As promised, here is my long overdue review on the Skinfood Mushroom BB cream.
The tube is slightly larger than the one my Skin 79 Beblesh Balm came in, and very pretty. The cap seems to encased with fiber paper and little gold embossings. The scent isn't too bad, either--I've read many complaints about the mushroom scent, but I didn't notice anything of the sort. The scent is very sweet and pleasant (though if you have strong hay fever/a sensitive nose and sneeze easily like I do, beforewarned: the scent is pretty strong, you might want to brace yourself before you squeeze it out).
Coverage of the Skinfood Mushroom BB cream is medium. It evens out my skin tone, covers up most redness, evens out my under eye area, and hides some acne/blemishes. The bb cream feels very smooth and nice on my skin. It has a semi-thick consistency, but simultaneously feels like it contains a lot of water (as opposed to mineral oil). I got this in Shade #2, which is for the darker skin tones (#1 is for very fair skin, #2 is for medium fair skin). The shade blends very nicely into my skin tone.
The bb cream contains adenosine and arbutin extract, which is supposed to brighten dull skin tone over time. Aloe and mushroom extract serve to soothe and protect skin from dryness and fine lines. Thus, the label on the front of the tube promises the cream's "triple function" as a "whitening, anti-aging, and sun block" product.
The positive things I have to say about this bb cream end here.
I had read only good reviews about this bb cream online so I had very high expectations. Most people who tried this one did not like the Skin 79 Beblesh Balm (the original spf 15 version I reviewed here), so I thought this one would be even better. I was SO disappointed with this product. I've been using this product for several months now, in humid and dry temperatures, and my opinion hasn't differed in either situation. First of all, you probably have to already have great skin if you use this product--re: smooth, acne/blemish free, normal (not dry or oily) skin. I have combination skin that tends to be either super oily/break out, or very dry and flakey. Thus, the only place this cream works nicely on is my cheeks/under eye area. It does keep my skin very smooth and hydrated when that part of my face isn't dry or breaking out. However, on my T-zone and chin, this cream does not work anywhere as effectively as the Skin 79 cream. What distinguishes bb cream from other foundation is that it looks so natural--after application, it is supposed to actually melt into your skin. The Skin 79 cream definitely melts into my skin, whether it's dry and flakey, or congested/breaking out, so my skintone is completely evened out and most of my acne and redness covered--so my skin looks naturally flawless and glowing. The Skinfood bb cream just sits on top of my skin, only to oxidize. If there is any flakiness or uneven skin, the spheres of color just gather on there, so it looks extremely cakey and artificial. I also tried mixing the Skinfood bb cream with moisturizer, to lessen the coverage on days my skin is less problematic/drier, but the bb cream doesn't mix well with moisturizer for some reason, and doing this actually makes the bb cream even harder to blend onto my skin.
I don't know why the Skinfood bb cream is so cakey. My theory is that the ingredients for the Skin 79 bb cream are not only higher quality, but also blended together very, very well. And in the Skinfood bb cream, whatever ingredients they used as a mixing medium separates from the pigment when you apply it to your skin. I've tried using a stipling brush, foundation brush, and sponge to apply the product to my face, but it looks cakey no matter which tool I use.
So my verdict? Don't buy this, unless you have perfect skin!!!!! If you've tried the original silver Missha bb cream, this bb cream is similar in terms of cakiness. I am so dissatisfied I don't know what to do with my tube--I'm torn between throwing it out, or just giving it away. Boo.
If you have medium fair skin, go for Skin 79 Beblesh Balm. If you have lighter skin, I suggest you shop around for a different product that matches your skin tone. At MAC, my shade is between a NC25 and NC30. I find the Shade 2 to be a little too pinkish for my skin (I have neutral-yellow undertones).
I also bought the Aloe Sun BB cream
which is just as cakey so don't bother purchasing within the same brand. I have not tried the Gingko version since I wanted something with SPF, and though I've heard that one is more sheer and moisturizing, I'm not willing to take the gamble.
