Product: Hanskin Glossy BB Cream
Price: Not sure, I got mine as a free sample with a larger order.
Review:

Although I know that some people rave about Hanskin’s BB Creams, I wasn’t that happy with it. The coverage was very sheer and did very little for redness. It did even out skin texture but that’s about all it did. The texture was slightly more watery than the Skin79 DermaRX and its shade was close to neutral. Since it’s coverage was pretty sheer, it actually applied pretty translucently but it would probably show if you were slightly tanner.

This BB cream had little to no oil control for me. It lives up to its name though because it does provide that dewy effect. For someone with oily skin though, it more or less just makes you extremely shiny. If you want that disco ball effect, go for it. While this BB cream lasted, I dabbed a little on the sides of my nose and on the inner corner of my eyes for a brightener/highlighter effect.

Rating: 2/5

Product: COOGI Flowertox 3Action Super BB Cream
Price: Don’t quite remember, I think it was ~ USD 18.00 from Softypeachy’s Shop
Review:

This used to be my favorite BB cream before I started to like getting a tan, haha. Or well, forced to get a tan because I walk everywhere now that I live in a city where driving is inconvenient. This BB cream is pretty light in terms of its shade, a little lighter than the Skinfood Aloe BB cream in Shade #2. It does give a white cast to your skin if you are slightly darker than most pale asians.

The coverage is medium and can cover most of my redness and scars without looking overdone or cakey. The texture is thicker than that of Skinfood’s BB creams but if you warm it up between your fingers before application, it spreads on smoother. It gives you a dewy look but it isn’t that noticeable, which is cool if you’re skin already shines because of oil. In terms of things like fragrance, I didn’t notice anything strong. It doesn’t have a slight floral scent to it but you stop smelling it after the first couple of seconds.

This BB cream is the best in terms of oil control. I literally do not have to blot all throughout the school day. You may need to blot towards the end of the day but really, blotting once is a godsend for people like me.

Rating: 5/5

Product: Missha M B.B. Boomer
Price: ~ USD 16.00 @ Soompi
Review:

This product was designed to act as a primer for BB cream, although I found it a little redundant since BB creams themselves were already sort-of primers/make-up bases. Anyway, I read some reviews that this helped control oil really well so I decided I would give it a try. In terms of texture, it is medium – it feels slightly thick coming out of the tube but it is very liquidy and easy to spread. I think that it has an air-like feeling to it, sort of like Cool-Whip but not as light and fluffy.

This product provides no coverage, as it is simply supposed to be a primer. It comes out of the tube white but dries clear on your face. It is very light so you don’t feel like you have an extra layer on your face when you put it on. I find that it does help fill in some of my pores and even acne scars – but only to a certain extent.

It helps keep your face matte but it only lasts for a little while. I’ve only used this primer in combination with my Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream and it helps the BB cream stay on perhaps an hour or so more than it usually would. In terms of oil control, I would only say that it is average. It does help control oil really well for the first 3-4 hours of my day if I keep off strenuous exercise and stay out of the heat. It kind of melts in heat though and makes you shiny all over – so maybe this will just about to be a winter-type product for me.

I do think that it is a great product though, really helps to give my skin a smooth, soft finish – if only for the few hours that it keeps the shine at bay.

Rating: 4/5

Product: Skin79 Intense Classic Balm UV SPF20 PA++
Price: ~USD 21.00 from Soompi
Review:

I do apologize for not having a non-Google searched image for you all. I bought this BB cream over a year ago and have since sold it to someone else since it did not work out for me. But do not fret, this review is a review not based on memory. I wrote a review for it back when I had used it and posted it on the Soompi forums, so I’m re-writing it off of my experience then.

The coverage is rather sheer, just like most of the Skin79 BB creams. I’m not sure if they’ve made any new BB creams with better coverage yet, but from past knowledge – most of their BB creams give sheer coverage.

The texture is even more liquified than the DermaRX BB cream. Even though it is sheer, my skin did look very pale after application. In comparison, this is as pale as Coogi’s BB Cream but not as obvious and mask-like as Carpe Diem.

Surprisingly, it has pretty good oil control, a lot better than the DermaRX. It is still not as good as Coogi – I don’t think any BB cream is, as of yet.

I decided to sell this BB cream not because it didn’t work for me, but because I rarely ever got around to using it. Its pale shade was a major minus for me and since I already have so many BB creams, I just decided to let this one go. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t scream “use me each day!”

Rating: 4/5

Product: Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42/PA+++
Price: USD 16 @ Ebay

This is one of my more recent BB creams and it has quickly come to replace Gowoonsesang as my HG BB cream! I bought the #23 Natural shade and I would have to say that it matches my skin color almost perfectly in the winter. Right now, it is a little lighter since it is summer and I’ve developed a slight tan. The finish is neither dewy or matte to me, maybe a little of both? I’m not quite sure, I just know I like how it makes my skin look!

