BB Cream Review: Bio-Essence Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream SPF25/PA++

Sales and I, we can’t resist each other. It’s a mutual, magnetic, irresistible attraction, I tell ya.

So I was happily making my way to my usual weekend, which happens to be located… at the top storey of a mall. Which had a Watson’s Atrium Sale. Where a few Asian BB creams were going at 20 – 30% off.

Which led me to purchasing the Bio-Essence Bio Multi-Effect 8 in 1 BB cream with SPF 25. For my overseas readers, Bio-essence is a Singaporean skincare label, with most of its products Made in China.

This is also one of the first Bio-essence products I’ve tried.

Couldn’t resist the purple packaging too.

This 30g tube usually retails at S$28 at Watson’s. It went for S$19.60 at the atrium sale. I was dithering between the platinum 10 in 1 bb cream and this, with this being slightly lower in price.

Ingredients

The SPF 25 comes from the titanium dioxide and this is a paraben and glycol free BB cream.

It claims to do the usual AND whiten skin. Which isn’t what I’m after but whatever. Oil control is stated on the back of the packaging and that was what I was expecting.

How is it 8 in 1?

These are its 8 in 1 claims that we shall put to the test. As I’ve only used this a handful of times, let’s assume these are the properties to be tested for the duration of wear on my face, rather than any longterm benefits

• Concealer
• Sun block
• Skin Repair
• Moisturiser
• Nourishment
• Oil Control
• Skin whitening
• Reduces wrinkles and lines

Directions for use – pat it in.

First impressions – the colour is rather dark and slightly grey-toned. On the runny side, looks prepared to drip down my underarm 🙂 I’ve got a scar to the left of the blob, which will gauge the BB cream’s coverage.

Very runny texture, which makes this really easy to apply with fingers or a brush. It still looks rather dark, doesn’t it?

Instead of rubbing it in, do pat it, as I find that it blends in much better and easier. The colour also blends in better after 10 minutes or so. The scar is fully covered and there’s a dewy, slightly glistening finish to the bb cream. I’m currently an NC 20 – 25 and find this ok on my face. I’d be keener to try this on after a dive trip when I end up being NC35 or so.

My thoughts on how it measures against its 8 in 1 claims:

• Concealer (medium coverage and buildable)
• Sun block (I still use a sunscreen under all my makeup, SPF rated or otherwise, so this is moot)
• Skin Repair (can’t tell)
• Moisturiser (yes it moisturises well, to the extent of failing on oil control)
• Nourishment (ingredients has plenty of botanical extracts)
• Oil Control (absolute fail. My face oiled up in 1.5 hours despite topping it off with my usual matte finishing powder *insert sad and disappointed face here*)
• Skin whitening (evens skin tones I guess)
• Reduces wrinkles and lines (fills in pores ok)

Unfortunately, I haven’t been so lucky with this particular buy, mainly owing to its total lack of oil control. Whoever wrote up the marketing blurb/LIE ought to be made to go around with an oily face 24 – 7 x 365 days.

I have since googled and read that the platinum 10 in 1 has much better oil control. Unfortunately, Singapore does not have a return policy for used products and most times, not even for new products. So I’m stuck. In local parlance – nothing to do but *suck thumb*.

~*Item was regretfully purchased by me*~