To BB or Not to BB

I am a big fan of things that can cover many bases. For example, middle school me was loving the Marc Jacobs Daisy ring with hidden perfume under the gaudy surface. Part perfume, part obnoxious cocktail ring! Win-win. Not that I could ever rock them, but those Reef flip flops with the bottle opener in the bottom? Brilliant.

as gaudy as a New Jersey housewife...dark times in middle school

That's when I discovered tinted moisturizers and "BB" creams, I was immediately excited. I still am iffy on the logistical differences between the two, but in my opinion, it's irrelevant. I have tested enough to know which to continue using, and which to toss!

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I started by using the Aveeno tinted moisturizer about 6 months ago, and I think I would give it a 7.5/10. The lotion itself tended to clump in the pump (unintentional but awesome rhyme), and I felt that the moderate coverage it provided tended to wilt away within a few hours of application. However, the product did not, in any way, clog my pores or make me feel like my skin was suffocating. I actually felt like my skin quality improved while using this brand, regardless of its non-BB label.

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Next, I tried the Garnier Fructics BB creme, and used this for approximately 4 months. It's score would probably be in the 7/10 range. The coverage was awesome, and you honestly would not need anything but maybe powder in terms of foundation on a daily basis. However, I found that my skin, which has always been somewhat dry, has never been more oily. I actually used those blotting papers that Sephora tricks you into buying in the lane before the register! I also found that initially, my skin began improving and evening out in tone and texture, yet after a while, I began to break out in small patches that are probably just clogged pores. Not good.

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The next BB I tried was the CoverGirl BB creme. On this made-up scale I have created, I would rate it a 5/10. It's light, and did not clog my pores or make me very oily. However, it did not provide much coverage at all, and made my skin look somewhat grey and dull. Also, this is not quite a deal-breaker, but I just did not like the way the lotion felt in my hand before I put it on. It felt like a grainy cream and I was initially hesitant to put it on my face at all.

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Finally, I have recently tried the Arbonne tinted moisturizer, and this would be, by far, the worst in my opinion. The make-up itself gives somewhat good coverage.........aaaand yep that's the only good thing I can say about it! The cream is heavy, and feels like stage makeup, even though it is simply a tinted moisturizer! The lotion makes me very oily and clogs my pores indefinitely. It also is difficult to actually spread on my face, as it is so heavy it seems to snag on my skin. No no no.

So, moral of the story is I haven't found a BB cream/tinted moisturizer that I absolutely love yet, and yet being the operative word! I have high hopes for the L'Oreal brand, and I will be trying it soon!