Sophisticated Finds: Beauty Product Miracle "BB Cream"

My Sophistication Muse, Audrey Hepburn

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Sophisticated Finds revolves around my favorite beauty discoveries, techniques, fashion trends and anything else "pretty" that catches my eye. I look forward to sharing these ideas with you and hope to hear your suggestions and feedback as well! I am no expert at beauty or fashion by any means but perhaps that will make my thoughts more relatable. Simply put, I'm just a girly-girl navigating my way through the fabulous finds I come across.

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Have any of you ladies heard of the new-to-America product, BB Cream?
BB Cream (aka Blemish Balm, Beauty Balm, Blemish Base, Beblesh Cream) is already a huge success in Asia but it is just starting to drift over to the
United States.

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From everything I've gathered, women in Asia love it simply for all of the many benefits packed into just ONE product. BB Cream is said to combine the benefits of primer, blemish coverage, skin tone correction, and lotion IN ONE PRODUCT and I am pretty sure there are certain BB creams that include even more benefits than this!
If you'd like a more thorough description you can read about it on daily glow.
The more and more I read about it the more I wanted to try it.
And well, you know me, I gave in ;)

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I wanted a BB Cream that woul control my t-zone (my ultimate goal!) while providing some of these other great benefits. After a little "Googling" I settled on Etude House BB Magic Cream (Refreshing) which is for oily skin.

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I should also mention that from the "research" I've conducted there is a very big difference between the new BB Creams in the American market and traditional BB Creams found in Asia. Garnier and Clinique have recently come out with their versions of BB Cream but from what I've read they are really just tinted moisturizers. I was very much intrigued by Clinique's version but then I read it had fine glitter in it. Glitter or shine of any kind is a no-no if you have oily skin or a t-zone and want to avoid drawing attention this (i.e. products like Revlon Photo-Ready Mousse won't help shiny skin). Unfortunately, Clinique was out. Anything else I read about Garnier's BB Cream was unimpressive as well. When I looked on Sephora the only other options were out of my price range. SO this is how I ended up choosing Etude House BB Cream and I was able to purchase it via Amazon since it is not sold at stores in the USA. (**UPDATE: I was able to find it with cheaper shipping on EBay!) I know this will turn some of you off because you can't buy it at your local drugstore or ULTA but honestly, I was so happy with this product I wanted to right a review about it.

So what exactly did I love about the product? I should say I haven't been using it long enough to notice any improvement in the overall condition or tone of my skin. We'll see if I notice this later. So far I have really enjoyed the ease of the application and the coverage. You can apply it with your fingers like tinted moisturizer but I like to use a foundation brush. The coverage is a little better than a tinted moisturizer but it isn't heavy or cakey, which I love. It only comes in one color and it goes on a little light at first but it miraculously adjusts to your natural skin tone. Also, a little goes a long way so you won't speed through this product.

My absolute FAVORITE thing about this product is that it is the very first foundation type product that I have tried that does not leave me with a shiny t-zone by lunchtime.

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The first time I tried it I could NOT believe it when I checked its wearability mid-day. NO SHINE! I do like to set it with the E.L.F. Mineral Booster Loose Powder I suggested before but even without it the typical t-zone shine was nowhere to be found.
BEAUTY PRODUCT BREAKTHROUGH! WOO HOO!!!

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Yes Ladies, I was jumping for joy ;)

Since BB Cream is making it's way through brands like Clinique and Garnier I can only hope in the next year or two Drugstore brands will develop their own versions. We'll see what happens! Until then I had to let you know about my latest discovery.

Have a great week, everyone!

~Christi