Can someone please pass the ketchup… or maybe chilli sauce. No, make that sambal. I need to eat my words re: not liking any BB creams.
Interestingly, right after I told you my reasons for not liking BB Creams, 3 new ones appeared on the market. I’ve told you that the Maybelline BB Cream is quite decent, for its price and today, I’m about to be made to eat my words again (!!) when I tell you that I might have found THE ONE. The BB cream I’d use over and over without complaint.
Ladies, say hello to the Vichy Aera Mineral BB Skin Breathing Blemish Balm Cream. We’ll just call it the Vichy Aera BB Cream.
So why am I in love with the Vichy Aera BB Cream when I’ve bashed so many others before? The secret lies in the texture.
For the first time since trying a BB Cream, I’ve not turned into an oil slick. I wear it from morning till evening and I don’t get any oilier than I usually do. In fact, when it does turn a tiny bit oily my skin looks like its glowing which suits me fine 😀 If I dust some loose powder over it, it lasts me the whole day, looking pretty awesome. I have liquid foundations don’t even behave this well.
Its super light on the skin. Once I apply it, it feels like I’ve got nothing on yet my skin looks a touch better. I’ve been wearing this one for a while and its not drying either.
Thirdly and very importantly, the shade is a perfect match for my skintone. For once, I don’t have to battle BB creams that look orange or grey. It is an absolute neutral skintone with maybe just a touch of pink. This pink tone actually helps to make your skin look a little brighter but if you have very warm skintones, this may not suit you. On my skintone its a perfect fit.
Here is the photo collage showing you my bare skin and with the Vichy BB Cream.
With bare skin, you can see the redness around the nose area. With just the Vichy BB Cream, the redness is covered and the pigmentation on my cheeks are quite well covered. When I dust over some loose powder, I have near perfect complexion barring the shadow of the freckles and there’s this glow to the skin – see it? 🙂
Its not hard to see why I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE this Vichy BB Cream! 😀
There are some setbacks of course. It only comes in one shade which will suit fair to medium skintones. Too tanned and you won’t be able to use it. Also as I’ve noted, it has a very slight pink tone so if you are very very warm toned, it won’t suit you either.
Pros: Very lightweight on the skin, Not oily, Medium coverage
Cons: Some may consider it pricey (I don’t), Only comes in 1 shade
Like all BB Creams, this product straddles skincare and makeup. It contains Vichy thermal spa water and Vitamin C and E and also SPF20 but I always use a separate sunscreen. This might be good for those who dislike using sunscreen. The tint is 100% mineral pigments and its paraben free. I’ll be honest. I don’t know what qualifies as a BB Cream anymore. For me, this is pretty much liquid foundation. Here’s the ingredient list.
At RM99 for 40ml, some might consider it pricey. I think its alright. There are lots of other much more expensive BB Creams in the market anyway. Also, this is cheaper than many high end foundations plus delivering similar results. Remember how I raved about Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation? Well, since we can’t get Bourjois here in Malaysia, get the Vichy Aera BB Cream instead. It gave me the luminous foundation glow promised by Teint Miracle without that dreaded oil slick. You can tell I still can’t get over that one can’t you? LOL! 😀
But if you can get both Bourjois and Vichy, I say get either one. Vichy is a little sheerer than Bourjois but they are both just as good for a liquid foundation 🙂
Now this one’s been out for a few months already. Have you tried it and if you have, what’s your verdict? Love it as much as I do? 😀
Paris B
Vichy Aera Mineral BB Skin Clearing Blemish Balm Cream retails at RM99 at all Vichy counters at leading pharmacies. If you can, wait for the discounts. A little saving is better than nothing.
Charlene says
January 17, 2011 at 9:26 amEver since i started reading, i’m quite hooked on your blog. I love your reviews and the issues you address 🙂 Keep up the good work.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:14 amThank you Charlene. It means a lot to me, and don’t forget that your input in the comments contributes to the community too! 😉
domncroxd says
January 17, 2011 at 9:30 amwish i could say that i loved it as much as you! the shade was just totally wrong for me, sigh.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:15 amYeah like all BB creams, shade can be a problem. Was it too pink or light for you? Still, there’s news of a foundation coming out soon from Vichy. I love Vichy stuff so that should be good 😀
domncroxd says
January 17, 2011 at 2:15 pmToo light 🙁 I got such a tan and now all my colors are wrong hehe. But I agree with you on the texture – such a light, lovely, spreadable texture.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:37 pmYeah this one is definitely for the light skinned. Pity really since the texture is so good!
