Featured in the last installment of New In (read here), Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector for oily and combination skin was what I wore on my face the last weeks to give you a thorough review.

Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector in light

Daylight, not blended.

Here is what Garnier claims:

„Our oil-free BB cream blurs pores and imperfections, evens skin tones and boosts your natural glow. Contains SPF 20 for UV protection, ultra absorbent perlite + mineral pigments. Non-comedogenic, oil-free.
Immediate results: Gives a radiant matte finish. Pores appear less visible, imperfections appear minimized.
Results after 4 weeks: Skin looks less oily, pore appearance is minimized, imperfections appear visibly reduced, skin radiance is improved.“

The facts

It is 9,99 for 40 ml at Boots and there are two shades available: Light and Medium.

I got shade light, and as with most drugstore bases, truly fair skinned girls will find this way to dark. For your reference, I got matched NC 20 at MAC last winter, and can pull it off due to my summer tan. It oxidizes al little on me, getting a warmer and a tad darker within the first couple of minutes.

It is fragranced and I notice a plastic smell when I apply it that disappears quickly.

The formula is quite runny, which leads to the first and most annoying thing I noticed about the packaging: It leaks.
When first opening it and turning the tube upside down the product just started dripping into my sink. When you close it, even when you screw the lid on really tight, you will end up with the product all over the place.

The formula

On a positive note, the formula is really lightweight, as you would expect after it just leaks out of the tube, and sits on the skin really nicely. I apply it with my fingers (as they are already messy from opening the tube *sigh*) and it sets within a few minutes, leaving me without a sticky or silicony feeling. It is one of the bases you almost forget you are wearing.

Although it is this lightweight, the coverage is quite impressive for a BB cream. One application leads to a medium coverage, easily buildable by applying another layer where needed. Of course, you will never get red carpet proof full coverage, but if you were to go to the red carpet, you would probably choose a different base anyway.

The finish

The „radiant matte finish“ Garnier claims is actually quite nice. Definitely matte, but not flat, it keeps your skin looking natural. If you are really oily though, you will have to set it with powder or blot throughout the day, as I tend to do in my T-Zone.

Enough blabbing, on to the pictures:

No foundation, concealer (except for the under-eye area), powder, blush

One layer of BB Cream, second layer on problem areas, no concealer, no powder, no blush

As Garnier makes no claims concerning the staying power, I did not have high hopes. And rightly so: After looking into the mirror (or in this case, camera lens) after 4 hours of running errands and carrying around the Little Bean, I discovered it was mostly gone.

After 4 hours, no touch-up, no concealer, no powder, no blush

It tends to last 2-3 hours on me, disappearing nicely. No creasing, no settling into my fine (*cough*) lines, no patchiness.

So what about the claims

As far as the immediate results go, I agree. I like the finish, it does a good job at covering imperfections and doesn’t emphasize my pores.
And the long-term benefits?
Nope. I have been using it for about 4 weeks and my skin looks pretty much the same. But to be honest, the only active ingredient you get (apart from moisturizers) is sun screen, so I had not expected it to live up to these.

Will I repurchase?

Hm, let´s see.
I really like the texture, the coverage and the finish.
Also, I think you get good value for your money.
But the color is too dark for me come winter.
The staying power is just too short, as I can not be bothered with touch-ups during the day.
And, to be honest, the leaking drives me nuts. Whenever I use it, it gets all over the place.
The answer is no.