Just in Time For Summer - REN BB Cream

Despite being a very adventures beauty blogger with a zest for new discoveries, every once in a while i come across a brand that just has that something extra that makes my heart skip a little bit with each new product release. I am very picky so it doesn't happen very often - however it will be pretty easy for you guys to notice a pattern.

REN captured my heart (face and body) very early on. I have been their fan almost from the beginning and my bathroom vanity is proof of my undeniable loyalty. Their skincare is of excellent quality, the prices are reasonable, the formulations are quite unique, the ingredients can be considered pretty CLEAN (not 100% but they are pretty close) and their customer service is the best i have ever seen (more on that later on).

So as an avid REN fan I was very excited to hear that they were going to release a new silicone-free BB cream that promised a healthy, luminous, satin-like but also matte finish. That's a high order even for REN so naturally i wanted to see if they delivered.
REN's Satin Perfection BB Cream Sunscreen is presented as a multi-functional tinted cream that covers and corrects minor imperfections, provides anti-oxidant protection, increases skin radiance and still mimics oil-free flawless finish. The formula also promises toning, firming and anti-aging benefits however speculating on those statements is almost impossible since it would take a lot longer to test and record those results.


The first thing i noticed about the REN BB was the whipped-like texture of the cream itself, how easy it was to blend and the luscious citrus scent (which was a nice surprise). The shade (light-medium) seemed to be a bit too dark for my fair complexion but it blended so seamlessly that i couldn't detect any disparity with my coloring in a minute flat. Coverage can only be described as light at best however the look you end up with resembles light airbrushing, which is surely done by light reflection manipulated in such a way to blurr out any imperfections you might thing you have.

I love a true satin-finish, dewy base for my skin which is something so many products promise but ultimately fail at, especially during the humid summers. REN promises a satin matte finish and I am inclined to agree with them. My skin is mostly of the combination type although i can have significant dry patches on my cheeks and around my nose, something this BB cream handled very well, leaving my skin dewy and radiant. The dewiness continued and held its own without setting powder for about 5 hours, which in my opinion is more than reasonable, especially if you consider that once i added a light layer of translucent powder the next day wear-time was extended to almost 8 hours.

I know that many consumers automatically compare any "western" BB creams with their more advanced "eastern" cousins, which is justifiable however I would like to gently point out that the formulas are steadily improving and pretty soon the competition between the two wont be as clear cut. Asia has specialized in BB creams for a long time and their skin-loving approach has served them well but brands like REN certainly are catching up. Need for improvement is always there, regardless of the brand but the only thing I can think of that needs some work is shade selection. The shade i have was light-medium and it matched me almost perfectly but i know that those with lighter or darker complexion would have a hard time making this work.
Bottom line - I would definitely recommend REN's BB cream to anyone as long as the shade matches their coloring!

REN Satin Perfection BB Cream Sunscreen ($38.00) is available for purchase directly here or at Sephora here

Which brings me to the good news - If you are placing an online Sephora order use the code BBMINI to receive a deluxe travel sized BB cream of one of the 3 available sample brands (REN, Smashbox and Dr.Jart)

Ingredients;
Aqua (water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zinc Oxide, Oleyl Alcohol, Camelia Oleifera Seed Oil, Titanium Oxide, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Silica, Yeast Amino Acids, Sorbitan Olivate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Myristyl Myristate, Sucrose Palmitate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Oryzanol Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (cranberry) Seed Oil, Mannitol, Lactic Acid, Yeast Extract, Mica, Sodium Hydroxymethylglucinate, Tocopheryl, Carbomer, Isostearic Acid, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Limonene, Morinda Citrofolia Extract, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Glycogen, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Propylene Carbonate, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Linalool, Laminaria, Ochroleuca Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, CI 77492/CI 77491/CI 77499 (Iron Oxides)

I hope that was useful to some of you :-) What is your all-time favorite BB cream brand?

XOXO

ANJA

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