Ultimate BB Cream and Foundation Compilation

Left to right: Skin 79 The Premier Gold BB, Etude House Precious Mineral BB, Elizabeth Arden Intervene Foundation, Lioele Beyond the Solution BB, L'egere Water Drop BB, Aveeno Clear Complexion BB 

Skin79 The Premier Gold BB Cream

Skin 79 
The Premier Gold BB Cream
40 mL
SPF 40 PA+++

I'm disappointed to say that this is the first Skin79 BB I've tried, and will probably be the last. The quality, lasting power, and finish are all mediocre. Not bad by any means, but there are definitely better ones on the market. The packaging is just a teensy bit tacky (but that's all personal preference), and the twist dispensing method is a little hard to control even if it's clever and sanitary.
The shade is extremely, extremely light (as you can see from the swatches below). I would recommend this only if you have fair porcelain skin. Beware, this will be a nightmare to blend naturally on any sort of tanned skin! 
I believe this one retails at $40+, but there are several cheaper alternatives in the Skin79 collection.  

Etude House Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB Cream 

Etude House
Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB Cream
W13
60 mL
SPF 30, PA++

This is a superb BB for its value; retails around $15 for a whopping 60 mL of product! The texture is more fluid than most, which makes it easy to apply whether you use a sponge, brush, or your bare fingers. SPF 30 and PA++ is entirely adequate for the summer, and a good precaution for the winter. Lasting power is great; looks fresh after 6 hours if you blot as needed.
The shade W13 is just a tad lighter than my slightly tanned skin tone, but it's nothing a smidge of bronzer can't solve. Other than that, no complaints whatsoever!

Elizabeth Arden Intervene Foundation

Elizabeth Arden
Intervene Foundation
02 Soft Shell
30 mL
SPF 15

Now, I know this isn't a BB cream, but I just couldn't leave my favorite foundation out of this review!
What I love about this little jar of goodness is it's ability to blend right into my complexion without looking thick and pasty. The coverage is excellent, so if you're like me and just use a modest amount it will last a long long time. The consistency is slightly thicker than the other BB creams in this review, which I think contributes to its fantastic lasting power (6+ hours on my acne prone, oily skin!) Plus, extra bonus points to the lovely minimalist packaging.
Unfortunately, it also carries the biggest price tag of this bunch; retailing at $36 USD on the Elizabeth Arden website. I was lucky I caught this on sale at 2/$40, which was really a steal considering the quality.

Lioele
Beyond the Solution BB Cream
50 mL
No SPF

This is one of the darker BB creams in this collection, so I like to use it in the summer months. However, a major drawback is that it contains NO SPF whatsoever. I'm also not a huge fan of the strong floral/perfumey scent, although it does fade substantially after application. Finally, I don't know if it's just a defect with my pump, but it's extremely difficult to be precise with product dispensing (an iota of extra pressure may leave you with an appalling glob or product, and lack of it requires 5+ pumps to yield an ample amount).
With that said, I don't find any problems with the product itself. It has medium coverage, lasts quite long, has a natural dewy finish, and a reasonable price tag at $15-20 a tube.
However, just the major drawback of no SPF makes me hesitant to re-purchase in the future, when the BB cream market is brimming with other options.

L'egere
Water Drop Shiny Pearl BB Cream
30 mL
SPF 26

Not your typical BB cream, this water based formula is another one of my favourites. The consistency is heavenly; and that's not an understatement my friends. Probably due to the fact that it's a water based formula, the cream literally glides and melts seamlessly into your skin. I've also noticed that it's extremely hydrating even in the winter months. Another little element of this cream is that it contains very fine, luminescent glitter particles that effects a "healthy glow" to the skin. No, not to the point that you'll resemble Edward Cullen under direct sunlight; more like a sheen you would expect from a light application of highlighter.  
Don't be fooled by the seemingly dark shade of this BB; it merely compensates for the sheerness. Thus, I would recommend this product to people who already have good skin, because the coverage is too sheer to cover blemishes. Aside from that, this product is great for everyday use.
Retails between $25 and $30/tube.

Aveeno
Clear Complexion BB Cream
75 mL
SPF 30  

I had high expectations for this product (partly due to the fact that I'm a huge Aveeno lotion fan), and happily snagged up two in one go. Little did I know what a massive mistake THAT was.
Honestly, there is nothing good I can say about this product. After the initial disappointment, the second, and third tries, the verdict remains the same. First, the pump is terrible. There is always a good amount of product that dries up inside the pump even when it's twisted closed. This makes the next pump 50% dried and useless. Next, the scent is overwhelming and reminiscent of soap. And finally, the consistency is thicker than my night cream and difficult to spread evenly. At $30 a bottle, my mistake did not come cheap.  







Below are the swatches for each BB cream/foundation.
The first was taken under natural lighting, the second under flash.
                                                           

BB cream swatches under natural lighting. Left to right: Skin 79 The Premier Gold BB, Etude House Precious Mineral BB, Elizabeth Arden Intervene Foundation, Lioele Beyond the Solution BB, L'egere Water Drop BB, Aveeno Clear Complexion BB 

BB Cream swatches under flash.

So which are my favourites?
It really depends on the occasion and the current state of my skin.
For daily use, I gravitate towards the Etude House Precious Mineral BB.
On days of clear skin (which unfortunately isn't the case the majority of the time), or when I need that extra boost of moisture, I'll grab the L'egere Water Drop BB.
Any other times when greater coverage is required, Elizabeth Arden Intervene is the way to go.

I must emphasize however, that not all skin types respond to the same products the same way. Hopefully this review has been helpful for some of you, since I myself was once faced with the daunting task of choosing a BB cream when there are so many available options!

