Review: Peter Thomas Roth Uber-Dry Sunscreen SPF30

Peter Thomas Roth Uber-Dry Sunscreen SPF 30

From http://www.sephora.com:

What it is:
A revolutionary, uber-lightweight sunscreen that provides UVA/UVB protection, while leaving the skin feeling smooth and dry.

What it is formulated to do:
Peter Thomas Roth Uber-Dry™ Sunscreen SPF 30 is a non-oily formula that is virtually undetectable to the touch, absorbs quickly and leaves a shine-free finish, all while shielding your skin from the damaging rays of the sun.

What else you need to know:
It’s enriched with Vitamins A, C and E to help fight against free radical damage and leave a non-sticky, residue-free, invisible veil of SPF 30 protection on the skin. It’s also PABA- and fragrance-free, and dermatologist, clinically and allergy tested.

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

Packaging:
Opaque tube, easy to travel with and is a better choice for the antioxidants in the sunscreen’s formula.

Texture:
Creamy, not too thick and and not too thin. Not greasy either.

Sun Protection Level:
This is an all chemical filter sunscreen. The active ingredients remind me of Paula’s Choice Essential Non-Greasy Sunscreen SPF15, but PTR added Homosalate which yields higher SPF number.

PTR Uber-Dry Sunscreen SPF30 Protection Spectrum

However, I’m not sure about the UVA protection level. Yes, it contains Avobenzone but only 2%. Plus, it doesn’t contain any Avobenzone stabilizer.

My General Review:
This sunscreen has starred in many Paula’s best of sunscreen list. That, and the fact that it got tons of rave reviews in MakeupAlley make it very compelling to try it out. And I was lucky enough when dear Sylvia from FemaleDaily forum sent me a generous sample of this product! Thanks babe!

I have to say that even before trying this sunscreen in person, I tend to believe the hype surrounding its texture. Many said that it’s totally non-greasy and light, I guessed that it’s because of the Silica on this product. The old version of Banana Boat Faces SPF30 also puts in Silica to absorbs excessive grease. However upon trying PTR Uber-Dry, apparently it’s not as silky as Banana Boat Faces SPF30. Faces SPF30 is totally non-greasy and silkier, while PTR still leaves slightly sticky feeling. Not much though. Easily remedied by a great makeup primer.

The good thing about PTR Uber-Dry is, it absorbs quickly. Real quickly. If I apply 1/3 teaspoon like suggested by FDA, it literally sinks the moment it touches your skin. Makes getting ready in the morning even quicker! I’ve tried using a lot of product at one, and I only need to massage it for a little while. Very good indeed. I don’t find it to be overly oily during the day too, just normal. And good news for deeper-toned ladies: it doesn’t give me any white cast.

The down side?

Unfortunately it lies in the protection factor. It’s labeled SPF30, but it only contains 2% Avobenzone. I personally prefer 3% Avobenzone to ensure higher UVA protection. The other issue is, if you don’t believe that Avobenzone is not stable by its own, you shouldn’t purchase this sunscreen. It doesn’t contain stabilizer such as Octocrylene.

So is Avobenzone photostable? I don’t know. There’s debate in the area, so just to be sure, I prefer to have stabilizers in my sunscreen.

Now, given those pluses and minuses….how do PTR compares to some other light, non-greasy daily SPF?

There are other all-chemical filters sunscreens that I’ve tried that absorbs just as quickly, but gives silkier, non-greasy feeling. Fortunately I still think PTR can still hold out to its own.

Yes Faces SPF30 is silky and non-greasy…but it will induce heat sensation upon application, and it’s prone to balling up on your face. It does contain Octocrylene, but what good will it do if all the protection just balls up on your face?

Yes Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Waterlight SPF50+ is super silky and absorbs just as well as PTR. It provides higher SPF and contains Octocrylene too. It’s obvious that Neutrogena Waterlight offers higher UVA/UVB protection, but it contains Alcohol. It doesn’t help to have irritants on your face when you’re trying to battle UV damage. You should reinforce your skin, not irritate it.

