The Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin (Light/Medium) is a product that I’ve been wanting to try for a very long time because of all the hype.

You’ll remember that the original formulation fell flat on a lot of key points for many people who were hoping for the ‘miraculous’ skincare/makeup product that BB creams were supposed to be.

This new Combination to Oily Skin version stepped up to the plate, I heard, which is why I decided to try it.

I’ve been wearing it on a daily basis for about a month, and considering that I’ve also been wearing it during these really humid days where the temperature has felt like around 40+ degrees Celsius, I think it’s a great test!

So how did it hold up? Did it live up to all the hype? There’s only one way to find out!

P.S. Thank you, everyone, for voting for me in the Nicole by OPI Blogger Challenge! (I got 97 votes – WOW!) I had fun participating, and I really appreciated your support.

Edit: I just checked Nicole by OPI’s Facebook page, and apparently you can STILL VOTE for me until the end of today (July 19th). So, if you didn’t vote yet, please do so, and “Like” my snake nail art!

Garnier BB Cream Pictures

Garnier BB Cream Swatches

Natural Light Photo

Flash Photo

Claims: TRUSTED

• Matte finish (Yes)
• Minimizes the look of pores (Yes)
• Evens skin tone (Yes)
• Hydrates (Slightly)
• Brightens (Yes)

Key Notes

• Name: Garnier BB Cream Skin Renew Miracle Skin Protector Combination to Oily Skin Light/Medium
• Amount: 60 mL
• What I Paid: $16.99 CAD (on sale)
• Where to Buy: Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, Loblaws, Target, Wal-Mart & anywhere that Garnier products are sold

Garnier BB Cream Review

Colour

Considering that there were only 2 different shades available for this Garnier BB Cream (either Light/Medium or Medium/Dark), I was really lucky that the Light/Medium matched my skintone nearly perfectly!

Since the formulation actually provides a decent amount of coverage, it’s important that the colour be as close to the skin tone as possible. Sure, if it’s too light, you could add bronzer, but I think that’s too much work. I like to be able to use a product right out of the package and alone if I want to.

This BB cream by Garnier is light, but not so light that it would be good for redheads with light skin. Also, I did notice that the Light/Medium has yellow undertones. I have some yellow undertones, so that’s why it worked out well for me.

Finish

Unlike the original Garnier BB cream, this one’s specially formulated for those with combination to oily skin, so the finish is matte, not shiny and oily-looking like a lot of other western BB creams. This is a huge selling point to me, since I have combination skin. (Throughout the day, my skin gets oilier, so I’m a fan of anything that can slow down that process.)

Application & Formula

When you first apply it, it feels a little sticky, but not uncomfortably so. After a few minutes, the formula dries down, and that’s when you begin to see the matte finish come out.

Despite this matte finish, it didn’t feel really dry. It was slightly more hydrating than you’d expect.

You could use it with a brush, a sponge, or your fingers. Since I’m always rushing in the morning, I tend to use my fingers. I tried it with a brush once, but I thought it packed too much on at once and looked cakey. I like how the warmth of my fingers works the product in more and helps to give it that natural look.

It’s important to note that the formulation is extremely watery. When you unscrew the cap, make sure that you’re holding the tube upright, or you’ll have a potential mess on your hands.

When I saw how watery the Garnier BB cream was, I thought that it wasn’t going to have much coverage. But, boy, was I wrong!

Coverage

To show you that the coverage isn’t so sheer like a lot of other BB creams (that really are glorified tinted moisturizers), I decided to show you it in action.

Now, you know that I don’t post a lot of photos of my face on here. That’s something that I can’t see myself doing regularly. But, to show a BB cream, it’s helpful to see Before and After photos.

Since I have some freckles on my arms, I decided to show those instead to give you an idea of the coverage. I hope this will help.

Say, “Hello!” freckle!

This is what the same freckle looks like after a light application of this Garnier BB Cream!

I was really impressed because I wasn’t expecting it to perform so well!

On my face, I only like wearing light-medium foundations. Full-coverage foundations tend to look weird on me, and I don’t like how heavy they feel. So, for me, this coverage was perfect.

Also, despite providing this coverage, it still felt as light as the powder mineral foundation I tend to wear on a daily basis.

The Garnier Light/Medium BB Cream smoothed out my complexion to make it appear more even. It also did a great job at covering redness. However, if you’re trying to use this to cover acne, you’ll need to build it up with several layers to conceal it. (I think you’re better off with a regular concealer for acne.)

The buildable formula gives you a great even complexion. I would recommend not using more than 2 thin layers or it’ll start to look cakey.

Also, with my skin tone, I noticed a slight brightening effect. In fact, the first few days I wore this, I got compliments from a co-worker who said that my skin looked brighter (in a good way)! She had no idea I was testing out this BB cream, so that pretty much proved (for me) that the claim that it brightens is actually true.

Longevity

I tested this BB Cream from Garnier for a long time and in different weather conditions. Even in the humid summer, it held up better than I thought, and I never once set it with powder. (I wore it over my sunscreen, moisturizer, and primer. That’s it!)

By around the 6-hour mark, I noticed some fading and parts of my skin with redness peeked out more. Considering that it’s not a foundation, that’s really amazing!

Throughout the day, the matte finish wore off gradually, and the shine came back, but it wasn’t nearly as shiny as it would’ve been had I not applied this.

Packaging

This Garnier BB Cream for Light/Medium Combination-to-Oily Skin comes in a long squeeze tube with a screw-on cap.

I like squeeze tubes because they’re easy to use and simple. But, make sure you hold the tube upright when opening, or it will spill out. Heck, even when you are careful, the product still oozes out a little into the cap and along the treads of the opening. That being said, so far, it has never leaked out of the packaging to create a mess.

I recommend storing this upside down. That’s what I do to prevent any accidents with this.

Pros Good colour match for me (those with light skin tones and yellow undertones will like it best) Matte finish (lasts hours before it fades) Feels light on the skin Provides a decent amount of coverage to even out the skin tone & cover redness Doesn’t feel drying

Cons Formula is so watery that it leaks into the cap & along the treads of the opening (Be sure to store it upside down to prevent accidents) Not many different shades to choose from (so some people may find it to be too light or too dark)

Final Verdict: 9.5/10

I’m highly impressed with the Garnier BB Cream for Light/Medium Combination-to-Oily Skin! It feels like a watery moisturizer that dries down to a nice, natural matte finish. The coverage is exactly what I feel comfortable with, and it has a brightening effect that makes me look more refreshed.

If you’ve tried other BB creams and were left looking like a greaseball, check this out because the finish is so different! Plus, if you like light-to-medium coverage, you’ll really enjoy this!

What’s your favourite BB cream? Do you like having some coverage on your face, or do you go out with nothing more than moisturizer and sunscreen? What Garnier products have you tried and loved?

Edit: Yay! Garnier Canada retweeted my blog post! Love it when companies support bloggers and customers! 🙂