L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream Review & Swatches
L’Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB Cream launched a few short months ago in the UK. I purchased mine from England within weeks because I was so terribly curious about a drugstore BB Cream. Since Garnier was one of the only drugstore BB Creams within the US at the time of this release I was terribly curious how brands like Maybelline, L’Oreal, etc….would do with the formula.
Again, we face a rather odd conundrum with a BB Cream formula that, well, isn’t really a BB Cream. With Nude Magique, L’Oreal has simply created something completely outside of the realms of a traditional BB Cream. It’s not even CLOSE to anything you’d find in a BB Cream from Korea and in some cases it’s actually entertaining they think it’s ok to call it one.
Let’s take a look at L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream.
L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream comes in light and medium variations in the UK. This might change once this launched in the US later this Summer but I’m going to throw it out there and say I think it’ll stay the same.
This is a self adjusting formula that starts out life as a white cream base and quickly turns color as you apply on skin. The concept and formula is similiar to Dr Brandt’s Flexitone BB Cream but the actual outcome is vastly different. The formula isn’t creamy like a traditional BB Cream so this could be cause for some disappointment. It’s runny, thin, and watery and offers no moisture, hydrating, or mattifying properties. The formula has tiny pigment “beads” that gives the formula a gritty, dry texture on skin. I find the “beads” uncomfortable during application and they’ll prove particularly irritating if you apply your foundation with a brush. Now these beads or whatever you’d like to call them are supposed to burst and give the formula it’s color and in theory it actually does work but they also give the formula a really gritty texture.
It does seem entertaining that the bottle proclaims, “24 hour hydration” mmm, no…!
This is more of a tinted moisturizer formula as color is sheer. The light version I tried adjusted decently but I think going into a purchase of the light and being very fair skin you’ll find it goes a bit orange-y and will prove too dark (if you look at my last image you can see my arm is a bit lighter on the top portion and orange-y on the bottom half of my arm). I think it’ll work for someone that’s medium fair with darker or golden undertones but not pink ones. It’s very sheer coverage so you MIGHT be willing to try it and make it work but I think you’ll find it unflattering overall even with the subtly of the color pay off. I do warn you it oxidizes crazy-like and the wear is very short as well.
Speaking of sheer…
Unlike Asian BB Creams which offer full coverage this pretty much offers zero coverage. It’s a tinted moisturizer but lacks the moisture element so…really…it’s not a tinted moisturizer and it’s not a BB Cream, it needs a new name ha…! It does perfect my skin somewhat but if you have issues you want to conceal such as acne scarring, darkness, etc…it doesn’t offer this kind of coverage.
It contains SPF12 aka no sun protection. Come on, seriously? Why include SPF at all with a level like 12? That’s obscene.
Overall, L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream is possibly the biggest fail to date in drugstore BB Cream launches. It isn’t a tinted moisturizer and it isn’t a BB Cream so really what the hell is it? It’ll prove an exciting release when it launches in the US but please, for the love of God, indulge in a true Asian BB Cream and don’t waste your money on something that nonchalantly tosses BB Cream into the title of its product. Mind you, I didn’t even touch on the fact on how this lacks ANY of the qualities of a real BB Cream….! For shame, L’Oreal!
No likey!
Absolutely a waste of money.
I paid �9.99 for this from England and I imagine it’ll be around $10-$13 when it hits our market.
I look forward to hearing from those in the Europe who already tried this.
Will you indulge when it launches in the US?