Vichy Normaderm Total Mat Oil and Shine Control Fresh Hydrating Gel

Vichy's new Normaderm Total Mat Oil and Shine Control Fresh Hydrating Gel is a hydrating mattifier for skin that's naturally oily. It works to control oil as well as sweat for clean-feeling, matte skin that lasts all day. Vichy sent B2 this product for review.

According to Vichy this gel can withstand the effects of heat, humidity, stress, and intense physical effort. It also contains glycerine to hydrate the skin for up to 24 hours and provides a matte, smooth, clean skin all day long. This product is suitable for sensitive skin and contains salicylic acid, a keratolytic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory active ingredient. It gently exfoliates for a more even skin tone.

A particular claim to note is that according to Vichy this product is anti-perspiration. It contains perlite, a volcanic molecule which can absorb more than three times its weight in water and encourages the evaporation of perspiration. 

Vichy Normaderm Total Mat Oil and Shine Control Fresh Hydrating Gel 

30 mL $27.95 CDN

Total Mat

Jill: I have a very oily t-zone and normal to dry cheeks, and have been using various mattifying products for over a decade now. My favourite is Clinique Pore Minimizer T-Zone Shine Control (discontinued a few years ago), and I will be using this product as a guideline for comparison. My daily routine is to use a mattifier after after my daily moisturizer (Lancome Beinfait Multi-Vital SPF 30) and before applying any makeup. I find that my skin will stay matte for a maximum of 3 hours in the summer (slightly longer in the winter, about 4 hours) before I have to use blotting sheets or powder to reduce shine.


I used Vichy's Normaderm Total Mat in two ways: first, I tested it as a moisturizer alone, and second I used it as I would a normal mattifier, after my usual moisturizer. Total Mat has a very light gel texture and a pleasant scent. On the skin it feels moist and fresh.


I found as a stand alone moisturizer, it performed well on my t-zone, but did not give me sufficient moisture on my cheeks. I did find it kept my t-zone matte for about 3-4 hours, but I did find my skin getting oily (as usual) after that.


As a mattifier over moisturizer I found it slightly less effective, only offering about 2-2.5 hours of shine control. I do wait about 5 minutes to let my moisturizer sink in, then I blot my skin with a tissue before applying any mattifying product. I found Total Mat did not work as effectively at controlling oil and shine as my standby Clinique T-Zone Shine Control. However, I did find that over my usual moisturizer my skin felt more hydrated throughout the day. 


I found the performance of this product satisfactory but not excellent. As someone with a very oily t-zone I need a product with stronger oil control properties. I am also a strong believer in sun protection, and as such I would not normally use a product like this on it's own without using a product with SPF. 


Grade: B

Catherine: 


My skin is naturally oily in the t-zone and in the summer, I'm constantly shiny. I've learned to embrace "the glow" because there's no way possible I can fight it. I use primers to help keep my makeup from melting but I've never tried using a mattifier. I used the Total Mat Oil and Shine Control Fresh Hydrating Gel as a mattifier but since it claims to be hydrating, I applied it without moisturizer to test it. It didn't provide me with much moisture at all on either my t-zone or my cheeks. I figure the hydrating part of it is because many mattifiers can dry out the skin in a bad way, sucking up the sebum but also the natural moisture.


Total Mat felt fresh and smooth on my skin. Like Jill, I give my moisturizer time to absorb before I apply anything on top. I use Garnier BB cream as my moisturizer and because it has pigmentation to it, it's interesting to see how products I put on top, like primers and mattifiers, affect the texture and look. 


The Total Mat worked well on top of the BB, and instantly made my skin look less shiny. Not matte, entirely, but it certainly took away the shine from the BB. I used it on my t-zone and areas with large pores only and found that it kept my skin from melting my make-up quite well, depending on the day. On cooler, drier days, I saw very little shine and melting. On warmer days, I needed to blot less and saw much less shine.


Total Mat claims to be non-irritating for sensitive skin, and although I can't speak to that claim, I do question the strong fragrance. Sensitive skin often doesn't react well to strong fragrance so it's a fail on that count. 


