application, I just used my fingers.

The Orange Jelly BB Cream is available in two shades: #1 Light Beige and #2 Natural Beige, I was using No.1 and it matched my skin very well. 
This BB doesn't offer much coverage and I could like it for natural look if it wouldn't roll up in wrinkles so badly :/ it also makes dry patches very visible.
The producent promise moisturisation, but I didn't notice any special effect on that. It actually feels quite dry for me... it doesn't dry out skin, but the consistency seems to be weirdly dry for me.
What suprised me positively was the way it controlled sebum on my face - it lasted almost 4 hour without blotting, record!
This BB Cream contains SPF 20 PA++.

Price of full size product: between £7-10 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ lightweight
+ colour matched my complexion well
+ sebum control

Cons:
- rolls up in wrinkles
 - makes dry patches more visible
- not enough coverage

Generally I don't mind light coverage creams as long as it looks naturally on face - this one unfortunatelly doesn't mostly because of the way it rolls up in my wrinkles. However thanks to the way it controlled sebum on my face I am considering buying some other product from Skin Food's Red Orange series - for example Makeup Finish Mist.

My first CC Cream: Tony Moly Live Aura CC Cream

Hello everyone! :)
Today I am going to review the new rival of BB Cream: CC Cream. What is the CC cream? There are quite few versions of what "CC" stands for, however the most popular seems to be Colour Correction or Colour Change. When the BB is supposed to be care & make up product, the CC is more about care and less about the make up, so it should offer a lot of skin loving properties and only a little coverage.

Generally when I first read about CC creams I kinda knew it won't be good for me, as my acne prone skin needs coverage. However I've received some free samples, so here are my thoughts :)

Product description: All in one with sun screen + whitening + wrinkle repair + radiance + moisture + primer + base makeup*. Color capsule changes color to fit to skin tone as soon as applied to offer innocent brightness to skin without makeup. Creates smooth and moisturized skin. Controls oil and moisture balance to offer vitality to skin. 

*As far as I know the 'primer' and 'base makeup' are the same things, but I suppose 7 in one look better than 6 in 1, so... ;) )

The full size product is pump bottle, cap. 50ml.

After opening my sample I was quite surprised about the colour: very very bright, almost white with pinkish shade.

However as you look more closely you can see in it tiny little dots - these are the colour capsules, which break during application to give the cream more skin-like colour. Product is available only in one shade*, which is quite bright - as a pale person I don't mind, but I would recommend people with darker skin to avoid this product. That's about it with promised "whitening effect" I suppose...

*On the market there is also a Tony Moly Pure Aura CC Cream, which according to some reviews is darker than Live Aura. The only difference in ingredients is "Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract" in Pure version, when the Live one has "Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract", so I suppose it is the same product just in different shade.

Cream has very characteristic consistency - it is not very thick, but rich - after some time after application I could still feel it on my face. According to the idea of CC cream, Aura doesn't offer much coverage - lightly evens the skin tone, barely cover blackheads. Even layering the product doesn't make it coverage better - after two layers, coverage is still poor, but it feels heavier. I had problem with finding the right amount to apply - I've put too much to cover my scars better and had to wipe the excess away with tissue. A little of product goes a long way - my sampe lasted for two over-applied uses, with normal usage I think it could last for three maybe four applications.
The shimmer effect is quite strong - what we can expect form the name of product...
It makes dry patches a little bit more visible.
It definetely has a moisturising properties, but promised sebum control? Not at all. However if you put the right amount on your face it doesn't make your skin more oily, which is not that bad.
Personally I can not see this product as a primer. It's way too rich for that, putting another product on top would be much too heavy for me. Maybe for some dryer skin? I could try to put it despite of moisturiser, however my skin is dried out in places from anti-acne products, so I don't think it would be enough.

The price of full size product: approx. £12 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ a little goes a long way
+ moisturising (but not enough to skip moisturiser)
+ gives natural look

Cons:
- makes dry patches more visible
- poor coverage
- a bit heavy
- doesn't control sebum (promised on packaging...)
- changes colour during application (I consider it as a completly spare trick)

Summing up, this product is just not for me. Doesn't cover enough to use as make-up, too heave to use as a primer, not moisturising enough to use as a moisturiser. I think it could work for people with normal skin, who don't have much to hide, but want to use some light make up. I will say 'no, thank you' ;)

Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide (CI 77947), Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Sodium Chloride, Beeswax, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Acacia Seyal Gum Extract, Squalane, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tribehenin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Polyester-1, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ceramide 3, Retinol, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dilinoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Cholesterol, Propylene Glycol, Sucrose Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Oleic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Fragrance, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499)

Mizon Pore Tightening 90% Witchhazel Toner

Hello :)
Looking for a miracle for my terrible pores I came across this toner. Something in neat look of the bottle with catching eye huge 90% on label made me wanting it badly and I couldn't find any reviews so... I just simply decided to give it a go and bought it :)

Description: The formula contains 90% Witchhazeln extract, effective for tightening pores. Removes any skin wastes residue in pores and controls excessive sebum. Keeps skin oil free and fresh all day long.

