Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Review: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

Some general information of interest

The Garnier B.B. cream was the first beauty balm that I came across that was available in the states as a drug store brand. I hadn't read any reviews on it myself and thought I'd just take the plunge and see what all this B.B. cream fuss was about. First let me tell you, my skin type is combination to oily depending on the season (I tried this in the spring/summer but in winter I tend to get a bit dry). My complexion is usually quite light though it can range from fair to beige, again dependent upon the season. I purchased the Garnier B.B. cream in the 'Light/Medium' color and I believe it is only available in one other shade, 'Medium/Dark'. It was around $12 (USD) at Target and comes in a 2.5 fluid ounce bottle (75ml). It has an SPF 15 UVA/UVB sunscreen built into it and claims to 'hydrate, protect, and perfect' your skin. The packaging is typical for a drugstore brand and falls in line with the standard design of most Garnier products.


When I first tried this product, I was not certain how to go about applying it so I sort of had to fly by the seat of my pants for a while until I figured out a way to make it work for me. This formulation is quite oily and leaves a dewy finish on the skin. Since I have combination to oily skin, this didn't sit well with me at first and made me look quite wet as the day wore on. Thankfully, I decided to give it another go and this is the routine that I found works best for me.

How I apply the product

I make an effort to cleanse my skin every morning and evening in whatever way possible. Often, if pressed for time or feeling lazy, I will simply use pre-moistened cleansing wipes at night to take off makeup and general grime from the day. I then follow up with a toner which I wipe over my face with a cotton ball. At night I will use a hydrating moisturizer and leave it there. However, during the day, if I am using the Garnier B.B. cream, I will forgo the moisturizer as the B.B. cream has more than enough moisture packed into it for my skin.


To apply the Garnier B.B. cream, I start with just a pea-sized amount on the tip of my finger. I typically blend the cream into my skin with my finger tips and find that I can slowly build up coverage if I need it or go back over places where I have blemishes or redness. On the skin, the cream feels quite nice and is easy to blend. I would best describe it as a heavier tinted moisturizer. The coverage is nice for me because it is not too heavy and I can usually put it on light enough to achieve a 'natural' makeup look.


As I mentioned, the finish is rather dewy and can leave my skin looking quite oily although it tends to feel much better than it looks. In order to have the cream sit nicely on my skin, I will give it about 5 to 10 minutes to set onto my skin. I will usually go about some morning chores or watch a quick vlog on YouTube while I wait. Eventually, the cream sets very nicely and does not look or feel heavy. I always follow up with a setting powder as I enjoy a more mat finish, especially in my T-zone area. 

Okay, so that's just how I apply it.. now let's get to the actual review, shall we?

While I have not tried other B.B. creams, I will have to say that I was not entirely impressed with this one. I use it on a daily basis, but figuring out a routine that worked for me did take some time as well as some shoddy trial-and-error. Again, I will stress that I have a skin type that can range more on the oily side and so this cream may work better for those with normal to dry skin (let me know in the comments if you have this skin type and tried the Garnier B.B. cream). 

For the price and availability, this is a nice product that could have a happy place in your daily makeup routine. I have had my bottle for several months now and haven't even come close to finishing. I enjoyed the overall effect that the cream had on my skin as well. With most heavier foundations I will often have breakouts in my T-zone (mostly chin) after a few consecutive days of use. However, this cream has not had a negative effect on my skin. It actually keeps it quite fresh and youthful-looking throughout the day. 

I look forward to trying some more drugstore B.B. creams and may be able to sneak a few high-end ones under my husband's nose if I can find the time and money. So far, I have seen that CoverGirl, Maybelline, and L'Oreal have all come out with formulas that may be worth trying. If you've tried any of them, let me know in the comments and maybe I will get around to trying them all. 

Whew, that was my first review. Hope you've enjoyed the read, let me know what I can do to improve!


:: katie golightly x

everything is my own including opinions, photographs, and rambles alike. this is not sponsored. 

9 comments:

  1. Looks good!! I haven't tried BB creams but my friends have and like them. Just don't think they are for me as i need good coverage.
    http://brightershade2107.blogspot.co.uk/
    Amy x

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    1. thank you so much, you are my first comment! i agree the coverage isn't foundation-quality with most of the B.B. creams but i have yet to delve into the high-end brands so they may be better. hope you're having a wonderful day in the UK!

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  2. Looks amazing! I haven't found this BB cream here in Peru ... buuu :(
    Nice blog btw!

    http://the-other-side-of-bed.blogspot.com/

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    1. thank you! i've always wanted to start a blog so this is hopefully just the beginning. be sure to check back, i'm going to try to do more reviews and hauls!

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  3. I was also looking to try a BB cream, and I actually bought this one in Italy after looking through some of the more expensive labels -- this was actually the only one I could find with SPF. I've been using it for over a month now and I LOVE it!!! My skin is somewhere between dry and normal though, so I could definitely imagine a different effect for oily skin. As you said, you only need a small amount and then can build it up if needed. I use this as my base layer and usually skip moisturizer, and then put a small amount of under-eye concealer on top. I did see that Bobbi Brown has just come out with a similar product with SPF 35 -- but that runs $45, which is a good 4 times more than this product.

    Cute blog, by the way -- I came across this post on pinterest!

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    1. yes i have seen the bobbi brown bb cream but wasn't keen on paying $45 for a beauty balm. i still would like to try some more drugstore brands like maybelline and l'oreal. pretty much every company has started releasing their own now though so maybe as the trend dies down the prices will too! thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back!

      katie x

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  4. great post! I have dry to combo skin and I really like this bb cream. I agree that setting it with powder is a must to get rid of that extra dewiness. I also did a review of this on my blog :)
    natalielovesbeauty.blogspot.ca

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    1. i'm sure you had a better time with it since you have dry/combo skin. i feel like this cream was made for your skin type as opposed to mine. have you tried any other BB creams?

      katie x

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  5. I really want too try that!!!
    Please check out my blog http://simplykarun.blogspot.co.uk/

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:: katie golightly x