Paula’s Choice Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF30 may be the only thing to stand up to PTR Uber-Dry. It’s light, it contains 3% Avobenzone and Octocrylene to stabilize it, it contains antioxidants and is fragrance-free. But it absorbs slower than PTR.

So you see, PTR does have its advantages in the myriad of light sunscreen. Plus, it does contain Antioxidants (a must to obtain that Paula’s Pick Rating, as antioxidants are very important to help stave off UV damage). And it’s fragrance-free. Those are great news for any type of skin.

What Else You Need To Know:
Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38/PA+++ absorbs quickly and controls oil, but I won’t compare it with PTR Uber-Dry because unlike PTR, Sunkiller uses all physical filters.

Availability:
It’s not available in Indonesia for sure. However IIRC, someone informed me that PTR is available in Sephora Singapore.

If that’s true than I’ll have a check next time I’m in Singapore (that would be next month)

Other than that, you can get it from DermStore or eBay.

Price:
This sunscreen is economical. US$26 seems to be moderate, but you get a whopping 118gram of product so it’s not bad at all.

Ingredients:

Active Ingredients:
Avobenzone 2.00%, Homosalate 8.00%, Octinoxate 7.50%, Octisalate 5.00%, Oxybenzone 3.50%.

Other Ingredients:
Water, Silica, Adipic Acid/Diethylene Glycol/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phospholipids, Edta, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Bisabolol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. I’m torn. I love that it’s lightweight, easy to use, and sensitive skin friendly. But I personally prefer higher UVA protection, and I also tend to pick Avobenzone-based sunscreens with stabilizer.

I don’t mind using it from time to time indoor, but I don’t think I can commit myself fully to this sunscreen only. It’s worth trying it though!

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

Review: Fancl Sunguard SPF30/PA+++

Fancl Sunguard SPF30/PA+++

From http://www.fancl.com:
New Sunguard 30 is gentle on the skin and powerful against the sun. It is absolutely UV absorbent free, and the active ingredients, Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are coated with skincare essence to retain moisture on the skin for long hours. It spreads better on skin than ever leaving no streaks on your skin. Powerfully resistant to water and sebum, it is recommended to use indoor & outdoor. Use on your face and body, and under makeup.

Free of preservatives, sterilizers, petroleum surfactants, fragrances, mineral oil, and UV absorbent, and date of manufacture printed.

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

Packaging:
Sturdy and secure with its plastic screw top packaging. It has small opening which is very appropriate for the product.

Texture:
Typical Japanese sunscreen. White, milky lotion. However, the milk is especially filmy.

Sun Protection Level:
Fancl uses all mineral filters. The percentage of Zinc Oxide is pretty good, and with its PA+++, it should provide PPD of more than 8. As usual with Zinc Oxide though, there’s a probability that it doesn’t cover the longest of UVA.

Fancl Sunguard SPF30/PA+++ Protection Spectrum

I’ve read in MUA that the Ciba sunscreen emulator estimates this to have PPD of 11.2. Not bad!

Generally speaking the protection is as low as I’m willing to go for occasional indoor uses. I often use this for weekends at home though, when I’m staying behind thick walls and curtain plus UV filtering film.

My General Review:
This is Dear Maria a.k.a pink^koala favorite sunscreen, and she was kind enough to gave me a sample to try. Thanks babe!

At that time, my skin was dry dry dry, and this sunscreen seemed to suck the moisture out of my skin slightly. But due to curiosity I CPed the full size bottle anyway Currently my skin is more Normal, and it works well. Not oily, but not drying.

However, I have to admit that I’m kinda baffled with the texture. It’s fluid, yes, but filmy. So the finish is slightly stickier compared to Sunkiller Baby SPF38/PA+++. Plus, it needs quite some time to sink in to my skin. Yes, a couple minutes after you spread it to your face, it already sinks some….but it needs another 5 minutes or so to completely absorb. In the workdays morning I generally don’t want to wait that long. Even my heavy duty La Roche Posay Anthelios Lotion SPF50 PPD31 sinks much faster than Fancl And oh, Fancl does leave white cast. Not a huge problem for my fair skin, but if you have deep skin tone you may want to consider it first.

