So I have delved into my Lucky Box from eopenmarket! One of the main reasons I even ordered the sample box is my quest to find my perfect foundation/BB cream. As you will see below in the the images, I’m pretty pale. I am about a NC10 although I haven’t been officially matched by MAC as the MAC in my area didn’t have any stock lower than a NC20. According to the Sephora skin matching system I am a 3Y01 meaning that I am the lightest shade of pale that their system recognizes and have a yellow undertone. I am inclined to believe this match even though I know that some people have been miss matched with this system. I was matched twice by different people at different locations and both times I had this result. The foundations that matched also looked pretty good both in store and out of store. My problem is that I don’t really want to pay $70+ (CAN$) on a foundation. Thus my journey into asian products, specifically BB creams!

To start, for those of you who do not know as much about asian BB creams compared to north american BB creams, the main difference is the formula and coverage. Simply put, north american BB creams are pretty much tinted moisturizer where as asian BB creams have better coverage and some extra good stuff in their formulas that skin loves. On many asian BB creams you may see the term ‘whitening’, this does not mean it bleaches your skin! So don’t worry about that; I know I had a mini freakout when I read that and had to look into what it meant. If you are worried there are some options that do not have the brightening effect so just read the information on a product carefully before you buy.

Alright! Product time! The products that came with the box were Etude House Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB cream in shade N02, Skin79 BB cream in Purple and Green, and Etude House CC cream in Silky. From previous purchases I have samples of Missha’s Perfect Cover BB cream in shade #13 and Etude House Precious Mineral Cotton Fit BB cream in W13 (Natural Beige).

Swatches:

Natural Lighting

Direct Natural Light (Fig. 1) and Indirect Natural Light (Fig. 2 & 3)

Top to bottom: Etude House CC cream, Skin79 in Purple, Skin79 in Green, Etude House Cotton Fit in W13 (Natural Beige), Etude House Bright Fit in N02, Missha Perfect Cover #13.

Left to right: Skin79 in Green, Etude House Cotton Fit in W13 (Natural Beige), Etude House Bright Fit in N02, Missha Perfect Cover #13.

Left to right: Etude House CC cream, Skin79 in Purple, Skin79 in Green.

Artificial Lighting. Your typical bathroom lighting!

Top to bottom: Etude House CC cream, Skin79 in Purple, Skin79 in Green, Etude House Cotton Fit in W13 (Natural Beige), Etude House Bright Fit in N02, Missha Perfect Cover #13.

Top to bottom: Etude House CC cream, Skin79 in Purple, Skin79 in Green, Etude House Cotton Fit in W13 (Natural Beige), Etude House Bright Fit in N02, Missha Perfect Cover #13.

Top to Bottom: Etude House Cotton Fit in W13 (Natural Beige), Etude House Bright Fit in N02, Missha Perfect Cover #13.

Top to bottom: Etude House CC cream, Skin79 in Purple, Skin79 in Green.

Review:

Missha’s Perfect Cover #13 BB: This one is currently my favourite. I have been able to use it for a couple days and I really like it. The formula just seems to melt into your skin but it provides good coverage. It is build-able for those who want a little extra coverage in some areas and it blends really well. The colour is a perfect match for me and the formula is really smooth. I only need a little bit for my whole face. It looks more pink when it comes out of the tube but it oxidizes a little more orange/yellow.

Etude House Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB cream in N02: This one surprised me with how dark it was. It has a nice smooth formula and blends nicely.

Etude House Precious Mineral Cotton Fit BB cream in W13 (Natural Beige): The colour is quite orange but the tint blends out a fair bit. The formula is smooth and feels nice on the skin, and it blends nicely to provide an even texture. I did find that I needed more of the Etude House BB cream to get the same coverage as the Missha provided so that is something to keep in mind.

Skin79 BB cream in Green: This is a nice light colour with more of a yellow undertone. This is very thick in my opinion and I needed to use more to cover my whole face but it feels really nice on. It doesn’t feel mask like and it does almost melt into the skin. It has a nice creamy texture and provides really good coverage. It does oxidize a little bit darker on my skin so for you pale folks looking for the perfect light colour, keep that in mind.

Skin79 BB cream in Purple: This was the darkest shade out of the bunch. Like the Skin79 Green BB cream, it is very thick but feels nice on the skin; no masky feel. It provides nice coverage and has a creamy texture but you need to use a bit more to cover the whole face area.

Etude House CC cream in Silky: This cream comes out white with little specks in it and changes colour as you rub it onto the skin. For me the colour is a bit too orange but it feels like nothing on your skin! It just melts away while still providing coverage and is super blend able. If this comes in my colour I will definitely be trying it out!

Final Thoughts:

So my favourite overall is the Missha Perfect Cover but this is influenced by the fact that it really matches my skin tone.

I really like the feel of the Etude House CC cream and am hoping to find it in a shade that matches my skin tone.

My least favourite were the Etude House Precious Mineral BB creams. Although they have a really nice for texture and blend well, I felt I had to use more than with the other creams to reach the same coverage.

Please keep in mind that I have combination skin and remember that products work differently for everyone. While I hope these swatches and reviews help you find your perfect match, I can not guarantee what works for me will work for you. Have fun trying things though and let me know anything else you may discover so that I can try it too!

(All reviews and statements are my honest opinions, and all products are purchased by me unless otherwise explicitly stated.)