BB Creams! Review and comparison of Kate BB Gel Cream and Pore Putty Enrich BB Cream

Hello hello! Welcome back to Bijin Make!^^

Have you noticed how BB creams have become such a craze lately?  Every brand from drugstore to high end released its own BB cream.  And there's also CC cream too, although that's another topic by itself.  What the heck is BB cream anyways?  Well it stands for "beauty balm" cream (and CC stands for "color correcting" by the way).  Basically, it's a lot like a tinted moisturizer, an all in one product that replaces the need for primer, foundation, concealer, finishing powder, and has SPF protection as well.  It's a really nice concept actually.  It saves time, but best of all, it saves our skin.  With BB creams, we don't need to layer on lots of different products so our skin feels much lighter.  It lets our skin breathe and we can worry less about makeup clogging our pores.  BB creams also contain lots of anti-aging and moisturizing ingredients like collagen, hyaluronic acid, essential oils, etc...  Let's face it, most of us wear our makeup on a daily basis, so anti-aging under makeup is such a deal.  That is if the chosen BB cream actually delivers it promises^^;  I don't really know if it really prevents wrinkles or what
not, but I have to admit it feels pretty nice on my face.  It keeps skin quite hydrated from the moment I put it on and the soft feeling actually lasts the entire day.  For that and the fact that it makes my life so much easier, I'm in love!!^^

Japanese cosmetic companies make quite a bit of BB creams.  There are so many different brands and types to suit your taste!  It makes sense considering that BB cream has been a cult in Asia for quite awhile.  Some of the highest ranking BB creams in Japan, according to "Cosmeet"(the biggest makeup review site in Japan) are Freshel, Dr. CiLabo, Baby Pink, DHC, etc...I have checked out many of them, reviewing colors, consistency, coverage, ingredients, and the first BB cream I got was Pore Putty Enrich BB Cream by Sana.  What got my attention was the claim that it significantly reduces (by covering) pore size.  It's also highly moisturizing, with ingredients like collagen, ceramide, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter.  Plus it has very high SPF protection.  When I tested it on my hand, the cream feels moist and rich.  It has nice coverage and I felt like it does smooth out the little lines on the back of my hands.  Sana is also a well-trusted maker here in Japan.  They make lots of skincare, makeup, and haircare products (ex: Soy Isofurabon skincare, Superquick eye makeup).  After comparing quite a few brands I decided to give this one a try.  Here's the result after 5+ uses on my face.

Pore Putty Enrich BB Cream by Sana (List price JPY 1260)

Pro:  Very smooth texture, extremely moisturizing, high coverage for a BB cream, SPF50 PA+++
Con:  Only comes in 1 color, a bit shiny, a little too thick, need concealer for spot cover

Overall rating: maybe 3 out of 5^^;

This BB cream may be ideal for someone who's looking for a thicker feel, but for me, it's just too thick for its purpose.  For me BB creams need to be a little bit on the natural side because I use it for everyday natural makeup.  The color is also a little dark for my skin, and has a slight grayish tone under some lighting.  It also doesn't cover pore as well as I thought, which is kinda disappointing^^;

So I'm on the hunt for my HG BB cream again.  And trust me, I spent hours and hours comparing and testing products before making a purchase.  I don't actually buy something unless it really impresses me.  The next thing that caught my eyes was Kate Mineral BB Gel Cream by Kanebo. Now, Kanebo is a high end brand here, right up there with Kose and Shiseido.  Kate is however, their drugstore line, just like Shiseido's Intergrate.  This BB cream has great reviews on Cosmeet, so I wanted to see if it really lives up to its hype.  Indeed, it feels quite nice on my hand, compared to other raved BB creams like DHC, Baby Pink, and Heroine Make.  It comes in 3 colors, has SPF 30, contains olive oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil.  It's alcohol/fragrance free, and non-comedogenic (doesn't clog pores).  Most importantly, it feels smooth, moist, it blends easily, and the coverage is lighter, more natural looking.  The color also matches my skin better.  (I use OC-C)