Generally speaking I love Sunkiller Baby SPF38/PA+++ better. The milk is runnier, it absorbs much faster, is less sticky, offers slightly higher protection, and cheaper. Both utilizes mineral filters. Both are silicone-based. Both are alcohol-free, fragrance-free and preservatives-free, paraben-free. Same white cast.

So where is the advantage of Fancl?

The fact that is doesn’t control oil as much as Sunkiller So it’s a better if you have Normal/Dry or Dry skin. Plus, Fancl gives out information on the percentage of its UV filters. Even though Sunkiller rates its SPF to be higher…I feel safer if I know the exact percentage of its filter; partially because I highly prefer to have more than 10% of Zinc Oxide in my mineral sunscreens.

In the end I can’t really rate it lower than Sunkiller. I have both, and I use both; alternating with my high protection sunscreen. I use Sunkiller on workdays when I don’t have much time in the morning, I use Fancl comfortably on weekends. Both seems to be quality sunscreen

What Else You Need To Know:
Like Sunkiller, it does contain anti-bacterial and/or wound healing ingredient It includes Centella Asiatica and Panthenol for this purposes. Not sure if they’re in there in huge amount or not though, as they are listed in the middle-down of the ingredient list.

Availability:
Fancl is not available in Indonesia. None of the sunscreen that I like is available locally I CPed this from Singapore. It also available in Ebay.

Price:
It’s listed at US$33 for 60ml in its official website. I don’t really remember it but I think I CPed this for around S$45

Ingredients:

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 12%, Titanium Dioxide 6%.

Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Zinc Oxide, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, Isostearyl Neopantanoate, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Aluminium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Alanyl Glutamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Panthenol, Silica, Hydroxypatite, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol.

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. At the moment I personally prefer Sunkiller Baby SPF38/PA+++ because of the texture and higher SPF, but Fancl is a better choice if you have drier skin.

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

Long Lost Haul: November 2009

Well…that’s me. I took photos of my haul, then forget about it These lot dated back to November 2009. Le Sigh!

Stila Stuffs

Barbie Loves Stila in 1980 Foxy Doll.
Barbie Loves Stila in 2000 Jewel Doll.

Stila Runway Look (Fall 2008 LE?).

Stila Day To Night Talking Palette.

Stila Eye Shadow Duo in Fandango, Tatiana, Dragonfly.

Stila Mandarin Mist Trio (this one was LE….Summer 2007? But later made permanent in the name of Champagne Glow).

Stila Cheek Color Pan in Eclectic.

Stila Lip Glazes and Lip Glaze Sticks. My goodness….I can’t name the color now. It’s been thrown into my lipglosses bucket. I’m pretty sure one of the Lip Glaze Stick is Blackberry, but I’m not really sure of the other one. I think it’s Plum.

2 of the Lip Glazes are from the Barbie Loves Stila paint can (Foxy, Jewel), and I think the other one is Fruit Cake.

Stila Duos, Trios, Quads...

And I restocked my skin care. Another sunscreen spray by Paula’s Choice (review coming soon, I hope!), my HG Paula’s Choice Super Antioxidant Concentrate, and Acnes UV Tint SPF30/PA++.

Skincare Stuffs

I have some December 2009 haul too….hope I can take picture of it soon hahaha.

Have a great weekend, ladies!

Review: Mentholatum Acnes UV Tint SPF30/PA++

Mine is not this one, as mine is labeled with SPF30/PA++. But the packaging is similar.

Mentholatum Acnes UV Tint

From The Box:
The text is in Indonesian, so here they are translated:

• Prevents acne, anti-UV lotion.
• For indoor and outdoor uses.

Oily skin is one of the cause for acne, and UV radiation can make it more severe. Use Acnes UV Tint which contains anti-UV to protect your skin and prevents acne.

Benefits:

• Anti-bacterial: Isopropyl Methylphenol kills acne-causing bacteria.
• Anti-UV: SPF30 and PA++ shields skin from UV radiation.
• Nourishes skin: Vitamin E and B6 helps keep skin soft and moist.
• Make-up: Acts as makeup base and controls sebum.

Steryl Glycyrrhetinate soothes reddened skin caused by acne.

