Monday, June 13, 2011

MAC Prep and Prime Beauty Balm SPF 35

I have never used any Beauty Balm or BB creams before. I do know they are all over the market now and so I'm testing and reading up. My friend The Muse is the queen of BB's. She has used many  of the Asian ones ( called Blemish Balms there) and has written a lot of posts describing  the difference between Asian  and US versions. Thus far she's my education in these. Thus far too, I wasn't really thinking I needed or wanted to use one.

So MAC's new  Prep and Prime BB  was my first Beauty Balm and I have to say I really like it.  I didn't think I would and I honestly didn't expect much. I figured it wouldn't work with my oily skin but then I read the ingredients ( no emollients) and that it's a primer and perfector, not a tinted moisturizer, which I now know no BB creams are. I should say here too, that I rarely use primers for the same reason. Most are hydrating  and not for me. Only Cover Fx Matte Prep works  all the time and in winter  sometimes I use L'Oreal Studio Secrets base.  That said , I also well know how much a good primer can do.

MAC BB balm makes  a great canvas for makeup. It's not really meant to be worn on it's own ( as  Asian BB  creams are ) and if you do , you'll have a nice , smooth look  with pores filled in  but little coverage.   The finish is satin, not matte ,  and I  was  able to use it in the T -Zone. I wasn't much less oily but I wasn't more oily which is key.  I liked that my makeup lasted longer  and  that it looked better . I also really like the SPF 35. That's high for a makeup product and it seems to be a hallmark of BB creams.

The color here is flesh toned and very light , almost sheer. It should work on  a lot of skin tones. I'm fair  and it blends right in but it also blends  right in on my self tanned arm. In fact the swatch picture I took was useless since it did blend into the skin and you couldn't even see it.


MAC  Prep and Prime Beauty Balm is available online now  and will be only online. It will be sold at travel retail and in Asia it will be in MAC locations.

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