Review-Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream (Light)

Hi Everyone, today I have a short review of Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream in the "light" shade.  I requested a free sample of this product through the mail. 


This is what Pond's website had to say about the product:

NEW! POND'S Luminous Finish BB+ Cream Light

Flawless in Seconds, + More Even Tone in 2 Weeks!

POND'S® Luminous Finish BB+ was created with Tone Perfecting Complex. It works by targeting the source of dark spots on skin’s surface – visibly fading them for a difference you can see. It also delivers a special pigment system designed to blend flawlessly into a variety of skin tones and immediately conceal imperfections with natural-looking coverage.
Available in Medium.

Essential Features

• Superior* Coverage of Imperfections
• Superior* Visible Dark Spot Reduction
• Superior* Non-Greasy Feel, with a Matte Finish
• Broad spectrum SPF 15 sun protection
• Non-comedogenic – won’t clog pores
• Dermatologist tested
• Hypoallergenic

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.49%, Zinc Oxide 5.12%

*Light Shade versus Top Selling BB Cream

What I have to say:

I use BB creams every day, but I have only used Korean products up until now.  I once sampled Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream, but I did not like that product at all.  (You can check out that review here.)  Since the Maybelline BB cream was my only experience with American-made BB creams, my expectations for this sample were quite low. 

The sample came in a fairly generous-sized packet.  I don't use a whole lot of product, so, this sample was enough for me to use twice.

What I liked most about this BB cream was the texture.  It comes out thick and creamy, but the cream is light and airy rather than heavy.  The color blended very well with my skin.  I liked that it had a more golden undertone, as most "light" makeup tends to have very pink undertones that don't work too well for me.

Here's a swatch of the cream before blending: 

It went on smooth and creamy.  At first, because it was creamy, I thought it was going have a dewier finish, but it dried to a soft matte finish.  The coverage was fairly light, but similar to other BB creams I have used.  I'd say it was on the heavier side of light coverage, but not quite medium coverage.  While it was matte, true to its name, there was a sort of luminous appearance to my skin.  It gave my face a soft and diffused appearance.  

This Pond's BB was not as heavily perfumed as Korean BB creams.  It did have a scent, but it was light, fresh, unobtrusive, and faded quickly.

Overall, I really liked this product!  I would say this BB is comparable to the Korean BB creams I have tried by brands such as Missha, Nature Republic, and Holika Holika.  It definitely holds it own and I would highly recommend this one! 

I think the creamy texture makes it ideal for those with normal to dry skin.  If your skin is combination you might be able to get away with this, but it will probably be too moisturizing if you have oily skin.  If you are looking for light to medium coverage, this is a great product for you.  If you need heavier coverage, this might work well as a base to combine with other face makeup.  I can't speak on the claims that this product fades dark spots over time, since I only used it twice.  Still, it is a nice little BB cream and the reasonable price makes it definitely worth a try.   

So have you tried this BB cream? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.  What new skin product are you loving these days?  

My Daily Skincare Routine

My Simple Skin Routine

Many people have told me I have nice skin.  My skin is pretty normal.  For most of my life, I've found that my skin was better when left alone. I've always used cleanser specifically designed for faces, and occasionally used lotion, but that's about it!  Using fancy masks, scrubs, or deep cleansers irritated my skin or made it oily, and indulging in moisturizer gave me pimples.  Now that I'm older, I've started to care for my skin more.  So while my routine might seem pretty basic compared to all the skincare enthusiasts out there, its actually much more involved that it used to be!

Up & Up Deep Cleanser Cream

This is actually the Target store brand version of Noxzema.  When I was a preteen, Noxzema used to give out a lot of free samples.  I liked the cool tingly feeling, so I used it on and off into my teens.  The last time I needed face wash, this was cheap and I was feeling nostalgic.

Missha Super Aqua Marine Forest Toner and Emulsion

I got this set while in Korea.  It came with the full size toner and moisturizer, and also a travel size of each one, which is very convenient since I travel as much as possible.  I use this set at night after showering.  The toner makes my face feel fresh without drying out my skin, and the lotion is a light water-based formula that keeps my skin from getting dry yet it isn't too heavy or greasy for my easily annoyed skin.  Its perfect for the cold winter months.  I absolutely love this duo!!! 

SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair

At $95 for .5oz...this is the most indulgent skin care item I have ever owned.  I recently bought it because I was concerned about my under eye area and thought I definitely needed to begin caring for it better.  I had researched eye creams, but there are so many out there that it is hard to know what to get. I saw a report on Good Morning America about the skin products that were rated best by dermatologists.  This cream got rave reviews, so I decided to invest in it.  I have been using it for a few weeks now and I do see a big improvement.  The skin under my eyes feels firmer and less puffy.

CVS Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

This is pretty basic liquid eye makeup remover.  My sister actually bought this on clearance for 66 cents for the 2 oz bottle!  It works just fine! I usually use the Clinique version of this type of remover.  Previously, I was using a gel eye makeup remover from Missha, but I left it behind in a motel while traveling this summer.

Pond's Morning Refresh Wet Cleansing Towelettes

I picked these up one day at Ross and found them to be really useful.  On those nights when I'm feeling too lazy to take off my makeup before bed, I just use one of these instead.  They are textured so they do a good job of cleaning away any dirt or makeup and they leave your face feeling refreshed and smooth.  I liked them so much I picked them up a second time at Conway.

Nivea A Kiss of Moisture

This is my number one most important beauty item.  If I forget my lip balm, it is gonna be a baaaaaad day!  My lips are incredibly dry and crack easily.  I realized that, sadly, lipglosses make it worse, so I stopped using them altogether about two years ago.  All my life, I have obsessively slathered on lip moisturizers like chapstick or lipsmackers, but they didn't help much.  My best friend introduced me to A Kiss of Moisture and whatever is in this product soothes my lips better than anything I have ever tried! I'm so addicted.  Strangely enough, just this particular variety (the dark blue package) is magic for me.  I have tried various other Nivea "kiss of" products and they just do not have the same results.  I highly recommend this!!!

So, that is my fairly low-maintenance skin regimen.  Are you high-maintenance or do you keep it simple? What's the #1 skin product you can't live without?