Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream

I have wanted to try out a B.B. cream for what feels like forever.  I was recently invited to a BzzAgent campaign to try out this product.  It is the new Garnier B.B. cream.   When accepting the campaign, you had to select your color.  I chose the light-medium.  

On that note, the colors they offer are light-medium, medium-deep, and deep.  I think they should have created one further color: light.   I say this because I am quite fair and this one is just a bit too dark on my skin and gives an orange cast.  I wouldn't say it is quite to the point of being Oompa Loompa skin, but you can tell there is a difference in the coloring of my face.  I'm hoping it will work perfectly in the summer, once I have a bit of color.

Upon initial application, I will say it smooths on with ease.  It feels nice on the skin, too.  It isn't quite as light as a moisturizer, but not as heavy as a typical foundation.  It is somewhere in the middle.  The coverage is light to medium.  I can see some blemish areas still and would definitely need to use a concealer. 

I have been using my e.l.f flat top synthetic powder brush.  That really buffs the product into my face and makes it look natural.  I do think this is the type of product that can be applied perfectly well with your hands, too, especially if you are on the go.

I noticed that this will cling to any dry patches.  While my skin is very oily, I have been experiencing some dry patches around my nose.  Those areas were highlighted with this B.B. Cream on. 

It does mattify as it claims.  I didn't set it with a powder and several hours in I still looked fine. For this reason, I think this will be amazing for in the summer.  I will be able to get some coverage but at the same time not worry that I am turning into a big ball of shine.

THE FACTS*:

• three shades: light-medium, medium-deep, and deep
• absorbent formula contains mineral Perlite, which retains twice its weight in oil and water to control shine
• formulated with sheer natural mineral pigments, so you get a smooth, flawless finish
• non-comedogenic 
• non-acnegenic
• oil free
• price: $12.99

Fast Forward to Quite A Few Uses Later:

I found that if I didn't set this, I would start to see shine a few hours in. I think the first day I wore it, it must have been a chillier day, thus my face was dryer, thus it stayed matte much longer.  I like the way that it looks when I first put it on because while it reduces shine, initially, it doesn't look flat and artificial.  It still looks like skin.   I wish it held up longer on my skin, but it still isn't horrible.  I will need to wear powder to keep it lasting and looking fresh longer, though.

I definitely feel that the color is too dark for me.  It is only just a shade or two too dark, but it is enough that at my palest I can tell.  I have to use a bronzer to get things to match up on my neck, just cause I don't want to slather this all the way down my neck.   I'm still holding hope that as summer rolls in and I darken a bit, it will match perfectly.

I didn't have any issues with breaking out or clogged pores.  Obviously, this is just my experience and everyone's skin is different.  But, I'm pleased that it worked well with my skin.

When I wore this over minor blemishes, it covered just fine.  However, if I had a more angry blemish, you could still see it coming through the B.B. cream, so I did have to conceal.  On my "better skin days" this worked like a charm.

So, my final thought.  Do I believe this is a product worth while?  Actually, I do.  I would be very pleased to have this in a perfect matching shade, however.  Though I do have oiliness after several hours (if I don't powder), it holds up better than other liquid foundations (yes, I know this isn't an actual liquid foundation).

*information from the BzzGuide provided in this campaign

**Product received for free through the BzzAgent Garnier B.B. cream campaign.  All opinions are my own.

Neutrogena Hand Cream

I was recently invited into another BzzAgent campaign.  This time, it was for Neutrogena Hand Cream.  I was quite excited for this one because, with it being winter, my hands and nails tend to get quite dry.  I am always up for trying a new product.