Kate Mineral BB Gel Cream by Kanebo (List price ＪＰＹ 1575)

Pro: Smooth, moisturizing, natural coverage, comes in 3 colors
Con:  Needs a little more concealer to cover spots as coverage is lighter

Overall rating: 4 out of 5^^

I definitely like Kate BB cream better than Pore Putty, as it matches my skin better and suits my purpose better overall.  In my opinion, it's even better in texture than other top ranked Japanese BB creams.  I have not experienced breakouts with neither brand.  Here's a comparison of the two, Pore Putty (left) and Kate (right).

By looking at this image here, you can tell that Pore Putty is more shiny and more visible on my skin.  It's also thicker and needs a little more blending.  They both feel very moisturizing though^^!

Thank you for reading!  This month Shiseido Maquillage releases its BB Cream too.  So anxious to try it out!  Will let you know once I get my hands on it^^

Please leave comments below if you have any question, or if you would like to share your own experience with these BB creams ^_~

Love,

Ai

Beauty the Japanese way

Hello and welcome to my first blog!!!^^

I've been wanting to create a blog for quite some time, and finally got around to doing it^^;  I love talking about beauty products, and here in Japan it's like heaven for beauty goods lovers.  They have so many different brands, products for so many different things, and they're very high quality, even drugstore brands.  I'm basically obsessed!^^  Every time I visit a department store, a supermarket, or a drugstore I'd spend hours and hours comparing products and discovering new things. They seriously have a solution for every beauty need!

 As far as skincare goes, Japan is among the highest quality out there.  Their skincare routine is also unique.  Japanese don't normally favor do-it-all products, and instead rely on different things for different purposes.  Well, I think it's a lot more work, but you'll have the peace of mind, knowing that you're doing all that you can to take care of your skin.  I do find that a face wash that claims to take away makeup and cleanse skin at the same time is either too harsh or it just doesn't get the job done.  When I first arrived in Japan, I believed the skincare routine I was on was perfect and that American products are superior.  But when I began to run out and at the same time, frustrated with my pimple problem, I visited a makeup counter for a consultation.  I was pretty impressed with all the hi-tech things they used to check my skin condition!  Anyways, that's when I tried Japanese skincare routine and I could see a difference right away.  Regrettably, my pimples didn't clear up, but other parts of my skin that are zit-free feels so smooth and glowy!  I seriously believe there is a point to this cleansing, washing, toning, moisturizing routine.  Cleanse your skin to remove all make-up, wash to get rid of oil, dirt, and to clear your pores, tone to balance and prep skin for better product absorption, and moisturize to nourish and keep your skin in top condition.  Of course for day time add SPF to protect your skin^^.

Japanese' approach to makeup is also very interesting.   There are so many ways to personalize your looks.  You can look very sophisticated, very natural, or very heavy made up and doll-like.  Here in Japan, big eyes, high nose, small face and pouty lips are favored.  Many tools and products are designed for Asian beauty needs, from eye lid glue to cure monolids, fake lashes to create bigger eyes, and very bizarre nose clips to raise the bridge of your nose, ya^^;  Because Asian eyelashes are shorter they also make the best elongating smudge-proof mascaras ever!  And since it's Asia, makeup with SPF protection is standard.  Available makeup brands range from local made in Japan to Maybelline and Bourjois, and prices varies quite a bit as well.  I personally love Japanese brands as they're cheaper while being high in quality.  Plus, foreign brands are way too marked up >_<!  Seriously, 1260yen (like 14 bucks) for Maybelline mascara?  No thanks^^;

So many products, so many brands, which one to choose?  Well that's why I created this blog, to share my experiences with different products!^^  The best, the bad, and the make-no-sense.  Of course not everything works for everybody, but you'll get a glimpse of what's out there, and perhaps discover one that fits your needs!^_~

Love,

Ai