Before buy I made a little research about Witchhazel. It's a strong astringent & antioxidant, has antibacterial & antiinflammatory properties, effective in acne treatments. Toner also contains extracts from:
carrots - helps skin to regenerate, moisturises and refreshes skin
Chinese tea leaves - astringent & antioxidant
papaya fruit - antioxidant & substances helpful in acne treatments
ivy - helps to control sebum, reduces inflammations, strenghtens collagen fibres
licorice - antibacterial and anti allergy properties, controls sebum, moisturise, helps to reduce inflammation
willow bark - contains salicylic acid, anti inflammatory properties

Sounds good, huh?

Product comes in clear plastic bottle, with generous capacity of 210ml. It doesn't have any extra packaging, just comes thermo-wraped in foil. It has Mizon's hologram sticker, which is confirmation that product is genuine. Under plastic cap product is sealed:

As you can see the toner itself is clear, water-like liquid. It has nice, fresh, citrus smell - for me it smells like lemon flavoured mineral water :) What I liked most about this product is that it doesn't dry out my skin - after face wash my skin often feels tight and dry, and some toners are making this feeling worse. This one actually reduces it :)

Now the most important: does it tighten pores? ......................... Yes!

After use skin is nicely refreshed and pores are tighten. It is not some spectacular effect - having huge pores through most of my life I don't suddenly expect one toner to solve the problem - but it is noticeable, especially on my cheeks, close to nose, where they're biggest.

As for acne fighting properties it's hard for me to tell, as I have moderate acne from years and recently I stopped taking antibiotics what made my breakouts worse than ever. Certainly it doesn't solve the problem, but it also doesn't make it worse, which is fair enough, as it doesn't promise anything acne-wise on label.

For the sebum control - I haven't notice any difference. 

Price: £7-12  on e-Bay.

Pros:

+ tighten pores
+ doesn't dry out skin
+ nice, fresh smell
+ large capacity

Cons:
- doesn't control sebum as promised

Overall I recommend this product, it's very nice daily toner. I wish Mizon would create whole Witchhazel line, maybe it could help with my acne...

Ingerdients: Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Water, Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Trehalose, Glycerin, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylylglycol, Ethylhexyglycerin, Tropolone, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Pinus Densiflora Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Canca Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Gypsophla Paniculata Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil. 


From '90%' range there are also two other toners available: Bulgarian Rose for soft, radiant skin and soothing Chamomile for sensitive skin.

Skin Food Peach Sake Pore BB Cream

Good afternoon :)
Another Skin Food product included in my "Big BB Cream Test" :)

Product description: A pore-refining BB cream that regulates sebum secretion while creating a flawless and matte complexion without feeling greasy.

Originally product comes in a tube with pump, cap. 30ml. I tested 2ml sample.

This cream is available in two shades: #1 Light Beige and #2 Natural Beige, I went for the lightest one, as always ;) I often have problems with deciding if cream has pink or yellow undertones, but in this case the yellow tones were obvious even for me. Picture dosn't show it so much, but I have to admit that colour freaked me out a bit ;) Fortunatelly it look alright on the skin. It's slightly more matte than average BB Cream, similary to Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB. However it is not a full matt, I was using a bit of powder on top of it.

 
The consistency is quite rare - I am used to something thicker, so I was struggling a little with application. Using make up sponge to apply is completly pointless - the sponge absorbs most of the cream, so during one application with sponge I used up almost half of my sample. My fingers didn't do a great job either, so I think for that one brush is the best option. This cream offers very natural look but quite poor coverage - just enough to cover blackheads and some of enlarged pores. Becouse of rare consistency it is hard to layer it in places that need more coverage. I didn't notice any improvements on my pores or sebum production. My face started to shine after approx. 2h, my standart time. Product has very nice peachy smell - on the begining I could also smell some alcohol in it (sake?), however now I don't feel it anymore, so I used to it or maybe it evaporated? The peach notes are nice accent to application and dissapear a moment after.
Cream has a SPF20 PA+.

