Showing posts with label BB Cream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BB Cream. Show all posts

10 September 2013

L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB Blush


I have to admit this is one product that really did excite me when I first saw it. 
L'Oreal claims their Nude Magique BB Blush to be a unique gel which 
"goes on clear and transforms on contact with the skin, self-adjusting to the skins pH level to deliver a natural glow specific to your skin tone".

That all sounds very scientific, so instead of expanding on that quote and pretending I know what the hell I'm on about, I'm just gonna chat about my opinion instead. I can manage that.


The packaging of the BB Blush is so clean and simple and in my opinion, you really cannot beat it. 
Sure, I do love the pretty, eye-catching packaging by brands such as Benefit and Soap and Glory, but sometimes all I want is something simple and uncomplicated, and L'Oreal really hits the nail on the head in that sense.


The product does indeed dispense as a gel-like consistency as claimed. 
However, do be warned that you have to be quick when applying the product after it has been dispensed. It doesn't take long before it starts to stain your skin to the garish colour (garish for a blusher, anyway) shown in the picture above. 

Trust me, the first time I applied this it was not a pretty sight. I looked like i'd been slapped with a belt on both cheeks. But, as long as you blend it onto your cheeks relatively quickly (I use my fingers rather than a brush and it seems to blend well enough) and don't just leave it all blotchy for a few seconds, it provides a beautiful, natural rosy glow to your cheeks.
I'm not actually sure if the colour differs for different skin tones, as obviously I only have my own skin tone to go by, but the colour really did compliment my tanned skin. I was surprised at this due to the shocking pink pigmentation I could see on the tube nozzle, but once blended it became much more subtle and natural.

One thing I would say about the blush is to apply it in a dabbing rather than a rubbing motion. When I tried to rub it in, it left very little pigment on my cheeks. It was only when I dabbed that I could begin to build up the colour nicely. 
However, even using the dabbing motion, I did find that I needed to apply a good 2 or 3 layers of the product before I achieved my desired look. I believe this could be purely down to my deeper, more olive skin tone. I think the blusher would be much easier to work with on pale-skinned girls, where the pigment can really stand out and quickly give a healthy pink flush.

Bottom: dispensed product | Top: blended product

I was expecting to be left with quite a dewy finish seeing as the product is a gel, however this wasn't the case. Once applied, my skin felt silky soft to the touch and I was left with a finish that was probably more on the matte side; a really natural, muted glow.

It also seemed to last well on my cheeks; I'm usually not a massive fan of the more liquid-based cheek products purely because I find that they tend to disappear relatively quickly on my combination skin. However, this one stuck around pretty much all day with no unsightly blotching or uneven fading.

Overall, I really do like this product and have started using it on a pretty regular basis, purely due to how healthy and hydrated it makes my skin look. Once you get the hang of applying it evenly, the finish it gives is pretty much flawless.

L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB Blush can be purchased from Boots for £7.99 here.

Having read a couple of reviews on this blush before, I know that not everyone has been as impressed with it as I have so I'd really love to know your thoughts!

Have you tried out the Nude Magique BB Blush?
What do you think?

Love, 
Jo xx

12 June 2013

Battle of the BB's | 17 Blemish Balm vs. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB

With the warmer weather we've been having recently here in the UK, I've been reaching for BB creams over foundation for a lighter, barely-there coverage. The two I have been trialling are 17's BB Blemish Balm and Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB; cue the battle of the BB's!

17 BB Blemish Balm in Medium


The 17 packaging is really nice and simple (I know it has been altered more recently, but the difference is minimal), and the product dispenses nicely, without spontaneously leaking out of the nozzle; always a plus for obvious reasons. 
On application it felt lovely, fresh and light on my face. Literally just what you need in the hot weather and in my opinion, perfect if you're jetting off on holiday and don't want to feel caked in makeup.
It blends in really easily to provide an even coverage over blotchy skin, but definitely needs a little help from concealer for covering up those pesky spots.
Overall though, a really pleasant, easy and light product to wear. Definitely gets the thumbs up from me!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Universal Glow


Although this Maybelline packaging is easy on the eye, unfortunately the product is so thin and watery that it just seems to leak out into the lid, which is near impossible to avoid and also means that you always dispense way more of the product than you actually need.
Please take that as a word of warning, I can imagine there have been many mishaps involving this BB!
As this shade is called 'Universal Glow', I expected a nice muted, natural colour.
Boy was I wrong.
It's an extremely frightening looking shade of orange (which I've added a picture of below for reference; g'ah!). Because of this, I found it difficult to blend evenly, and it took more effort than I would have liked to get my face to a normal colour. However, when I did finally get to that stage, my skin did actually look quite naturally tanned.
Although it feels quite light once blended, like the 17 BB it isn't great at covering blemishes and needs a little help from a spot or two of concealer.

Overall I haven't really got on with this product too well. Although it does eventually blend in, I don't feel all that comfortable applying such a pigmented and awkward product. It also has a really unusual, strong smell that I can't put my finger on exactly, but slightly resembles gone off fake tan.
Sorry Maybelline, but this really isn't one of my favourites from you guys!
I think it's obvious who wins this battle.
 17 Blemish Balm BB Cream can be purchased here from Boots for £6.99
Maybelline Dream Fresh BB can also be found in Boots for £7.99 here
What's your favourite BB cream?
Love,
Jo xx