BB Cream Review (Garnier, Maybelline, Nivea)

A good BB cream is a must for any busy mum.
Beauty Balm “BB” is your skincare regime in one tube It moisturises, protects, and corrects. No foundation needed. It is a very over crowded market at the moment so a lot of people don't know how to choose the one that's right for them. A lot of BB creams are categorised according to skin types rather than color tones, so you can wear the product according to your skin conditions.

How is it different to a tinted moisturiser? A tinted moisturiser only hydrates and evens out the complexion with minimal coverage, a foundation covers the skin with a layer of color and gives it a flawless finish. BB creams go above and beyond that and moisturise, protect, and corrects flaws.

I have chosen 3 reasonably priced BB creams to review.

Garnier, Miracle skin perfector: €13.99 
This product basically does what it says it does, no more. I used the medium colour and think it has a nice glow, when first applied I thought it had a bit of an orange tone, but once blended it looks fine.  My skin is on the drier side, so this works well with my skin and keeps it hydrated. This can replace my moisturiser, but because I prefer a little more protection I tend to use a product with SPF 30+ underneath as this product only has SPF 15. This offers a very light coverage that is not buildable, and I'm fine with that because I don't think that's it's purpose. I don't think it would work well for people with oily skin as it is a quite oily cream. The coverage does not last all day, but I don't mind that as I'm not  a big make up wearer during the week.

Nivea, 5in1 beautifying moisturiser: €8.49
This was the cheapest of the BB creams I reviewed and defiantly my least favorite. I used the medium/dark shade and found it too dark even tho I have a quite olive complexion and a slight tan as its summer. The product does not glide smoothly at all and is very quick at setting. You have literally 30 seconds to do your entire face before looking like a camouflage suit. The BB cream has a very thick texture similar to that of the original Nivea. I feel maybe this cream might be suited better to an oily skin as I have quite dry skin it felt like my skin was a sponge absorbing the product and my skin looked very uneven and blotchy. It also only has SPF 10 which I don't feel is high enough.

Maybelline, Dream pure BB:€11.99 
This product was by far my favourite. This product has 2% salicylic acid which is great for acne prone skin.  I used the medium and found the colour was perfect.
It provides light/medium coverage which is enough for me and is very lightweight so it feels like I have no foundation on. It does not completely cover blemishes but helps to even out skin tone. It has a natural but matte finish which is gorgeous and makes my skin feel incredibly soft. For sensitive skin it is perfect and despite salicylic acid sounding harsh it is actually incredibly gentle. I did not have any reaction or drying of my skin while using this product. 

I found that this definitely helped with blemishes and even reduced the appearance of my acne scarring.

Sinead. x

Bumbo Seat Review

So like many parents out there, we hear about the latest fads and gadgets, the Bumbo seat is one of these. It sounds good but does it live up to the hype? The answer is contradictory... Yes and no! I was given this as a present from a friend and was thrilled as I had heard good things about it. It says on the box it's for 3months plus, but this really depends on the strength of your baby's neck muscles, some kids might be able before 3months some maybe a bit later. Cillian was nearly 4months old before I could leave him in it for more than a couple of minutes as he kept slouching to the side. When he was strong enough to sit in it, he absolutely loved it. He was able to sit up and look around and I was able to put toys on the tray for him to pick up and play with. I also found it excellent for sitting him in when I was weaning him as he was still a little but small for the highchair. The seat is lightweight and compact which makes it perfect for traveling and bringing along when going visiting family and friends. Cillian is 6 months old now and we are still using this seat regularly, although the last week or two I have noticed that he is stretching his feet out and arching his back when he wants to get out and I'm afraid that this may lead to him knocking the seat over. I also find as he's a chubby baby his thighs are getting a bit big for the leg slots, although my 6year old can fit in it and seems reasonably comfortable, so this leads me to think that it's the kind of purchase that I may have to stop using for a few months but that I'll be able to go back to when Cillian is about 18months old. At this age he will be able to get himself in and out of it as he chooses. Overall I think it is a good product and a nice gift to get. Although I feel it is slightly overpriced for the limited time you do get the use from it. 

Sinead. x