Name: Be Beautiful Blemish Balm
Brand: Sleek Makeup
Size: 50ml
Price: £8.99
From the packaging:
Sleek Makeup’s Be Beautiful Blemish Balm Cream, brings the worlds of skincare and makeup together. The full coverage formulation instantly conceals skin imperfections, resulting in a natural, flawless finish.
What I liked:
- available in four shades
- medium to full coverage, evens out the skintone and covers imperfections
- can double up as a concealer
- fairly moisturizing
- gives skin a glowy look
- longlasting
- sleek and practical packaging
- the price
What I didn’t like:
- if you’re looking for a lightweight, sheer product, this is not for you
- doesn’t offer broad spectrum protection from the sun
BB creams are hybrid products that combine the moisturizing and antiaging benefits of skincare with the coverage of a foundation and usually provide sun protection too! It’s no wonder then that, after taking Asia by storm, they’ve been making their way into the Western world as well. I’ve been itching to try them since I’ve first heard of them, but because they are usually available in only one or two shades, I haven’t yet managed to find one that’s a good match for my pale skin. Darker skintones have sadly been neglected too.
Sleek Makeup has decided to remedy that by releasing their new Be Beautiful Blemish Balm in four shades – Fair, Light, Medium and Dark – that also cater to those who are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Unfortunately, I was sent to review Light, which is still way too dark for my skintone, but I plan to purchase Fair as I’m really impressed with this BB Cream and I think that shade will be a much better match for me. But of course the wrong shade didn’t stop me from testing the product so that I could review it for all of you.
The first thing that impressed me was the coverage. BB creams tend to be sheer, but this one isn’t. One layer provides medium coverage, which you can build up to full coverage if you need it. It really does a great job at evening out the skintone and concealing imperfections and blemishes, making skin look naturally flawless and glowy. If you don’t think you need this level of coverage on your entire face, but still have some blemishes or dark circles to cover, you can use it as a concealer instead.
Because of the heavy coverage, the texture of this BB cream is quite thick, yet it feels lightweight on the skin and is fairly moisturizing too, leaving skin feeling soft. You need to be quick to apply and spread it on the skin, and it completely absorbs within a few minutes. And it’s fairly longlastiong too. On my combination skin is stays put for most of the day, only beginning to fade a bit towards evening. I also need to apply a light layer of power on my oily t-zone after about 6 hours to keep the shine at bay. If you have oily skin, though, it may start fading sooner on you.
Although Be Beautiful Blemish Balm contains SPF 15, it doesn’t offer broad spectrum protection from the sun. It contains Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (aka Octyl Methoxycinnamate), which protects skin against UVB rays and some Titanium Dioxide (which is mainly used here as a coloring agent) that provides some UVA protection. However, that’s not enough to provide protection against the entire UV range and even if it were, you’d need to apply several layers (something impossible to do with a product this thick) to get the SPF stated on the label anyway. So, while the SPF here can help a bit, this BB cream cannot be used as a substitute for sunscreen.
Ingredients:
Aqua, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Mineral Oil, Aluminum Starch Octenyl Succinate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Topcopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylated HydroxyAnisole, DMDM Hydantoin, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide, Algae Extract. [+/- Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), CI 77492, CI 77499)]
Available at: sleekmakeup.com and Superdrug stores throughout the UK
Summary
Sleek Makeup Be Beautiful Blemish Balm has a thick texture that provides medium to full coverage, evening out the skintone and concealing imperfections, leaving skin looking naturally flawless and radiant. Fairly moisturizing, it leaves skin feeling soft. Staying power is very impressive too. However, it doesn’t contain full spectrum protection against the sun.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Yeah…I think I would want something sheer. Then again, what do I know? I don’t use this kind of thing. Maybe I should…
Trisha´s last [type] ..Nails of the Day: Summer Forever
Trisha, I think it depends on what your skin needs. Most BB Creams are sheer, but I think it’s nice that there are now options, like this one, for those who have more serious imperfections to cover.
This product seems promising! While four shades seems like nothing, it’s quite a bit for BB creams! I like that it can double up as concealer and it’s moisturizing, long-lasting and dewy. I love a dewy finish. Meh on matte finishes, not my type!
Such a great review, Gio!
Janessa,it’s a wonderful product indeed and I love the dewy finish too. It’s so pretty. And I agree, four shades are a lot for a BB cream, I’m impressed.