This is a bit of a "retro" BB cream that hails from the Glory Days of the Skin79 Hot Pink furor, when Skin79 started experimenting with some new formulations of BB cream. Nowadays, there are so many brands and formulas of BB (and CC) creams that's it's hard to imagine a time when your choices were more limited!
The main points of the Orange BB was to provide more coverage than its Hot Pink predecessor, along with better oil control and meant for 'troubled' skin. (That's polite Korean-speak for ACNE UP IN HERE!) I've heard people describe it as being more "foundation-like" in its intent, but in my case I purchased it because it was recommended as the best match to an NC15 skin and I liked the high sun protection.
Read on for my thoughts on how this BB cream rates against the Hot Pink and my favourite Mizon Snail BB.
Details:
Full product name: Skin79 Orange Vita Super Plus Triple Function Beblesh Balm Cream. It's actually "Functions" but that gives me OCD vapours.
Purpose: It's a BB cream. In case you are one of the few who are not familiar with BB creams (in which case I salute your beginning of a magical beauty journey) BB creams are a combination of skincare, sun protection, and pigment that bear little to no resemblance to western 'tinted moisturizers'.
Scent: Mild, definitely tinges of plant extracts, doesn't linger. Surprisingly minimal SPF scent, considering it's got such a high sun protection rating.
Texture: More fluid than my Skin79 Hot Pink and Missha, not as fluid as my Mizon Snail BB cream. When applied to the face, it's fairly thick (due to the higher pigment content) but blends out easily.
Finish: More matte than most BB creams, which have a very dewy finish, but not 'matte' by western standards. So semi-matte at best. Does look more natural than foundations but doesn't have that "I'm not wearing any makeup" look that BB creams are capable of giving you.
Coverage: Heavier than most BB creams, I use this when I have an epic breakout that I am going to have to use concealer to cover, and I might as well go for broke and break out the closest thing I have to a foundation.
Sun protection: Very high, especially for a BB cream. It's SPF 50+ with PA+++.
Quantity: A generous 40g.
Availability: All over the place, but Skin79 is famous for fakes, so buy it from a vendor you trust. I got mine from prettyandcute.com but it's readily available at any vendor that carries BB creams.
Price: Varied depending on where you get it. P&C has it on special this week for $26, normally $35. I'd say anything $20-40ish, but if you're buying it from somewhere that's so cheap it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Rating: 3.5/5, because I have turned into a BB cream snob. It's not bad, but it doesn't make me hear angels.
Repurchase: No, because a little goes a long way and I can't see running out of it before it goes off.
Full Review:
So although this BB cream is not up to the standards of modern day BB creams which have all sorts of gimmicks and special features (like the snaily goodness of my Mizon Snail BB Cream reviewed here), I don't regret purchasing it (at a premium from a US seller no less) as it has its uses and I still do wear it.
This was one of my first BB creams, purchased after I tried out a slew of samples from prettyandcute, most of which were way too dark for me. (See my megaswatch post here) I was also very nervous about committing to a product that might result in my skin freaking out, as that had been a constant in all attempts to make friends with foundation.
I asked them what they would recommend, and making a guess on what my Mac foundation colour would be, and what I wanted from my BB cream, they recommended this one. The Mac colour was difficult because I bewailed in my post on my reasons for starting this blog, I hadn't worn foundation in years and lived 6+ hours away from a Mac store.
I did know I wanted lots of protection against the desert sun, and at the time, I thought I had oily acne-prone skin that didn't like to be moisturized. BB cream started me off on a skincare journey that eventually taught me that my skin isn't oily, it's sensitive and hopelessly combination with a preference for hydration over traditional moisturizers, and of course all this discovery prompted this blog in the process.
Starting off with the impressions of the packaging; in a sea of tubs, jars, and squeeze tubes, there's something so satisfying about having a container that feels substantial and has a dispenser designed with both hygiene and control in mind. The container, while plastic, has a solid and hefty feel, and sits stably on the counter without toppling over from top-heaviness at every freaking opportunity. If you have a BB collection, you know exactly what I am talking about.
It's easy to pump out too much at first, but it's very controllable and I use perhaps a half a pump to a full pump to cover my entire face. I use a full pump if I am using a beauty blender sponge (guest review here) because the sponge does soak up a bit of product.
Below I'll be detailing my observations on colour, coverage, ease of application, wear, finish, and effect on my skin, along with swatches.
That's probably a relief, because you're probably thinking "Shut up about the package and show me some swatches already" and I did try to prepare some, but my efforts to show how well it covers in comparison to others resulted in an unholy mix of BB cream and black ink on my hand. Such a fail. Ah well, here they are:
I took pictures in both direct sun and in the shade with a few of my other BB creams, to compare texture and colour. I have included a strip of Mac's Studio Fix concealer in NC15 as a colour reference.
Far left: Skin79 Hot Pink Super Plus Beblesh Balm
Centre left: Skin79 Orange Super Plus Beblesh Balm
Centre right: Mizon Snail Repair Blemish Balm (reviewed here)
Far right: Missha M Perfect BB Cream in #13 Milky Beige
As you can see, the Skin79 Hot Pink is a lot darker than the others, and in fact I'd say the Skin79 Orange is definitely on the lighter range of BB creams in general. Not only is the Hot Pink darker, it also oxidizes darker over time, which the Orange does not.
