BB creams - high end vs low end

So back to one of my favorite topics - make up.

Not that I use a lot of it. My friends repeatedly tell me they can't tell the difference. Well, who cares, I can.

But now that I'm back stateside and I don't have to cover my face with "stuff" just to go out to throw out the trash, I started looking for simpler things. While my makeup bag still has several foundation brushes to go with the multiple shades of foundation, and brush cleaners (if you're looking for one, I've found that Bobbi Brown is the most economic at a per ounce level, plus you only need a dot to clean a brush compared to the liquid types) and light powder/dark powder etc. etc.

One of my colleagues from work (and another make up junkie) recommeded a BB cream by Dr Jart. In case you aren't familiar with the Asian BB (Blemish base) cream craze... It's a skin-toned cream that's supposed to help cover up the imperfections of your skin tone. Because of this, they claim you don't have to pile on the foundations and powders on top of this, although it's just a base.

There are dozens of BB cream brands with a price range of... several dollars to several hundred dollars, but I took my colleague's word for it. Even within Dr. Jart there is a silver line and a black line. The black line is slightly more expensive ($3~5) but I couldn't figure out what was different, and I'm cautious about using less known brands so I opted for the cheaper one, just in case I decided to toss it out. This was especially so, because my aesthetician gave me a sample (I had yet to purchase) and it was supposed to be quadruple the price I was paying for the tube of Dr Jart.

I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised - first of all, no skin flare ups and good cover. The texture was a bit pasty (I can't believe this is anti-wrinkle, as the packaging claims. You get wrinkles applying it, I swear, but the sample I received from my aesthetician was similar) and the smell was... oh, well, let's face it - cheap. But it did its job at a fair price. (In Korea I bought this for somewhere around 25,000 won, which is at the current exchange rate, around $18-19. However, they're selling this on the US Dr Jart website for $35.)

Not to miss out on this opportunity, Sisley, which has been making skin-toned base for as long as I've used the brand, has come out with its own "BB cream" - the Grand Ecran Solaire Visage. But this season's they've come out with a sun block (maybe because all of the major BB cram brands are SPF 30, anti-wrinkle, etc. etc. and the original Soin Teinte Phyto-Hydratant (=Tinted moisturizer, or make up base) doesn't include sunscreen) - you have the SPF 30 or SPF 10 option, in colorless, porcelain, or natural. Actually, I'm not fair skinned - even within Asian standards, but natural was too dark for me. If you like looking very tanned, then that might be an option for you. Of course, this comes with a hefty $110 (give or take, considering exchange rates - but I don't think they're selling this in the US yet) price tag, but the texture is much lighter and the smell is... well, I don't quite remember the smell. (And that's a good thing.)

So lately, I've been super quick in the morning - just my usual moisturizing routine, the Sisley sunblock, a stroke of translucent powder for the T-zone, and some mascara, and I'm off. Okay, so if I'm going out, I'll do a little bit more, but for running to the store, or even going to work (as long as I'm just sitting in the office), this seems to be fine. Honestly, I'm going to have to get this shipped to me in the US if I run out before it's launched here!