As an avid Korean makeup lover, bb creams and cc creams are nothing new to me. In fact, most Western versions disappointed me because they lacked the skincare aspect. Color options were slightly improved but formulations were mostly disappointing. When the it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ was released, I turned away. However, a glowing review from Emily Noel made me change my mind. Still slightly skeptical, I went with the travel size. After giving it several months of wear, I'm ready to share my thoughts!
{AT A GLANCE}
The it Cosmetics CC Cream fuses makeup and skincare. Claiming to offer full coverage without creasing or cracking in fine lines, it contains physical sunscreens only as well as various vitamins and botanical extracts for brighter, hydrated and smoother skin. This formula is paraben free for those concerned. it Cosmetics was recently acquired by L'Oreal and so may not be considered cruelty-free for some. In my case, I do consider in cruelty-free as long as they continue to not test either ingredients nor the finished products on animals during any stage of manufacturing AND do not sell in China.
Each full-sized bottle contains 1.08 fl oz/32ml for $38usd. That comes out to $35.19usd per oz. The travel sized bottle contains 0.4 fl oz for $15usd. That comes out to $37.50usd per oz. Pretty comparable since travel sizes usually come out to be more expensive than buying the full size. Shade range includes 5 colors but the travel sizes only come in two: Light and Medium. I have mine in Light.
{THE BREAKDOWN}
Let's talk about the ingredients. The first five after water are snail secretion filtrate, butylene glycol, phenyl trimethicone, dimethicone and butylene glycol dicaprylate.
- Snail secretions are all the rage in South Korean skincare and though it grosses me out, it's very hydrating.
- Butylene glycol is used as a solvent, as a viscosity-decreasing agent and as a conditioning agent.
- Phenyl trimethicone is a derivative of silica; acts as a skin-conditioning agent (moisturizer).
- Dimethicone is a silcone; acts as a lubricant and conditioning agent.
- Butylene glycol dicaprylate is a skin-conditioning agent and penetration enhancer.
Looking at the ingredient list, there's quite a lot of silicones. I personally don't mind silicones in makeup because it smooths my bumpy skin texture and helps with the blending process. But for those who are sensitive, I'd recommend avoiding it or trying a small sample first. There are only physical sunscreens in this formula: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both of these provide excellent UVA and UVB ray protection. As a recap, UVB is what causes tanning and sunburns whereas UVA is the silent killer, affecting the deeper dermal layers. These are widely approved for sensitive skin types. All the botanical extracts and vitamins are present in amounts of 1% or lower. I'm not sure how much of each type is needed for efficacy so I wouldn't put stock into it. If you are worried about phototoxicity, there are several citrus oils: lemon, bergamot, orange, lime and grapefruit. It's up to you to decide whether the good outweighs the bad.
The packaging is my type. The tube style lets me squeeze out as much or as little as I want. It's mostly opaque with just a small window for the actual color to peek through. I haven't had leaking problems, which is a plus! The larger tube has a pump, which is handy for those who tend to dispense more than they need--guilty!
This was the perfect complement to dry and cold winter weathers. My skin was peeling in spots and dry to the touch yet this smoothed all that out, giving me a dewy finish. I often powder over top because I prefer a matte finish but it's great if my skin is dehydrated and I only want to use one product. I usually carry blotting sheets or powder anyway so touch ups are minor. The formula is quite nourishing so I'd only recommend it to dry skin people. If you have normal or dehydrated skin, an oil absorbing primer or powder is highly recommended. But for oily skin, that's too much trouble for a simple product. I haven't experienced any sensitivities to this product, which is often the case for me. I have relatively tough skin that rarely reacts to new products so that's not so helpful for sensitive skin types.
At first, I didn't like this product. This is much thicker than a moisturizer or any of the Korean bb creams I've tried. Since it is marketed as a cc cream, I used my fingers. I got a streaky application that took forever to blend in. I do feel compelled to disclose that I'm not very good at applying base makeup with my fingers. Brushes and sponges are a lifesaver! The key to using fingers is to use a very small amount at a time, smaller than a pea sized. But my favorite method of application is still my flat top brush. I apply half a grape sized blob, dot it all over my face and use the brush to gently stipple in on. If I use swiping motions, I get streaky brush strokes but a gentle dab will erase that. I did use it with a damp Beautyblender but that gave me such a sweaty and wet looking finish to my skin that I immediately had to use powder to tone it down. I find that it sets in about 10-15 minutes to a dewy finish. Some days, I feel compelled to powder over top, but today, I left it alone and added highlighter for an even glowier glow.
