I always heard Hanskin is the first brand to make BB creams. I know this doesn't mean they are good at it, but it's still very tempting to try to "forefather" of BB creams. Also, if you google BB cream images, this tube is the first thing that comes up. Kimoko also mentioned that this BB cream has the best healing properties. I need no more reasons to convince myself to buy this particular tube.
My friend Julia says this is the little black dress of BB creams, something that's so classic that it will always be in. While I am sure this is not for everyone, I liked it very much.
I was shocked at the Hanskin counter when they told me the retail price was $36. My mouth hang open. That's almost the equivalent of a Chanel foundation. That day, I skipped dinner and bought this BB cream.
The tube claims 8 functions:
1. whitening
2. prevents/treats wrinkles
3. color correction
4. protecting and repair
5. provides nutrition for your skin
6. oil control
7. moisturizing
8. concealing
I am going to comment on each of the above claims and how well it does.
1. whitening: As I always say, by whitening, Korean brands usually mean evening your skintone, which basically means fading freckles and acne marks. The hanskin BB cream fades acne marks remarkably well. I had a few pimples after I first started using this product, and stayed clear ever since. Those pimples did not live any marks after they disappeared, something that hasn't happened to me for 3 years!
2. Prevents/treats wrinkles: this is essentially anti-aging. I can't really comment on that since luckily, I don't have wrinkles yet :)
3. Color correction: On the few occasional days when I have red spots on my skin as a reaction to overusing salycic acid, this BB cream covered the spots very well.
4. Protecting and repair: This got rid of a few bumps that were small acne. This has a SPF of 30, so I guess that's enough protection for most days. This also claims to be a protection against pollution.
5. Nutrition for the skin: once again, this is not something that's very visible. Even though my skin feels good when using the hanskin BB cream, i can't really say whether it's nutritional or not.
6. oil control: The oil control of this BB cream is remarkably good. Without powder, this lasts for 8 hours without oiling up at all, and oh, I never blots, so the oil control is really good.
7. Moisturizing. At first, I was like "what?", moisturizing and oil control at the same time? But this really does moisturize. Usually after using DHC cleansing oil and my cleanser, I have to apply moisturizer right away or I will feel tight. I am happy to say that my skin feels quite comfortable without moisturizing after removing this BB cream, but I still apply night cream as a precaution.
8. Concealing: the coverage of this BB cream is really good. It's certainly above medium if you put on a normal amount. I put on a very sheer layer, and this is enough coverage for me.
So as you can see, I really like this BB cream. I still haven't decided if I love this yet, but so far, this is the BEST I've ever tried.
The only fault is that as many other bloggers said, this is harder to spread than most BB creams but it is not very thick. I try to apply this directly after moisturizer.
Samples:
$8 for a 5ml jar plus $2 shipping. Sorry this is so much, but I bought this BB cream at $36 for 30ml, and the sample jars and shipping supplies are costly.
do you still hv the sample left? ^^
ReplyDeleteI bought his hanskin bb cream off eBay but I think it could be a fake. Do you know how to distinguish a real from fake?
ReplyDeleteHi, Susana,
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to give you the specifics of the BB cream so that you can tell if it's a fake because BB creams don't usually have a lot of defining characteristics. However, here are some tips.
1. Is the ebay seller a reputable one with a good feedback score?
2. Is the BB cream unreasonably cheap? It should be around $28 at the cheapest (below retail price)
3. Was there a seal on the tube? Both of my tubes had a purple seal on the tube. This is not really a defining characteristic meaning that whether you have it or not would not really tell you if it's real, but i don't like to buy products with no seals when there should have been one.
And do you mind telling me a little more about why you think it might be fake? I can tell you whether those characteristics you noticed is common in this BB cream or now. :)
The bb cream was $15.68 for 30ml.
ReplyDeleteand there was a purple seal on the box not the tube.
Hi Susan, it's hard to tell from the price alone, since you might have found a great deal. :) And I think they sometimes put the seal on the box instead of the tube. What is the texture like?
ReplyDeleteIf you're applying this after moisturizer, it's no wonder that it doesn't blend very well. You're supposed to use this as a replacement of your moisturizer.
ReplyDeleteHi Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI think it really depends on the person. For some people, BB cream is never moisturizing enough to replace a moisturizer.
I tried using this before moisturizer, in fact, and it was even harder to blend. Applying this directly after moisturizer helped.
Hello Cathy...
ReplyDeletedo you have BB creams to advise which has a natural cover, that just blends the color of the skin....
Cause i dont want to look like i have placed some make-up on my face...
Im still looking for the best bb cream...
