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Home » Cheap and Good? » The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream renders a good base as quick and as easy as 1-2-3

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream renders a good base as quick and as easy as 1-2-3

July 18, 2016 Paris B 18 Comments

I’ll be the first to say that when CC Cream first came around, I rolled my eyes. I never quite got the hang of the purpose of a CC Cream, and I scoffed (and still scoff) when I come across one. Yet, amongst the jungle of cliches, you can often find a gem.

I’d like to tell you about one such gem.

bourjois 123 perfect cc cream ivory

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream isn’t new. In fact, it’s been around for quite a while, but because I move at a glacial pace in the blogging world, this is relatively new to me.

But what an excellent base it is! And affordable too! 😀

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream is positioned as a CC Cream, containing pigments to colour correct the skin. So, they blend an apricot shade for anti-fatigue, green for anti-redness and white for anti-dark spots, along with a healthy dose of hydration to keep your skin from drying out.

All very good, except I also have to add that the coverage is quite impressive, and it has a consistency more similar to that of a liquid foundation than a regular CC Cream. In that sense, the texture is a little thicker and the coverage is higher.

bourjois 123 perfect cc cream ivory

The little slim tube belies its 30ml contents, which makes this perfect to tote around. However, I do find that the nozzle has a tendency for the foundation to squirt out when the cap is opened, if stored on its side, so do be warned.

I personally like using the 123 Perfect CC Cream on its own as a base, or foundation on days when I want something light on my skin. I do notice how it does a pretty impressive job at colour correcting redness and tiredness on my skin, as you will see below. I’m not sure about the anti dark spots bit, but perhaps that’s where the foundation shade comes in? I’m not sure.

Unlike many CC Creams I’ve tried over the years, this one is the only one where I can comfortably wear it without once complaining about how sheer it is. Yes, it’s fairly sheer, but not so sheer as to be nothing or to do nothing on your skin. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that this is just like a BB Cream or tinted moisturiser or light foundation, with the added benefit that it does colour correct better than most BB Creams, tinted moisturisers or light foundations.

Here’s the swatch to show you how similar or different the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream is to other Bourjois foundations. The shade I use is 31 Ivory.

bourjois 123 perfect cc cream ivory swatch

In terms of shade, 31 Ivory is a little deeper than 51 Light Vanilla in the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation and the Bourjois City Radiance Foundation in 02 Vanilla. Just a touch. I wear them all with no problems. However, you may notice how the shade is also a little peachier, which I attribute to the apricot tones it contains, that brightens the skin, thereby combating the appearance of fatigue.

In terms of texture, I find the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream lighter in texture than the Healthy Mix Serum and City Radiance (the latter has the thickest texture) and for me, makes my skin look better than the Healthy Mix Serum. The jury is still out on City Radiance. I find it easy to apply the CC Cream using my fingers, which is my method of choice. It blends without being streaky, and it’s easy to apply, drying down to a semi-matte finish without settling into lines.

By contrast, I find the other Bourjois foundations blend better using a brush. It might be due to their slightly thicker texture. I also find that the CC Cream gives me a better finish to my skin, and a more luminous effect than the Healthy Mix Serum which again could be due to the colour correcting pigments.

For a demonstration of how this looks when I wear it, here’s the before and after photos. As usual, they’re mostly unretouched for the best representation of how it looks.

bourjois 123 perfect cc cream ivory before after

I think you can see quite clearly how the redness on my skin is neutralised, and how my skin looks less tired and brighter. Coverage is pretty decent (this was with very little product) for a CC Cream, which is why I say it’s as good as wearing foundation. I sometimes dab on a little concealer where I need it and that’s it. In fact, now that I favour a lighter makeup/foundation base, I’ve been reaching for this one a lot because it’s just so easy to use and comfortable to wear.

The only thing I dislike about it is the scent. It has a strong fruity scent that has a tendency to linger a while. I hate it and wish Bourjois would do something to minimize their fragrance. But the fact I still use the product despite that tells you a lot! I love this one.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream is a lightweight foundation with effective colour correcting pigments, that dries on skin to a semi-matte finish. It is very comfortable to wear and does a very good job at offering light-medium coverage, and to neutralise redness on skin while offering luminosity. I love this despite the awful sweet, fruity scent. The fact I use it and recommend it however, is testament to how much I enjoy it!

PROS: Affordable, Good coverage, Neutralises redness in skin effectively while offering luminosity, Lightweight, Long lasting

CONS: Strong sweet, fruity scent, Product can sometimes ooze out of the tube nozzle once cap is unscrewed

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes wearing a foundation or base with lighter coverage, Anyone who wants a foundation that will neutralise redness in skin while offering some coverage

PRICE: RM55 | £9.99 | AU$25 for 30ml

AVAILABILITY: Watson’s pharmacy (Malaysia), ASOS, Boots, Superdrug, Priceline, most major pharmacies/drugstores worldwide where Bourjois is sold

If you’re interested, here’s the ingredient list for the product:

Aqua (Water), Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Methyl Trimethicone, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Propanediol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Saccharide Isomerate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Bis-Peg/Ppg-14/14 Dimethicone, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylene Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Silica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Lysolecithin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Amyl Cinnamal, Bht,Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Pantolactone, Phenethyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate. [+/- (May Contain):Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Mica, Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens)]

TRIVIA: Up till 2014 when Coty bought over Bourjois, Bourjois used to own Chanel cosmetics. Around that time was when this CC Cream was launched together with the Chanel CC Cream I’ve heard is very good. It does make me wonder if they might be a little similar. Bourjois and Chanel had a history of releasing very similar products. I don’t think they are as closely affiliated any longer, but it has been a long and interesting history!

Have you tried this 123 Perfect CC Cream? Do you use CC Cream?