This hand cream is fragrance free and claims to heal very chapped, dry hands. The back actually says, "It is so concentrated that only a small amount instantly leaves even dry, cracked hands noticeably softer and smoother after just once application.  Used daily, it helps prevent dry, chapped skin; used overnight, it heals dry skin-even under the harshest of conditions."  Those are some lofty claims!  I'll admit, I am always skeptical when I read things like that on a box.   The box goes on to say, "It started with Norwegian fishermen.  Faced with some of the harshest, coldest weather on earth, they used a formula that delivers concentrated levels of glycerin to dry, chapped skin providing immediate and lasting relief.  Five years of independent clinical testing confirmed what the fishermen knew all along-Norwegian Formula Hand Cream consistently outperformed other products.  Today, the Norwegian Formula product line includes a variety of body, hand and foot moisturizers to meet your individual dry skin needs."

At the current moment, my hands aren't too horrible, but I still wanted to try this cream out.  I will agree that, immediately, I noticed a difference. My hands felt like they were softer, less dry, and almost silky.  The texture reminded me of a gel face primer.  It even has that gel-like look.  When you squirt it out, it doesn't look like a white cream, as you'd expect it to appear.  

For something that is supposed to be very moisturizing, it strikes me as odd that the third ingredient is an alcohol. I would really have liked to see that lower on the ingredient list, as the order they appear tells you what is mostly made up of.  The first two are water and glycerin, which I can appreciate. Another thing to take note of is that this seems to be loaded with parabens and sulfates. So, if you are trying to avoid products with those ingredients, this is one that will go on your "to avoid" list. 

You only need a tiny bit of this cream. I squirt about a pea to a pea and a half sized amount out onto my hand and rub that in.  That is the perfect amount.  Any more than that and you will be trying to work it up the arms to get it to rub in.  They aren't kidding when they say you only need a tiny bit. The box, again, says, "Just a little goes a long way.  This 2 oz tube contains over 200 applications."   Impressive, but to be determined later. I have definitely not tried to apply this 200 times as of yet. 

Something that caught my attention when reading up on this was that they say you can use this elsewhere.  You don't just have to use this on the expected body parts (hands and heels).  They say you can even use it on your lips!  In fact, they say, "Use it on your elbows, knees, face and lips-anywhere your dry skin needs extra help".  Whoa!  What?  Face and lips?   

I don't think I'll be trying it on my face, but I am pleased to announce it does work pretty darned well on the lips.  I had to adjust to the feeling of it, though.  I applied it and expected the feeling of a chapstick or balm...  you know, a bit of slip when I smack and rub my lips together.  This doesn't do that.  It is actually kind of sticky.  Not, gloopy sticky, but in the way that if you pressed your lips together, they sort of rolled and peeled away from each other.  The best comparison I can think of is if you were to apply Elmer's stick glue onto your fingers, wait for it to become slightly tacky, and then squish your fingers into one another. It is a lot like that.  By itself, it is rather strange.  But, I can see it being a good base under lipsticks.  The tacky texture of it would probably grip to the lips and the product you apply over the top.  It creates a sort of barrier, like a primer would.  Alone, while my lips no longer feel uncomfortable, exactly.... I like the feel of standard balms and chapsticks.  I feel like they pump actual moisture into the lips and the slick texture I am used to. This product, I feel, creates more of a protective barrier more so than hydrating. 

After doing a manicure, I did notice that if I applied this and concentrated on the nails and cuticles, it definitely helped to make the skin look more smooth. I can definitely appreciate this, especially this winter.  I wear lotion every day on my hands, but sometimes immediately after redoing my nails, the skin will look dry. That really shows up in macro shots of the manicure, too.  This absolutely helps in that area. 

My Bzz kit came with a full sized tube along with several half ounce tubes to pass out.  I have already given one to my mother and sister because they both suffer from dry skin in the winter....even more so than myself.  We'll see how it works out for them, though. 

This product is available in most stores, either in the pharmacy section or beauty.   The typical price for a 2 oz tube is $4.99.  Not too bad at all, especially if you consider it is supposed to be good for over 200 applications.  You can purchase it in the original formulation or fragrance free. 

*Product received for free through the BzzAgent.com website and the Neutrogena campaign.  All opinions are my own.