I’ve warned most of you on Facebook and Twitter that you will be seeing quite a few posts coming up about BB Creams. I am working through a backlog and I’d really like to get this out of the way as quickly as I can. In fact, I’ve had this Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion and BB Moist Cream for months now – and I do really like them, bar one issue – colour. But I’ll get to that in a bit 🙂
To get it out of the way, at time of writing, the Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion and BB Moist Cream is not yet available in Malaysia. It will likely come in soon but I picked these up online. They come in 2 textures – BB Moist Emulsion (light texture in a bottle) and BB Moist Cream (creamy texture in a tube). Interestingly they also come in 2 colours – Natural Beige (Light) and Natural Ochre (Medium) so those who are a little darker may now be able to find a match.
Another interesting thing I noted is that the colour in the BB Moist Cream is a little bit lighter than the BB Moist Emulsion. Mine is in Natural Beige for both which is the lighter shade of the two.
In terms of texture, I must say that I absolutely LOVE these BB creams from Hada Labo. I think the BB Moist Emulsion is a genius idea. It is very light on the skin, with a runny texture like the UV Moist Emulsion, and yet has a very nice coverage. A little dot does a long way towards evening out the skintone, although it is sheer, so pigmentation and imperfections still show through. Does not bug me, but it may bug you.
What I particularly like about the Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion is that it has an SPF50 PA+++ rating which puts it right up there with the Hada Labo sunscreen. In fact, when I was last in Penang, I forgot to bring my sunscreen (unthinkable!) but I applied this BB Moist Emulsion and prayed for the best as I went up Penang Hill. Wonders of wonders, my skin did not turn red from the midday sun, it did not feel like it was burning, and the BB cream stayed on despite me sweating! I was suitably impressed especially because it is so light on top of everything else.
The BB Moist Cream however only boasts a SPF32 PA+++ rating which is lower than the emulsion (I’m not sure why) but it too is light on the skin and keeps skin feeling very comfortable all day long despite the heat and humidity here. I believe that the cream version may be more suitable for those with drier skins but I like both and I don’t think that the BB Moist Cream feels any heavier than the emulsion although it does cause the skin to get a tiny bit oily as the day wears on. Not an oil slick like the Alaskan Exxon oil spill. More like an oil slick in a puddle.
The coverage is sheer-medium and buildable without looking thick, cakey and importantly, not heavy nor oily. Both the Hada Labo BB Cream and Emulsion fulfil everything I need in a BB Cream – lightweight, moisturizing, not oily, no fragrance and feels comfortable. All bar one that is.
Colour.
Despite it being called Natural Beige, the colour of the Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion and BB Moist Cream has an unmistakable yellow tone. It is a very strong yellow tone indeed. See for yourself
L-R: Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion Natural Beige vs Hada Labo BB Moist Cream Natural Beige swatches
See what I mean? The BB Moist Emulsion is noticably yellow. It is lovely on every count, but the colour really doesn’t do it for me. I can sheer it out and I can wear it but it can tend to make me look a little bit sallow. A bit of brightening powders can help but otherwise… sigh…
On the other hand, the BB Moist Cream is a little lighter in tone. Yellow still, but at least lighter. So I do find that it makes it a little more wearable for me. However, the BB Moist Cream is also a little heavier. Toss up I guess. Can’t have everything 😛
In a nutshell
The Hada Labo BB Creams come in 2 formula – Emulsion and Cream with relatively high SPF protection. Both feel very light on the skin and very comfortable, without turning oily. It also comes in 2 shades, which is very helpful for those who may have a darker skintone. The texture of the products cannot be faulted, but the shades tend towards being significantly yellow toned. They will suit those who have a warm or yellow skintone, but if you have pink tones or are neutral, you may find that this makes you look sallow.
Pros: Lightweight texture, No scent, Not oily, Does not oxidise, Keeps skin feeling hydrated, High SPF offers good sun protection, Can be used as a tinted sunscreen, Sheer but buildable texture, Affordable
Cons: Too yellow toned for me
And here are some comparison swatches for the Hada Labo BB Creams as compared to other brands. I’ve kept them within the pharmacy brand categories to compare like with like
Left-Right: (1) Maybelline BB Cream Fresh (2) Garnier Light BB Cream (3) Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion Natural Beige (4) Hada Labo BB Moist Cream Natural Beige (5) Sunplay Skin Aqua Silky BB Cream
I was a little upset with the failure of this range to suit my skintone perfectly. They otherwise have shot down every single BB Cream misconception I had before and if I come close to actually liking a BB Cream, you can be sure the Hada Labo ones are it. These are the best BB Creams I’ve used so far. Pity about the colour. Really 🙁
You can check out Cosmetic Candy and Sue Lynn’s blog for swatches of Natural Ochre which is the medium toned one. I do still use mine quite regularly – I love the texture and I love how I can just wear the BB Moist Emulsion as sunscreen. But I do wear them very sheerly (just to even out the skintone and cover redness) and use concealer for the rest.