Cynthia says
January 17, 2011 at 9:31 amFor the price is kinda expensive. But one day I should tried it too….
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:16 amI think compared to Korean BB creams that can cost over RM100 this is pretty decent. Well for me anyway since it works well while Korean ones don’t 🙂
aiyu says
January 17, 2011 at 10:21 amGood for you that you found a suitable BB cream. I’ve tried this too, but the shade is too light for my NC25 skin. Too bad. :p
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:26 amHey Aiyu, I’ve been told I should be about NC25 too. But it suits me to a T. Weird huh?
Connie De Alwis says
January 17, 2011 at 10:46 amyou are so not NC25. More like NC15 :p Which means this well-formulated bb cream isn’t gonna work on my NC30 skin *GROANS*
Oh, and I so can’t get over teint miracle either.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:47 amCannot be NC15 la. That’s like white right?! 😛 I told you this one won’t suit your skin, especially since you say you are newly tanned. Also there is a pink tone so on your super warm skin it might look ashy 🙁 The formula’s awesome though.
aiyu says
January 17, 2011 at 11:15 amya, Paris. You definitely are not NC25, judging from your pictures and the shades that you’ve used. LOL
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 11:25 amreally? Then why does the MAC SA match me to NC35 every single time?! >.<
Emma EL says
January 17, 2011 at 12:26 pm*sorry for interrupt* how can i know which skin color i am? i’m lost! lol
by the way, i just tried Maybelline BB cream (bcoz of ur review) and i kinda like it.. maybe i wanna give this vichy BB cream a try too..just wait! and i really upset that we don’t have Bourjois here..:(
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:02 pmThese are MAC foundation shades. As you can see, I’ve never had anyone at MAC colour match me properly LOL! Best way is to go to MAC and ask them to match to their foundation. Its not a universal shade but everyone seems to refer to it for some weird reason.
The Maybelline BB isn’t bad for the price 🙂 Its tiny so you should use it up quite quickly and then you can try another hehe…
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 4:16 pmyou definitely can’t be nc25 if u wear 010 for Dior nude foundation…(just read back your post)
cuz I wear 020/021 and I’m nc25! (at least that’s what 2 Mac SAs told me)
my colleague is definitely fairer than me and a mac SA matched her to nc25 also! funny rite..,
anyway I didn’t realise you are so fair, maybe I can’t wear the vichy bb cream then 🙁
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 4:21 pmTry getting a sample of the Vichy BB cream or try the tester. I must say it does tend to run light. Hopefully they come up with a friendlier shade… or maybe that’s what the foundations are! 😉
Emma EL says
January 17, 2011 at 4:41 pm…and as u can see (when i ask u previously) I’ve never bought MAC foundie!! thats y i know nothin’ bout that lol 😀
weird huh? someone who really lovesss makeup, but NEVER bought a MAC cosmetics..I don’t know y i’m not in love with MAC (yet..)
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 4:44 pmDon’t worry. You and me both. 😉 MAC isn’t the be all and end all of makeup but its bright and colourful and some consider it affordable plus they have super marketing! 😉 I don’t know anything much about MAC either because while some items might interest me I find it hard to connect with the brand overall. I prefer other brands 🙂
Mari Ohira says
January 17, 2011 at 6:50 pmYes, strange how everyone refers to MAC when speaking of their skin tone! But it is rather helpful when looking for other brands’ foundations shades. I think I am NC25, but sometimes lighter coloured foundations match me better (like NC20).
Well, colours aside, the BB cream looks terrific on you! It does create a flawless canvas! And it isn’t that expensive (things here are way more expensive than that! my country’s going insane with the prices of cosmetics!). I think I’ll try it next. That and the Bourjois one!
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 11:18 pmI know! Its like its the MAC Foundation Index 😛 Do you have Vichy in Brazil? I do realise we are actually quite lucky in terms of pricing compared to other countries but we just need to be reminded 😉
Hanny says
January 17, 2011 at 10:39 amFrankly, I’m a little… tired of BB creams. ^.^ That, and I have too many of them foundie or foundie-like thingies to finish. ^.^ Glad that you liked it, tho!
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:42 amI don’t blame you. I was sick of the BB Cream trend a year or so ago. So sick I refused to try anymore. But these new ones coming out from Western brands are much better for my skin. I think all they have done is merge their foundation and skincare instead of creating something from scratch. This one’s great for those who dislike liquid foundation because its so lightweight yet offers decent coverage … provided the shade’s suitable of course 🙂
rinnah says
January 17, 2011 at 10:48 amAh, I’ve been waiting for this review for some time now. 😛 And I’m pretty much convinced that I wanna give this a go after seeing your pictures.