Oil-free, alcohol-free, and free from suntan substance which causes skin to darkens in contact with UV. Gentle and appropriate for all skin types.

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

Packaging:
Small opaque plastic bottle with small opening. Very convenient at home or when travelling.

Texture:
Similar to asian sunscreens. It’s liquid with tons of slip. Feels slightly oily to the touch, which I guess is caused by silicones, but it dries down fine. Not oily or tacky.

Sun Protection Level:
The best I’ve seen from a pure mineral filter drugstore sunscreen. It contains 10% Zinc Oxide and 8.6% Titanium Dioxide. Usually, a drugstore product won’t reach a 10% Zinc Oxide level

Mentholatum Acnes UV Tint SPF30/PA++ Protection Spectrum

Nevertheless, being micronized (and siliconized, they claim) Zinc Oxide, it’s probable that it doesn’t cover the highest spectrum of UVA. Good news is, it’s supposed to be stable.

As for how high the UVA protection is, it’s only PA++; which means it may range from PPD 6 to PPD 8. Kinda low for my taste. Usually, PPD10 is as low as I’m willing to go. Even then,  I wouldn’t use it daily; mostly only to alternate with more protective sunscreens.

My General Review:
I’m sorry that I’m about to crash a party here. Everyone raves about this product, but honestly, I don’t.

Of course, I bought it because of the raves. Plus, I’ve seen the ingredients in store and was pleasantly surprised to find it incorporates 10% Zinc Oxide, PLUS 8.6% Titanium Dioxide. That’s very rare for a drugstore product; usually they only contain smaller percentage of UV filter. Also, they contain some antioxidants like Vitamin E and Vitamin C. The texture is also quite nice, a lot of people love this kind of watery asian sunscreen type. Even though it feels slightly oily to the touch, it sinks in quickly. But on me, the good things ceased there.

First off, despite being micronized, the filters are there, creating messy, cakey look that I can’t get rid off. It disturbs the finish of my foundation, I couldn’t get perfect smooth face with this product underneath. I don’t understand why others never experience this problem, but then again I use a lot of product at one time. Much more than 1/3 teaspoon. And if you want a sunscreen to work as it claims to be, you better be packing it on your face. Especially liquid ones.

Frankly, this problem is common with a lot of  sunscreens utilizing mineral filters. And I’ve learned that I can use a more emollient moisturizer underneath, giving the sunscreen extra slippery surface so it blends better. But! I usually only use that method on weekends at home, when I don’t put any makeup on top. When I don’t really worry on how many oil my skin will spill.

On weekdays, when I put makeup on top, I couldn’t tolerate more emollient moisturizer underneath, could I? Even though Acnes UV Tint itself doesn’t feel oily throughout the day, I wouldn’t risk adding extra moisturizer per day basis.

Plus, there’s this tint problem. It’s beige. While it’s not a problem with my fellow yellow-toned ladies, it’s troublesome on my pink-toned face. It makes me look dull and darker than I really am. D’uh!

All in all, given the UVA protection is only PA++, I’m not willing to make sacrifices in order to wear this

What Else You Need To Know:
Mentholatum is owned by Rohto, and Acnes series seems to be Asian exclusive.

Application:
I always wear my antioxidant serum and moisturizer first. Shake the bottle well, and apply the sunscreen liberally and evenly all over face and neck.

Availability:
Easily available at drugstores or supermarket here in Indonesia. Watson’s, for example.

Price:
Another good point of this product. It’s around IDR40,000 for 30ml, which is substantially cheaper than a lot of sunscreens.

Ingredients:
I suspect that they didn’t give full ingredient list, but only the active ingredients.

Isopropyl Methylphenol 0.1%, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate 0.05%, dl-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Mg L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Rosemary Extract, Siliconized Micro Particles Zinc Oxide 10% & Titanium Dioxide 8.6%, Siliconized Talc, Mica, Titanium (CI 77891), Yellow Iron Oxide (CI 77492), Red Iron Oxide (CI77491) and Black Iron Oxide (CI 77499), Perfume, Water.

Overall Rating:
3 out of 5. Best ingredients and filter I’ve seen in a pure mineral drugstore sunscreen, and a lot of people love this. But it’s not for me.

