Product Review: Garnier BB Cream

Image rights: Garnier

What exactly is a BB cream?

A BB cream stands for Blemish Balm or Beauty Balm in the Western markets. Initially launched in Asian markets, their huge success led to BB creams being introduced in various other regions over the world. Most of these creams function as tinted moisturizers performing the purpose of coverage and moisturizing skin. Others even incorporate characteristics such as sun protection.

With the recent launch of the Garnier BB cream in Pakistan, I decided to invest in one to see what all the fuss was about. Here's what I  thought:

What Garnier claims:

According to the Garnier website, their BB cream is a “Miracle Skin Perfector that produces 5 instant results: evens tones, hydrates, renews, protects and brightens”.

My Personal Experience:

For a beauty product with so many functions, the price of the Garnier BB cream is a bargain. A 50ml tube is available in the market for around Rs.395 so it’s not too much of a burden on the wallet. Since my skin is naturally dry, especially in winters, I find it better to use the BB cream once I’ve already moisturized with my everyday moisturizing lotion.

The one thing that slightly puts me off is that the cream is only available in two shades both of which are meant for light/fair complexions. This is a problem for markets like Pakistan where complexions tend to be medium to dark. I got the one for light complexions since the salesgirl recommended it for dry skin. I only use a very small amount and spread it out on my face to ensure it doesn’t give me a fake, caked look.

The best way to use it is to squeeze out a very small amount and blend it in gently with your fingers or a brush so it doesn’t look too artificial. It definitely does add a nice glow to the skin although I’ve noticed that after a few hours of wearing it, especially in humid conditions, it can make your skin look quite oily. It also doesn’t stay on very long and if you happen to touch your face at any point while wearing it you’ll notice it coming off on your fingers. It might be a good idea to use it as a sort of primer before you put on another product such as your foundation.

Should You Buy it?

For anyone with a lighter skin tone, looking for some basic coverage and hydration for a few hours, I’d definitely recommend it! However, if you haven’t been blessed with the good skin gene, then you might find it more useful to use it as a primer before putting on your base/foundation rather than just on its own. For the price its available at, it can’t hurt to at least try it out!