Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream Review

So recently, Anna and I did some major shopping (I will soon be posting a haul video). Anna and I are on foundation overload these days trying to pick products that will look nice on our skin tone. I am particularly concerned about finding a product that isn't too heavy since summer is right around the corner (at least in the desert!) and I hate melting makeup and the sensation of feeling like I have makeup on. Long story short: I decided to try Maybelline's BB cream.

I've wanted to try BB creams for a long time since the are supposedly lightweight formulas that give the wearer the "I'm not wearing any makeup" feeling. The sad part is that not many brands that make BB creams produce shades that are dark enough for most South Asian or African women. It makes sense on one hand since the creams are an Asian cult favorite that are supposed to whiten the wearers skin. On the other hand, it make no sense for AMERICAN companies to make a cream that a large population of women cannot use. Maybelline is one of the few that makes a shade that I can wear. I wear their "Deep" shade which is the darkest shade they have. This is great news for me, but it saddens me that there is a whole range of skin tones after me that has NO BB cream option. PLEASE FIX THIS!!!!

Anyway, the shade is a perfect match on me and lasts all day. It even feels like I have no makeup on which is the highlight of the entire product for me. Ok, maybe not. I like that it has sunscreen built into it. One less thing I have to think about in the morning which allows me to hit the snooze button on the alarm a few more times. The only down side I can foresee is that some people (Anna!) hate titanium dioxide in their beauty products. I will see if she can give us the pros and cons of titanium dioxide in another post. I don't mind titanium dioxide in my beauty products, mostly because I have never done personal research on it's effects and I like to do my own research before I decide if an ingredient is good/bad. 

The benefits of the cream in the picture are what Maybelline claims the cream does. The only thing I might disagree with is "blurs imperfections". I've been using this cream for two days now (I'll keep you guys posted on the long term), but I can still see my scar under my nose both with and without the cream. 

The final thing I wanted to tell you about this cream is that it makes me look oily on camera. I don't know if this is a) Haylee looks bad on camera/thinks she looks bad on camera b) I am applying this cream wrong c) it makes people look oily on camera. Just a thought for you guys. But if the answer is (b) please let me know so I can fix this ASAP.   

Yay! It's Friday! Enjoy your weekend. Any fun plans? My mom is visiting for Easter! XOXO,

Haylee

Clinique Favorites

Since it is summer time, I figured it is the perfect time to review my favorite Clinique brand products since one of the products is a sunscreen I use all the time.

Clinique SPF 50 with Solar Smart body cream-I love this suncreen because it is not as greasy as the standard drugstore sunscreens and works just as well. I was really excited about this since my boyfriend never wears sunscreen/lotion due to their greasy nature and, I had finally found something he agreed to try on. Between you and me, I think he likes it. :) The sunscreen also does not have a scent and (even better!) it does not have the overpowering "suncreen" smell that most sunscreens are notorious for having. Although the product I have is a body cream, I use it on my face as well and have never had any breakouts. However, if you are prone to breakouts you might be better off trying the face cream version of this sunscreen that Clinique also sells.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus-This product is a bit pricey at around $70 a bottle, but I think it is well worth the splurge. The product is marketed as a wrinkle and UV damage corrector; I bought it to try and get rid of my forehead wrinkles. Although I have not seen any effect on my wrinkles (since I have not finished using the product for the recommended four weeks yet), I have noticed a dramatic diffference in the overall state of my face. I started using the product at a time when my skin was looking particularly awful. I had been on a trip to Europe and had neglected to take care of my skin. As a result I had a few pimples and some dark spots from pimple scarring. The Laser Focus cream eliminated my breakouts, erased my dark spots, gave my skin a healthy glow, and made my skin baby soft. I was pleasantly surprised to wake up one morning and find that I felt like I had a face equivalent to a fashion model. I really did not need to wear makeup thanks to how great my skin looked.

The product does have an interesting application, however. The bottle comes with a dropper so that you can apply the serum to your face twice a day. I apply the serum once a day and drop the serum directly on my face. Other people I know prefer to mix the drops in with their moisturizer. In all fairness, I should warn you that for the first few days when you try the product, your skin might break out. Mine did, but cleared up after a few days. During this time, I never stopped using the product. Also the instructions that come with the product say that it is important to wear sunscreen and shield your skin from the sun while using the product which I did as well to prevent "sun exposure breakouts."

Finally, remember that I currently have a beauty giveaway going for some Julep and Smashbox products. The winner will come from one of my first 100 followers so click on the right hand panel under Followers to join the site! :)

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what Clinique products would you bring along?

Haylee :)