In terms of coverage, you can see (from the sadly ink-smudged swatches, please remember that it's really not this grey! >_< ) that the Skin79 Orange does in fact have stronger coverage than the others, even the Missha M which has pretty high coverage.
Each BB cream is blended in a stripe directly below it, with the photo taken immediately after so please be advised the Skin79 Hot Pink will be even darker once it oxidizes.
What's interesting is that even though the Skin79 Hot Pink and the Missha M both have thicker consistencies, the Skin79 Orange still has a heavier coverage than either.
In terms of wear, the Skin79 has decent staying power in comparison to other BB creams, but definitely not a replacement for foundation + powder. Once I get sweaty and hot (as in, I walk outside) it doesn't immediately break like foundations would, so I feel there is some weight to their claim of it being oily skin-friendly but I'd come prepared to powder if you're planning a long day or night out. It does feel heavier than some BB creams I have tried, but it's not that horrible suffocating feeling you get with a foundation. It doesn't sink into the skin as easily as my Mizon Snail BB, so if you're too heavy-handed you may find it moves around a bit.
The finish of BB creams is notoriously dewy by our standards, but this BB cream is more matte than most. It does still have a small amounts of reflective particles in it but nothing like the "just spent 30 minutes in a sauna" ultra shiny look that's so popular in Korea and therefore in their BB creams.
After washing off the ink, I re-swatched with just the Studio Fix NC15 (left) and the Skin79 Orange (right), to show the colour a little more clearly.
One of the interesting things about the Skin79 Orange is it was designed to solve the 'grey cast' that early BB creams were famous for (inlcuding the Hot Pink) and that it was supposed to have a more beige/yellow undertone. That's definitely true in my experience, but I don't find it to be overly yellow provided I blend properly when I apply it.
If you're thinking that it's more yellow than the NC15 Studio fix, that would be correct. Still, I don't have any issues with it looking noticeably yellow on me, it just seems to tone down the redness in my face and it blends into my neck just fine.
You have to be careful how you apply it, because one of the serious downsides to this BB cream is that it clings to dry skin so if you have dry patches or healing blemishes, you need to be really careful. I assume it's a side effect of the "oil control" and "acne fighting" properties, because it can be quite drying.
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Application wise, I have used my fingers, foundation brushes, and a beauty blender dupe sponge. Between the tendency to highlight dry skin, the thicker consistency, and the strong yellow pigmentation, I prefer to use the sponge so I can get a nice even blend and finish. In the picture below, the top half is blended with the sponge and the bottom half is with my fingers, and although it may not be obvious on film, the difference in the finish is noticeable in person. The half blended with my fingers sits on top of the skin and looks more obvious, and the half blended with the sponge looks more natural.
Left is the Studio Finish NC15 concealer, top right is blended with the sponge, bottom right is with fingers. |
A quick note on coverage: I have a big red patch in the centre of my hand here from scrubbing off the ink, but as you can see, the BB cream covers it just fine.
Last thing is how it performed in terms of skincare benefits: it does more than the Skin79 Hot Pink or the Missha M, but it's nowhere near the soothing, babying powers of the Mizon Snail BB. It did not irritate my skin or make existing blemishes worse, despite how thick it is. I do love the super high sun protection as well.
Final thoughts:
I think there are other BB creams that can do the same as this one, but better, however you don't normally see a heavier coverage BB that also has a high sun protection and is acne-friendly. In my case, I prefer to trade off coverage for skin benefits and sun protection. Although I will not repurchase this BB cream, I will continue to use it semi-regularly until it's either used up or goes bad.
Leave me a comment below with your thoughts on this BB cream if you've tried it, or your favourite summertime BB cream.
All the best,
-Cat
**Disclaimer: All products reviewed/mentioned in my blog, are 100% purchased with my own money, with a single exception of a press sample I tested & reviewed in 2015 which swore me off of them forever. This blog contains both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and clicking the former before you shop means that this blog may receive a small commission to assist in this blog supporting itself. Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.
Love the review - I bought this because it sorta matched my skintone (uh, sorta? much better than most pink-toned or heavily grey toned bbs anyhow), but I probably used it 3x and gave up. It lives on as a paperweight. It really does cling to dry patches (I didn't know I had any!) and it's very drying, and it also slides off my face no matter what primer I use. Ugh! Can't recommend this one.
ReplyDeleteDo you apply with a beauty blender sponge, or something else? I found that the sponge made a huge difference, because applying the product at a 90 degree angle (instead of sweeping it on) really helped with how it worked on dry skin and blemishes. I should also add that my dry skin issues have mostly been eliminated between a good moisturizing routine and the summer weather :)
DeleteWow!! One of the most detailed review I have seen amongst the bloggers!! Great job!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you have access to the CC creams in Asia. It's the latest craze after the BB creams. I have been a huge fan of the BB creams but the moment I started using CC creams.... I can't go back anymore. Give it a whirl - you might just like it! :-)
Hi! I am actually testing Mizon's CC cream right now, which I got in my recent mega haul post. :)
DeleteThanks for the feedback! I try to make sure I've thoroughly tested out any product before I review it, because one of my pet peeves is trying to research a product and only finding reviews that can be summed up as "Here's a product *picture* it looks like this *picture* and I liked/didn't like it." I need details!
I buy my bb cream from roseroseshop which is always around $15 a bottle. I trust roseroseshop b/c reviews are good for them. I've used gold label and loved it better than the pink one. Want to try a new one, I am deciding between oriental gold and orange.
ReplyDelete