June 3, 2011

Holika Holika Moisture Petit BB SPF 30 PA++ Review, Swatches, Photos

Holika Holika is a newer brand that launched in Korea. The brand is starting to gain an online awareness now so you’ll see it pretty much popping up everywhere as it begins to go viral.

Part of its popularity could be due to the fact CN BLUE endorses the brand or the fact that it has a certain Harry Potter/Gothic witchy deal going on. Store employees are all dressed like witches and products all have a boil, boil, toil and trouble potion vibe going on.

I chose to believe everyone is flocking to the store because they really dig Jung Yong Hwa in manliner and they feel bad he didn’t get the guy errrr girl in You’re Beautiful. Let’s give Yong Hwa all our money because he was the odd man out in You’re Beautiful! Awwww! Poor Yong Hwa! Boy, you can put your dupetastic, Givenchy Phenomen�Eyes Mascara look-a-like mascara on my lashes any damn time you want!

See? Korean brands know what we women want! A cute Asian boy leaning in to apply our makeup that wears liner better than us! Yes Siree bring that on now!

The brand has a line of Petit BB Creams available in five formulas. I believe they dubbed them Petit due to the small tubes they come in. I really like the size because I find it hard getting through BB Creams since 1. I have over 30-40 of ’em and 2. they are so pigmented a single tube can literally last you into the next millennium.

Let’s take a look at Holika Holika Petit BB Cream Moisture.

Jump!


A BB Cream formulated with moisturizing properties and Hyaluronic Acid to seal hydration in.


As I mentioned above the Holika Holika Petit BB range features five different formulas. Formulations are as follows:

  • Orange Label (Essential) for Nourishing skin.
  • Purple Label (Moisture) for super-moisturizing benefits.
  • Blue (Clearing) for oil-control.
  • Green (Watery) contains green tea extract for problem skin
  • Pink (Shimmering) for shimmering finish.

The orange and purple labels both have SPF 30 PA++ with the Blue having 25 and the Pink having 45. I don’t personally recommend the Pink Label as in my experience shimmering and/or glossy BB Creams really have a bad disco effect finish.

I have dry skin food therefore I purchased the Purple Label plus I’m partial to Hyaluronic Acid in my BB Creams since they give me a bounce-y feel and a dewy finish. The benefits this BB Cream has is a pigmented formula with anti-aging benefits, wrinkle improvement, and firming up skin while offering a hydrating effect that seals in moisture. It does not have a whitening option.

It does have a heavy scent that smells, to me, kinda like Ralph perfume…? It’s pleasant but it could prove irritating to those who prefer unscented foundation/base products. The formula is a typical thicker, cream BB but I took note that it separates for some reason so a quick shake of the tube is necessary prior to use. It blends out beautifully, feels lightweight, and has a dewy finish. My skin doesn’t have any aging issues but with this on my skin feels more youthful and firmer and, of course, flawless thanks to the pigmented formula. You can go ahead and use it sheer by applying a small amount or build it up to full coverage. It’ll hide smaller problems as well as larger issues such as acne scarring, dark spots, and redness. It works as any good BB Cream would which is saying something since the brand is catered more towards an older teen or twenty-something girl rather than a women.

Holika Holika describes the shade as a light, creamy beige. I’m not versed enough in MAC shades to say what exactly this would best be compared to but I would say it’s on the lower end of the NC range…so perhaps NC15 to 20. It’s actually too light for me so I have to be very careful with how much I use or I end up looking a tad too pale.

As I mentioned above I appreciate the smaller 1 oz size. I can’t think of a single girl who will get through an entire tube of BB Cream. Most are very large and of course, they are oh so pigmented so a tube can probably last you a full year or more with daily use. I like this size as it’s not only cute but practical as well.

Keeping with the witch-y, potions, and such theme the tube has a tiny little cat on the tube plus add the purple color in and you’ll get a cute little gothic vibe from the packaging!


Sadly, the shade may prove too light for most and the formula doesn’t adjust in my experience with it so the one size fits all shade isn’t going to work here.

  • Those with fair skin who need an all in one foundation product with SPF, good coverage power, and anti-aging elements.
  • Those seeking a pigmented yet lightweight base for a flawless finish.
  • Those with dry skin.

  • Those who don’t fit into the fairer skin group (the shade is a bit hard to match on most skin tones and doesn’t adjust accordingly).
  • Those who want a healing blemish balm (the purple label offers anti-aging benefits as well as treats wrinkles but doesn’t treat problem skin. For those needs try a different label).
  • Those sensitive to fragrance in their foundation/bases.


