Thursday 23 August 2012

BB Cream Spotlight: Skin79

Left-Right: The Oriental Gold, Super+ Hot Pink, Super+ Vital Orange, Snail Nutrition, Super+ Gold

So I kind of went through this huge BB cream phase over the summer. I am annoyingly pale, which I probably elude to a bit... cos it's so frustrating! Because of this, I burn really easily. I am lucky in that I tan after a burn but I can burn in 10 minutes flat in the summer sun. So I am exceedingly cautious about sun protection. This is where BB creams come in because they are an added layer of sun protection, with more SPF than most foundations.

I feel like BB creams need no introduction, but I'll give a quick overview in case you are new to the BB cream world (particularly the Korean BB cream one). BB creams usually spout claims like moisturising, whitening, anti-wrinkle, sun protection, sebum control...etc etc. I don't find them to be an all in one product.
My skin care routine is still:
1. Cleanse
2. Moisturise (this may sometimes be a moisturising serum instead of a creamy moisturiser)
3. Sunscreen
4. BB cream

While BB creams have some skincare benefits and some SPF, I still prefer to use specialised products for this and see the BB cream as a bit of a booster.

How do Korean BB creams differ from western ones?
The only BB creams I've tried that i've bought in Australia are the two Garnier BB creams, the L'oreal Nude Magique BB cream and the L'oreal Revitalift BB cream. These 4 BB creams have totally different textures. Most are quite thin and watery. The skincare benefits are minimal to none. The sun protection is SPF15 or lower.

Korean BB creams are usually a very similar texture. They are really thick, but tend to spread easily when warmed in your fingers. They rarely come in more than 1 shade, sometimes 2 (Missha being the main exception). They are good at covering pores and smoothing out skin. They feel moisturising when you apply them but tend to set, often to a powder smooth finish. They rarely have less than SPF20. They often have a greyish tinge that settles about 5 minutes after application and "brightens" the skin.

I have a large collection of BB creams, but I own more Skin79 than any other brand. These are my favorite BB creams and there's something for everyone.

Left-Right: The Oriental Gold, Super+ Hot Pink, Super+ Vital Orange, Snail Nutrition, Super+ Gold
For reference: my skin is a little paler and more neutral than NC15

1. Skin79 The Oriental Gold SPF25 PA++
What they say:
The mysterious magic of Oriental Tea, now it invigorates the skin.

The blend of the world's finest Premium Tea and Pro-Skin Gold element turns into a bottle of BB Cream.

Our highest technology provides multi-benefit to the skin. An effective, yet mild BB cream formulated with natural Tea and Gold elements will evenly tone the skin while imparting a soft feel.

Pros:
* nice golden undertones that really warms up my skin
* moisturising
* leaves a nice satin finish - not glowy, but not totally matte
* on the higher end of coverage for a BB cream
* leaves a really smooth finish
* the big bottle of this includes a lip/cheek tint in the lid

Cons:
* only SPF25

2. Skin79 Super+ Hot Pink SPF25 PA++
What they say:
Our light weight BB Cream readily absorbs to skin, hydrating to reveal a healthy looking, fresh and natural looking hint of color.

With added sunscreen, the formula protects from the sun's UV rays SPF25/PA++, while promoting whitening, wrinkle care, and sebum control effects.

10-in-1 One Step Solution for Multiple Concerns

Pros:
* sets to a powdery finish with good oil control
* lasts all day
* reasonable coverage, will not cover red blemishes
* once it's sunk into the skin, feels very light

Cons:
* only SPF25
* has an obvious whitening effect, even on my pale skin
* makes me look pink

3. Skin79 Super+ Vital Orange SPF50+ PA+++
What they say:
The 2 reasons that make Vital BB special:

1. 5-V (Vital-V Complex)
[Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin F]
Maintains skin lively and healthy the best by containing 5 Vitamin Complex.

2. SPF50+ PA+++
Keep's skin strong and safe 365 days of protection from UVA and UVB with enhanced SPF

Pros:

* SPF50!
* highest coverage of any BB cream I have tried
* vitamin enriched formula
* one of the better matches for my skintone
* long-lasting

Cons:
* can be drying when first applied but doesn't control oil as well as Hot Pink
* for yellow toned, fair ladies only - not much colour adjustment for this one

4. Skin79 Snail Nutrition SPF45 PA+++
What they say:
KFDA 3 Functions Certification; Whitening, UV Interception SPF45 PA+++, Wrinkle Improvement.

