What’s better than using a product that has been on the market for so long and has stood the test of time, the passing of trends, people’s constant search for new makeup, and new standards of beauty? Nothing. This makeup foundation, marketed as a BB cream (though it’s not, and I’m not upset about it), was launched more than 10 years ago. Missha is a well-established brand that has emerged in the K-beauty world in 2000. The brand has a few iconic products under its belt, and the M Perfect BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++ is one of them.
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Application
For everyday makeup on-the-go or, better said, on the run :)), for the fastest way to apply this BB cream/foundation, the old-school method with fingers works best. For the whole face, two pumps are more than enough, as the product is highly pigmented and super buttery, covering the entire skin surface evenly. You’ll notice how your face looks luminous, hydrated, and has a “wet” effect. This “wetness” won’t dry down too quickly, lasting a few hours- even with powder, it retains a juicy finish for some time. Personally, I prefer applying the BB cream with a fluffy ,dense brush and removing excess product with a beauty sponge to get the minimum amount on my skin. As for priming, your regular skincare routine will suffice- serum and a light moisturizer suited your skin type. However, the brand recommends using a regular primer, which will allow you to skip the moisturizer. Application with different types of tools and primers is smooth, allowing the product to glide on seamlessly and blend effortlessly, with buildable coverage that’s usually sufficient in just one layer.
Swatches
As I’ve learned the hard way from Reddit, when posting swatches, we need to state the lighting in which they were photographed, if primer was used and what is the skin shade. So, for the Missha BB cream, I’ve used only a moisturizing cream and the pictures were made in direct midday sunlight (not morning/ evening warm light), and my skin tone is light-medium neutral. My summer match is 23 Natural beige, and for winter, I would go for the 21 Light beige, but I almost always use it combined with other foundations if I need a more sheer coverage or for adjusting the undertone.
For now, there are only 7 shades available. The best thing is that the number and shade name come with a description, so it’s easy to find the correct undertone that you need.
The shades are as follows (from the lightest to the deepest):
No. 13 Bright Beige– fair with cool undertone
No. 21 Light Beige– light with cool undertone
No. 23 Natural Beige– light/medium with cool/neutral undertone
No. 25 Warm Beige– medium with warm undertone
No. 27 Honey Beige– medium with neutral/warm undertone
No. 29 Caramel Beige– medium/tan with warm undertone
No. 31 Golden Beige– medium/tam with neutral undertone
Performance
When applied, the BB cream melts effortlessly into the skin with an overall dewy texture that sinks into the skin after a few hours. It looks wet and waxy, almost unnatural if not blended well or powdered. The coverage is veryyy good, hiding pores, redness and even pimples.Â
Throughout wear, it doesn’t oxidize, but after a few hours, the product sinks into the skin almost as if the skin drank it, and the glow fades while fine lines and pores become noticeable. Not horribly, but there is a big difference from the start of the day. A vitamin spray or maybe a setting spray can be helpful at this point. Depending on skin type, this can happen sooner or later. For my combination skin, it takes a few hours for the foundation to sink in. There is no cakeiness visible, just skin oils making you a bit shiny, depending on skin type. As someone with sensitive combination skin, this product doesn’t break me out or irritate, even with extended wear.
When combined with other foundations, which I do often since it’s a great adjuster for undertone and coverage, it makes the foundation thicker, adds coverage, and helps with its strong pigment to reach the desired shade (I add no. 23 to foundations that are too yellow to neutralize them and to build coverage).
For example, in my case, the Dior Backstage Face& body foundations have a big flaw-they oxidize in the bottle, and the neutral shades are never neutral but pull towards yellow. So, to correct the undertone, I apply a pump of the Missha BB cream in 23 Natural Beige, and I get a more neutral shade. I also increase the viscosity of the Dior one, making it have more coverage. You will ask, why do I buy a shade that’s not suitable for me? Because ..ONLINE. You cannot assume the shade undertone just from the name, apparently. No drama, I am using the Dior one on its own, for light skin, but with yellow undertone.
Pros
MANY PROS. BE PREPARED.
The product is made by combining skincare with makeup, so it was created with the purpose of not only covering but also taking care of the skin. It contains key ingredients like Hyaluronic acid (that deeply hydrates and plumps the skin), Squalane (that deeply moisturizes and replenishes the skin), Ceramides (for strength and protection of the skin barrier), and botanical essences that calm and soothe the skin(like rosemary leaf and chamomile flower) .Â
It has a very good buildable coverage, medium to full coverage without feeling heavy. It has more coverage that a regular BB cream, so I’d describe it as a foundation, but marketing first.
It brightens, evens, soothes, covers discoloration and imperfections of the skin.
It’s a multitasking product. I use it to add coverage to more fluid foundations if needed, and I use it as an adjuster for shades -especially the lightest one is perfect for that- and for undertones. You’ll see the shades description with the undertones.
For my combination, highly sensitive skin, it didn’t cause irritations or breakouts.
It provides SPF, but don’t rely exclusively on it, as sunscreen needs reapplying. You can read more on the subject here in this blog post with common mistakes we make with our sunscreen.Â
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Most users love Missha BB cream for:
- the coverage, making it possible to hide redness, pimples, discoloration
- the combination of makeup and skincare, coming from the K-beauty world experience
- the glow, the hydration it gives to the complexion
- the SPF it contains
- the matching undertone, especially for lighter skin tones
- great value for money, the tube contains 50 ml of product and you don’t need much as it is very pigmented.Â
Cons
I don’t have that many complaints about this product, but still, there are a few minor inconveniences to mention.
First of all, why is it marketed as a BB cream? It is a foundation by all means. It has a thick consistency, and even when a small amount is applied, it’s still not light; it’s not a sheer source of hydration. The coverage is buildable, that’s true, but it’s there since the first layer.
It has a limited shade range- at the moment, only 7 shades are available. I was lucky to find my shade, but I don’t see a light-olive shade or a dark neutral here, for example. More options for more people, please, Missha! This product is amazing for oily skin, and it’s a shame not to find the perfect shade for each person.
When applied, it looks wet and stays that way for at least half an hour, making it difficult to apply different products on top. For this reason, I can only apply the minimum amount possible, and I need to work with care with cream bronzers and blushes so I don’t lift the layer of foundation and make the makeup look patchy.
My biggest problem with this foundation is that after a few hours, it sinks into the skin, making my dry areas visible and my fine lines even more visible. For this reason, I need to refresh my makeup by applying a hydrating mist, which is a bummer when you don’t have a spray to carry with you.
The lid- the thin transparent lid that cracked after a while on all the bottles I had. Plus, being transparent, it always looks dirty from the pump, even when lightly touching the lid.
Ingredients
Feel free and also recommended to look for the meaning of the main ingredients on websites like Incidecoder.
Shades:13-23-25-27-29-31
Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Arbutin, Mineral Oil, Polyethylene, Talc, Phenyl Trimethicone, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Sodium Chloride, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Methylparaben, Dimethicone, Propylparaben, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Squalane, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Algae Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Butylene Glycol, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Hydrolyzed collagen, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Tropolone, Fragrance (Parfum), Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene
Shade 21:
All the ingredients from above plus Octinoxate, a chemical sunscreen compound.
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I really recommend this foundation for any kind of skin type with the right skin prep, if what you love is a medium to high coverage. I especially recommend it for people that have acne scars and redness and they love to balance a bit the color on the skin and feel more confident. I know I did feel better. If you used this foundation, write down how did you prepare the skin before makeup.