Woo hooo – a BB Crème for women of colour. Even though the hype around BB creams has died down, CC creams are on the market and for all I know cosmetic houses are working on DD, EE and FF creams, this product deserves a bit of the hoopla. The BB fad came and went without me trying it and I have never tried a tinted moisturiser so this is a new experience for me.
If you are not familiar with Iman, her shades are divided in Sand Clay and Earth and two shades of BB cream are available in each shade range. I chose Earth Medium – the second deepest shade. The colour is a pretty good match. Deep enough and on the yellow side of neutral but it did not leave me ashy on my forehead which has red undertones. It is thicker then my Nars Sheer glow liquid foundation. It applies like a moisturiser rather than a foundation, which you really notice when you apply with your fingers. If you are looking to build up the application I would recommend applying it with a brush as you would a liquid foundation. One of the things that I am really impressed me is that this is SPF 15 with no white cast and no flashback in pictures.
This is my first BB crème so I might be stating the obvious, but I get the impression that BB crèmes think that they are skincare, however for me this is a cosmetic. As someone with an extensive skincare regime, I am not prepared to forgo any steps to replace it with the BB cream. That said, the aloe vera, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil are lovely hydrating ingredients. The liquorice root extract (brightening) and Indian sour apple (garcinia indica) seed oil which is used for moisturising the skin in southern Asia reflect an Ayuverdic influence in the product. It has Vitamins A, C, and E and it is paraben free. I tend to use it as a foundation after moisturiser. I did try it as the final step after Hydraluron but it did not make a big difference in terms of finish or longevity so I went back to my moisturising product.
It does not have a fragrance which is great and it dries quite matt if your skin is already matt. If you skin combination or oily or… you are located in a place experiencing twenty five degree plus temperatures, you will get a more dewy finish. If you have quite an emollient face cream you may want to use a tissue to remove any excess, ten to fifteen minutes after application so that you get a more matt application. That said, this product powders down beautifully
I found that in the areas where my skin was fine (the perimeter of my face) it did even out my complexion, making my forehead which is darker and the centre of my face which is lighter a more uniform colour. However, it did not cover up my scars from spots. Or dark circles under my eyes, concealer is required if like me you have those issues.
It was interesting for me to use this as I wear a medium to heavy foundation during the week and slightly lighter foundation at the weekend. For work, I had to use concealer, and powder before I felt that I had enough coverage and be warned if you work in an office, this does transfer onto white paper… but not as much as my stick foundation. This has been my go to weekend complexion product for a sheer veil of colour. It lasts pretty well during the 25+ degree heat without a primer.
Have a look at the Iman website not only for find out where you can pick up the BB Crème (it’s 23.99) but also to have a look at their shade finder which is really detailed
If you are a skincare lover and looking for your next moisturiser, this is probably not for you. If your skin is in pretty good condition and you are looking for light coverage or a base for your ‘natural/barely there’ make up look, or if like me, you are looking for a lighter coverage product for the warmer months, Iman’s BB Crème is a great option as your skin still looks like your skin.