If it wasn’t for the shade not quite working I’d probably be raving a good deal more as I was pretty impressed overall with this. It left my skin looking not only flawless but very fresh and youthful plus it does have a beautifully hydrating formula that maintains a dewy finish all day. The wear time, as with most BB Creams, is incredible so I can get at least 6 hours of wear out of this without ever having to touch up my makeup. The cheaper price tag is fabulous as well as this will set you back a few dollars in Korea ($5-6 bucks) however I’ve seen online retailers who have it for anywhere from $10-$20. I had a friend purchase mine in Korea for me.

Overall, Holika Holika Moisture Petit BB SPF 30 PA++ could have proved a favorite for me if it wasn’t the fact that the shade didn’t quite match up well for me. If you have fairer skin this one might do the trick plus it’s a nice, inexpensive way to experience the joys of a good BB Cream.

Anyone try it?

Do share your thoughts!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Julia

    Hi the Muse! I have a question for you- with all this hype on BB, I have searched on the internet for a BB that is light enough for me. I am not sure what I am in MAC’s standards, as I never fit in with their colouring- but currently I wear Laura Mercier’s oil free or moisturizing foundation in Porcelain Ivory, which is a nice yellow-based paler colour. I can also pull off Lush’s light yellow colour supplement in the summer. Hopefully you know of some lighter and yellow-based bb creams you can recommend! I’d love to try some!
    Thanks 🙂

    • the Muse

      hi julia not alog have a yellow base but I’ll be rounding up alot of BB Cream reviews so hopefully something pops up. I will say Tony Moly bb creams sometimes have a stronger yellow base ;D!

  • Larie

    I really love the cutesy goth theme! I really want to go back to Korea (no $$, sniff sniff), so that I can scope out all of these cute brands (and earrings, omg, the earrings), but mostly for the food!

    • the Muse

      ha larie def the earrings ;-D and the food…beauty too of course ;D

  • Tammie

    Is it normal for BB Creams to have PEANUTS in them??? I found this on eBay while I was looking for one to try out and I am allergic to peanuts. As long as it’s not common that’s fine…

    • the Muse

      I’ve never heard of NP Solutions Tammie…hmmm…walnut extract? lol interesting!

      • Tammie

        I know, it sounds like a can of mixed nuts in their ingredients lol. Well I guess I’ll just stay the heck away from them, I am sure most wouldn’t have peanut in it…

  • Tiffany

    I may need to add this to my wish list. I too am a fan of hyaluronic acid and the fact that I’m a pasty NC20 doesn’t hurt :).

  • Mary the Muse Militant

    This purple moisturising one sounds perfect except for the colour.
    Wish they did more cool toned ones. There sure is an opening for someone to produce this in the West for caucasians.
    The sooner the better !!

  • restlessly

    Heh. But YongHwa will get ShinHye in his new drama! 😉 Seeing this mascara made me think of the rather useless & expensive Givenchy version that I’ve tried before.

    • the Muse

      I can’t WAIT restlessly ;-D yup, exactly a dupe for givenchy’s version ;D

  • sillylilacs

    I apparently need a friend in Korea then! I’m definitely interested in the Orange tube!

    And seriously, Korean ads are the best haha

    • the Muse

      ha no doubt silly ;-D but so are Japanese ones!!!!! 😀

  • Phyrra

    Oooh! Do you think this is pale enough for me? I LOVE the Harry Potter / Witchy theme <3

    • the Muse

      it actually might be too pale for you dd! It comes across a tad too ghostly.

          • Phyrra

            Btw, can’t remember if I emailed you or not, but I found my perfect match (with no mixing involved) in liquid foundation in NARS! Siberia!

          • the Muse

            dd I think you did but I’m such a big fail at replying *hugs* YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! HG foundation w00t! ;D by the way you looked stunning in your recent post ’bout it! I love when you do nude looks!

          • Phyrra

            I went ahead and found the orange one on line and ordered it. Will report back on how well it matches 🙂

          • Phyrra

            Ok so I ordered the orange. It matches pretty well, may be a touch too dark, but not much, if at all. This is my first day wearing it.

          • Phyra

            The Orange label is a really good match for me. It looks a touch dark, but it’s got amazingly good coverage and makes my skin look great. It’s so nice to have moisturizer, spf, concealer, foundation, skin food in one! LOVE THIS!

  • Natsuki

    Hi Muse,

    I have the clearing one from the Holika Holika Petit BB range.
    I still get an oil shinny skin but it does kill my acne ^-^.
    The coverage is great too. My only problem with this BB is the color.
    I have pale skin but this BB makes me look as white as a ghost.
    The first time I put this on my face my parents though I was sick.
    With a little powder and bronzer it looks nice though.

    In my opinion the Holika Holika peach girl BB is a little better.
    I’m going to try the Holika Holika Face 2 Change Liquid Roller BB and the Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB next.