3 Steps to Glowing Skin and Less Visible Pores Using a Homemade Mask!

It's Friday night, and you suddenly realize your skin has begun to dull from a week of neglect as a result of that busy work/school schedule. We're all guilty of this, so here's 3 simple steps to give yourself that extra boost to "face" the weekend!  

1. M A S K

Homemade DIY all natural mask: oats, lemon, honey, and yogurt

   Mask Recipe

- 2 spoons unflavored yogurt (exfoliating antioxidant)

- 1/2 spoon honey (moisturizing)

- 1 1/2 spoons oats (soothing, acne prevention, antioxidant)
- a few drops of fresh lemon juice (brightening/whitening)

Most grocery stores carry rolled oats only (as seen in the picture below). This is perfectly fine, but I find that the larger pieces fall off as the mask starts drying. To solve this problem...

Rolled oats

Put a cup of rolled oats into the mixer, and voila! You have no fuss, fine oat powder in less than two minutes!

Oat powder

Add all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and mix to an even consistency. Apply generously on face. Tip: cooling the mixture in the fridge prior to application makes it even more refreshing!

Finished all-natural mask mixture. Looks delicious, mmm 

The above recipe is good for 3-4 uses. Avoid making larger portions to keep the mask fresh. Put all unused mixture back into the fridge after use! 

2. C L E A N S E

Rinse off the mask with warm water after 15-20 minutes. It's important to use warm, and not hot water! Hot water irritates the skin and strips it of your natural oils, leaving it too dry and prone to itchiness. 

What I love about this mask is that it does an excellent job of opening your pores and prepping the skin for the pore strips. So go right ahead now and apply that nose strip.

Biore Pore Strips 

3. T O N E

Ok, so your skin is now clean and supple. We can stop here right? Wrong!! A good toner not only helps soothe your skin, it can re-establish the right pH after the whole cleansing process has disrupted it's natural balance. My favorites are the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner and the Innisfree White Tone Up Skin.  

Innisfree White Tone Up Skin, Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner

That's it! This routine is great for a lazy night in while enjoying a movie, or a sleepover with the girls (triple the mask recipe and make a batch of cookies anyone?! haha)

This is my go-to routine when my skin needs that extra lift, or when I'm suffering through a bad breakout. Although this won't make your pores disappear overnight, by keeping your skin clean you can reduce the visibility of your pores and make them appear smaller.  

Staying hydrated throughout the day, applying a good sunscreen, and occasionally pampering your skin to this all natural treatment is the beginning of brighter skin! 

If you're still searching for that perfect sunscreen, check out this post http://casual-a-flair.blogspot.ca/2014/06/looking-for-perfect-sunscreen-biore.html

Looking for the PERFECT Sunscreen? Biore, Missha, The Face Shop, and Neutrogena Review!

Left to right: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen, Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence, The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen

Ever since returning from my trip to Cancun Mexico sans sunscreen as a baked potato 5 years ago, I've become quite the sunscreen addict. While searching for the "perfect" sunscreen, there are a multitude of factors to consider; varying from your skin type, the SPF level, to other lifestyle concerns. I've been rotating the above sunscreens for a few months now, so below is a brief breakdown of each. Read to the end to find out which is the top performer for my acne-prone, combination skin! 

Left to right: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen, Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence, The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen 50mL SPF 50+ PA+++

Definitely not your conventional sunscreen! Water based, so does not leave a white cast or clog your pores. The consistency is slightly runny and looks somewhat lumpy. Upon application however, the essence smooths out and is instantly absorbed into a matte finish (great canvas for makeup). There is a subtle pleasant citrus scent that quickly dissipates after application. The best part? The impressive 50+ SPF and PA+++, which is sure to provide the utmost protection against both UVA and UVB rays even in those sweltering days! Would recommend for: acne-prone skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin.

Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence 50mL SPF 45 PA+++

Creamy sunscreen that can double as a moisturizer for those that want to save a step in the morning madness. Would be more suitable for dry skin, or if you're going for the "dewy" finish. Has a scent reminiscent of lanolin cream (or other heavy night creams) that is a little too strong for my liking. Again, very impressive UVA and UVB protection. 
Would recommend for dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin.

The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream 50mL SPF 35 PA++

All aspects (consistency, smell, finish) are nearly identical to the Missha. Has tea tree oil and aloe vera gel, which makes it more suitable for acne prone skin. Only complaint is the lower sun protection in comparison with others on the market, although it is more than adequate for those less-than-sunny days! 
Would recommend for: acne-prone skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin.  

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen 88mL SPF 45 Broadspectrum 

The embodiment of your typical sunscreen. Despite being true to name, it was no more or less sheer than any of the other sunscreens in this review. Unfortunately, I have sensitive skin, and developed an allergic reaction with red bumps all over my face after using this product. Not wanting this huge bottle to go to waste, I began using it on my body and have yet to experience any adverse reactions, yay! 
NOT recommended for sensitive skin. 

Terms
For those unfamiliar with the terms UVA, UVB, PA, SPF, and broadspectrum, here's a simplified blurb:
UVA: Causes photoaging and wrinkles. 
UVB: Causes sunburn and hyperpigmentation.
PA: UVA protection factor. 
SPF: UVB protection factor.  
Broadspectrum:  Both UVA and UVB protection. 

And the winner is... 
Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen! My oily, acne-prone combination skin does not break out, and the high protection is ideal for all occasions! Absorbs into skin oh-so-quickly, and provides an excellent base for makeup. Also remains matte throughout the day, and is amazingly sheer. This has definitely become a staple in my everyday essentials (that's right, sunscreen is not limited to summer use only!)

Which sunscreens have you tried? Please share your favorites!