The texture is actually pretty thick, although its not as thick as Carpe Diem or Hanskin Super Magic. It isn’t as easy to spread but its still manageable. I’m absolutely in love with the coverage that it provides! I would say that it provides somewhere between medium to medium-full coverage, for a person like me. If you have nice, clear skin without scars and large pores, this would definitely give you full coverage.

I initially bought this BB cream because a lot of people raved about its oil-control and in my opinion, its almost as good as Gowoonsesang’s oil-control but not quite. But in terms of oil control, no BB cream that I have come across has been able to beat Coogi’s.

A definite plus about this BB cream is its sun protection properties! With SPF 42 and PA+++, this BB cream is better than most sunscreens. It does give me a white cast if I’m not careful to blend around my hairline so I’d be careful with putting too much on. I usually use this like a sunscreen and re-apply during the middle of the day, to touch up on protection and coverage.

All this for the price that I got it at? AMAZING.

Rating: 5/5

Product: Gowoonsesang Brightening Balm SPF 30, PA++
Price: USD 27.00 from Soompi seller

I believe that the one that I have is an older formula or version, I bought a year ago. From what I have seen, the packaging for Gowoonsesang’s Brightening Balm is now silver, and I’m unsure if the ingredients are the same. This contains arbutin and titanium dioxide for their whitening properties – although I’m not quite sure I’ve ever experienced a drastic difference or noticed any sort of “whitening effect” on my overall skintone. I’m still pretty dark for a Chinese person, but thankfully this BB cream’s shade isn’t too light for me. The Brightening Balm has helped with the healing and lightening of acne scars, which I think is great! I feel like the marks left after popping a pimple disappear faster with use of this BB cream.

The texture is not as watery as Skin79’s DermaRX but not as thick as Skinfood Aloe either. It is still easy to spread onto your skin, and don’t let its texture fool you! You don’t need to put a lot of BB cream on because it gives medium coverage after just one layer. The shade reminds me of Skin79’s DermaRX and will also give your skin a gray cast if you accidentally put too much on. I think that the shade is suitable for those of you with slightly tanner skin because it fits my skin pretty well, and I’m in no way porcelain pale.

It helps minimize the redness of my spots and helps to conceal most of my blackheads. I think it does a good job filling in scars and pores, because it gives a very clean, matte finish. No dewyness for those of you who want it. I’m however, ecstatic to find that it doesn’t give the dewy effect! Plus one for us oily-skinned gals!

In terms of oil-control, this is definitely one of the better ones! I still do have to blot maybe once or twice in one day, but compared to the once-every-hour blotting that I would usually have to do, its nothing. This is one of my favorite BB creams in terms of coverage and oil-control, I use it almost every day. I am pretty sad that it is about to run out though, so perhaps I will give the new formula/packaging a try sometime in the future, unless I can find this exact one again!

Rating: 5/5

Product: Skinfood Aloe Sun BB Cream SPF20 PA+
Price: USD 23 from Soompi seller

This is the only Skinfood BB cream that I own and have tried – and mine is in Shade 2. Skinfood’s BB creams come in two shades: 1 (Fair) and 2 (Natural). While it is stated that shade #1 is for those with yellow undertones (most Asians have yellow undertones) and #2 is for pink undertones, I chose to go with #2 simply because it is the darker of the two. I have yellow undertones but my skin is on the darker side for a Chinese person and I found that Skinfood Aloe #2 matched my skin quite well. It matches my skin almost perfectly in the winter – not so much in the summer though. The whole “pink undertone” thing wasn’t much of a problem for me, as far as I can tell.

The texture is thicker than that of Skin79 DermaRX but was still very easy to spread. It has medium coverage that is buildable, but I wouldn’t put on too much simply because it would ruin the whole “natural” look that BB creams are supposed to give. Skinfood Aloe really helped to even out the roughness of my skin (as best it could anyway) and cover up the redness from the acne.

In terms of oil control, I would say that it is average – better than Skin79’s DermaRX but nowhere near as good as Coogi Flowertox. It also gives a dewy look, for those of you who are looking for this.

A giant plus factor? The smell is amazing. It smells delicious – as with almost all of Skinfood’s products!

Rating: 4/5

Product: Skin79 DermaRX Beblesh Balm
Price: USD 21 from Soompi seller

Skin79 DermaRX Beblesh Balm was in reality, my very first BB cream. Imagine my surprise when I received the cream and read “Beblesh” – and wondered, what had I gotten myself into? I believe that the word “Blemish” is copyrighted by another company, so that is why on certain BB creams (such as this one), you’ll see the world “Beblesh”. So no, its not Engrish typos wreaking more havoc onto the world.

When it comes out of the tube, the texture feels very watery and is very easy to spread. It does make your skin look grayish when you first put in on, but give it like 15 minutes to adjust to your skintone. The gray cast won’t stay unless you put too thick of a layer on – so beware for those of you that like to lay on the BB cream kind-of thick, or try to build up the coverage. DermaRX is lacking in terms of coverage, as it is pretty sheer and you can’t really build-up on coverage without looking dead. It does help even out my skin and fill in some of the pit-scars, and helps neutralize some of the red spots.