Thanks
Hi Cathy, I have dehydrated+oily skin that's very prone to acne (I read your BP post and I'm trying to get off that and AHA and trying to switch to salicylic acid!). That being said, do you know if this BB cream contains mineral oil? And does it leave a grey-ish cast like most BB creams? I'm NC20-25 and most BB creams are too light for me... Sorry for all the questions!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think most BB creams are designed to blend in with the color of your skin and look natural, so I am guessing you did not pick the right one for your skintone. Could you tell me what your skintone is, and perhaps I can recommend you some products? The finish is also very important. From the top of my head, I think VOV Castledew BB cream has a very natural finish (not too dewy or matte). :)
Cathy
HI Samantha,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment :) This did not have a grey cast. However, I don't think this would be your best choice if you are very prone to acne. Most BB creams contain mineral oil, generally in very very small amounts. For most people, the mineral oil is somewhat tolerable since there isn't a lot of it. However, if you are allergic to a lot of ingredients, BB creams is probably not your best bet, since they are infamous for containing a huge ingredient list (think 60+). On the other hand, if you don't have very sensitive skin (allergic to many ingredients), I think skin79 Diamond Total would work very well. I think it suits N20ish skin the best, so I don't think it would be a problem with your skintone, and it is rather yellow compared to the grey-ish tone of most BB creams.
For dehydrated + oily skin, I think exfoliation and hydration are very essential. Therefore, I think using AHAs are not necessarily a bad thing. There are two families of exfoliants, AHAs and BHAs. AHAs include things like glycolic acid, while BHAs include salicylic acid. BHAs are generally oil-soluble, while AHAs are water-soluble. They work differently for different people, so I cannot say which one is better for you. However, for me, AHAs work well in preventing clogged pores, while BHA prevents breakouts to some degree. AHAs also have some anti-aging benefits (apparently, all that exfoliation stimulates collagen), so AHAs are definitely my favorite of the two. As for hydration, I would recommend Laneige's strawberry pack or the night sleeping pack, as both do very well in replenishing lost moisture. Laneige's Hydra solution and water bank lines are also very good. For a more easily obtainable product in the US, I think Clinique Moisture Surge (spray and gel) works very well. It works well in replenishing moisture, but not adding oil, which I think is great for oily and dehydrated skin. Korres Yogurt cream and mask are reputed to do well for your skin type also. However, I have only tried them for a week, so I cannot really comment on that.
Oops, sorry for rambling on for so long! :)
Thanks for your quick reply! I think I will stick to normal foundation then... although I really was hoping a Hanskin bb cream would work for me.
ReplyDeleteAHA has been working well for me, but now it seems to make my skin more red than to relieve redness... And it makes me produce more oil! Do you have any suggestions on minimizing oil productions other than using moisturizer? I'm currently trying to switch my cleanser to a really gentle one, but it doesn't seem to clean well enough or maybe its just residue... >_> This is probably karma for putting so many chemicals on my face.... I can't wear mineral makeup because it cakes up so bad on my dry skin but at the same time I oil up in a couple of minutes after washing my face. ;(
HI Samantha,
ReplyDeleteI think you may be using AHAs too frequently. I used to use a very very gentle one daily in my cleanser or toner, and do a stronger mask once a week or once every two weeks. Do you think you could share your usual skincare regimen with me, so that I can try to figure out some changes? Also, when modifying your skincare, try to do it very slowly, or your skin might react very dramatically. :) Sorry I'm not much help.
Cathy
Haha, no I'm sorry to be such a bother.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently using:
Cleanser: Shiseido Pure Whip
Exfoliator: Neutrogena Acne Stress Exfoliator
Moisturizer: Complex 15 (a very basic moisturizer)
2% Salicylic Acid gel
Before, I was using Acne.org's AHA and PanOxyl 15's BP.
I've been trying to not use any masks, fearing that my skin might become worse... I also threw out my Laneige Strawberry Pack thinking it's breaking me out >_> I've also been thinking of using my aloe vera toner... but then again, I've heard toners actually strip the moisture from your skin?
Hi Samantha,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for the late reply. I think you should try using the exfoliator and other actives (Salycylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and AHAs) less often. They may be damaging your skin's own natural function. You see, your skin itself is supposed to exfoliate once every 28 days (on average), and younger skin generally exfoliates itself more often than older skin. If you are using a lot of exfoliators, you are doing your skin's job so that it can become lazy. Toners are not all stripping. It depends on the ingredients. If it have alcohol or other astringents, they can be very stripping. I would recommend not using a toner or using a more moisturizing/gel-like one (like the Laneige white plus renew one). Also, your exfoliator is actually also a cleanser, so try to not use them both together. :)
Hi Cathy, I haven't used bb cream before but I stumbled across your blog and this bb cream looks tempting. Do you know of places to buy this in the US besides ebay and amazon? Thank you!
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ReplyDelete