Review: Bobbi Brown Protective Face Lotion SPF15

Bobbi Brown Protective Face Lotion SPF15

From www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com:
This lightweight, moisturizing lotion with SPF 15 hydrates as it helps protect against the damaging rays of the sun. Anti-Oxidant Vitamin E aids in fighting skin-damaging free radicals; Chamomile calms and soothes. Formulated to absorb quickly, and leave skin smooth and prepared for even, long-lasting makeup application. Dermatologist-tested.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Glass bottle painted in white, complete with pump. Even though I don’t think the pump is airtight, it’s still a decent packaging that minimizes the risk of antioxidant damage (in case it’s exposed to light and air).

Not sure it’ll travel well due to the fact that it’s a glass though. And yes it’s kinda heavy compared to your good old plastic tube or bottle

Texture:
It’s interesting. The lotion is kinda thick, feels slightly greasy to the touch but dries down to a smooth finish.

Sun Protection Level:
This is broad spectrum, but it relies with Titanium Dioxide to do the job. And usually Titanium Dioxide alone will not do a good job in keeping my skin from UVA. Click to enlarge:

Bobbi Brown Protective Face Lotion SPF15 Protection Spectrum

Anyway, I only use a pea-sized amount of this lotion. Sunscreen should be applied liberally in order to get the labeled SPF rating, so of course I always follow this product with sunscreen in the day.

My General Review:
At first I wasn’t that thrilled with this lotion; as I’ve read the reviews and expected a light, elegant lotion with SPF15. I need a moisturizer for normal/dry skin to step up  from Clinique DDMG, but not quite as rich as my other dry skin moisturizers. And initially this product doesn’t seem to deliver. It doesn’t seem to moisturize much for my normal/dry skin.

Plus, the texture. I was caught off guard with it. Not quite like sunscreen, not quite like moisturizer. It’s ever so slightly sticky, yes. Slightly thick, yes. Slightly silicone-y, yes. And finally I’ve found a salvation: the texture resembles MUFE HD Microperfecting Primer!

Yes ladies, now I know why Bobbi never create a primer, LOL. Indeed, this moisturizer feels slightly tackier than MUFE HD Primer, but the moisturized finish, smooth effect, is similar. Yes, this is a moisturizer that fills in my pores LOL!

So does it means that I could skip primer with this moisturizer underneath? Nah~ I don’t think so. Because anyway I always to put a thick layer of sunscreen on top, so I still need something to ensure my foundation/BB cream/TM can go on smoothly It’s just fun to see that my skin is smoothed out. I just hope that it makes a great base for my sunscreen.

Cosmetically, if you’ve read my Clinique DDMG review, you’ll know that generally speaking my lids are oilier than the rest of my face, and heavy moisturizer in that area could cause eyeshshadows to cake up. However, I’m happy to report that it’s the case with this moisturizer

Over time…with the combination of Bobbi Brown Overnight Cream when I’m asleep, my skin is moistened and normal and smooth. Yes, it’s not just cosmetic effect. The combination of both cream has smoothed out my pores so in the end makeup glides smoother. So I guess both products slowly work its way out on my skin.

In the end, I really love my bottle. It’s an excess, actually…since I could get a Paula’s Choice moisturizer for less, and it may contain more antioxidants. But right now, for my currently normal skin, I love the level of moisture it gives. I’ll certainly finish my bottle and reassess on whether I should restock or not.

What Else You Need To Know:
Ingredient wise, this BB moisturizer contains several antioxidants like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene. Chamomile and Linoleic Acid are also cited as antioxidants by some researches. Not to mention, the anti-inflammatory agent of this moisturizer such as Chamomile and Licorice. Emollients too, such as Cholesterol. That’s why I’m willing to burn my dollar to buy this lotion, it’s not just because of Bobbi’s name Gotta thank the fine ladies at MakeupAlley for providing the ingredient list online!

