Review | Garnier Oil-Free BB Cream
I really enjoyed using the first BB Cream that Garnier bought out. I got a lot of use from it in Winter, when my skin was drier and in need of extra hydration. In Summer however, it’s a different story. The formula proves a bit too oily, even for my dry/combination skin and at 11 a.m., I’m left oily, and with only a few traces of BB cream on my skin. I was extremely excited to hear that Garnier had brought out an oil-free version, and decided to give it a go.
How are they different?
Formula
Both BB Creams contain an SPF but that is where the similarities end. The Original BB cream has a thicker consistency, like a moisturiser, whereas the Oil-free BB Cream has a very thin, liquid formula, almost like that of a light foundation. These two BB Creams are so very different from each other and even the colours are different. I have both products in the shade “light” but the original is darker than the oil free version. Thankfully the ‘light’ still works for my skin tone, but it does make me look a tad paler, and I find that I apply more bronzer than normal.
On the Skin
The original moisturises your skin and gives it a dewy appearance, whereas the Oil-Free is much more drying on the skin and has a matte finish (I find that it clings to any dry patches that I have on my skin, as most foundations would do). They are both equal when it comes to coverage – both light but buildable.
What does Garnier’s Oil-Free BB Cream claim?
1. Controls shine & has a matte finish
2. Minimises pores
3. Corrects blemishes
4. Evens complexion
5. Hydrates
6. UV Protection
What I like about it
• It’s a light formulation and provides a sheer coverage
• It leaves my skin with a matte finish
• I don’t feel like I have a thick layer of foundation on my skin
• It’s very well priced
• I love the staying power – it lasts from my morning makeup routine until the time I need to wash my face at night!
What I don’t like
• The fact that the colour shades are so different from the original BB Cream – I would expect light to be the same colour across all the BB Cream offerings
• The oil-free has a strange and unpleasant, alsmost chemical smell, where the original smells amazing
I have found the best way to use this product for my skin, and that is to apply moisturiser and then sunscreen, apply the BB Cream to my skin and finish off with bronzer. To create a more natural look, I finish off with a spritz or three of Dermalogica’s Antioxidant Hydramist to kind of ‘fuse’ the bronzer with the BB Cream.
Rating: 4/5
Product: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5 (I prefer the flip top lid of the original BB Cream
Quality: 4/5
Price: R85 for the 40ml tube
Would I buy again?: Overall it does a great job, so my answer is yes (See update below)
Where to buy: Clicks
Update on 17 January 2014
After using this BB Cream for a month, I developed a strange bump about 0.5 cm wide on my forehead and I booked an appointment with my dermatologist. I could only get an appointment in February, so I asked myself “What have you been doing differently on your skin”. The only thing that had changed was I was now using this BB Cream. I decided to stop using it and 2 weeks later, the bump is going away. I won’t be using this BB cream again.
