Beauty Balms (aka Blemish Balms or BB creams) have be en hot in Asia for years, but the American market has been behind the trend. That is, until now. Dr. Jart+ recently released two BB creams in the U.S., sold exclusively as Sephora. BB creams vary from brand to brand, but the basic idea is skincare, sunscreen, and light makeup coverage in one product. The advantages of BB creams is that most of them (including the Dr. Jart+ products) provide very high SPF, skin-brightening/lightening treatment (great for acne scars and sun spots), and medium to full coverage with a dewy natural ethereal finish, plus other skincare benefits one would typically find in a serum or moisturizer.
Sound too good to be true? Well, it kind of is for people with medium to dark skintones. Unfortunately, most BB creams are only available in one shade, which is supposed to "self-adjust" to match your skin, but there's only so much these types of creams can adjust. I've done some research on other brands sold in South Korea, and most of the BB creams are good for only fair to light-medium skintones. Some of them also have distinctively warm/yellow undertones or distinctively ashy gray undertones. There are a couple of Korean BB creams that offer an extra shade or two in the medium range, but I haven't seen anything in the medium-dark to dark range.
But for those of us on the lighter side, Dr. Jart's new creams are heaven. I chose the Premium Beauty Balm, which features an SPF 45 from minerals (primarily zinc oxide), a very natural and luminous light coverage, bio-peptides and antioxidants, and skin-brightening ingredients to treat those nasty dark spots and uneven skintone. Dr. Jart+ also has a Water Fuse Beauty Balm at Sephora. That BB cream has more hydration but only SPF 25 and no antioxidants or skin-brighteners. It's a few bucks cheaper, but ultimately, I feel like the Premium BB has far more benefits for $7 more.
In short, I love it. The color scared me a little at first since it comes out of the tube looking a bit gray, but it really does self-adjust (at least with my light skin) and looks absolutely wonderful. The coverage is light and natural-looking, but also can be layered as a concealer for under the eyes. I have had many complements on my skin since I've been using it. Sometimes I want more coverage and use my Bare Minerals foundation, but this product is fabulous for everyday. I love that it covers multiple steps of skincare and makeup in one, although I often use an eye cream and treatment serum under it anyway. But that's a personal preference. The moisture and anti-aging treatment in the Beauty Balm really make any additional skincare steps optional. And it makes my skin feel dreamy.
I highly recommend this product, and now that I've done a test drive in the world of BB creams, I plan to get my paws on a few Korean imports, especially one with more coverage. Check back for updates.
