Lord knows I love my BB Creams, so I jumped for joy when I saw one of my favourite natural brand out there, Andalou Naturals, come up with their very own range of the stuff. The two products have been available in the US for a while now and will hit the Canadian market this September. I`ve had both BB creams on my hand for a while now and had a chance to play with them and test them out, so here are my thoughts...
There are two Beauty Balms in the line, both of which featuring the brand `Fruit Stem Cell Science`, which, essentially, are fruit stem cells meant to help nourish and repair your own skin cells.
All-in-One Beauty Balm Sheer Tint with SPF 30
This is a true BB Cream, according to me, anyways. The balm is a tinted moisturizer with an SPF 30. It`s a creamy, lovely, rich texture with a sheer tint. The coverage is light to medium and it works well to diffuse and blurr out imperfections; I still need concealer under my eyes and areas that need major coverage. I wore this a lot this summer as the product is easy to use and so convenient, replacing my moisturizer and SPF, all in one. I didn`t have issues with the product oxidizing on me, melting away or breaking me out, which is a miracle given the fact that my skin gets super weird during summer.
The ingredients in this balm get major thumbs up from me! I mean, where do I start? The soothing aloe? the lovely oils? the plant extracts? the antioxidants? The fact that the SPF and pigment are mineral (zinc and iron oxides)?
Overall, this cream is not only lovely but looked and felt amazing. A natural product that performs well and packed with awesome ingredients! Given it's rich texture, this balm would be suitable for people with dry, dehydrated skin; those with combo or oily versions would need to set it with a powder.Active Ingredients:
Zinc Oxide 20.0%
Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) and Helianthus
Annuus (Sunflower) Oils*, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Fruit
Stem Cells (Malus Domestsica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry
Complex*, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium
Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract*,
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil*, Algae and Cucumis Melo (Melon)
Extracts, Magnesium Sulfate, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos), Hibiscus
Rosa-Sinensis and Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extracts*†, Iron Oxide,
Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange)
Oil*
*Organic
† Fair Trade
Made naturally without GMO’s, gluten, paraben preservatives,
petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic colors, dyes and
fragrances.
Verified Gluten-Free 100% Eco-friendly, Vegetarian & Cruelty-Free
If you've read my blog you know I am a BB Cream junkie and I take the stuff seriously. So I kinda felt disappointed to see the sacred word slapped onto a products that well, doesn't really fit my standards of what a BB cream should be. This moisturizer much like the All In One Beauty Balm is packed with awesome ingredients, replaces a moisturizer and provides and SPF of 30 in addition to claiming to help control oil, but it has no tint. I mean, that is the whole thing that makes a BB Cream a BB Cream. Skincare + Coverage. I have already embraced the Western interpretation of the term, with the coverage being sheer (borderline TM) but c'mon! Give me at least a tint!
That being said, the cream is actually nice. It's somewhat lighter than it's tinted cousin, soon becoming a favorite for me, given the fact that I do have combination skin. It absorbs fast and leaves no white cast on my face. It gives my just the right amount of hydration I need, without feeling heave or greasy. I would often reach for this moisturizer during the days I decided to actually bother with foundation, as it performs beautifully underneath it and it gave me that much needed sun protection.
Active Ingredients:
Zinc Oxide 20.0%
Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) and Helianthus
Annuus (Sunflower) Oils*, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Fruit
Stem Cells (Malus Domestsica, Solar Vitis) and BioActive 8 Berry
Complex*, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hyaluronic Acid, Salvia
Officinalis (Sage), Serenoa Rapens (Saw Palmetto) and Salix Alba (Willow
Bark) Extracts*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil*, Magnesium Ascorbyl
Phosphate (Vitamin C), Algae Extract, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium
Sulfate, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos), Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis and
Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extracts*†, Phenethyl Alcohol,
Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) and Cymbopogon Martini
(Palmarosa) Oils*
*Organic
† Fair Trade
Made naturally without GMO’s, gluten, paraben preservatives,
petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic colors, dyes and
fragrances.
Verified Gluten-Free 100% Eco-friendly, Vegetarian & Cruelty-Free
Overall, I do like both of these creams despite their names. Andalou introduced me to my first natural Beauty Balm and I am hooked. It's a very nice addition to their already fantastic line of products. If I had one complaint it would be the smell. I know most natural products tend to have an overwhelming smell at times due to the natural ingredients and essential oils in them, but I did find the smell of both products rather intense at times, which I can see it being a problem for people sensitive to strong smells.
*Disclaimer: These products have been provided to me for consideration. This does not influence my opinions or review
Labels: andalou naturals, bb cream, beauty balm, moisturizer, natural, review, skin, skincare, spf, tinted