Protecting the skin from both UV A and B, the tri-functional snail BB cream brightens the dark and dull skin tone, and maintains the skin clean and supple with its whitening and wrinkle-improving effects.

Containing 45% of the Korean Snail Secretion Filtrate, supplying sleek and lustrous texture to the skin,  preventing skin damage, and keeps skin moist and healthy by forming a moist protection layer.

With soft and moisture texture it's easily absorbed into and blends well with the skin, maintaining the skin transparent and bright for a long period of time.

Pros:
* SPF45
* easiest to blend
* sheer, luminous coverage
* very moisturising
* nice neutral colour

Cons:
* lowest coverage
* very strong florally scent
* no oil control

5. Skin79 Super+ VIP Gold SPF25 PA++
What they say:
Protects the skin with wrinkle improvement + whitening.
Turns dark and dull skin into clear skin by controlling the source.
Non-stop skin care has come true by wrinkle improvement function to maintain smooth and silky skin.

Presents Rich Moisturized Skin. Whole New Level of Moisturizing.
Presents non-oily smooth skin tone with vegetable ingredients such as Aloe Vera.

Reliable UV Protection
Can be used several times on top of makeup to protect the skin from harmful UVA and UVB at the same time.

** this is very similar to the Hot Pink version **
Pros:

* more moisturising than the Hot Pink version
* still has good oil control despite being moisturising
* not as pale and grey-ish as the Hot Pink version

Cons:
* only SPF25
* slightly less coverage than Hot Pink

You can find ingredients for all of these except the Snail Nutrition one at cosdna.


OK so there's an overview of all the different Skin79 BB creams I have. I am going to make some massive generalisations here and let you know who I think would like each of these the best. This is just a broad guideline, but I guess if I was new to korean BB creams maybe where I'd start and the branch out from there.


1. Skin79 The Oriental Gold SPF25 PA++
This one is best for dry-combinations skin types. Probably doesn't have enough oil control for the oilies.  This is a great all-rounder.

2. Skin79 Super+ Hot Pink SPF25 PA++
This is the staple of oily-normal skin types. It is the most popular of Skin79's BB creams and offers the best oil-control.

3. Skin79 Super+ Vital Orange SPF50+ PA+++
I have trouble recommending this as your first BB cream purchase because it is drying with no oil control at the same time. I like it in my arsenal due to the high SPF and the great colour match, but I wouldn't like to use it more than a couple of days in a row. Definitely not for dry skin types.

4. Skin79 Snail Nutrition SPF45 PA+++
Best for normal-dry skin wanting sheer coverage and moisture. Do not buy if you are sensitive to strong scents.

5. Skin79 Super+ VIP Gold SPF25 PA++
Another great all rounder. Best for dry-combination but I wouldn't rule it out for oily complexions, particularly for the cooler months. Not quite as smooth as the Oriental Gold but offers better oil control.


Let me know if this was helpful and if you'd like any more in depth reviews for any of these products!


8 comments:

  1. excellent comparison! I love the orange bb cream.

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  2. I was just getting ready to order some more Oriental Goldand happened to see the Snail Nutrition listed on the suppliers ebay store. Of course, I looked for reviews & found your excellent review on the other Skin79 products, as well. I also read your Garnier BB creams review, which I was curious about. Although I can purchase the Garnier products locally & have to order the Skin79 online, after reading your review I think I will stay with my Oriental Gold! I love your reviews & I will keep coming back to your site.

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  3. Great review! Exactly what I was looking for in trying to determine which bb cream to bet from Skin 79...which will be my first Korean BB cream purchase. Thank you so much!!

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  4. great comparison, really detailed and informative - helps me to decide which one is best for my skin xox

    http://kittiecosmetics.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really good reviews. I have oily skin and I found that if I use the snail bb cream as a moisturizer, let it set and then the orange vital bb cream on top, it's perfection. I also have some acne scars, large pores and redness. And I have never found anything that makes me look so flawless and natural at the same time. Also feels light on my face like I'm not wearing much. Best bb creams!

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  6. Very good reviews. Im wondering which one is most neutral color.

    ReplyDelete

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