    • the Muse

      hey natsuki! I’m relieved to hear this, same issue…I’m medium fair and the shade should have been ok for me but I, too, like as pale as a ghost with it…it doesn’t adjust very well! Petit Jelly is nice, I reviewed it a while ago and liked it ;D

  • Jess

    Long time reader, first time commenter lol I’ve been curious about BB creams. Can you hook a girl up with your Korea connection!? I’m pale and this looks perfect for me (‘m a NW15ish)

    This looks awesome. Where would you find it online?

    • the Muse

      Hi jess.

      Only suggestion I have for a retailer on this one would be E-bay. If anything else pops up will def let you know. I don’t have a Korean connection merely friends that live in Seoul.

      • Jess

        Thanks Muse! <3

        I actually just ordered one off of ebay for $9.99 (and free shipping)!

        I'm NC/NW15ish lol so hopefully this will be great!

        • the Muse

          jess update me when it arrives curious if your nc/nw 15 will work with it…!!!!!!! good luck ;D

          • Jess

            The seller has tons of stuff, and good pricing.

            It’ll be 15-20 days before I get it from what her shipping says lol

          • the Muse

            yay jess brilliant just be ware lots of fakes on Evil-bay 🙁 naaa it’ll prob come sooner 8-10 days from Korea at best unless she ships really slow!

  • ann

    I just got the blue tube (clearing) and I LOVE it. My skin looks like a million bucks with it and I didn’t turn into oil-slick-city in a matter of hours. It also suit my skin well (NW15 with red cheeks and pores), neutralized the redness and covered them pores beautifully. I’d highly recommend it for us pale oily girls 🙂 And yes, the tube is cute too with the kitty… 😛

  • Mar

    I want to try it but my skin has been breaking out like crazy lately. Do you think the tea one would really help? I often have trouble finding bb creams that are fair enough for me.

    • the Muse

      mar this one is scented not sure on the tea one, if it is, it might end up irritating you further :-/ Perhaps try one from Dr Jart or Skin79.

  • kaynn

    I’m very fair and I always have trouble finding matching foundations for my skin. Will I try my luck with this one lol?
    The tube is so cute and I feel like I’m feeding Yonghwa, giving him his daily bread when I support this brand. A win-win situation! 😀

    • the Muse

      LOL kaynn omg heart you! you’re so cute! feeding yonghwa…awwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3!

  • Comrade Garlic

    Grrr, I don’t need another BB Cream. Seeing as this is a small size (yay!) and is really pale (yay!), I’m sure I’ll buy it soon. I did just toss a bunch of stuff last night. That’s justification right?

  • Sarah

    I definitely want to try this. This one seems like the best BB cream I’ve seen so far! Well, best one for me! Thank you for the review 🙂

  • Cristi

    OMG! Must… get… cyclops-kitten BB cream!! I gotta have it!! XD

  • Ryan

    How did you get this? I’m so jealous of you and your asian makup hook ups.

    • the Muse

      hey ryan a friend picked this one up for me 🙂 there are loads on E-bay though, reasonably priced just beware of fakes.

  • sarami

    hi muse, i want to know wich is ur favorite bb cream and also i was thinking to buy the brct jasmin because i read its a really good one and does what promises (wich im looking those benefits that proclaims) but the problem is im a mac medium plus in mineralize skin finish natural and in concealer nw25 and i read in some reviews that comes in light tones only so im affraid it will be too light for me, therefore what can you suggest me? do you know about another one with the same benefits that suits my skin tone? my skin is normal and a lil oily in the t zone, and im looking for medium coverage something that looks “natural”

    THANK YOU!!! :*

    PD: lately i have this passion about the japanese and korean cosmetics (wich people say it works ) and also their cute presentations, can you suggest me a page in wich i can buy GOOD japanese or korean products ??

  • sarami

    hi muse, i want to know wich is ur favorite bb cream and also i was thinking to buy the brct jasmin because i read its a really good one and does what promises (wich im looking those benefits that proclaims) but the problem is im a mac medium plus in mineralize skin finish natural and in concealer nw25 and i read in some reviews that comes in light tones only so im affraid it will be too light for me, therefore what can you suggest me? do you know about another one with the same benefits that suits my skin tone? my skin is normal and a lil oily in the t zone, and im looking for medium coverage something that looks “natural”

    THANK YOU!!!

    PD: lately i have this passion about the japanese and korean cosmetics (wich people say it works ) and also their cute presentations, can you suggest me a page in wich i can buy GOOD japanese or korean products ??

