I read a lot of foreign beauty blogs and it amused me greatly when recently, the beauty scene in the UK was taken by storm by a new introduction of something they’d only ever really read about on Asian blogs, or which was mostly unavailable in their market – BB Cream. To be exact, the Garnier BB Cream.
At about the same time, or a little before that, the Garnier BB Cream was launched here in Malaysia too. You will already have seen it on the shelves so with all this buzz, it probably is opportune that I let you know what I think of this new BB Cream, or to give it its full name – Garnier Light BB Instant Fairness BB Moisturizer with SPF26 PA+++ 🙂
The Garnier BB Cream is very affordable, weighing in at just RM19.90/20ml. At that sort of price point, you don’t really feel the pinch to give it a go which I think is very clever marketing strategy. Importantly, I know what you’re thinking – how does it perform and is the Garnier BB Cream in Asia the same as the one in Europe? Let’s try and answer those questions 🙂
First off, this is your regular run of the mill BB Cream – and like many BB creams promise you lots and lots. In fact, they promise you 10 benefits (beating the Maybelline BB cream that promises 8 benefits by 2!)
Here’s what they promise your skin will be:-
- More radiant
- More even-toned
- Less dark spots
- Less visible imperfections
- Reduce redness
- Smoother
- More hydrated
- Less visible Lines
- Less visible pores
- Reveal a healthy glow
On top of that, it also promises you amazing fairness (hence the “Light” in its name). Me = Sceptic. So, I’ll let you judge for yourself with this before and after picture.
Garnier BB Cream Left: Before Right: After
You can see my skin imperfections in all their glory – pigmentation on the cheeks, and pimples and pimple marks on the chin, redness around the nose area.
I will concede that the Garnier BB Cream is a dab hand at covering up redness. You can see that the redness is markedly reduced on the skin and naturally therefore, the skintone looks more even. The tint in the Garnier BB Cream tends to a slight pink based cast which does adjust itself somewhat to give a slightly brighter tint to the skin.
However, dark spots aren’t covered and neither are imperfections. Pores are slightly reduced. On the whole, I’d say that there is a slight improvement in the skintone overall, but coverage is very very sheer. I do rather like how it evens my skintone out quite well, so I take care of the rest by using concealer. A swipe of loose powder over my face to set it, increases coverage and keeps it on longer.
If I do not set it with powder, I do find that it will slip by the end of the day. It does not turn my skin very oily – a little but nothing dramatic – but I will warn oily skinned gals about this. If you have combination-dry skin I think it will work better than if you had oily skin. A light dusting of powder helps me take care of the oiliness.
Its tone is pink based as I’ve noted which can help with skin brightening. However, if you have a very warm or very yellow based skintone, it may not suit you. The tint looked dark initially for me, but I did notice that it self adjusted quite well after a few minutes so it did match my skintone ultimately. That said, it must be noted that my skintone is light, and this only comes in 1 shade so I’m not sure if everyone can use it.
Like all BB Creams, I do not treat this as a skincare item but as makeup. Therefore in my case, I apply this after my skincare routine and sunscreen.
In a nutshell
The Garnier BB Cream is very sheer and does not cover imperfections on my skin. It however covers up redness and evens out the skintone and generally helps my skin look a little brighter. I did not notice any skin lightening but it did look dewy without looking like an oil slick. It also did not make my skin very oily throughout the day. I usually use this with a dab of concealer and a light dusting of powder for all day wear. I don’t think those with very oily skin will take to this or those with very warm or yellow skintones. Otherwise, I think its an affordable product that does a decent job.
Pros: Covers redness and evens out skintone, Affordable, Slim packaging, Skin looks a bit brighter after application
Cons: May not be suitable for those with oily skins, Did not cover blemishes and skin imperfections
Here are some comparison swatches for your viewing pleasure.
Left-Right: (1) Hada Labo BB Moist Cream Natural Beige (2) Garnier Light BB Cream (3) Maybelline BB Cream Fresh (4) Sunplay Skin Aqua Silky BB Cream Light
The Garnier BB Cream is a tad pinker in tone compared to the Maybelline BB Cream but not as pink toned as the Sunplay Skin Aqua Silky BB Cream. The Hada Labo BB Moist Cream is significantly more yellow toned. I decided to compare apples with apples so they were compared with pharmacy based brands as opposed to mixing in higher end brands.
And here’s the ingredient list for the Garnier BB Cream
Now, how does the Asian Garnier BB Cream compare to the European BB Cream? Truth to tell, I have absolutely no idea LOL! However, if you read the review on Beaut.ie here are a few quick differences I picked up almost immediately:-
| Asia Garnier BB Cream | Europe Garnier BB Cream |
|---|---|
| Name: BB Instant Fairness BB Moisturizer | Name: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily all-in-one B.B. Cream |
| SPF26 PA+++ | SPF15 |
| 10 in one benefits | 5 in one benefits |
| One shade | 2 shades available – Light and Medium |
| Skincare benefits focus on whitening, brightening, radiance | Skincare benefits focus on hydrating and offers 24 hour hydration |
| Comes in 20ml tube | Comes in 50ml tube |
The ingredients are also different so the irresistible conclusion is therefore that whilst they may have the same name and perform the same functions, the two products are quite quite different to suit the different needs and requirements of the different areas they serve.
Have you gone and picked this one up already? Its available in local pharmacies so you can take a gander at it to see if it might be something that suits you or that you might like. I experienced no unnatural breakouts with this one. I’m not the biggest BB Cream fan out there but I do think this rather decent for weekends and suchlike. Otherwise I do still prefer using a foundation.
Paris B
Garnier BB Instant Fairness BB Moisturizer retails at RM19.90/20ml at all major pharmacies. It comes in 1 shade.
