Nothing raises more questions than the subject of tinted moisturisers and BB creams. Everyone is searching for the perfect one, myself included. In fact I would go all out and say I have a slight obsession with them. The current count of this style of product in my makeup arsenal is five - Chantecaille Just Skin, Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation, Dior BB Cream, Garnier BB Cream and Embroilasse BB Cream. I'm sorry.
So what is the difference? A tinted moisturiser does what it says - it is a basic moisturiser with a touch of foundation in it. A BB Cream is a 'beauty balm' which is an all-in-one product which replaces the needs for multiple serums, primer, foundation, sunscreen and moisturiser. It is usually thicker in consistency than a tinted moisturiser.
Like all makeup and skincare products, you need to try out a few to find which works best on your skin. I recommend heading to a makeup counter and asking for a sample which you can take home and try in natural light over a few days to really get a good feel for whether you like the product. I have made many mistakes by buying products I have not researched at duty-free counters only to find about a week into wearing it that it is not right for me.
As far as application goes, I prefer to apply them with my fingers rather than with a foundation brush as I feel it sinks into the skin easier giving you a more natural look. Start at the centre of your face, around your nose where most of the redness occurs and blend outwards to the hairline.
Here is my take on the tinted moisturisers that I own.
Chantecaille, Perricone MD, Garnier, Dior and Embryolisse
Chantecaille Just Skin - this is one of the rare products that I have actually repurchased. I love the feel, it gives a good amount coverage and has quite a creamy texture. It comes in 6 colours so there should definitely be a colour to suit most skin tones. I wear this most days. At £57.00 it is on the pricier end of the scale. You can buy this here if you are based in Australia.
Perricone No Foundation Foundation - i'm going to be honest, i'm not sold on this one. I got quite a shock at the weeny size of the bottle when I pulled it out of its rather large cardboard box. At £47.00 it does not come cheap. It comes in one colour only which looks quite dark at first, but seems to blend into my skin tone upon application. I just don't love it for the price. You can buy it here if you are based in Australia.
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream - for a drug-store guilty pleasure, at £6.99, is fantastic. I love the creamy texture and it gives a good coverage. This is the one I use when i'm having a makeup free day, going to the gym or just don't have more than 2 seconds to spare. When I bought my tube it only came in one colour option but they now seem to be making it in light and medium (I have linked to the medium ones in this post). You can buy this from Priceline in Australia. For the price, I really rate this highly.
Diorskin Nude BB Creme - I was swayed to buy this because of all the great reviews I had read about it. I went to the Dior counter and asked for a sample which lasted me about 4 days. I tried it out at home in natural light away from the noise and stress of the makeup counter and I liked what I found. I was matched to colour 2 and it comes in 3 shades. It is a little bit thinner in texture than the Chantecaille so it doesn't feel quite as nourishing, but it does give a decent cover and is easy to apply. A tube of this costs £25.50. You can't buy Dior online in Australia so you would have to head to your local Dior counter.
Embryolisse Artist Secret BB Cream with 'self adjusting pigments'
Embryolisse - this is the BB cream offering from the makers of the cult product 'Lait Creme Concentrate' which you will find in every pro makeup artist's kit. I saw this at IMATS and was intrigued to try it. It is a 1-shade-fits-all product and it has won a 'Médailles D’Or 2013 Votre Beauté' prize. Described as a 'nude to coloured gel-cream' which 'illuminates and evens out your complexion, moisturisers and protects your skin and leaves it smooth and silky soft'. The colour really does seem to suit most skin tones. I was standing next to an Indian girl when I bought this at IMATS and surprisingly the colour did work on both of us. I don't find the coverage quite as good as the Chantecaille Just Skin, however priced at only £24.50 versus £57.00, it is a good value for money.
Here is a link to where you can buy Embryolisse products if you are based in Australia.
For me, the two stand-out products that I will be re-purchasing are the Chantecaille Just Skin and the Garnier BB Cream. While I don't enjoy the prices of Chantecaille, they do make amazing products which are worth paying that little bit extra for.