Even though this product contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, I don't have a white cast on my skin nor do I get flashback in photos. My skin is definitely more luminous, bordering on shiny but that's not the same as flashback. This may be why the product is thicker than other tinted moisturizer-type products but fret not, it's easy to blend with a brush. While we're on the topic of SPF, the amount of product you apply is very important. I use about two pea-sized amounts for maximum coverage. In general, a US nickel-sized amount is recommended for adequate protection, which I think I've achieved. For a more precise measurement, it should be two milligrams per square centimeter of skin. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or after swimming or heavy sweating. Since it's makeup, I don't reapply this but use a spray-on sunscreen instead.
Wear time is decent for a cc cream. If I'm active or outside that day, I will get super shiny and oily. So for those days, I will make sure to powder and use a setting spray. After about 5 hours of being indoors, I'll need to blot or powder. Blotting doesn't alter coverage, which I'd say is pretty close to full. I'd say it's medium to full but I'm not covering tattoos or birthmarks. The cc cream covers redness and fresh post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation with ease. It doesn't bunch around dry spots or active breakouts but can gather unattractively in the corners of my nose throughout the day. A finger smooths that out but I wanted to let you know that it won't look pristine all day with no touch ups. I have yet to try a product that looks exactly the same from application to end.
One negative about this product is the scent. It's somewhere between overripe citrus and rotting oranges. Not the most pleasant but thankfully, doesn't linger. I'm not sure if mine went bad but that's how it smelled like in the beginning too. I haven't used the larger bottle but the smaller one has me wary.
{THE SWATCH}
Color wise, it has a warm undertone. I can't decide if it has an olive or a peach undertone. When I first dispense it, it looks olive but as I let it sit on my skin, it oxidizes into a peachier tone. In the winter, it was slightly too dark for me but with my summer tan, it's the perfect match. As I mentioned, there are 5 shades total. Light is the second lightest shade, going all the way up to a Rich. All shades seem to lean on the warmer side.
As you can see, it's peachier than my MUFE HD 120, which is my exact winter shade. Bareminerals Buttercream is slightly peachier but as the formula is sheerer, it blends into my skin well. The other 3 are other bb creams that I have. All those are the wrong colors for me but are good for mixing into my lighter colors.
{THE LOOK}
The before just has skincare (Garnier Dark Spot Corrector and sunscreen). My pores were looking quite large that day and you can see that I have redness around my nose and several post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (darn that time-of-the-month!) I think it does a great job at covering those marks. Some spots stick out but I don't feel compelled to cover it completely because it helps my skin look more natural.
{THE BOTTOM LINE}
I'd say it's worth it for those who are looking for natural looking skin. I'm not a fan of full coverage foundations so this strikes the best balance between real skin and coverage. It's easy to apply and not fussy. It's not as matte as I'd like but there are products to help me get the finish I want.
In comparison to other tinted moisturizers I've tried, this is the most expensive per ounce than the Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Cream , Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, and the NARS Purely Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. However, it's the one I'm most satisfied with so I don't mind the higher price tag. The others however around $22-28 usd per oz.
{WHERE TO BUY}
Travel size // ulta
What is your favorite tinted moisturizer?
Is price or performance your preference when it comes to your products?
Sounds a lot like something I'd like. We have the same face base preferences. I just can't with face bases that make me look like I caked on makeup.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, that Missha base! It's straight up grey!
Yes! I hate mask-looking skin. Sure, it looks flawless but it looks unnatural. I'd only consider it if it was a super important event, like a wedding. You'd probably need an oil-absorbing primer and powder because I wore it walking around downtown in 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) and I was so shiny! A blotting paper soaked up the oil but the coverage was still there. My face was still natural and luminous. So if you're willing to put up with that, I think it will be okay.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I never noticed it until I compared it to the others. I basically use it to lighten darker foundations, haha.