The price of full size product: from £5 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ gives natural look
+ slightly matte
+ nice smell
+ cheap

Cons:
- too rare consistency
- poor coverage
- rolls up in wrinkles
- doesn't improve pores or sebum (promised on packaging)

Overall I like the natural look of it, but for my acne damaged skin the coverage is too light. I think it would do fine for people who have less to hide. So far I am not interested in getting a full size version

Active ingerdients: TITANIUM DIOXIDE 7.73%, OCTINOXATE 3%
Other ingredients: WATER, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PEG/PPG-19/19 DIMETHICONE, BARIUM SULFATE, CAPRYLYL METHICONE, CETYL PEG/PPG-10/1 DIMETHICONE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, VINYL DIMETHICONE/METHICONE SILSESQUIOXANE CROSSPOLYMER, DIMETHICONE, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, POLYQUATERNIUM-51, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, STEARIC ACID, SORBITAN OLIVATE, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) FRUIT EXTRACT, RICE FERMENT FILTRATE (SAKE), ENANTIA CHLORANTHA BARK EXTRACT, OLEANOLIC ACID, ALCOHOL, TALC, PHENOXYETHANOL, PROPYLPARABEN, METHYLPARABEN, FRAGRANCE, IRON OXIDES (CI 77492), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491), IRON OXIDES (CI 77499), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007)

Why is it important to protect our skin from UV rays?

While in Europe we like to sunbathe, in Asia it's considered to be harmful. Why?

Sun parasols are very popular in Asia.

What are UV rays and what influence they have on our skin?
Sun rays have been divided into few ranges according to their influence on humans. Surface of the Earth is reached by ultraviolet rays in range from 280 to 400 nanometres. There are three kinds of UV rays:

• UVC - 200-280nm - this kind of rays is almost completely absorbed by ozone sphere, so it doesn't reach surface of the Earth. This kind of rays are highly harmful - they may be used in laboratories or hospitals to sterilise surfaces.
• UVB - 280-320nm - represents 5% of rays reaching surface of the Earth and can't penetrate throughout clouds and glass, however it penetrates epidermis. UVB rays are responsible for sunbathing effects and also for sunburns, allergic reactions and skin cancers.
• UVA - 320-400nm - represents 95% of rays reaching surface of the Earth and it's present all year round, including winter. There rays penetrate throughout clouds, glass and epidermis and they are very tricky, as they don't cause any pain (so we don't sunburn with them). UVA rays are responsible for creating free radicals, that in long terms can provoke changes in cells, like photoaging, sun intolerance, pigmentation or even skin cancers.

Photo posted in New England Journal of Medicine showing negative effects of one-sided UV rays exposure after 30 years of driving truck.

So Asians are right hiding from sun ;) However we are not able to completely disable UV rays, how should we then protect our skin from it?

SPF and PA filters
SPF stand for "sun protection factor" and it's used to state protection level from UVB rays in suncare cosmetics. Factor is scaled from 2 to 50, however recently we may come across factors higher that 50. The SPF is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to burn the skin that is protected to unprotected skin. For example: person who would normally get sunburned after 10 minutes of sunbathing, using SPF10 would get burned in ten times longer period of time, so after approx. 100hours if sunbathing with SPF (in constant UV). Cosmetics with SPF15 should stop 93% UVB, SPF30 - 97%. However we should remember that SPF filters are working only for two hours after application - after that time we should reapply them.

PA filters are protecting from UVA rays and have only very general, three levels scale: PA+, PA++ and PA+++. More pluses = more protection.
Filter protecting from UVA rays can be also marked with symbols IPD or PPD.

Unfortunately a lot of cosmetics still have only SPF filters, which don't offer our skin full protection. So far all the BB Creams I came across and tested had both filters.

Mineral and chemical filters 
Mineral filters, known also as a physical filters are compounds, that create physical barrier on our skin, reflecting or dispersing UV rays. Their molecules are big enough to not be able to penetrate epidermis, so they stay on the top of our skin, blocking UVB rays and some UVA rays. There are two compounds qualifying as a mineral filters: Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide.

Pros of mineral filters:
+ well tolerated by skin, very rarely causing allergies
+ effective immediately after application
+ photostable - they don't loose their properties under influence of UV rays, oxidation or time
+ they don't accumulate in our system

Cons of mineral filters:
- on their own they are not able to provide us high protection against UV rays
- they may require often re-application (especially after swimming or activities causing intensive sweating)
- they may whiten skin or clog pores

Chemical filters are substances, that are penetrating epidermis, absorbing UV rays and converting them into harmless heat.

Pros of chemical filters:
+ highly effective
+ invisible on skin
+ non-greasy

Cons of chemical filters:
- less photostable than mineral filters
- may cause irritation
- not effective straight after application - we need to wait 20-30 minutes before they start working
- they may accumulate in our system

The less stabile filter, which is better to be avoided is oxybenozone (or Benzophenone - 3, Benzophenone - 4), trading names Eusolex 4360, Escalol 567, KAHSCREEN BZ-3.

In generall the most effective sun screens would be mixers of mineral and chemical filters, like Mexoryl SX, Mexoryl XL, Tinosorb S, Tinosorb M.
 
