Battle of the Asian vs Western BB Cream

Over the past month I've had a couple of people ask me what my favorite bb cream was and I really couldn't say because I only have tried one and it is an Asian BB cream that I ordered online.  To be completely honest, I've been a little snobby towards the Western versions of BB Creams.  I feel like cosmetic companies took their tinted moisturizer formula and just renamed it "BB Cream" once they saw how popular they were in Asia.  In fact, I've seen a blog compare a CoverGirl tinted moisturizer vs their BB Cream.  The ingredients list is exactly the same!  Not cool!

 

Yesterday I went to Walmart and decided to give Garnier's bb cream a try since I've heard so many great reviews about it's oily/combo version.  Plus I've really been needing a lightweight tinted moisturizer to get me thru this AZ heat.

 

Today we are going to look at an Asian bb cream, Lioele versus the Westernized version by Garnier.

 

 

 

Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream

 

 I purchased my Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream last year from Pretty and Cute for $28.49 for 50ml.  Here are the claims from the website: "Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream’s main functions are Whitening, UV Protection, and Wrinkle Care. Arbutin ingredients naturally brighten skin and create a more even looking complexion, while plant extracts help boost cell regeneration to smooth out fine lines. The SPF contained in this product doesn’t only product skin from harmful UV rays but also improves the results in the other two main functions. This BB cream also moisturizes and nourishes the skin to improve our health with yogurt and hyaluronic acid ingredients."

 

 

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

Combination to Oily Skin in Medium/Deep

 

I purchased my Garnier BB Cream from Walmart for $11.97 for 60ml.  The company claims: "Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin immediately mattifies, minimizes pores, and conceals imperfections to give skin a naturally smooth, flawless finish. Save time with just one multi-benefit product that combines advanced skincare and immediate skin perfecting coverage. Broad spectrum SPF 20 sunscreen protects against harmful effects of the sun when used with other sun protection measures. Formulation Facts: dermatologist tested for safety, non comedogenic, won't clog pores, non acnegenic, won't cause breakouts, gentle to skin, oil-free, and non-greasy."

 

The Breakdown:

Scent

Lioele:  I was not a fan of the scent of this bb cream.  The only thing I can think of to describe this is old lady perfume.  It has a strong floral scent and was very off-putting to me.  My husband however, made a point to tell me how good my face smelled so I guess this scent is going to be a hit or miss.  The smell didn't bother me once it had been applied.

Garnier: There is absolutely no scent that I can detect from this.  I was pleasantly surprised considering Garnier is known for it's strong perfumey scents, even in their skincare products. 

Winner:  Garnier is the clear winner in this category. 

 

Consistency

(Left: Garnier, Right: Lioele)

Lioele:  As you can see in the above picture, Lioele is pretty thick.  I am holding the cream on my arm sideways and it has not even begun to slide.  Because it is so thick, it does feel a little heavy and thick when applying on my face.  Also, a little bit of this goes a long way!

Garnier:  Garnier is much more runny.  I put it on my arm and held it sideways to take a picture of and it almost dripped onto the floor while the Lioele cream didn't budge.  It feels very light when rubbed into the skin. 

Winner:  I am surprised to say that Garnier wins this category as well.  I much prefer Garnier's lighter, thinner consistency as opposed to thick and heavy.

 

Coverage/Color

Left: Garnier, Right: Lioele 

Lioele:  With this brand of bb cream it's a one color fits all.  There are no color choices.  I don't love that.  When you first apply, as seen above, it leaves a slight white/gray cast.  Once the cream has set, it blends well into my skin.  What I love about Lioele's formula is that a little goes a long way.  One full pump is actually too much for me.  A small dot on each check is probably enough to give me medium coverage. 

Garnier:  I really struggled with deciding which color to buy.  My two choice were light/medium or medium/deep.  I wish they had just a "medium" choice.  I decided to go with medium/deep based solely on the color swatches I saw online.  After trying it, the color is not perfect, it's a little dark but when I sheer it out, it works.  This will probably be too dark for me in the winter.  I think light/medium would have been too light so this was the best choice.  This is a runnier formula but surprisingly has good coverage.  I love how light this product feels on my skin, like I don't have any makeup on.

Winner:  This one is a tie.  I think both bb creams have good consistency and color but there are also some negatives to both.