But (this may be totally irrelevant since they are not the same type of product) how does Vichy BB cream fare against your Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in terms of coverage?
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 10:53 amI find this one offers better coverage compared to LM’s tinted moisturiser. Also, I know I liked the LM one but it made me a little bit oily if I go walking outside in the heat e.g lunch time. This one does not and since you have Meteorites, dust some over as a finishing powder and you’re good to go! 😀 I’m not sure if sales are now on – last I checked there were some promos ongoing but none for the BB Cream 🙁
Aina Alene says
January 17, 2011 at 11:03 amlooks amazing on your skin! then again, ur skin look amazing anyway.
i wanna try this! shud work for me since it has dimethicone! lol.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 11:24 amYou’re the first person I know who is happy to see Dimethicone in the product 😀 I think you should have no problem with the shade 😀
Monstro says
January 17, 2011 at 11:23 amI recently got hooked on the LM tinted moisturizer, but I agree that it is rather shi-ney on my skin. I need to top up with powder. Wish there was a BB cream that didn’t need that extra powder step 🙂
Must check this one out. Can you test it at the store?
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 11:26 amLM definitely needs a touch of powder. I like using a touch of powder anyways because it really does help liquid products set and stay put. It probably gives it something to hold on to before it slips hehe… Yes there are usually product testers of this at the pharmacies 🙂
Ny says
January 17, 2011 at 11:43 amI got the sample last time. I must say the texture is to die for, it was so easy to apply, didn’t cause my super oily skin to be oilier, and didn’t turn orange on me. Too bad the shade is just not for me T__T (I’m quite yellow), else it’d be the best BB cream for me. Now I’m looking forward to their liquid foundation (waiting for your review first :P).
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 1:58 pmAww sorry to hear the shade did not work for you 🙁 I’m awaiting news of the liquid foundation too 😀
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 11:56 amoh man… u got me lemming for this!!!
was thinking of getting the bourgois healthy mix after seeing so many raves but was still wary of the brand after buying the mousse foundation and hating the feel of it on my skin!
how does this compare to Dior nude foundation?? I just repurchased that, and I’m using it on going out occasions…
looking for something to wear daily 🙂
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 1:59 pmI think its a little different from Dior Nude foundation. Dior Nude has more coverage while this one is sheerer. You could probably use it more for everyday since its cheaper 😉
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 4:07 pmthanks for your reply. 🙂
wonder what’s the difference between the Vichy bb cream
and foundation except for the shades available? I scrutinized the ingredients and they looked the same to me??
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 4:13 pmYou’re in a better position to judge if you’re in Singapore 😉 We aren’t getting it here so soon I think. Maybe more shades? LOL!
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 4:18 pmhaha ok will go check them again later! will let you all know if you are interested! 🙂
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 4:22 pmYes please, I’m interested LOL!
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 7:15 pmhello Paris, I managed to compare the foundation and bb cream at our local watsons… have sent some pix to your email if you are interested 🙂 only saw one shade sample for the foundation though.
jayie says
January 17, 2011 at 7:44 pmforgot to mention, I think the ingredients are exactly the same… so I bought the foundation which is cheaper… though the bb cream is still at the back of my head cuz of the tempting description! hope I made the right choice!! :X
Marie says
January 17, 2011 at 11:57 amI am soooo gonna get this hehe. But umm, does it able to conceal dark cirlces? T.T TIA…
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:00 pmIt does conceal a little but its a bit light. I prefer using a proper under eye concealer or illuminator
idless says
January 17, 2011 at 12:14 pmThanks for the review. My Dr G is finishing up soon, so I might just give this a try. My main concern is oil control as I tend to break out easily (and whoever says that it goes away with age >_< )
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:01 pmTry to see if you can get a sample from the Vichy counter. Sometimes if the promoter is there you might be able to swing a sample to try 🙂
yuki says
January 17, 2011 at 12:54 pmwow… looks nice… I love my BB cream 🙂 been using the same BB cream for 2 years now and it’s starting to make my skin a bit oily… weird but my skin has been getting oily after 2 hours now… last time it wasn’t like that 🙁 sighs… Glad that u found a bb cream that u like~~ I wanna try this too… haha…
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:06 pmYeah actually saying that I can have a BB cream to like is something LOL! 😀 I’m just amused that the 2 BB creams to work for me are by Western brands 😀
Sue Lynn says
January 17, 2011 at 1:12 pmI love EVERYTHING about it EXCEPT the shade! T_T
I look ghastly – Casper-like…
Trying my darn-dest to make it work tho…
*fingers crossed*
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:06 pmAww… sorry to hear the shade isn’t for you either. It does warm up to my skin after about 10 minutes. Have you tried a slightly warmer powder over it? 🙂
Sue Lynn says
January 17, 2011 at 2:24 pmI try to avoid setting powders. Thus, my liquid foundations must set to non-sticky finish (Lazy, I know :p), or they’re no-goes!