But Total Mat Oil and Shine Control worked pretty well. I wouldn't say it kept my skin matte all day, but it did keep the oil and shine at bay for a few hours longer than without it. Perhaps on summer skin that's more natural than oily, it might have a better effect.


Grade: B

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Review and Swatches

What is a BB cream? BB creams have been popular in Asia for a number of years and they're just now popping up in North America. "BB" stands for blemish balm or beauty balm and they were originally developed for laser surgery patients to apply to their skin to help soothe, protect and heal it.  

BB creams designed for the public have the same idea. They're multifunctional products, designed to hydrate, protect and heal the skin. While different brands will vary slightly, a BB cream will give you some or all of the following: no-makeup look, an even complexion, hydration, sun protection, soothe sensitive skin, conceal blemishes and offer anti-aging properties.

Garnier recently launched their BB cream, called Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream, and as far as I know, it's the first mainstream brand, widely available BB cream in Canada. 

It retails for approximately $20 CDN and comes in two shades - Medium Light and Dark Medium - and one size - a 75 mL tube. 

The package box has quite a bit of information, which is why I photographed it for this post. According to the packaging, the BB cream is a hybrid formula that offers advanced skincare and immediate skin perfecting coverage that is becoming popular all over the world. It combines several beauty routine steps in one single product. 

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector (aka the Garnier BB cream) is an all-in-one product with results your can see and feel instantly. Skin appears airbrushed, beautifully sooth and even. It's lightweight and comfortable texture blends perfectly into skin for a sheer flawless finish. This all-in-one formula combines intense moisturing skincare with Vitamin C and Mineral Pigments for an instant skin transformation:

• renews radiance
• brightens complexion
• evens skintone and blurs imperfections
• hydrates for 24 hours

Formulation facts:

• Tested under dermatological control
• Non-comedogenic - won't clog pores
• Gentle to skin
• Non-greasy

Problem:

Skin concerns, such as discolouration, dullness, blemishes and even dryness can come from a number of different sources. It's hard to find just one product that addresses all these concerns at once. 

Solution: 

Garnier introduces Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream that immediately and effectively fulfills your skincare expectations.

Save time with just one multi-benefit product that combines advanced skincare and immediate skin perfecting coverage.

Results:

Instantly: Skin looks naturally more even, radiant and smooth.

After just one use:

• 90% saw a more even complexion.
• 93% saw a healthier looking glow.
• 96% saw smoother skin.

Phew! That's a lot of information. Too much information and it's confusing and seems unfinished. It's almost like Garnier wasn't sure how to explain or promote this product so they just threw everything onto the box. 

So how does the product look and work?

I bought the Light Medium shade. It's definitely a bad thing that there's only two shades. Shame on you, Garnier! I'm lucky that the Light Medium shade works for my skintone. 

The texture of the BB cream is interesting. It comes out a little on the stiff side and smooths out to a very thin liquid when massaged with the fingers. You can definitely feel its slippery smooth properties as you smooth it out.

I swatched it on my hand first, working a little bit in to test the texture and coverage.

Slightly smoothed out

Almost completely worked into my skin

Completely worked into my skin

I was curious about the coverage the BB cream might offer - would it be like a tinted moisturizer or like a liquid foundation? Since it claims to hydrate, could it replace using a moisturizer and a foundation? 

The texture is interesting, not like any tinted moisturizers I've tried. It's almost like a primer, that silky feeling but wetter and it smooths into my skin readily, rather than simply sitting on the surface. 

A little goes a good way and it can be layered on areas that need a little more than others. Apply this like you would a moisturizer rather than a foundation.


One important thing to note is that unfortunately, the Garnier BB Cream, like most other drugstore cosmetics, is heavily fragranced. If you're sensitive to fragrance, you will want to bypass this product.

In the below photos, I've applied the BB cream to the right half of my face. Underneath I have on only my Boots No. 7 Protect & Perfect Serum and some Kiehl's Facial Fuel Eye De-Puffer under my eyes.

BB cream applied to the right side of my face

The right side of my face with the BB cream applied

The left side of my face without the BB cream applied

As you can see, the BB cream provided my skin with light coverage, eliminating a lot of the natural pink of my skin and evening it out. 

