Maybelline Dream Fresh BB

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about the newest face base product that has hit the North American market: the BB cream. In a nutshell, these “blemish balms” or “beauty balms” that are widely popular in Asia promise to deliver a more even skin tone as well as a slew of skincare benefits.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB / Marcelle BB Cream

If you have a tan or deeper skin like me (about MAC NC40 and deeper), BB creams might not have caught your attention yet because well, there aren’t many options for us out there. But there are options, and I must say they are pretty great!

Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker and Medium to Dark

Marcelle BB Cream ($22.95 for 45 mL) was the first Canadian-made BB cream with two shades, Light to Medium and Medium to Dark back in January 2012. Recently, a third shade — Dark to Darker – was added to the lineup (available exclusively online at Marcelle.com). Marcelle BB Cream promises to:

Minimize the appearance of imperfections and pores
Even out skin tone
Provide an excellent make-up base and replaces primers
Mattify skin and controls shine
Offer immediate and long-term hydrating benefits
Soothe and calm skins
Protect from premature aging and environmental stresses
Promote skin regeneration

If you are really keen on streamlining your skincare and makeup regimen, then Marcelle BB Cream is a good bet. Depending on your skin type, this product may replace your moisturizer, primer and foundation. Dry-to-normal skin types will still need a moisturizer. This has the most coverage of all BB creams I’ve tried thus far; it is one I would liken to a tinted moisturizer with a medium coverage. The consistency is thick; it’s like 50% silicone primer and 50% liquid foundation formula. It is oil-free and paraben-free. Oh, and it dispenses product with airless-tube pump! It is heaven-sent for the germaphobes, am I right? It also makes it feel more luxurious.

I disagree with its claim of having a weightless feel on the skin, though. I find that with my fingers, I really have to work to spread this all over my skin. Besides that aspect, I really like Marcelle BB Cream. It dries to a semi-matte finish, provides shine control and evens out my skin tone nicely. A little goes a long way with this one. The Dark to Darker isn’t really a match for me yet.

Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker and Medium to Dark — swatches

Wearing Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker (before / after)

Bottom line: Marcelle BB Cream is a fantastic multi-tasker. It is truly a moisturizer, primer and foundation in one. If you’re a regular foundation wearer, you’ll probably like it. Good for all skin types, but oily skin types will especially appreciate its shine control properties.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 in Medium/Deep and Deep

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 ($10.99 for 30 mL) launched in June 2012, with an impressive lineup of 5 shades (Light, Light/Medium, Medium, Medium/Deep and Deep). Maybelline Dream Fresh BB boasts the following benefits:

Helps prevent sunburn with SPF 30
Helps blur the look of imperfections
Creates a natural looking glow
Skin looks visibly smoother
Compliments skin tone
Hydrates all day
Feels fresh
Oil-free

While some of these benefits are repetitive and redundant (blurs imperfections = visibly smoother looking skin), I do appreciate the SPF 30 BB cream. Dude! An SPF 30 mineral sunscreen BB? That’s totally unheard of. I’m already a fan. This feels runny like a regular liquid foundation. This is considerably smaller than Marcelle’s, so don’t be fooled by the low price tag. I appreciate the light feel of this especially on very hot and humid days. I love that it doesn’t feel silicone-y! Recently I’ve become weary of heavily silicone-based products, as I more and more often get random zits popping up on my face. That said, I prefer the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB for my skin type (normal) and this weather (hot, humid and all-around gross).

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 in Medium/Deep and Deep — swatches

Wearing Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Medium/Deep (before / after)

Bottom line: This BB cream is perfect for the sun-conscious, thanks to its titanium dioxide sunscreen. The coverage is surprisingly good (it covers minor redness). I am in love with the light dewy formula for summer, but it may look overly shiny on oily skin types (may I suggest Cover FX Matte FX?). Makeup newbies will appreciate the lightness of this BB cream. It really does feel like nothing!

For those who are interested, here are the two darkest shades from both brands to show you the difference in undertones. The Maybelline has a more golden tone, while the Marcelle is just brown.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Deep / Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker — swatches