Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector

The BB cream phase sweeping the nation seemed to start with this one by Garnier despite BB creams being a big thing in Asia and originating from there. I generally dislike the Garnier brand as everything is overly fragranced, from hair dye to face creams and I dislike that they DO test on animals. After almost a year of hype I figured I would pick this up, after using quite
a few different BB creams, and see if it really is as good as Garnier seem to think it is.

Stepping back for a second, if you don't have a clue what a BB cream is then check out my description and information post here so you are up to speed. I bought shade #2 Light in the BB cream. It is a 5 in one Miracle Skin Perfecter. The 5 selling points are:

• SPF 15
• Evens tone and boosts glow
• Blurs imperfections
• Smooths fine lines
• 24 hour hydration

Let us just go over it's 5 points shall we? SPF 15 is the bare minimum that I would wear on my skin daily, my Clinique BB cream has an SPF30 which I much prefer and a SPF of at least 20 would be preferable.

Evens tone and boosts glow - I would say it does even tone and it has a luminous/moisturising finish so would technically boost glow. I did look a bit greasy but if you are someone who wears powder then the luminous finish would just be matte anyway.

Blurs imperfections - bit hard to gauge, it does in a way but just the same as any other tinted moisturiser. Same with the 'smooths fine lines' it gives the appearance of the lines being smoothed, it doesn't actually smooth them does it? It's not an iron!

24 hour hydration - really? Do I really plan on wearing this for 24 hours? Hell to the no. So another one of those stupid claims that they make like 48 hour deodorant and 24 hour foundation. I don't care if it lasts more than 12 hours I like to wash twice a day thanks!

                                                      What I like about this product ??

I like the colour of shade #02 and as long as I have a little fake tan on or a little colour to my skin it blends in fine. From the swatch above you might think that it is quite pigmented but once you have blended it into your face it is very sheer, like a super sheer tinted moisturiser. This is actually fine for me for the purpose I would use it, which is on a no-makeup type day or daytime at the weekend when I don't want to put on lots of slap. Also maybe for the gym as I hate going there with no makeup on. You definitely need a concealer as this doesn't cover any blemishes or dark circles but it does mean that the coverage over you cheeks or any good parts of your skin is left sheer and natural. The price and amount of product you get seems quite reasonable compared to other high street brands and the packaging is functional and sanitary.

Personally I much prefer to use this product as a primer underneath my normal foundation, I think it works pretty well like this and I will continue to use it as a primer and a gym/lounge about the house foundation.

                                                  What I dislike about the product ??

I dislike that the product is scented as I see no need for additional fragrance in any skincare product as it is an irritant (to me). The cream gives a shiny and dewy finish which isn't great for everyday circumstances, it doesn't give a finish that would be considered acceptable for a smart place of work for example so you would need to apply powder over the top, completely negating most of the benefits of using a BB cream or use it as a primer before your regular foundation to even your skin out and gain the SPF if there isn't one in your foundation.


Moan about fragrance aside this didn't irritate my skin at all and it is quite sensitive so that was a plus point. Overall I can see the fuss in a way, as so many people I know just grab a random foundation from Boots and use the same one, usually the wrong colour for years and years, so this could be a revelation to them but personally, as someone who has tried better BB creams, better tinted moisturisers with SPF and just generally better base products I can't say that is makes me that excited.


Overall I give it 6/10 and wouldn't repurchase. The Garnier BB cream costs £9.99 and you can get it from Boots