The thing I love MOST about the Vichy BB is its spectacular oil-control! Even after sheering it out with my moisturiser (1:1 ratio – still to pale though), its oil-control prowess is not diminished 😉
And I agree – if you’re NC25/35, I’ll be a NC45/50 ROFL I’ve yet to find a MA who matches me correctly!
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 2:38 pmI’ve given up on MAC’s colour matching since I’m probably never going to use their foundations anyway 😉 And you’re right about the oil contol in this Vichy BB cream. Surprised me because it being a BB cream and all I expected to be an oil slick as per usual so it was a very pleasant surprise 🙂
Sue Lynn says
January 17, 2011 at 2:33 pmOh! I’ll probably need to correct the paleness of this BB cream with a BRONZER all over HAHAHA!
Apple says
January 17, 2011 at 5:28 pmI am mad about bb cream,defintely will get one and have a good try..LOL
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 5:51 pmHaha… do give it a shot 🙂
Aretha says
January 17, 2011 at 5:35 pmHi Paris. do you knw where this bb cream is made at? Is it made in france? 🙂 Actually im really curious to knw whether this is similar to Lancome’s bb base? I know that Lancome and Vichy are both under L’oreal.
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 5:46 pmI’ll double check but I think it states on the box that its Made in France. Will confirm when I get home. I find it quite differerent from Lancome’s BB Base. Lancome has a greyer cast and tends to get a little bit oily. It might be the base sunscreen because UV Expert does get a bit oily too. In terms of coverage, they are both sheer-medium but I think the Vichy one covers a touch better. Oh and Vichy has no scent while Lancome has. So thats a bit of a nutshell comparison 🙂 That said, Lancome does market their product as a makeup base, while Vichy holds theirs out as a BB Cream which can be used as a foundation too. That might explain the difference in coverage. Perhaps I’ll do a post on this some day LOL!
Aretha says
January 17, 2011 at 6:15 pmI think i’ll try my best to see if i can get a sample for this! I have never had alot of luck with BB creams (and i have tried alot). They always seem to clog me in one way or another! 🙁 ( I have skin that is dry and very sensitive) I have the Lancome bb base and I agree with you on the greyish cast it leaves on the skin. I find that extremely unattractive! But I don’t find it oily at all (maybe because my skin is very dry to begin with). What is your skintype? 🙂
milktea says
January 17, 2011 at 7:48 pmI swatched it on me hand and it looked a leetle bit on the light side. I’m hoping mine eyes were mistaken! You’re so lucky the shade suits you.
I recently bought the Sunplay Skin Aqua Moisture BB cream. Comes in 1 shade only too and it’s too pale on me! White mask effect. So sad ‘cos the texture is otherwise okay. Going for RM47.90/40g at Caring.
I’m going back there to re-swatch the Vichy Aera on my face! 😉
ParisB says
January 17, 2011 at 11:20 pmOh dear is the Sunplay one that bad? Its about half the price of Vichy! Try swatching on your face and give it about 10 minutes to see if it’ll match your skin.
simplystephy says
January 18, 2011 at 8:19 amGreat post! You really make me want to try out this BB cream, if only their color range was alittle better 🙁
ParisB says
January 18, 2011 at 11:12 amSince BB Creams come in at most 2 shades, it might be nice if Vichy came up with another slightly deeper shade because the texture is awesome in this one!
Isabel says
January 19, 2011 at 11:03 amI’m going to get this once my current BB cream runs out! I’m the same shade as you when it comes to Dior and am an NC25 as well so it would probably work for me.
ParisB says
January 19, 2011 at 1:48 pmFingers crossed! 😀 I still have no idea what I am in MAC haha
Nutella says
February 21, 2011 at 1:59 pmHi Paris,
I read that you always use a separate sunscreen. Do you use apply it before or after the BB cream?
ParisB says
February 21, 2011 at 6:11 pmYes sunscreen is part of my skincare routine so I never skip it. I apply it last of my skincare and after that then I start my makeup, so its before BB cream.