I know a lot of people dislike slathering on sunscreen, especially those living in SG because it's so hot and humid here. I know how it feels like, cos only just 5 months ago did I start putting on sunscreen (on my face, haven't done that bit for my body yet). Sunscreens were just too thick and oily, and they feel like a film of white grease that would never set in a climate like ours.
It started off with me experimenting with my ZA Tinted Moisturizer.
It had a measly SPF of 10, which honestly isn't enough for sunny SG, but it was enough to see a difference. I used to be quite tan a few years back, cause I rode my bike in the sun everyday to school. After enrolling in Uni (not being to ride to school) and starting on the moisturizer, I realized that I got quite a bit fairer. So much so that in a matter of a few months, the tinted moisturizer looked too dark and orangey on me.
That's when I decided to invest in a proper sunscreen and also to get something in a lighter shade to suit my skintone, so I got Biore's Perfect Face Milk (SPF 50, yayness!) and Lioele's Water Drop BB Cream (SPF 27).
With the Biore Face Milk as a makeup base, and a little mixing of the BB cream with my ZA Tinted Moisturizer, I got a "foundation" that matched my skintone nicely, wasn't too thick/suffocating, had a good amount of coverage, and packed a whole lot of SPF protection! Most BB creams are actually really thick, but this one by Lioele is really watery and cooling to the skin. Unfortunately, it was still too light for my skintone - that's why I used my darker moisturizer as a "colourant".
So I stuck to this routine and while I was working in Sephora, quite a few people actually complimented on my "foundation" and asked me what I used (to which I sheepishly told them "BB Cream"). And after 4 months, I can not only see, I can also feel the difference the sunscreen and BB cream made!
A picture dated 4 months back. Notice the pimple on my right cheek, some uneven-ness/enlarged pores, and the dullness?
Compared to this picture taken 1 week back.
For one, I got so much fairer. When I went to visit an aunt whom I last saw during CNY (this Feb), she immediately told me I got much whiter and that I'm even fairer than my 9 year old sister now. Of course being indoors the whole time I was working played a part but I think a lot was due to the high SPF I had on too.
Along with the fairness, I noticed the sallow/dull skintone I always had lightened and brightened considerably. My skin feesl more taut and supple, as compared to the non-bouncy tofu-soft skin I had previously. I also saw a slight shrinking of my pores, especially at the cheek area. Plus, even though I don't really get pimples last time (only the occasional few on my cheeks/forehead), I get even fewer pimples nowadays! Just remember to exfoliate and mud mask once every week~
I'm sold. Putting on high SPF and perhaps BB cream really helps! I'm glad I started on this regime and I'm still loving the finishing of my customized "foundation". :) Those 3 items are my daily holy grail face products now.
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Now onto the Biore Face Milk review! From the first picture, you'll probably notice that I've moved on to my 2nd bottle.
Name: Biore UV Face Milk
Variety: 3 types - Moist (purple bottle), Perfect (white) and Bright (pink). The Moist is a hydrating sunscreen for dry skin, the Perfect has oil-controlling properties for oily skin, and the Bright is a pink-hued sunscreen for reducing sallowness.
Price: S$12.40 for 30 ml (can easily get it at a discount at John Little or Watsons)
Texture: So lightweight, watery and non-greasy! Gets absorbed, and sets really easily too, unlike traditional sunscreens.
Pros: Extremely good texture, affordable, easily found in shops, what more do you need? :D
Cons: Just one, it still has got a slight white cast, so use it as a base or mix it with your foundation (or tinted moisturizer in my case!)
Re-purchaseability: Definitely yes!
I've tried the Perfect and Moist types so far, and one thing I can say is, the oil-controling properties of the Perfect face Milk is really good. I bought it thinking it would reduce the slight shine I'd get on my face mid-day, but it controlled oil so well that my face got really dry. Note that my skin is actually normal, not oily and not dry. I couldn't wear it alone as it would cause small patches of dry skin, but layering my BB cream-tinted moisturizer mixture on top gave me a shine-free finish that lasted the whole day!
So I got the Moist version, and boy was it moist, lol! It's so hydrating that my face feels slightly tacky after applying it. I didn't want to use my BB cream in fear of increasing the stickiness, so what I do on lazy days is to just mix my tinted moisturizer into the Face Milk to give it colour, put it on and lastly set it with finishing powder. My face routine is that simple. But when I'm spending a whole day in school and want more coverage, I'll still put on my BB cream.
Oh, and another thing I did was to mix the remaining Perfect face Milk into the Moist bottle - to get a bit of oil-control as well as hydration. So far it's working out fine (no break outs), though I'm still not used to its slightly sticky finish. Better hydrated than dry, for my case now. =x
If you're looking for a makeup base that controls oil well, definitely give the Perfect Face Milk a try! The Bright Face Milk also has quite good oil-control ability, plus it brightens the skintone too. The Moist one would hydrate dry skin (especially those who practically live in air-conditioned places) very well. And bonus, they have a whole ton of SPF and PA+++!
Hope this review helped, and thanks for reading guys! Cheers~
