I recently wrote an article about the difference between Korean (Fob) Style Makeup and Korean-American (Twinkie) Style Makeup.
Basically, the Koreans like to be pale, pale, pale.
One way they achieve this look is by using something called B.B. Cream.

I only heard about B.B. Cream a few months ago, and there are still a lot of people that have never heard of it.
B.B. Cream stands for Blemish Balm Cream.
I would consider B.B. Cream being similar to a thick Tinted Moisturizer.

General BB Cream characteristics:

• Natural glow on your face without makeup look
• Provides perfect coverage just like a foundation but without clogging pores or damaging the skin
• Conceals all types of pigmentation, discoloration, acne and marks
• Healing properties which soften, smoothen and refine skin
• Encourages skin regeneration to create and maintain youthful skin
• UV Protection for healthy skin
• Some BB creams have additional features such as wrinkle improvement, whitening functions etc.

B.B. Cream usually comes in one color.
This is fine if you are have a very similar skin tone to the B.B. Cream.
However, there are many people (Asian or not) that are not the same exact color~ Yet, there are hundreds of Koreans that use this one color!

Personally, I  am not a huge fan of B.B. Cream.  I was able to play around with B.B. Cream and it was NOT the same color as my skin tone.
People say “B.B. Cream adjusts to your skin tone”….. I disagree.
If you look at pictures of people that use B.B. Cream, I find that their face looks a different color than their neck.  I am not a fan of this look.

So… if you have a tube of B.B. Cream that is not the right color for your face, here are a few things you can do so you don’t end up throwing out a perfectly good tube of makeup.

* Mix B.B. Cream with a little bit of darker Liquid Foundation:
If your tube of B.B. cream is making you look much paler than you would like, mix a few drops of darker Liquid Foundation and until you find a better shade for your skin tone.

* Dust face with a darker shade of Powder/Bronzer on top of B.B. Cream
If you don’t have liquid foundation, you can also put a little bit of darker powder or bronzer on top of your makeup.  If you don’t want to dust all over your face, Brush a slightly darker shade of powder on your T-Zone (Across your forehead, down your nose and chin) and on your cheekbones.

* Use B.B. Cream as a Concealer
If your B.B. Cream is too light, you can use it as a concealer to hide imperfections before using a tinted moisturizer or foundation.
Another place to use the B.B. Cream is on the sides of the nose (as most people have a little bit of redness there)

* Use B.B. Cream as a Highlighter
This is my favorite way to use B.B. Cream
Because it is so light, you can use it to create depth to your face and give you a “glowing” look.
You can use as a High lighter in one or all of the following places (But use very sparingly~ B.B. Cream can have a thicker consistency):
Under your eyes/ On top of the Cheekbones, Down the bridge of your nose, Above your eyebrows, Right underneath your eyebrows on the brow bone.

So, if you have a tube of B.B. Cream that doesn’t work for you, I hope these few tips will help you put that cream to good use.
And please… try to make sure the color on your face matches the color on your neck! 

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

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A common problem I see among Asian women is their two-toned face.  Their face will be one color, but their neck is another color. Another is that they don’t choose the right shade for their skin tone.

This can happen very easily because most people’s faces are lighter than their body because they’re wearing sunscreen.

*If you’re not wearing sunscreen daily, start now! Even in the winter, you should be wearing AT LEAST SPF 15!

In order to fix this problem, there are a few quick fixes:
Tinted Moisturizer- This is the lightest formula- It gives light coverage and evens out skin tone.  I never used to use Tinted Moisturizer, but I’ve recently started and am very happy with the results. It’s great for people who don’t want to spend a lot of  time and want a natural look.
* Tinted Moisturizer is great because it’s quick and easy- You can get moisturizer, foundation, and SPF in one.
My favorite Tinted Moisturizers are Laura Mercier, Josie Maran, and Hourglass.

Foundation- There are many different formulas. Play around at a Sephora or Cosmetics Counter and find out what’s best for you.
Creme Foundation: Creme formulas are recommended for older skin because they reduce the appearance of fine lines (while powder formulas can settle into wrinkles).  I like the texture of Creme foundation and think it gives good coverage.  I prefer M.A.C. and Motives for creme formulas.
Powder Foundation: Powder Foundation is great for Oily Skin.  I personally prefer other formulas before Powder, but people love Bare Minerals. I prefer Benefit and M.A.C. Studio Fix
Liquid Foundation: Liquid foundation applies very smoothly and can give a lot of coverage with a little product.  The ultimate liquid foundation is Makeup Forever H.D.  Your skin will look amazing.

Concealer- Many people put on concealer before foundation, but I like to put it on afterwards.  Most of the time, foundation will do the trick. If you have blemishes, you can add the tiniest amount of concealer on top of the foundation and blend with a blending brush.  Set with powder.

Powder/Bronzer- If you find that your face is lighter after putting on all your makeup, you can dust on a darker powder or use a bronzer.  Start light and add more as you go. It’s always  easier to add more makeup than to correct mistakes.

Self-Tanner-  I hope you ladies are not tanning (Skin cancer, Wrinkles, Leathery skin are a few reasons to avoid it)
Instead, buy a bottle of Self-Tanner.  I like the Daily Self-Tanners from Jergens and Banana Boat and Clarins
Tips:
* When looking for makeup, make sure you are in good lighting. Flourescent lighting is the worst.
* If you have trouble finding the right color for your skin, go to a professional and have them pick out a color for you (but make sure they pick the right one…. just because they work there doesn’t mean they know makeup)
* You’ll probably need different foundation depending on the season

So I hope these tips are helpful and you will have flawless, perfect looking skin!

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
http://irenekimmakeup.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/irenekimmakeup