Over the whole BB Cream thing? Me too… or I was until I tried Erborian BB Crème au Ginseng. This 3-in-1 formula of moisturiser, sun protection and foundation gives me that elusive combination of coverage, while looking as if my skin is bare. Like, actually bare - a no makeup look that literally looks like no makeup - feels like tinted moisturiser yet provides coverage. Am I the only one to get excited about this? I know some people love to squeeze all their favourite makeup on their face at once, but personally I don’t like to look like I have loads of foundation on my skin. Not because I want to pretend; I just prefer a more natural finish.
Don’t get me wrong, this has not replaced my foundation, but I do roll it out several times a week - when I’m racing out on the school run, going to the supermarket - everyday stuff. I’d describe the coverage as almost medium, certainly more than I’ve had from any tinted moisturiser or BB/CC/DD/EE Cream (yes all 4 do exist) in the past.
It bridges the gap between wanting the light finish and easiness of a tinted moisturiser while craving a little more coverage.
Now you can see some of the blended product on my skin in this pic to the left of the blob - I could have blended it more - but it doesn’t look like a thick layer of foundation either, right? And can you see how my skin to the left of the blob looks softer and smoother than that on the right (which frankly, looks kinda dead in comparison). The finish of this product has been described as baby skin - and mad as it sounds - I get that. NB These pics were taken in sunlight, which is making the colour look a bit warmer than it is, which is actually quite a neutral beige tone. I couldn’t wear any lighter - and I’m around NC15-20 for ref.
If I had to draw one minor negative (I’m literally trying to think of something) it’s that the finish is a fraction too matte for my liking…. you know I’m all about the dewy finish. It’s kind of velvety, which a lot of people will love. What that does mean though, is that lasting power is pretty good, unlike a lot of others. I get around this by using a moisturiser underneath (I even need moisturiser under tinted moisturiser!), while oily or combination skin types might get away with using this on its own. PS as well as looking good, it has skin healing benefits and Ginseng to encourage skin regeneration.
Erborian BB Crème comes in 2 shades: Clair (which I have) and a darker shade, Dore and is designed to colour adapt to your own skin when blended in. It looks a fraction chalky when I first apply, but once blended, it’s a pretty good match for me. It goes on well with fingers or a brush, though I generally apply it with fingers as it’s quite a thick cream and I think the slight warmth helps blend it.
The Erborian range is available at spacenk.com and selfridges.com