 

Longevity

 Lioele:  This bb cream lasts me 4-6 hours and a little over 6 hours if I use a setting spray.  After that it starts to breakdown especially around my nose and forehead, where I tend to get the most oily.

Garnier:  I think this lasts about 5-6 hours before it starts to get a little patchy and wears down around my T zone.  As with Lioele's, it will last longer if I set it with a setting spray.

Winner: The longevity of these two are very similar and neither claim to be long wearing.  I think Garnier tends to last a little longer, especially since it is made to be a mattifier.  So I'll give this to Garnier but it was close!

 

Packaging

 

Lioele:  I love the packaging.  It's so cute with pink and white diamond shapes and the little Cinderella carriage.  The absolute best part is the pump!  Every foundation, bb cream, moisturizer, ect should have a pump! (Hope you're listening Revlon!)  It is a high quality pump and easy to use to get the exact amount desired.

Garnier:  Eh, it's my biggest complaint about this product.  There is no pump and this product is runny so when you open it, the product is all over in the lid and can be messy, as you can see in picture above.

 

Winner:  Hands down, Lioele.  Love the pump! And the pink!

OVERALL WINNER: Garnier!

 I do think that these products are just so completely different that it is hard to compare.  But if we look at which bb cream won the most categories and we also keep in mind price and availability I think it's easy to say that Garnier's Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin is the best choice.

 

My snobbery towards Westernized bb creams has been forever changed!  Now I could argue that Asian bb creams are claimed to have long term benefits while Western versions do not but that is a whole different post.  I have not noticed any long term effects from my Lioele BB Cream but I also do not wear it daily.

 

What is your favorite bb cream?

Worth the Splurge??! The NAKED Palette

I really want the focus of this blog to be about affordable makeup but I thought every once in a while it would be fun to talk about the higher end products that are or are not worth the splurge.

 

Today, lets look at my dear ol' Naked palette.

 

When I first started hearing about this palette a few years ago, it was impossible to find in stores. Every place was sold out and it made me so curious to know, is it really ALL THAT?  I bought a few "dupes" to try and satisfy this need for Naked in my life but nothing really seemed to compare to the whole palette and all the colors it offered.   Oh the drama!

 

But then my wonderful husband surprised me with my very own Naked palette for Mother's Day last year.  And... I love it!  Like I said before, there are palettes said to be dupes but I didn't find anything that really matched the greatness of this palette.  There are a lot of individual colors from this palette that can be compared, I listed a few in my comfort zone post, but to me this palette is one of a kind.  Whenever I do travel or pack a makeup bag, this little guy is all I need. 

 

 The shadows are so pigmented and buttery smooth. They go on like a dream and blend out effortlessly.  Take a look!
 

 

 

Colors: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

I will say the names are not the greatest.  Why didn't UD ask for my input when naming these colors?

 

 Swatches:

Without Flash

With Flash

Here are a few of my favorite and frequent looks from this palette:

 

Everyday Eye: Virgin, Naked and Buck

 This is what I use on an everyday basis; for days when I'm running errands and doing things around the house.  Buck contours the eye without making it look like I'm wearing a ton of makeup and virgin is a great highlight without loads of shimmer, just leaves a pretty sheen. 




Bronzey Goodness: Virgin, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhourse

I love a bronzed eye!  I think that every skin tone and every eye color looks beautiful with bronze shadow.  I especially love this look in the summer time!  It makes me feel a little better about living in 110 degree heat.

 

Smokey Eye Simplified: Virgin, Naked, Buck, Hustle, Creep

Everyone wants to know how to do a sultry smokey eye.  I am not claiming to be a master but I think this combo makes for a great smokey eye and it's not too harsh or dark.  The key is to blend, blend, blend!

There are so many other color combos you could come up with, these are just three that I tend to do often.

As you can tell, I love my Naked palette.  I do believe that there are great drugstore options but I will say that this gets a SPLURGE WORTHY rating from me.  So next time your hubs or bank account gives you the thumbs up, get yourself a treat and pick this palette up!

The Naked palette can be bought at Ulta for $50 and right now they are having a free gift with purchase.   Also, I was super excited to find that on Amazon a seller has this palette (new) listed for about $36 HERE.

