Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of BB creams but the ones here in America typically can't cut it. When compared to Asian brands like Skin79 and Lioele, what we call BB creams here are really just tinted moisturizers. So it only makes sense that I was
super skeptical when I purchased the
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35 ($39) in the shade Light/Medium.
I previously owned this product in the shade Light a
long time ago when it first came out and I remember trying it on for the first time and thinking it was
way too light for my skin tone. So I returned it and didn't care enough to repurchase it since I had other foundations/bb creams/tinted moisturizers in my makeup collection that needed to be used up.
What possessed me to repurchase this product after maybe over a year is beyond me but I'm sort of glad I did. Of all the BB creams offered in America, this one probably has the most rave reviews and for good reason. Compared to all the other BB creams in the market, this is definitely one of the best ones. It offers a high SPF without making you look like a ghost on film and it provides a medium to buildable full coverage.
The shade looks quite dark against my hand but the weather is getting warmer and I'm starting to self-tan again so I figured going a shade darker wouldn't be so bad. Besides, once blended it out it actually is not that much darker than my actual skin tone. The consistency is very thick and creamy so a little goes a very long way with this product. I only need a little bigger than a pea-sized amount to cover my entire face.
In comparison to the BB creams from Asia, this one still definitely lacks in comparison. It claims to prime, perfect, protect, hydrate and control oil all in one step and while I will not dispute those claims, Asian BB creams already do all that and more. So if you're looking for an easily accessible BB cream here in the states and you don't care much for whitening or wrinkle-reducing properties then by all means go for this product.
I am enjoying this BB cream and it'll definitely be perfect for the upcoming warmer months but I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it since it is fairly pricey and I feel it still borders on a tinted moisturizer. Especially since now we seem to have jumped a letter forward in the alphabet and now CC creams are coming out that are starting to match the claims that Asian BB creams have been making for years.
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