Product Review: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

 

We Whoreders love BzzAgent, and are always excited when new campaigns come out and we get to take part. I was chomping at the bit for one campaign in particular, the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream. I am obsessed with B.B. Creams at the moment and have been using them regularly for the past few weeks. I was lucky enough to be chosen for the campaign and received a BzzKit from BzzAgent, which included a full size tube for me to try and give report back on. 

Before we dive in, let me explain what B.B. creams are to those who aren't familiar with it. It's short for "beauty balm" or "blemish balm", and in my own technical terms, a super-duper tinted moisturizer. It's an all-in-one product that's a serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and sheer foundation all rolled into one. Can you see why I'm so amped to try it? One product can take the place of all those, meaning you're saving time and money, that's what Whoreders love best!

The first B.B. cream I used (and my favorite) was from Smashbox, it's available exclusively at Sephora stores and sells for $39. I know... I flinched a little at the price too. I've been using a sample I received, and haven't actually bought a full size tube yet - there are four shades, none of which matched me just right. But they've just come out with a fifth that's perfect, I just have to wait until April for it to be in stores.

There are other brands of B.B. creams out there - Clinique, Too Faced and Boscia to name a few. But Garnier is the first I've seen in the drugstore product price range - it's priced at $12.99, and is currently on sale at CVS stores for $10.39. I was curious to see how it would hold up against the higher priced versions out there. It really held it own! It wasn't quite as nice as my top pick from Smashbox, but for 1/3 of the price, I was impressed. The biggest difference was the texture of the cream - the Garnier isn't as creamy or thick as the Smashbox. That meant that the Garnier was sheerer than other B.B. creams I've tried. While it means you'll need to use more product, it also gives you more control over how much coverage you want - you'll be able to add more if you need it in some areas and keep it light in places where you don't.

Pros:

• Garnier's B.B. Cream really did even out my skin, I applied one layer on most of my face and added a second coat on my nose, which is my biggest problem area. 
• Contains SPF 15 - my moisturizer doesn't have SPF, so I make sure it's included in any primer or tinted moisturizer I use. 
• Not heavy or greasy - it's just as light as any other tinted moisturizer I've used, it goes on smoothly without feeling caked on or greasy.
• Cost - as I mentioned before, 1/3 the cost of higher end B.B. creams 
• All-in-One product - you can replace at least three other products easily and inexpensively. I still used my regular moisturizer under it, but skipped primer, sunscreen and tinted moisturizer. 

Cons: 

• Only two shades available - light/medium and medium/deep. I used medium/deep, which was a little too dark, but the light/medium was too light. I'd probably get away with using it in the summer when I want to look like I've gotten some sun, but it's too dark for me to wear regularly. This con isn't exclusive to Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream, most B.B. creams only have a few shades available. 

• Texture - it's not bad, just not as creamy as other products. 

If you're curious about the B.B. cream trend, you should totally check out the Garnier version. It's priced so reasonably and does a good job of introducing you to what the balms can do. Ultimately, what would keep me from purchasing more of the Garnier cream is that there isn't a shade that's right for me. With only two available, it's going to be tough to include every skin tone. Unfortunately, my perfect shade would be somewhere between the light/medium and medium/deep.