I think I’ve finally found the BB cream I’ve been searching for: Bobbi Brown BB Cream. Browsing around my “laboratory” — AKA the Sephora on Boylston Street in Boston, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. I picked the brains of a couple of the saleswomen on a couple of products I’m interested in, and then I went off on my own to look around. I ended up at Bobbi Brown. It’s not a brand I usually spend much time at, probably because it can be too restrained for me, lol. For some reason, the BB cream display caught my eye — certainly not because of the packaging: an understated, recessive black tube — but most likely because of the SPF 35. So far, this is the highest sun protection I’ve seen in a BB cream, and that is important to me.
The display had 5 shades of BB cream, Extra Light, Light, Fair, Medium, and Medium to Dark. It seemed like the shades would work for all but the very darkest skintones. I grabbed a tube of “Light” and headed for an unoccupied mirror in what I hoped was a quieter part of the store (the “natural” skincare section since all the action is in makeup, yet I was still interrupted three times by girls grabbing mascara wands or cotton balls).
Because I was in Boston to have my hair colored (the color looks nice and vibrant, don’t you think?), I wasn’t wearing any makeup, though I put on moisturizer in the morning. Other than the fact that I couldn’t wash my face first, it seemed like the right time to try the product. Although the display showed a foundation brush to use along with it, I used my fingers to apply it. The cream was thick but easy to put on, and it didn’t feel heavy on my skin at all. The color match was perfect (a rarity for me). My skin felt smooth and moisturized, and it had a nice finish. It didn’t settle into my lines. It covered my pores. My sun-damage is the torture test, and I’ve given up thinking any product other than a full coverage concealer can cover all my spots. The Bobbi Brown BB Cream covered or toned down most of my spots except for the biggest one near my left temple. I hit that with Smashbox Full Coverage Concealer.
I was very impressed with the Bobbi Brown BB Cream. Because it was $40 (now it’s $46!), and I had already spent a ton on my hair, I didn’t buy it. But I’ll be back! Frankly, I hate to have to wash my face. Eight hours later, I still like it A LOT.
In sum, I’d say this product comes close to a full coverage foundation, but is much easier to apply than a traditional liquid or cream foundation. And the key benefit is that it is a time-saver: it has primer included and maybe even enough moisturizer that I can skip that step, too. For me, the SPF 35 seals the deal. (However, those of you who avoid oxybenzone, a somewhat controversial but common sunscreen ingredient, may wish to pass on this product.)
Has anyone tried Bobbi Brown BB Cream? If you check it out, let me know now it worked for you.
Bobbi Brown BB Cream PRODUCT FACTS:
$40 for 1.35 fl. oz.
Active ingredients (SPF): OCTINOXATE 7.5mL in 100mL, OCTISALATE 4mL in 100mL, OXYBENZONE 2.5mL in 100mL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE 1.1mL in 100mL
Inactive ingredients: wateraquaeau ■ dimethicone ■ butylene glycol ■ phenyl trimethicone ■ pentylene glycol ■ glyceryl stearate ■ behenyl alcohol ■ trioctyldodecyl citrate ■ polymethylsilsesquioxane ■ octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate ■ peg-40 stearate ■ polyglyceryl-10 pentastearate ■ ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer ■ triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract ■ hordeum vulgare (barley) extractextrait d’orge ■ cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract ■ laminaria saccharina extract ■ pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract ■ scutellaria baicalensis root extract ■ polyquaternium-51 ■ acetyl hexapeptide-8 ■ trehalose ■ oryzanol ■ octyldodecyl neopentanoate ■ urea ■ polyglyceryl-6 polyricinoleate ■ propylene glycol laurate ■ glycyrrhetinic acid ■ tocopheryl acetate ■ sucrose ■ glycerin ■ sodium stearoyl lactylate ■ caffeine ■ linoleic acid ■ cholesterol ■ lecithin ■ squalane ■ sodium pca ■ isopropyl titanium triisostearate ■ propylene glycol stearate ■ stearic acid ■ polysorbate 20 ■ sorbitan laurate ■ xanthan gum ■ aluminum hydroxide ■ sodium hyaluronate ■ silica ■ disodium edta ■ pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate ■ sodium dehydroacetate ■ chlorphenesin ■ phenoxyethanol ■ [+/- mica ■ titanium dioxide (ci 77891) ■ zinc oxide (ci 77947) ■ iron oxides (ci 77491, ci77492, ci 77499)]
Available at upscale department stores, Sephora and online at Amazon and other makeup outlets
Thanks for your review. I should look into this.
PS- your hair looks great!!!
Yes, next time you’re at the mall, try it and let me know what you think. And thanks for the compliment on my hair 😉
I’m glad to know this! I got a sample of Urban Decay’s BB cream, but realized after I put it on that it’s a glorified primer, not a substitute for foundation! Makes a nice under-layer for liquid foundation, but I’d rather have both in one.
P. S. Your hair is gorgeous!
That’s interesting, Kim, about the Urban Decay BB. A friend just commented on this post via LinkedIn about a BB called Miracle Skin Treatment that she described as “translucent, non tinted”. Though that fits with the “naked” trend in makeup including foundation, I’m not sure what the benefit is. Just buy moisturizer with SPF, right? Thanks for the compliment on my hair, lol!
I am actually just curious about your awesome eyebrows! Can you tell me what you use to get them to match your hair color so well? I also have red hair and finding an eyebrow shadow or pencil in a color that isn’t “off” is nearly impossible to do! Yours look fabulous!
Lara, you have found me out, lol! I get my hair colored at Vidal Sassoon Salon, and my colorist does my eyebrows too 😉 That day, I had just had my hair and eyebrows re-red-ed! The color on my brows fades a little over the month and becomes blonder, so I sometimes supplement them with brow pencil from Anastasia
Oh Darn! The search continues! Thanks for getting back to me though. And do give compliments to your colorist – really does an amazing job!
Thanks, Lara! Sassoon does a great job with color. The Anastasia pencil is pretty good. I keep meaning to look for the old school For Redheads Only brand & see if it still exists and if they have an eyebrow product