The BB smooths out my skin so that anything added on top goes on very smoothly and evenly. The coverage offered is light to medium on my complexion, similar to what I'd expect from a tinted moisturizer. As a result, I need less foundation and concealer, expect for areas such as blemishes and around my nostrils.

I give the Garnier BB cream a thumbs up for instant skin perfecting. It works well as moisturizing, smoothing base for makeup or for just a very simple, natural skin perfecting look. 

Garnier claims that this cream give 24 hour hydration and while I can't 100% verify that, I can say that my skin certainly feels less dry after washing it at night. I have fewer dry spots as well. Whether that's to do with the warming weather or the BB cream, I can't say just yet. 

I prefer the Garnier BB cream to the tinted moisturizer I have been using for a few reasons. One is the sun protection the BB cream offers although it is only SPF 15, which is the bare minimum you should wear. Ideally this would have an SPF of 25 if you're using it in place of a sunscreen or a moisturizer with sun protection. Still, it offers SOME sun protection. 

Another reason is that it provides a barrier between the oils in my skin and my makeup, so that it doesn't melt as much during the day and requires fewer touch-ups. 

I quite like the way it makes my skin feel and how it allows make-up to be applied.

I think the Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream will remain in my make-up routine from now on. I hope that they come out with more shades however. It's ridiculous that only two shades are available. 

Has anyone tried the Garnier BB Cream? What do you think?

C.

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Make-up Review and Swatches

While in New York City recently, I picked up some of the new Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Make-up. I'd heard the buzz about this brand new product for a few weeks and I was intrigued. This was new and innovative for Benefit for a few reasons - the main one being that it's their first liquid foundation. 

Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow is available in nine shades, is oil-free, and contains an oxygen hydrating complex (the Oxygen Wow bit) that works to make the skin look plumper, reducing fine lines and giving it a non-shimmery glow. Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow also contains Vitamins A and E and provides SPF25 (impressive). 

It's $34 US and comes in 300 mL/10 fl. oz. The bottle is frosted plastic with a pump that makes it easy to procure just a little product, as needed.

Inside the box was a sample of Benefit's new primer The Pore Professional. It's very clever of them and an adorable little sample. I'm a big fan of the primer too! 

I bought the lightest of the nine shades - "I'm pure 4 sure" Ivory. More photos of the packaging below...

This is about one third of a pump of product on the back of my hand. I was a bit startled by how yellow the shade was (the next shade, Petal, is too pink for me), but I persevered. 

Turns out that on my face it's not too yellow at all. It goes on quite sheer and the skin on my throat doesn't have a lot of pink to it so wearing this makes my skin closer in colour to my face. I simply apply a little bit more on the areas of my face that needs a bit more coverage.

You don't need a lot of product at all. Oxygen Wow Foundation can be applied with the fingers or with a brush. Like with most liquid foundations, applying with the fingers gives you a sheerer application and applying it with a brush gives you a heavier application. 

Oxygen Wow Foundation is very hydrating, which is good news for those of you with dry skin. For those of you with oily skin, this will probably be ok but you may want to use a primer and apply powder to set it. My combination skin found Oxygen Wow worked well on both the drier areas and oily spots of my face. I use Pore Professional underneath and set it with powder (Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder). 

What I like best about Oxygen Wow is its texture. It has a thickness to it like it's been whipped a little bit. I suppose that's the added oxygen. Even applying it with the fingers doesn't change the consistency. 

Another thing I quite like about Oxygen Wow is the way it makes my skin look. It does indeed give it a glow, but not a shimmery glow. It's a plump, moisturized, healthy glow. And it doesn't fade too much during the day. I still have to blot where my skin is naturally oily and shiny and touch-up with powder but I have to do that with every foundation I've ever used.

I took some photos of me wearing Oxygen Wow (on top of my Garnier BB Cream). 

It looks quite natural on my skin. This is without any powder on top to set it (you can see the creasing of my undereye concealer) but it definitely gives my skin a bit of a glow and a plump, healthy look.

Close-up of my cheek

In summary, I really like this foundation. At just under $40 it's reasonably priced and considering one full pump of product is probably enough for medium to full coverage on most people, it's definitely good value. 

Has anyone else tried this foundation yet? What do you think of it?