I recommend you to try it out, especially if you only want a light non water resistant sunscreen with not-so-high-and-greasy protection. Who knows it’ll work for you!

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

Review: Paula’s Choice Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF30 Sunscreen Spray

Paula's Choice Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF30 Sunscreen Spray

From http://www.cosmeticscop.com:
Convenient spray-on application.
High level of broad-spectrum sun protection for those who spend extra time outdoors.
Formulated with effective UVB sunscreens as well as avobenzone for superior UVA protection.
Provides ultra-light hydration and a weightless feel well-suited for normal to very oily skin, on face and body.
Contains potent antioxidants and anti-irritants to boost skin’s environmental defenses.
May be applied to facial skin (spray into hand and apply; do not spray directly on face).
100% fragrance-, preservative-, and colorant-free.

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:
Convenient opaque bottle with spray that contains 118ml. I discard the sprayer and installed a pump from Paula’s Choice though. The reason: my sprayer doesn’t work (God knows why), and pump is proper anyway for the consistency of this product.

Texture:
A slick water. It’s transparent and light like water, but it’s very slippery.

Sun Protection Level:
I’d say it’s medium. It uses all chemical UV filters. I’m glad to see that Paula has combined several filters to achieve better protection. As for the broadness of the protection: yes it covers all UVA and UVB spectrum. Well done!

Paula's Choice Ultra Light Weighless Finish SPF30 Protection Spectrum

My General Review:
It’s been quite some time that I’m HIGHLY impressed with a beauty product (esp. sunscreen). No joke! This got to be the most cosmetically elegant sunscreen that I’ve ever used! And I’ve used quite some, I can tell you.

My first experience with this product was not all that convincing. Maybe around a year ago? At that time I had dry/very dry skin. I asked for a sample from PC Indonesia, and use this on top of Clinique Superdefense type I. The one for very dry skin that is quite heavily moisturizing. The end result? Err….no, this sunscreen didn’t sink well. It wasn’t matte in the slightest and my face feels very slippery like the product won’t sink. All in all very different from the review in MakeupAlley.

Fast forward to present time.

At the moment I have oily skin. I use light moisturizer such as Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (DDMG). Despite the prior experience with the sample pack, I insisted to buy the full size bottle due to the consistently glowing reviews in MUA. And I’m so happy I did.

I pump the product to my palm, and use my fingers to spread it to my face. Pray hard that the slick/greasy feeling will go away. And it is! After 2-3 minutes, my skin is absolutely non-greasy and is super smooth! With this I don’t even need to wear primer, all the silicone in this sunscreen provide me with a *very* good slippery base for my TM/foundation/BB cream. And even though the dry-down result is not perfectly matte, it’s not super shiny either. No white cast too.

Even more to love: on my oily days, this sunscreen doesn’t make me oil up. I usually touch up a bit on the lunch time, but it was nothing much.

Overall this is *the* most cosmetically elegant daily use sunscreen that I’ve ever used. Definitely kicks Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30 in the boo-tay. Why? Because with PC Ultra Light SPF30 you don’t risk balling up your makeup. No heat sensation when you apply the sunscreen. Even better finish. Much better oil control. And being a PC product, it contains antioxidant too.

If only PC can make higher protection level with this exactly formulation, this product will be perfect in every respect.

What Else You Want To Know:
Since this is a waterless, silicone based product, it doesn’t contain preservatives. Automatically, it’s paraben-free

This product is non water resistant. PC offers SPF55 sunscreen spray that is water resistant, but heard that it’s a lotion and is not as cosmetically elegant as this SPF30 version.

Availability:
PC doesn’t have brick-and-mortar store so you’ll need to email/call/fax the Customer Service. Bummer, as I like to directly shop for whatever my need.

Price:
It’s reasonably priced in US at around USD16, but here it costs whopping IDR350,000 for 118ml! WTF? I got a 50% discount since my bottle is ‘going to expire soon’. Geez.

Ingredients:

Active Ingredients:
Octinoxate 7.5.%, Homosalate 6%, Octisalate 5.0%, Oxybenzone 4.5%, Avobenzone 3%, Octocrylene 2.4% (all FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients).