It says a lot that I do because regulars will know my relationship with BB Creams. We aren’t the best of friends 🙂
I don’t doubt we will see this appear on our shelves soon. If you have by any chance given this a go, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Or perhaps you are keen to try this one? Go and bug the people at Hada Labo then 😛
Note: I don’t have the ingredient list as mine is all in Japanese so I have no idea what the ingredients might be. You could wait till it comes in and they translate the ingredients before deciding if it might be for you 🙂
Paris B
Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion SPF50 PA+++ and BB Moist Cream SPF26 PA+++ were purchased online for US$19.50 each. Unavailable in Malaysia at time of writing but may make an appearance soon.
Have yet to try anything from this brand but so many good reviews! If you were to recommend, what’s the one product I should try?
I like the UV Moist Emulsion sunscreen and the Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion. Everything else to me is just so-so despite the raves.
I tried the Hada Labo BB Moist Cream and yes I am loving them!!! (Thanks to SueLynn too :D) The coverage are pretty buildable and blend easily into skin. The best part is it actually lasted the whole day for me without any touch up. Since I am on NC25- NC30, i find the BB cream suits my skintone very well. Yellow perhaps? 🙂
Great to know that it matches your skintone Cynthia! I guess you are lucky to be able to wear this most comfortably 😀 I love the texture but the colour is just too yellow so I wear them on days when I don’t really care LOL
Hmmmm this might work for me. I tend to need something more yellow based to even out the pink in my face so that my face matches my neck. I might give this a shot if it makes an appearance here.
Do the products contain alcohol or mineral oil? If they do, then they are out for me. My skin doesn’t like those ingredients very much.
Not sure when we’ll see it but it could be soon – before the BB Cream hype dies down at any rate 😉 I’m not certain of the ingredients. The packaging of mine is all in Japanese so I don’t know which is ingredients and which are instructions 😛
i would love to try it! but not in the shade you have, if it is too yellow, i’d look like i just resurface from underground. LOL
I wish Hada Labo had made it in a slightly pinker or more neutral shade. I don’t think Japanese are THIS yellow 😛 I’ll bring it the next time I see you and let you test and see if you just surfaced from the underground 😛
Tempting tempting…. 😛
*tempts and tempts* 😉
I bought the Hada Labo BB Cream once I heard you mentioned the Emulsion’s a tad dark for you but I found the cream version a bit dark for me still! Guess I’ll just have to stick to using foundation / powders =(
Alamak! You bought the Cream version? Its lighter but still not light enough unfortunately 🙁 I do prefer using foundations/powders too 😀
Yes I bought the cream version (no thanks to you, hmph =p) I should really give up on giving BB creams a go since I haven’t found a match for my skin tone =(
Then again, I’m tempted by Garnier’s because it’s on sale here! =p
Its hard to find a colour match. Trust me, I’ve been around the block! If your Garnier is anything like our Garnier BB Cream it is a decent option. The colour is light and matches my skintone quite well because it has pink tones. Better than anything else I’ve used at any rate. If they could marry the texture of the Hada Labo BB with the colour of Garnier, I’d never need another 😛
Even though I have my HG Clarins sunscreen which I have been using for a very long time and am loyal too (And currently being swayed by Badger’s sunscreen which I just got)… I am SO tempted to try this out after reading your review T___T
Haha… only if you think the colour might be a match else skip it 🙂 Actually wait for it to come in then decide 😉
Ah that’s one thing I’m concerned of also- the colour match haha 😛 Yeap, I will definitely wait for it to come in first 🙂
Hi there! I was contemplating of getting this but I’m NC 15-20… Would you think it would be too dark for me??
I really hope to hear from you!! Do please reply me!! Wouldappreciate it…!!!
I’m not sure what I am in MAC but I should be about 20 or so. I think it may be a little bit dark although the Cream may work.
I already read about this on lotuspalace, but really, too bad! It sounds lovely, but I’m too fair and too neutral for this. 🙁
Kathi found the Light Beige version too dark for her too which is real pity!
That’s why I refrained from buying it. I range in the same paleness as her (or maybe even a tad whiter as she gets a bit darker in summer, she says, which I don’t), so her reviews are always a great help.
I did order some other BB creams she reviewed, though, and I am still thinking of getting the UV Cream or Emulsion for winter once I figured out if I’m really allergic to Hyaluronic Acid or Zinc Oxide.