This one’s been out a while so I’m sure there are many who have tried it – do you like it as well? I don’t use CC Cream in general. I find that many of them tend to be very sheer, acting more like a primer than as a base, but this one really changed my mind. Let me know if you like it too! 😀

Paris B

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About Paris B

Paris B is a 40-something beauty and skincare enthusiast with a practical and very critical view of beauty products and the world of beauty. Her mission on My Women Stuff is to deliver clear, honest reviews and facilitate discussions about beauty trends and life, tempered with a healthy dose of humour. Let the buyer's remorse be ours not yours! When not testing the newest skincare creams and lotions, or playing with makeup, find her testing her culinary skills in the kitchen at Chez PB. Read more about us here or leave a comment below or connect with us on social media at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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18 comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

  1. Christina says

    July 18, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    Have u try for Korean CC? If you dont mind, can share your thought and experience on CC cream. I want to try some, haven’t committed to buy one.

    Thanks Paris.. Love your Blog..

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 19, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      Hi Christina, I’m afraid I haven’t. I’m not a fan of BB or CC Cream in general and especially not Korean brands of BB/CC because I started with those and found their texture did not mesh well with my skin. That said, it was at least 10 years ago and I know they’ve progressed since. But I just haven’t tried any. I always personally recommend using a liquid foundation vs a BB/CC Cream. It just gives you less grief 😛 Thanks for reading anyway, and I hope you find it useful, even if I tend to bash Korean makeup a lot lOL! 😀

      Reply
      • Christina says

        July 20, 2016 at 11:04 am

        Hahaha.. yea.. I love affordable skincare/ makeup.. Thanks for recommendation 🙂

        Reply
  2. Kuri says

    July 18, 2016 at 2:11 pm

    Interesting! Sounds like this might be a good base for me! I’m all about coverage, color correction, and a light texture 🙂

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 19, 2016 at 6:05 pm

      I think you’ll like this! It seriously impresses me 🙂 And it’s not expensive to try!

      Reply
  3. plue says

    July 18, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    the before & after is huge! rm55 is rather affordable, does this come in other shades? bb n cc cream shade selection are usually rather limited and are normally too yellow/ warm for me. hard to find something that matches in terms of shades and undertones!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 19, 2016 at 6:06 pm

      Ooh I forgot to mention that there are other shades. 3 shades in all I believe. And yes, I can’t believe the before/after myself. But looking like death in the before helps haha! 😉 I think if I can find a shade, you should be able too as well. I don’t take well to shades that are too warm/yellow either!

      Reply
  4. shah2031 says

    July 19, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    Ooo i must attest to how good this CC cream is! I’ve been suffering from a bout of dermatitis recently, causing red spots to appear on my face, like a red lobster. This cream is my HG; it managed to hide and tone down the most severe of my red spots and actually make me look more “human”. Love it to bits!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 19, 2016 at 7:23 pm

      So sorry to hear about your dermatitis but glad you have found something that can help even out the skin tone! I swear this one really amazes me each time I wear it. Hope your skin heals soon!

      Reply
  5. Beeromperzlaila says

    July 20, 2016 at 11:18 am

    I have not used the cc before Paris .. but Ive used the other products … Borjouis matte foundation and it is quite ok..full buildable coverage and very light.. I believe that cc creams is a bit lighter coverage right.

    I love the products… because I ve bought it almost 1 year but still I have a lot more left.

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 25, 2016 at 11:11 am

      The CC has slightly less coverage than their foundation but not very much less! I’m serious. It’s as good as a foundation 😀

      Reply
  6. fazr says

    July 22, 2016 at 10:55 am

    yEP!! it’S REALLY GOOD.I’VE BEEN USING IT MORE THAN A YEAR!

    Reply
  7. Marina (Makeup4all) says

    July 24, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    Bourjous foundations are some of the best ones. I have several options and they all are nice. BTW, I don’t mind the scent at all.

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      July 25, 2016 at 11:54 am

      They really are amazing especially for the price! One of the best I’d ever come across, but it is a pity they don’t cater for those with darker skintones

      Reply
  8. Si Yen says

    August 2, 2016 at 9:38 pm

    I’m using the Hera CC Cream City Defense a Korean brand and it’s really good. Good coverage and it’s so lightweight. In addition to that it’s also very natural looking after you’ve worn it. Very lasting too 🙂 So far I’m loving this CC cream brand and I’ve yet to try their cushions yet which I heard such good raves on it too. 🙂

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      August 14, 2016 at 12:45 pm

      Ah I have a Hera cushion somewhere! Thanks for reminding me LOL! 😀 But I haven’t tried any of their other makeup products. I’m curious though coz I never had any luck with Korean BB/CC products!

      Reply
  9. Ismiazhom says

    October 7, 2016 at 10:35 am

    I’m using it too !! I got 33 beige rose.
    I love how this cc cream gives colour correction into my face and smooth result. My face skin looks healthy, radiant. Just Love ittt
    I have combination oily skin. When I apply it is just nice awhile. But after 4 hours, it starts to shine in T zone and ruined. Maybe because I live in tropic weather which higher humidity (I live in Jakarta btw)
    It oxidize a bit and transfer too, be careful !!
    I’m using this cc cream just for daily

    Reply
  10. Stefanie Yau says

    December 22, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    Oh my your freckles are so cute I want to have them!

    Reply

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My Women Stuff by Paris B

Welcome to My Women Stuff, a beauty blog based in Malaysia, written by veteran blogger, Paris B. What you can expect is honesty, critical views & a healthy dose of shared life lessons sprinkled amongst beauty product reviews. What you shouldn't expect is a page filled with unnecessary narcissistic photos. MWS is a blog for those who love to read, because we love to write! Read More about MWS and Paris B

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