Also, one of the MUA-er chanel227 has tipped us that Estee Lauder Daywear Plus (SPF30?) and MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF15 are similar to this BB Face Lotion SPF15.

Indeed, all of these companies are owned by Estee Lauder, so it’s probable that the formulation are similar I’ve never tried either, so I can’t say much. But Paula Begoun recommended MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF15 as a great standby for normal/oily skin. So maybe it’s less moisturizing compared to the Bobbi Brown Lotion version? Is it more similar to the Bobbi Brown Oil Control Lotion SPF15? I don’t know, since I’ve tried none! However, I think it’s a valuable pointer for you ladies, when you have to shop for moisturizer

Anyway here’s the ingredient list for MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF15.

Active: Zinc Oxide (6.7%), Octinoxate (3.5%),

Other: Water, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Butter, Caffeine, Sodium Rna, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Barley Extract, Chinese Mushroom Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root (Chinese Root) Extract/Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Yeast Extract, Wheat Germ Extract, Sucrose, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Steareth-21, Pvp, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl Esters, Hexylene Glycol, Polyethylene, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Linoleic Acid, Disodium Edta, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Fragrance, Bht, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Both MAC and EL are fragranced. However, Bobbi’s Face Lotion SPF15 is fragrance-free. Hallelujah!

As for moisturizing powder, I’ve stated above that BB Face Lotion SPF15 is mostly appropriate for normal to normal/dry skin. But how is it compared to other moisturizers that I’ve tried? Here’s the comparison, IMHO.

From lightest to heaviest:

1. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended.
2. Clinique DDMG.
3. Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Moisture Gel.
4. Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Lotion SPF15 / Bobbi Brown Face Lotion SPF 15.
5. Clinique DDML.
6. Clinique Superdefense/Super Rescue for Dry/Combination Skin / Paula’s Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream.
7. Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Moisturizer.
8. Clinique Superdefense for Very Dry Skin.

So many moisturizers that I’ve used, yet I’ve reviewed so little. Gotta work on that…

Anyway, yes, this Bobbi Brown Face Lotion SPF15 is on par with Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Lotion SPF15 in terms of moisturizing powder and SPF rating. However, I still think that Bobbi is more cosmetically elegant and less sticky PC provides broader UV coverage though.

Here’s the ingredient list for Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing SPF15.

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Oxybenzone 2%, and Avobenzone 2% (sunscreen agents).

Other Ingredients: Water, Isododecane (matte finish solvent), Silica (absorbent), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (antioxidant), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidant), Superoxide Dismutase (antioxidant enzyme), Niacinamide, Phospholipids (cell-communicating ingredients), Soybean Peroxidase (antioxidant enzyme), Bisabolol (anti-irritant), Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol (water-binding agents), Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate (absorbent/thickener), Polysorbate-20 (emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20 (thickeners), Sorbic Acid (preservative), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (film-forming agent), EDTA (chelating agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol (preservatives).

Application:
I use this daily as my day moisturizer, applying it after my antioxidant serum. A pea-sized amount usually suffice for my whole face. Gently patted with fingers, than followed with sunscreen. At night, I use the matching Bobbi Brown Overnight Cream. The combination has given me smooth, properly moisturized skin!

Availability:
BB is available in Harvey Nichols at Grand Indonesia shopping mall, but I usually buy my items from Changi DFS. (Much) cheaper and selection of product is more complete.

Price:
US$45 for 50ml at US. I bought it slightly less than retail price though (due to DFS).

Ingredients:
Water, Cyclomethicone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Chamomilla Recutita, Beta-Carotene, Licorice Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Pantethine, Oryzanol, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Quaternium-18 Bentonite, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Propylene Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Steareth-21, Nylon-12, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-100 Stearate, Polydecene, Laureth-7, Polysorbate 20, Polyquaternium-10, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Stearate, Trisodium EDTA, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. A keeper for normal to normal/dry skin looking for elegant, lightweight moisturizer. Slightly expensive though, but a bottle has lasted me quite some time.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

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