So what do you think? Do you have the Naked palette?  Do you think it's worth the splurge?



Drugstore steals for under $5!

There are some good things at the drugstore for less than $5!
 

Here are some of my favorites:

 

Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush
$2.99 at CVS or Walgreens

Wet n Wild's Pearlescent Pink is said to be a dupe for Nar's oh so famous blush.  I love the color of this, it's a peachy pink with a hint of shimmer.  I love my peachy pink blushes!  Wet n Wild also has a matte blush that's great too.  Beware these are very pigmented so use a light hand!  I have an upcoming blog post about my whole Wet n Wild collection so I will go into more detail about these blushes then.

 

 

ELF Studio Blush in Mellow Mauve
$3 at Target

ELF blushes are some of my favorite and they have some really gorgeous colors available!  The pigmentation is great and I feel as though they last as long as my MAC blushes.  A few of my favorites are Mellow Mauve, Pink Passion and Tickled Pink.

 

 

 

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny
$2.99 at Target or Walmart

If you follow any beauty blogs or ever watch YouTube beauty vlogs, you've probably heard all about NYC's Sunny bronzer!  But if you haven't, Sunny is a MATTE medium tone bronzer which is great because it won't make you look like a big disco ball!  It is really hard to find a matte bronzer at the drugstore and so far NYC seem to have beat any competition on this one, especially for the price!  Sunny is a little more sheer than some bronzers but you can slowly build up the color to get the perfect amount.  I will say that too much of this bronzer can start to look a little orangey especially on lighter skin tones so build slowly.

 

 

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Reserve your Cabana
$3.99 at CVS or Walgreen's

I have no idea why Wet n Wild call this a bronzer.  It's not!  The fairest of fair skin tones could not use this as a bronzer.  Even the picture above is showing up much darker than it is.  So why is this a steal at the drugstore?  Because it is the most beautiful highlight powder!  This "bronzer" is said to be a dupe for Lorac's Spotlight Luminizing Powder but I can't say for sure because I don't have Lorac's to compare.

 

 

e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush
$3 at Target

Elf calls this a blush brush but I find that this is the perfect brush for applying powder bronzer.  It has a slight point at the end for a more precise, contoured look but it works great for sheering out and blending too.  I use this brush everyday!

 

 

 

 Wet N Wild Color Icon Palettes
Trio $2.99, 8-pan $4.99 at CVS or Walgreens

 

Wet n Wild makes great eyeshadows for the price and there are so many of these that are dupes to higher end shadows.  Just google Wet n Wild dupes and you will find great blog posts!  Wait for CVS or Walgreens to do BOGO 1/2 off and you can get an even better deal!  You can see my Comfort Zone palette review and dupes post HERE.

 

 

Jordana Incolor FabuLiner in Black
$2.99 at Walgreen's

This eyeliner is a stiffer felt tip and very pigmented.  Because it's a stiffer brush, it's great for beginners or people that are not very comfortable with liquid liners.  I've never had any problems with this smudging or transferring.  I think it looks great all day.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara, Black
$2.99 at Walgreen's

I am so surprised by how much I like this mascara!  When I first opened it, I was very unimpressed by the brush.  It just seemed like your average old school mascara brush, not capable of doing anything exciting or fancy to your lashes but I was completely wrong!  The brush combined with it's formula is awesomeness in a tube!  I actually think that I prefer this over my CoverGirl Lash Blast and Physician's Formula mascara (gasp)!  I have not had any smudging or transfer issues which is impressive since it is summer in Arizona.  The greatest part....it's only $2.99!  Seriously, get in the car and go pick this bad boy up!

 

 

e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set
$3 at Target

I use this everyday.  I do think it helps my makeup last longer but what I really love it for is that it eliminates any powdery look that makeup can cause.  This spray just helps everything blend together and look more natural.  One thing I will say is the spray nozzle is not my favorite.  It's not bad but not great.  It definitely does not mist like Urban Decay's setting spray or MAC's Fix +.  I actually have a travel size bottle of UD's setting spray that ran out so now I just continue to pour the elf version into it's bottle for the better spray nozzle.


So there you have it, all my tried and true drugstore steals!  I hope you enjoyed it.  Stay tuned for my Wet and Wild post coming up!