Stay safe
Even using the best filters we should still remember about rules of safe sunbathing. It's best to sunbathe in movement and reduce our exposition to sun between 12pm and 3pm. If you are on holiday and planing to sunbathe everyday it's best to divide it in steps, starting from just 10-15 minutes the first day and then extending the sunbathing time every next day. Also bear in mind that near water (and it the water) the sun is exposure is doubled up, as UV rays are reflected by water.

The most common mistake is using UV protection only in the summer - UV rays are dangerous to our skin through the whole year, regardless of the temperature and clouds. If you want healthy, young looking skin you should remember about UV filters all year round. If you can't be bothered with lotions/sprays with filters it worth looking for cosmetics you use everyday anyway with filters. In European market is very easy to find day cream with UV filter, on Asian market almost every BB cream contains SPF. Unfortunately, to provide our skin maximal protection we should reapply filter every 2-3 hours, so the easy and simple solutions are powders/pacts with SPF.

Skin Food's powder pact with high filters SPF50 PA+++.

Tony Moly Dear Me Petite Cotton BB Cream

Hi there :)
From time to time when I'm making order on e-Bay I like to add some product spontaneously, without making wide research about it. This time I decided to get BB Cream form Tony Moly, it was cheap enough to take risk.

Description: This BB Cream makes your skin baby-soft as it adheres lightly to your skin and gives your skin flawless finish. It delivers appropriate makeup coverage to your skin, without leaving an oily residue behind. SPF 30 PA++

Cream contains few skin beneficial ingredients:

• Arbutin - an active ingredient brightening up skin, used to treat hyperpigmentation caused by acne, allergies, infections, scars etc. It's also a natural filter against UV radiation (types A, B, C).
• Silica - skin mattifying
• Portulaca Oleracea Extract (also known as wild portulaca or pigweed) - has many benefits on skin: soothing effect, accelerating healing process, improving skin's elasticity. As a natural source of vitamins A, C and E and the co-enzyme Q10, is an excellent antioxidant, fighting premature ageing and protecting skin from environmental damage
• Witch hazel extract - a strong astringent & antioxidant, has antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties, effective in acne treatments
• Adenosine - helps prevent wrinkles, reduces UVB sun damage, increases the production of elastin and collagen reducing skin sogginess and improving tone
• Hyaluronic Acid - is a powerful anti ageing ingredient in skin care. It is naturally occurring in the skin, but as we get older it's level decrease causing our skin to age and sag. It has ability to absorb water up to 1000 times its weight, what makes it one of the best moisturising substances known.
• Centella Asiatica (also known as Gotu Kola) - an effective anti-photo ageing agent, mainly due to enhancement of collagen, which amount in skin decreases with age. Listed in Indian Ayurvedic medicine to combat excessively dry skin. Has anti-inflammatory properties, suitable for sensitive skin.

 Altought most of this good ingredients is at the end of the ingredients list, which means it doesn't contain much of them.

 
Full list of ingredients: Water, Cyclotetrasilxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1Dimethicone, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Arbutin, Hexyl Laurate, Polymethyl Methylmethacrylate, Polygryceryl-2 Triisostearate, Bees Wax, Dimethiconecopolypol, Sodium Chloride, Cl 77492, Magnesium Aluminium Silicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Aluminium Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Bark/Leaf/Twig Extract, Adenosine, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Hialuronate, Centella Asiatica Extract.

 

The product comes up in soft squeezy type tube with 30g capacity. It has only one shade: #1 Cotton Beige, what worried me a little bit on the beginning - fortunately colour matched my skin perfectly. 

This cream have great consistency - not too rare and not too thick, it's easy to apply in every way - I tried with my fingers, foundation brush & make up sponge, and they all worked same good. What surprised me most is that it doesn't smudge during application, like some BB creams do - you don't have to pat it into skin, you can just spread it on you face, same way you would spread moisturiser. Thanks to that application can be done really quickly, so I always use it when I am in hurry. It gives medium coverage, evens skin tone, reduces redness and subtly covers scars, managing to look natural & fresh at the same time. It doesn't roll up in wrinkles and doesn't makes dry patches very visible, what is a huge advantage for me (my skin is often dry and flaky in some places because of medical cream I use for my acne). It gives you typical for BB Creams glow effect, I'm mattyfing it gently with powder. My face becomes oily after 2-3 hours, which is a standard time for me. It's basically unscented.

Price: £4-6 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ perfect consistency; not too rare, not too thick
+ doesn't smudge during application
+ doesn't roll up in wrinkles
+ colour matched my complexion well
+ covers good enough and still loos natural
+ cheap

Cons:
None so far :)

At the moment it's my favourite BB Cream :) However I am not using it every day (daily I am checking out different samples) because it's so good I am saving it for moments when I am in hurry and/or I want to be sure that my skin looks good. I strongly recommend this product and even if you won't like it, you won't loose much - you just simply can't go wrong with four pound ;)