Other Ingredients:
Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane (silicone slip agents), Isododecane (dry-finish solvent), Hexyldecanol (skin-conditioning agent), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (stabilized vitamin C/antioxidant), Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (plant-based antioxidant), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidant), Ferulic Acid (antioxidant), Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Bisabolol (anti-irritants).

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. The most elegant daily use sunscreen that I’ve ever tried. Medium level protection that is hopefully enough for my daily/indoor activities.

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

Review: BRTC Jasmin Water BB Cream SPF30

BRTC Jasmin Water BB Cream SPF30

From The Box:
It is a triple function BB cream with whitening, wrinkle decline, and sun blocking that presents brilliant skin tone while providing moisture through containing Jasmin water.

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.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
Lavender plastic tube with silver metal cap. Practical, easy to use, and travel-friendly. You can’t see how much is left though, but I think it’s better to have light-impermeable packaging.

Color Selection:
Just one, like many BB creams. It suits my fair skintone pretty well. The cream has pink undertone.

Texture:
Quite liquid, similar to BRTC Soothing BB cream.

Coverage:
Sheer-medium, it won’t cover major discoloration, just evens out skintone nicely.

Blendability:
Due to the thin consistency, blendability is very good!

Finish:
Semi-matte. It’s not super radiant, but is not flat matte either.

Oil Control:
What’s important is to use suitable skincare for my skintype at the moment.

When my skin is dry, I use very hydrating skincare, and this BB cream seems to help hydrating my skin even more, without getting oily.

When my skin is much oilier is the T-zone, I use lighter serum/moisturizer, and it stayed fresh for hours without being oily.

My General Review:
I first got a sample jar of this from a friend. In fr3b, this BB cream seems to be the highest rated of all BRTC BB cream.I was reluctant to get the full size however, because I saw in the BRTC website that it contains 5% Jasmine water. Jasmine water is a potential irritant, you know? Better safe than sorry.

But as it turns out, this is definitely one of my favorite BB cream. I don’t find it irritating. The texture is pleasant, I love the finish too. It seems to help my skin to appear smoother. Good oil control, without being drying or oily. The color matches well too, since it’s on the fair side. When I first squirt the cream to my fingers, it looks very pink; but weirdly enough, on my face it’s slightly more yellow than most BB cream. Still melts nicely with my skin though. As a bonus, I think it helps drying out my acne!

The only possible downside, maybe is the sun protection. It claims to be SPF30, but unlike other BRTC BB cream with SPF, Jasmin doesn’t list a PA rating. Which leads me to believe that this item may not have UVA protection.

Well, I always wear sunscreen first though, so for me it’s a bit of a minor issue.

Price:
It’s BRTC, so it’s quite expensive. KRW29,000 for 40ml.

Availability:
BRTC is mostly available online, but if some countries (like Singapore) has already stocks this in drugstores like Guardians or Watsons.

I bought mine off Gmarket, so I paid retail price in Korea. Excluding shipping of course.

Ingredients:
Sigh. Even after I own the full size tube, the ingredient list is still not there. At least not one written in English though

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Great BB cream, one of my favorite for its smooth, natural finish.

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

Review Update! Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30

Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30

Finally! Found the way to make Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30 sunscreen to work on my skin, without looking like I’ve slathered my face with Crisco.

Since my skin is changing a lot, it’s normal/combo now instead of dry/very dry. Instead of using Clinique Superdefense SPF25 for very dry skin as my moisturizer, I switch to Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (DDMG). The difference is indeed dramatic!

My face doesn’t look super shiny now. I guess Superdefense for very dry skin is too much to be used as a base to Faces SPF30. As for oil control, from the start, I don’t have problems with Faces SPF30 getting oily on me. Even until now when my T-zone is much oilier, this sunscreen still feels light and moist and non greasy.

I’m updating my previous review and gives 5 out of 5 as the new overall rating. If you’re looking for broad spectrum, moderately protecting sunscreen with  a light, pleasant-to-use texture, I highly recommend you to try Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30. Just remember to apply is as evenly as you can to avoid Faces SPF30 to balls up, and wash it off with cleansing oil.