Warm weather is fast approaching, and it’s that time of year when foundation starts to feel heavy and impractical. Not only is it expensive to slather your face in the stuff day-in-day-out but come summer no matter how much foundation or powder I apply, by the end of my commute I always end up with half of it sweated off and my skin looking blotchy. That said, like most of us, I still feel a bit nervous leaving the house without anything on.
My skin is super oily, and I'm not talking in a cute glowing kind of way. This is supposedly where BB Cream comes in. Every beauty blogger and editor swears by them, but in real terms, they haven’t been around for that long as they only hit the European market in 2011. Not only do they contain SPF which protects your skin from the sun, but they are also hydrating and help to even out your skin tone. Even though I’m a BB virgin, I think I’m ready!
Keen to find the best BB Cream for the least amount of money I put three to the test. But, it was only minutes into my research that I discovered how few brands cater for dark skin. I know, I know it’s 2017. Frustratingly some companies use the word ‘dark’ to describe shades that are for people with tanned skin, so I wouldn't suggest purchasing online unless you have already tried and tested the correct shade on your skin. Even the colours displayed online can be deceiving!
Bobbi Brown, BB Cream SPF 35
I had heard great things about this one. My sister swears by it and claims it’s the best thing that has happened to her since the eyebrow pencil. Resentfully, I have to say it lived up to the hype. It felt soft and was smooth to apply. It even blended into my skin nicely. The texture of it is more like a moisturising liquid foundation. After using it, I felt like my skin looked naturally flawless, and it worked well to balance out the oils in my skin.
Marks out of 10: 9
Estee Lauder, Enlighten Even Effect Skintone Corrector SPF 30
The RRP for this product was £35 however I was lucky to have got it for £21 in the sale. I wasn’t at all wowed by it, and I think it was a good decision for them to slash the price. I felt this was just that tiny bit too watery for me. On the box they claim this cream ‘Instantly helps correct the look of dark spots…' However, when applying it I wasn't completely satisfied that my complexion looked even . On the plus side, it does smell lovely.
Marks out of 10: 6
Kiehl’s, Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream
This cream is very light, and it gave my skin a warm glow. Even though this product is light, I could instantly see that my complexion looked clear, smooth and healthy. This cream certainly does do what it says on the tin.
Marks out of 10: 8
The Winner: Bobbi Brown
For me, first place goes to Bobbi Brown. It has good coverage, is great for creating an even skin tone and was the most durable of the three. It works well with oily skin but I would say if you have dry skin you might prefer to go with Kiehls as it has more moisture in it.
An Important Side Note
I think it's important we pause for a minute and consider the name that two of the brands gave one particular shade. The second to lightest shade from both the Bobbi Brown and Kiehl’s collection is called ‘Natural’, which I find extremely problematic. I’m not someone who knows much about make-up so I probably have not taken notice of this before but calling one shade 'natural' insinuates the other tones are not natural or normal. I’m sure this must be a common name given to a shade and maybe I’m reading too much into this, but I think that this is the sort of thing that enforces society to see oonly one shade as normal or more attractive i.e. lighter skin.
Liked this? You might also be interested in:
How To Get Frizz-Free Hair Without Getting A Keratin Treatment
Always Smudge Your Nail Varnish? You’ll Want This Ultra Quick Dry Topcoat
Follow Taiba on Instagram @taibataiba
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.