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, the people’s constant search for new makeup and new standards of beauty? Nothing. This makeup foundation that is marketed as a BB cream, but it’s not (but I’m not upset about it), has been launched more than 10 years ago. Missha is a very established brand already, that came to life in the year 2000 in the K-beauty world. 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 an everyday makeup on the go or on the run, better said, the fastest way to apply this BB cream/foundation is the old style, with the fingers. For the whole face two pumps are more than enough, as the product has a lot of pigment and it’s very buttery, so it will cover the whole surface of the skin in an even way. You will notice how the face looks luminous, hydrated and kind of “wet”. This “wetness” will not dry down so fast, it will take a few hours. Even with powder, it keeps the juicy effect for some time. I prefer to apply the BB cream with a fluffy ,dense brush and remove the excess with a beauty sponge as I like to have the minimum amount on my skin. As for priming, the normal skincare routine will be just fine, a serum plus a light moisturizer according to your skin type. The brand recommends a regular primer, so if you will use that, you can skip the moisturizer. The application with different types of tools and primers is always smooth. The product glides on the skin, can be blended seamlessly and coverage can be build, although one layer will be enough in most cases.
Swatches
As I have learned-the hard way- from Reddit, when swatches are posted, we need to state the light in which they were photographed, if primer was used and what is the skin shade. So, for the Missha BB cream I have 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 the winter I would go for the 21 Light beige, but I almost always use it combined with other foundation if I need a more sheer coverage or for adjusting the undertone of one.
For now, there are only 7 shades available. The best thing is that the number and shade name comes 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 after a few hours sinks into the skin. It even looks wet and waxy, almost unnatural if not blended well or powdered. The coverage is veryyy good, it hides pores and redness and even pimples.
Throughout the wear it doesn’t oxidize, but after a few hours the product will sink into the skin almost as if the skin drank it and the glow is gone while fine lines and pores become noticeable. Not in a horrendous way, but there is a big difference since the beginning of the day. I vitamin spray would come in handy at this time or maybe a setting spray. Depending on your skin type than can happen sooner or later. For my combination skin, it takes a few hours for the foundation to sink in. There is no cake-iness visible, just the skin oils will make you a bit shiny depending on the skin type. As a person with sensitive combination skin, this product doesn’t break me out and doesn’t irritate even with extended wear.
When combined with other foundations, which I do many times as is a very good adjuster for undertone and coverage, it will make the foundation more thick, will give more coverage and will help with it’s strong pigment to reach the desired shade (I add the no. 23 shade 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, in order to correct the undertone, I apply a pump of the Missha BB cream in 23 Natural beige and I get a more neutral shade and I increase also the viscosity of the Dior one, making it have more coverage. You will ask, why do I buy a shade that is not suitable for me? Because ..ONLINE. You cannot guess the shade undertone just from the name apparently. No drama, I am using the Dior one on it’s 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 sooth skin.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 would describe it as a foundation, but marketing first.
It brightens, evens, soothes, covers discoloration and imperfections of the skin.
It is a multitasking product. I use it to add coverage to more fluid foundations if it’s needed and I use it as an adjuster, for shades, especially the lightest one is perfect for that and for undertones. You will see the shades description with the undertone.
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 re-applying. You can read more on the subject here in this blog post with common mistakes we make with our sunscreen.Â
Most users love Missha BB cream for:
the coverage, making 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
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, even when a small amount is applied, it is still not light, it is not a sheer source of hydration. The coverage is buildable, that is 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 here for example a light-olive shade or a dark neutral. 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 looking like that for at least half an hour making 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, blushes, so I don’t lift the layer of foundation making 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, 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.
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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