It’s not very often that I decide to write a review based on a small sample, but I felt like I should in this case, considering that I mentioned this product several times before on this blog. I’m talking about none other than Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm, which comes in two shades – Light/Medium and Medium/Deep.
Here’s the official description from Sephora.com:
A moisturizer, sunscreen, and treatment serum, this all-in-one product also includes advanced brightening properties. Ideal under makeup, its natural-looking coverage minimizes the appearance of imperfections and evens the skintone.
Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Arbutin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Calcium Stearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Talc, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Alcohol, Lecithin, rh-Oligopeptide-1, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, PVP, Platinum Powder, Steareth-20, Chrysin, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide.
I received this sample several times over the past few months, and each time I tried it, I was in a dry air-conditioned environment. That might have been the reason why I ended up getting such positive results in the first place. Problem is, I have combination skin, so finding a BB cream that provides medium coverage, moisturizes, and wears comfortably is not that easy, and I thought this one was golden.
One day I decided to wear my new BB cream sample while running errands. I didn’t do anything differently than usual and applied it over primer and sunscreen, just like I always do with other complexion products. By the end of the first hour I could feel my face turning oily, but dismissed it due to the fact it was a tad humid outside. A couple hours later I looked at myself in the mirror, and my entire face was glistening with oil! I haven’t seen it like this in years! I blotted away the oil by using probably half of my remaining Tatcha Aburatorigami beauty papers, but the oiliness returned a couple hours later anyway. I guess, my point is – test your makeup samples in all environments, if you consider buying the product. This BB cream was already sitting in my cart, so I’m glad I actually decided to give it a taste of an outside world before I splurged [it’s not cheap by any means].
The company gets cookie points for the formula: Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm contains some fabulous ingredients, and feels very comfortable on the skin. It’s a breeze to apply, and really easy to blend out even with bare hands. It also contains broad-spectrum physical sunscreen, which looks invisible on the skin – yay for no white cast or chunky particles!
Swatch reference: My skin tone is between MAC NC15 and NW15 with yellowish hue and neutral undertones. Sometimes I can wear NW20 in the Summer. I thought this would be useful to know, since all screens show colors differently, and I also don’t have a studio setup with consistent lighting. Hope that helps!
Even though there’s no official note, I now know that it’s best suited for people with dry and normal skin types [although I’d test it on a normal skin, too, just in case], because it doesn’t emphasize the dry patches and flakes, while providing light to medium non-buildable coverage – perfect for that natural look. I really wish my skin was the right type to use this BB cream, but unfortunately I’ll have to remove it from my cart, because I couldn’t make it work no matter how much I tried. Also, I don’t want to waste any more of my precious Tatcha papers.
The above picture says it all. That’s only two hours after the application on my combination skin. That’s not a dewy finish, strobing, or highlighting, and just look at those enlarged pores! It’s like my skin is begging to be cleansed ASAP. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you are resisting the urge to wipe your screens right now. Please, excuse my mad scientist hair, it was a bit humid and I didn’t wear any product to combat that frizzfest! 🙂
Do you need this? Not for me! 🙂 It would probably be nice for those with dry and normal skin types, but I recommend trying a sample in different environments first. The formula feels really nice on the skin, and looks totally natural, effectively perfecting your complexion, so I think even guys who normally steer clear of makeup can wear this one without anyone noticing, as long as the color is a good match.
WHERE TO BUY: $39 USD for 1.5 oz. Available at Sephora, Birchbox.
Have you tried Korean BB creams before? What was the last product you purchased after trying a sample?
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Saved by the bell, for sure! It’s a good thing you didn’t buy the full size. As lovely as you are, that BB cream does you no favors. Bummer!
Dodged a bullet there, for sure 🙂 I kind of didn’t want to post an oil-slick selfie, but I figured that a picture will be worth a thousand words in this case.
Haha, everyone is so different! Dr. Jart Premium is one of my favorite BB creams, perfect match for my skin, love the high SPF, and great for my dry skin!
It has a very lovely formula, and feels great on the skin during and right after the application! I just can’t imagine it working for anybody with combination/oily skin or in humid environment.
I have a few of those samples too, we have similar skin types. Your skin is a lot better than mine, but I have combo skin too. I would be a grease slick in no time hehe I will pass my samples along to my dry skin sister hehe
Girl, if your skin is combo, you better pass on those samples to someone else for sure. As much as I wanted it to work, this BB cream is just not suited for combo or oily skin types.
Wow too bad it doesn’t work on you 🙁
Yep, nothing to write home about 🙂 Luckily, there are so many other options out there, so i’m not really sad about that.
My skin is drier than yours and it didn’t work for me either. Plus the color was too dark. I was happy it was a sample.
It comes in two shades, with the darker one being around NC25-30, so basically a medium, maybe you got a sample of that one? Either that or you are a lot paler than me (NC15), which is quite an achievement, haha! Too bad the formula didn’t work out for you either.
I like how the shade blends out for you. I wish it would have been a go though.
I liked the look and the feel of this one right after the application, but I just can’t get past the oiliness. I think it’ll work great for people with dry skin though.
The shade looks good. Sorry that the formula isn’t a match for you.
Yep, bummer about that, because I liked the second-skin feel and the light/medium coverage it provides. At least it’s a good match for someone 🙂
I didn’t care for this either–mine was really watery.
I think yours might have separated and needed a good shake, because mine was nice and thick-ish, but yeah, too bad it didn’t work out.
The shade looks good, but it is unfortunate that it didn’t work out in the warmer more humid weather. Thank God for samples.
Haha, I know, right? I’m glad I had a larger sample on hand, because the other couple times I tried it, it was from those tiny foils.
It’s definitely good you didn’t end up splurging!
Right? I was almost ready to get it, and decided to give it just one last try. So glad I did! It’s still a great product, but unfortunately, not for my skin type.
Bummer! Yes, road-test in every condition there is, esp when it comes to foundy/ bb/cc cream
See, I actually really liked it when I used a sample a couple times in the past, but each time it was either cold outside, or I was in the air-conditioned room the whole time. Glad I decided to give it a taste of the outside world 🙂
definitely great that you had a sample to test!
For sure!
My dry skin will have to give this a shot!
You might actually like it! Other than the fact that it made my skin produce more oil, I had no complaints.
This is why I LOVE samples! Too bad it didn’t work for you!
Haha, me too! I love trying a sample first, if there’s a chance the product won’t work for me.
I love samples for this reason exactly!
Yep, me too! Glad I had a fairly large one to test in different environments.