Oh, and about the Cream having less SPF than the Emulsion: Maybe it’s supposed to be used in winter?
That’s an interesting thought – I didn’t think about that 🙂 But I was thinking that perhaps its down to the formula because the sunscreen has different SPF in both cream and emulsion too 🙂
Ooooh, I’m a lover of Hada Labo goodies and this sounds so promising…except the colour!!!
This is seriously seriously awesome but the colour was just too yellow for me. I reckon anyone with a yellow undertone will take to this like a fish to water! You won’t want another 🙂
i must try!! now that my skin is fine with SHA, i must try this!! also because, despite the many complaints abt bb creams being too yellow or gray, my weird skin LOVES yellow/gray tones! looks great on me. =P
HAHA! You are most certainly one to buck the trend that’s for sure! 😀
I am soo tempted to get the cream because of your rave 😉 but Im am still semi-traumatized from all my previous bb creams and foundations that made me break out. I swear I have the most sensitive acne-prone skin on earth 🙁 Hopefully, if its Hada Labo…hmmmmm….
Oh dear, its hard to say if this will break you out or not. If the previous ones you have been using are from Korean brands, then I might say that this one’s a little different because its Japanese. However, if you have also broken out from all BB creams then I can’t say if you won’t from this one 🙂 Have you tried any products from Hada Labo? I find this one quite similar to their sunscreen (UV Moist Emulsion) so if you have tried that and are ok with it, this might be ok for you too.
I bought the Hada Labo Cream based on LotusPalace’s review – I have determined I am nearly as fair as her but more yellow, about a NC/NW15 in winter. For reference I have sensitive, congestion-prone, combo skin and work in an air-conditioned office.
It is light coverage, moisturising, easy to blend but two things I have noticed: (1) in natural sunlight I notice it is slightly too yellow toned for me compared to my neck (which is about a NC10) so it is a good idea to blend it down into your neck if you notice this and (2) it has a dewy sheen that on my skin texture (some larger pores & acne scars) can look a little metallic and highlights these flaws. I recommend using a sponge to set it with translucent powder.
Note: I find Meishoku Moist Labo BB Essence Cream – 01 Natural a better colour match and provides a better finish and coverage. I would also recommend Bourjois 10-hour sleep effect foundation in Abricote Clair 71 (no spf).
Thank you for sharing! I have to agree with you about colour. Kathi did say it was too yellow for her but I thought my Asian skin could handle it. Evidently not!
I own one BB cream from Etude House and they made me looked like i’m some ghost out on holiday during the Seventh Month. It was my first buy for BB creams and it made me so afraid to try other BB creams. Could never get the colour right. 🙁
Haha! What a description! Just don’t go round scaring people 😉 I have to agree with you about the Korean brands. I can’t find a colour match in them either. I do better with western or Japanese brands which seem to use a more neutral tone aa opposed to a grey tone in the Korean ones
Sorry the color wasn’t right for you! I’m actually really interested for myself since most BB creams tend to run too grey for my skin.
Do you notice a big difference in coverage between the emulsion version and cream version?
Not quite a difference. I find them both roughly the same.
hey! would like to check if Hada Labo BB Moist Emulsion SPF50 PA+++ is available in Malaysia already? or do you have a website to recommend where i can purchase? thank you
Not as far as I know. I purchased mine off adambeauty.com
Hi!
Have you ever tried applying it as the recommended sunscreen usage (1/4tsp each for face and neck)? I’m curious how it might turn out if I use it as per recommendation, since I’m looking for something sheer enough, so using 1/4tsp on the face alone would not make me look like I plopped my face down into a bowl of flour!
TIA!
BB cream is meant to be applied as a thin layer not thickly as sunscreen is usually applied as ere is colour. So I wouldnt use that much for a BB Cream.
I wonder shall I use makeup remover when I want to remove it? Or basic cleanser will do?
You definitely need a makeup remover, because a BB Cream is makeup.
Hello! I’m totally sold after reading your reviews for this BB cream but I can’t decide between the Hada Labo, Skin79 and the Lioele ones and it’s not practical to buy 3 at one go. Which would you recommend if you were to pick one? I’m currently using Kiehl’s BB cream but it melts when i perspire! Which among the 3 BB creams is suitable to withstand humidity? TIA!(:
We don’t get this Hada Labo one here, but we get the Air one which I’m told is pretty good too. I haven’t yet tested it but I should have a review coming up in due course. I’ve never used Skin79 so I can’t comment on that one. Lioele wasn’t bad. I found the Kiehl’s one stayed on me well, but I don’t have oily skin. My faves are the Diorsnow BB Cream and Bobbi Brown – not traditional Asian brands but they work for me 🙂