e.l.f. Studio BB Cream {Review}
Overview
Rating: 5/5 stars ★★★★★
Price: $6 USD
Shades Available: 6 shades
Weight: 1.7 oz
Where to Buy: In Target stores, online at eyeslipsface.com
The long-awaited e.l.f. Studio BB Cream has arrived. This product is the main reason I decided to make my holiday order early during the 50% off Studio sale, instead of Cyber Monday, to avoid it cancelling on me.
I was worried that when I did finally try the BB Cream that it would not live up to my expectations. I’ve been disappointed with two other BB creams I’ve purchased. So…does it live up to the anticipation caused by the year long wait? In a word, yes.
This $6 BB cream by e.l.f. isn’t just a bargain, it’s a quality product.
Originally, I thought this would be a $3 e.l.f. Studio product, like the Studio Tinted Moisturizer (my review here) or Studio Maximum Coverage Concealer. In hindsight, that was a silly assumption. With BB creams all the rage, selling one at $6 makes much more economical sense.
The crazy thing is that it’s still a bargain—especially for vegans, where the next least expensive option is still twice the price of the e.l.f. Studio BB Cream.
Packaging
The box packaging is all plastic, instead of the usual cardstock e.l.f. likes to use. The back has one of those peel off ingredient sticker with the sunscreen ingredients on the outside and the rest on the inside.
Box packaging for the e.l.f. Studio BB Cream
The BB Cream arrives in a newly designed Studio packaging. It’s rather nondescript, with just “e.l.f. Studio” on the front and nothing anywhere else. With how long this product was in production, it seems like they could have jazzed it up. The shade sticker can be found on top of the cap.
The packaging is a long, black tube—similar to the other e.l.f. Studio face products—with a pump dispenser and crystal plastic cap.
Back of the e.l.f. Studio BB Cream
There are some issues with controlling how much product the pump dispenses. It can put out a lot if you’re not careful.
Formulation
I haven’t tried any of the drugstore BB creams since there aren’t any vegan options, so I don’t have a lot to compare it to. The Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer (review here) I have was originally marketed as a tinted moisturizer, and the Lavera Beauty Balm (review here) is okay, but two shades too dark, pricey, and lacks sun protection . My Flower BB Cream has super heavy coverage and is very difficult to work with (I’ve found using a blending sponge helps tons).
The BB Cream by e.l.f., on the other hand, is well rounded: light coverage, moisturizing, evens skin tone, and offers sun protection. As a bonus, there are no added parabens or mineral oil.
It has the creamy consistency somewhere between that of the Yes to Grapefruit CC Cream (review here) that I love, and the Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer. And unlike the e.l.f. Studio Tinted Moisturizer, it doesn’t turn orange, even though it contains 20 SPF. I’m of the strong opinion that BB Creams need to have sun protection.
This product has light to medium coverage. It will cover minor blemishes and faint redness. If you have these concerns, you may choose to either use additional concealer, or use the BB Cream as a base for a foundation product.
I needed another product shot to break up this wall of text…
There is sun protection in this product, with a rating of SPF 20. It does not contain natural sunscreen, but the ingredients oxybenzone, octisalate, and octinoxate.
The finish is somewhere between satin and dewy. I’ve mostly used it without powder and have been fine. The time I did use powder I had have some issues with tightness, so dry skin sufferers beware. I only used moisturizer that time, so it may have made a difference if I had used an additional serum, like argan oil, underneath.
A major drawback to this product is the scent. It’s like a very masculine perfume. I looked at the ingredients and couldn’t see any fragrance listed, but it’s extremely similar to that of the Flawless Finish Foundation.
Shade
I bought the Studio BB Cream in Fair, the lightest shade. I was concerned it wouldn’t work with my neutral-warm skin tone because it looked really pink online. Even though it’s named Fair, it’s very similar, if not identical, to the e.l.f. Studio Porcelain shade. I compared it to other e.l.f. Studio face products and it matches with the HD Mattifying Cream Foundation, Flawless Finish Foundation and Maximum Coverage Concealer in Porcelain.
e.l.f. Studio Face Swatches: BB Cream (Fair), Tinted Moisturizer (Porcelain),
HD Mattifying Cream Foundation (Porcelain), and Flawless Finish Foundation (Porcelain)
There are only six shades, so it is unlikely that there are enough to cover everyone.
Application
I like to use one of those weird looking blending sponges to apply the BB Cream. I pump out a small amount of product directly onto the blending sponge, dot it all over my face, then blend the BB Cream out.
You can also wet the blending sponge if you have dryness issues or just want a smoother application.
Images
Final Thoughts
Pros: Light and creamy consistency, no added fragrance, paraben/mineral oil free, moisturizing, contains sun protection, evens skin tone, light to medium coverage, very economically priced
Cons: Off-putting scent, some may not approve of the chemical sunscreen protection, not enough shades, lacks aesthetic packaging, contains dimethicones
e.l.f. has created a quality product with their BB Cream. I’m not sure why it took so long to release, but I’m glad I’ve finally gotten an opportunity to try it.
If there is a suitable (or near suitable) shade for you, I highly suggest you buy it. At $6, it’s definitely worth a shot.
Can’t wear that on winter skin – too orange :S
I use it under my mineral foundation to hide the flaw.
Check this, is your pic http://www.iherb.com/E-L-F-Cosmetics-BB-Cream-SPF-20-Sunscreen-Pump-Applicator-Fair-0-96-fl-oz-28-5-ml/63114
Hmm, it is. I have my blog under a Creative Commons license so my photos show up in various places around the Internet, but this photo doesn’t appear to properly attributed. Very unexpected from iHerb. Thanks for letting me know.
It would be nice if shades were available for women of color.