While the shade looks pretty dark coming out of the tube, it really isn’t that dark. I would say that it is only slightly darker than Skinfood’s Aloe Sun BB Cream (Shade 2). I think that it would also be better for those of you with pink undertones.

The oil control is only so-so, I usually have to blot within 4 hours of applying it. I also feel like it oxidizes pretty quickly and I have to re-apply halfway through the day. I’m not sure if its simply because my skin is oily, but it does give a dewy effect after you apply it. Although I’m not a fan of “dewy” because it only draws more attention to my flawed skin.

Something characteristic about Skin79 DermaRX BB cream is its tea tree oil scent. It is actually pretty pleasant and it makes me think that it is more geared towards those of us with acne. Tea tree oil is known for its natural antimicrobial properties, which means that it can help kill bacteria that causes acne. However, do not simply use this BB cream as an acne treatment! It is not an acne treatment and might cause acne to worsen if you do so!

For those of you on any topical treatments (Retin-A, Tazorac, Duac, etc), I would say it is OK to use this BB cream. I used this when I was using Tretinoin (generic Retin-A) and it didn’t make me break-out more. So I wouldn’t worry about the tea tree oil clashing with the topical cream – but retinoids are usually applied at night and you shouldn’t wear BB cream to sleep.

BB cream was what helped tide me through the “initial purging” that retinoids cause. This is my own experience though, so if you experience any irritation or itching, I would consult your dermatologist or stop using DermaRX. If you are afraid its the BB cream breaking you out, conduct a test for yourself to see if it clears up when you quit the BB cream. =]

Rating: 3/5

Product: Carpe Diem BB Cream
Price: USD 18.00 from SoftPeachy’s BB Cream Shop

The Carpe Diem BB Cream was one of my first BB Creams that I used. I no longer have a picture to show you how the cream looks coming out of the tube, as I have long sold it to someone else. This had potential to be one of my most favorite BB Creams, but unfortunately the shade was a tad too light for me. This is one of the lightest/palest BB creams on the market, or was – I’m not sure if this one is still sold, I haven’t seen it mentioned in a while. When I wore this BB cream, I looked like I was wearing white face-paint used in Chinese-operas (okay, maybe slight exaggeration).

The coverage is medium and helps to fill in scars and reduce redness – simply because its so white. Unless your skin really is that white, you might want to buff on some mineral make-up to give yourself some color.

The texture was rather thick and hard to spread. It might start to cake up if you try to do a second layer, or at least, that’s what happened to me when I tried.

Something that many people look for in BB creams is their ability to give skin a dewy look. I’m actually not sure what this means, but it is mentioned a lot in forums and reviews. I’m assuming it refers to the “fresh-out-of-shower” and “moist-but-not-oily” look that some people have/get. But as a person with superbly oily skin, I go for BB creams that would give me a matte look. Carpe Diem however, gives neither a dewy or matte finish, so I guess it gets a neutral score here.

In terms of oil control it was pretty good! I didn’t have to blot when I was inside, and only blotted after walking/running to class, which I can’t blame it for. I’m kind of sad this didn’t match my skintone, since my main concern with all BB creams is oil control.

Rating: 3/5

If I plan to create a blog with a focus on Asian skincare products, I think it would be smart if I included one of the hottest trends in Asia – BB Cream AKA Blemish Balm Cream. An easy Google search would probably lead you to a good description of what this product is or does, along with some resourceful reviews. I found out about BB Cream through Soompi’s Forums and I think that their Official BB Cream Thread would be the best place to begin your research. I also consult Taciturnity Serenity for reviews – Kimoko is the absolute BB Cream Queen and probably will have a review of something you’re interested in.

What? For those of you who don’t really want to read through everything (although I suggest you do if you really are interested!), here is the basic rundown: BB Cream is much like a tinted moisturizer with benefits, such as whitening, anti-aging, and healing properties. It was first created for patients who had undergone cosmetic surgery, but was made famous in Korea and has since spread to various other Asian countries. In terms of coverage, it varies between tinted moisturizer and foundation, although this varies on brand. Generally, it can be used as a make-up base or it can be worn alone.

Why? There are probably a lot of BB cream reviews out there to read, but I simply wanted to offer my own personal experience with different BB Creams – as a person that has struggled with moderate-severe acne for several years. I always had to take BB cream reviews with a grain of salt, since most reviews are made by people with relatively nice, clear skin (compared to mine).

BB Creams: Here are the BB Creams that I own and have tried so far. There will be little to no order in which I post up the reviews, but please let me know if there’s a particular one you want reviewed first/next!

Carpe Diem
Coogi Flowertox 3 action bb cream
Hanskin Super Magic BB Cream
Hanskin Glossy Magic BB Cream
Gowoonsesang Brightening Balm SPF 30
Missha M Perfect Cover BB SPF42 PA+++ (#23)
Skin79 Intense Classic Balm UV SPF20 PA++
Skin79 DermaRX BB Cream
Skinfood Aloe Sun SPF20 PA+
It’s Skin’s BB Cream