  • Sarah

    well I purchased this BB Cream off ebay (nothing bad about the ebay part though!), but unfortunately it was waaay too dark for me 🙁 I love love love the formula and the way it feels on, but the color was just way too stark of a difference. meh! I’ve read some reviews on the Holika Holika Peach Girl BB Cream, and it seems like that one is lighter…hopefully I’ll find the right shade eventually! 🙂

  • Barbara

    I just purchased the blue one for acne. I hope it works out. The last bb cream I bought (Missha Choboyang) was super discounted ($10!), but the shade was slightly too pink. The fact that it was slightly too pink confused me because most Asians have yellow undertones. It’s great for oily skin like mine, but I would advise anyone with dry or combination skin to stay away.

  • Marie

    Hey, Muse!!! It’s Marie here in Scotland letting you know that I have yet again been inspired by your reviews and have ordered the purple from a seller on ebay. Looking forward to receiving it so that I can have a good play around with it! I have {{ways}} of dealing with shades that are a tad too light, so am sure I will get along fine with this even if the colour is a little pale! Thank you so much for bringing us such fabulous and inspiring reviews always!! ;)) x

    • the Muse

      hey marie! alright? ;-D aw thank you very much for your kind comment! I hope you enjoy it! Being from Scotland I imagine you’re pretty fair so it’ll be a great match ;-D thank you for your VERY lovely comment ;-D makes me feel great in the AM!

  • LIla

    Thanks a lot for your good review! As I could not find good images on the products I took one of them and left your link. I hope it is okay. The post its generelly about stuff I’d like to buy in asia!

  • Sondra

    I got this in the Clearing and Essential and both are excellent and work well with my NW20 skin the color is perfect and matches me well. I also like that it covers my redness. I’m also oily and have had no problems with this and it lasts all day even without blotting or setting. I only set it with cover fx powder if i’m going out or taking pictures for a more even look. I’m really loving it and so glad i didn’t have to purchase tons to find the HG one. I also like the Missha perfect cover in no.21 it starts out a little grey but after 10 mins it turns into my color. So thats my 2nd place winner. So I hope you guys will try also each formula is a slightly different color. i went to bellogirl on ebay and she is honest and authentic and ships out fast and it got to me in 12 days instead of the 20 listed. She may be a bit tiny more expensive but, she is highly recommended and you get your items. I hope this helps.

  • eva

    hi muse! i love your reviews! it’s impacted my makeup life so much~ no joke hehe. i’ve actually gone through several tubes of bb cream in my life 😛 but i’ve been using them since my teens when my mom gave me bb cream and back then i used only one at a time. it’s funny, i never thought about how bb cream differed by brand or features, and the ones i used before weren’t by these trendy brands. i also remember my mom paid about $40-60 per tube. when i started buying my own bb cream i would stop by the makeup counter in a korean market in LA and ask for bb cream. they usually had about 2 or 3 and i would choose the cheapest one, which was about $25. back then, i saw price as the only difference between bb cream!! thanks to your posts i’ve taken more interest in all the different brands and features, esp all the cute korean makeup brands!! i’m seeing an increase of these products in LA (now they even have faceshop store, and i see tonymoly products at counters in the market), but it was so helpful when i visited Korea!! as to where to spend all my money i mean >:D

  • Exotic

    I know it’s an old post, but I have to tell you that I’ve finished using up her cousin, which is the Watery petit! YEAY ME 😀

  • CupK8

    Thanks for reviewing BB Creams so tirelessly, Muse. You are my go-to for BB Cream facts! I actually bought the Clearing version a month ago, and it has changed my life. So thanks!

  • sue mona

    hey there,

    love your reviews of the BB creams… this Holika is the HG for me since I am very pale but with neutral to slight golden undertone. Love the coverage, the texture, and the fact that it does not make me look like a ghost…it’s my skin but better. … despite the cutesy marketing/image of the brand, as long as the colour matches me, has amazing coverage(yet feels like nothing on, is anti-wrinkle, with spf..i am sold) 😉 Another one i love is Skin79Super(Orange bottle)… Much the same result I get but Holika Petite Moisture is cheaper(my everyday go to BBC).

  • jenn

    hi muse

    this is an older post but i hope you still respond. do you know what the sunscreen in this bb cream is? thanks!

  • jessica

    hi, this one is cheap range reminds me with skinfood good afternoon. isn’t it? which one is better overall? let me know pls. i have honey black tea.

  • Jas

    Hey Muse! I love your reviews, but you seem to be lacking some Holika Holika ones. Seeing as it’s growing more and more popular, do you think you will be doing some more reviews on their products anytime soon?
    I think they’re products are all so gorgeous and cute 🙂

    • the Muse

      thanks jas so glad you enjoy my reviews. I have a ton to review just haven’t gotten to it yet, perhaps soon 🙂