What a great review! And all the comments helped me as well! Thanks a lot, Paris!
I’m not a BB cream fan either. Too oily for my skin.
hi, i have just started using the bb cream and every time i put it on my face a stings and burns , i have never had a reaction to anything ever. do you know what might be happening .
I don’t know because your skin may not like that specific product. Perhaps check with the manufacturer.
I see alot of your bb cream reviews, you use the bb cream as a foundation for makeup… i was wondering can you please suggest any skincare bb creams to me? xDDD thank you.
Hi Asa, most BB Creams are targeted to be used as skincare too (Moisturization & sunblock) but I just do not believe in those claims.
I see. thank you. ;D
Hi paris, have you try new loreal paris uv perfect BB cream SPF 50?
I am waiting for your review..
Hi Huzzda, nope I haven’t tried it yet 🙂 but if I do, you can be sure I will post it here!
Hi!
I have really pale skin and i have really hard time finding BB creams and foundations that are light enough. I live in Norway, and here the trend is to have dark skin, and therefore they only sell BB-creams that are dark and normal-light, but not very pale. Do you know any BB-creams that could fit me :)? I also have very sensitive skin, so it has to be one that wouldnt make me brake out in a rash or acne or something.
Btw, the difference between asian and european bb-cream is only that its darker. The lightest BB-cream is far to dark for a normal north- european that hasnt been tanning 🙁
Hi, I’m afraid I’m not familiar enough with BB Creams to be able to tell you of those with very light tints. Some of those from Asia are too dark for me too. Personally the lighter ones I have tried are the Garnier BB Cream and the Diorsnow BB Creme (light) and I believe Bobbi Brown BB cream comes in a light version as well as the Mentholatum Sunplay Skin Aqua BB Cream. There may be some others in the Korean brands but I don’t use them so I’m afraid I won’t be able to help.
Hi Paris!! Thank you for this one- I am researching BB creams lately and have my first one being Garnier’s BB Cream here in the US. I only applied it to my face for the first time this past week and fairly like it, especially for the price point as well as the smolderingly hot weather. I wanted to point out that you are simply gorgeous, but I’m certain you must get told that a lot. Thanks for all your hard work here … xoxo Beth in Pgh [-)
You’re very sweet, Beth, thank you 🙂 Glad to know you’re liking the Garnier BB cream too! That price can’t be beat.
Hi Paris! I have combo skin so I get quite oily around my forehead, T-zone and nose but okay cheeks and dry nose bridge & mouth. (weird, huh?)
I was just thinking of trying my first BB cream because my face is also quite clear. Except for the occasional breakouts on my forehead, temple area and hair line. Sometimes I don’t need to wear foundation/powder at all because my face looks great on its own (in my opinion. And do people not wear any sort of coverage but does their eye & lip makeup, like me? *feeling more weird*)!
Do you think this Garnier BB Cream will work on me? I have a kind of yellow undertone and I find it hard to match my neck color with foundation as I always end up getting orange face or ghostly face.
I’m weighing my options between the Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream or this Garnier one. Which one do you recommend? 🙂
Hi Janice, my pick will be Garnier because I like it a lot, it’s cheap, it has decent coverage (not all that good but enough to even out skintone) and if you don’t like it you won’t feel bad because it’s cheap. Oh and there’s spf50. Lots of reasons to like it. Good luck.
Terrific review. I just discovered your blog (can’t believe I didn’t know about it) and it’s soooo good.
What bb creams would you recommend for oily skin?
Hi there, I’m not a huge fan of BB Creams and I don’t have oily skin so I’m afraid I can’t help you sorry!
I believe this is a late response, but I just purchased the new formulated Garnier BB cream for combination-oily skin. I am very pleased with it, the original formula (but I must say I tried the European “original” formula) is quite greasy, so if you can find this one, you will be pleased, too. Other than that, during the whole summer I used Clinique’s BB cream, I believe it is the only BB cream out there which is not formulated special to comb/oily skin, but only those gals can use because it makes patches on dry skinned gals. I hope this works 🙂 (Sorry Paris, if I intruded)
20ml already nearly RM20.
A lil’ expensive i’d say.
This product raved by English ladies! The coverage isn’t that bad 🙂 But acne prone might struggle thought right?
Well Paris, have you get your hands on Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation yet?
Actually yes, I did pick up a tub of the Revlon Whipped Foundation last week and I gave it a quick trial. It seems nice, with excellent coverage, but is a bit heavy. I would caution a very light hand. Still working on it to be sure what I really think of it 🙂 Did you like it?
I feel bb creams are light and easy blend . Foundations are more for functions , parties . I love maybelline BB cream . Haven’t tried garnier 🙁
Hi there, I’m a little late, but I only noticed BB creams here become popular in the later part of 2012 & bought the garner one last week on a whim. Mine looks like the same color you swatched. I have a light to med skin tone- (a little more on the light side) and my skin tone is quite neutral. My ancestors are mostly French & Italian but people always think I’m mixed- r u Asian? They ask- I think because of my neutral skin tone & many Asians have very neutral skin tones as well. & also my very dark brown almond shaped eyes. Any way, I think I like the Garnier BB cream. I don’t have any blemishes to cover, any minor imperfections I use a concealer- around eyes & nose, and I set with powder, (neutrogena translucent shine control) by the time I add my bronzer & blush it doesn’t look too pink- and I agree, it does brighten a little. It’s a nice natural everyday look & keeps my skin pretty moisturized
It seems good one.. What is the price of it ?? Whats the difference between Maybeline BB cream & Garnier BB cream ?? Whic one is better to use…
The price is in the post and is under RM20 I believe. Its been too long for me. I don’t mind the Maybelline BB Cream either. Both seem to pretty decent products so ultimately its a matter of personal preference.