Hi everyone, how’s the weekend so far? Last week was a week filled with events after events and dinners with family and friends for me. Amongst them was an invitation from Clinique to experience the new Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++.

I wouldn’t exactly say this product is new to Clinique, it was launched as a Travel Exclusive by the Travel Retail Market last November and made available only at all Asia-Pacific Airports and Duty Free Downtown stores. And for the first time, the Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ will be made available at all Clinique Beauty Counters in Singapore on 27 May 2011 and it will retail at S$49.

In this post, I will be sharing my first acquaintance with the Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++, what I have learnt and my first impressions about the product.

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may have noticed I have not tried any BB Creams before. There are far too many choices in the market, I didn’t know where to start.

It was a real pleasure meeting Jane Yap, the Education Manager for Clinique.

Through Jane, I managed to learn more about BB Creams and had the opportunity to re-explore Clinique’s products once again. Jane started the session off with some history of BB Cream. BB (Blemish Balm) Cream started in Germany where Dermatologists prescript them for patients who just had lazer surgery to help heal their skin. It helps to soothe, protect, regenerate and conceal the problem areas.

The entire concept of BB Cream became so popular in recent years because Korean celebrities used them after their surgeries and since then, many brands in the market have developed their very own.

After introducing me to the BB Cream world, it’s time to get physical – with the product. Prior to applying the BB Cream, Jane cleansed off the makeup on my cheeks and applied a thin layer of Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief to keep the skin hydrated. She followed by applying a very thin layer of Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ and blend with her fingers.

I really like the texture of Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, it feels light and has a gel-like consistency which didn’t make my skin feel heavy or oily. The texture of BB Cream also doesn’t feel heavy either.

 Jane chose to set the Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ with Derma White Bright-C Powder Makeup. She used a brush and dusted the powder over my cheeks lightly to achieve a natural looking and radiant finish.

She also helped me apply Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Giddy Pink and Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Woppin’ Watermelon which I absolutely adore. The colours are so sweet.

 It was a very pleasant and educational evening with Jane, who shared the insights of BB Cream and the importance of wearing sun screen with me. The one-on-one demonstration surely helped me understand this product a lot better. And I am liking it.

I see myself using the Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ more as a replacement for a foundation although it can also be used as a makeup primer. I like that this product consists of anti-oxidants and anti-irritants that help prevent premature aging – which is something I am paying more attention to due to the lifestyle in a modern city. This product also helped conceal the open pores around my nose and cheeks.

I may also mix it with a little moisturizer to be used as a tinted moisturizer over the weekend for an even lighter coverage. I would say this BB Cream provides sheer to medium coverage, it evens out my skin tone and took away the redness but I had to conceal a few spots with a concealer. If you require more coverage, I would suggest setting it with a powder foundation instead of loose powder.

A few shots I took in the car after the demonstration.

Like many other brands, the Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ only comes in one shade which I can foresee being a problem for those with darker skin tones. Hopefully Clinique will develop a wider range of shades so more people can try this product. For now, the only shade available is in light beige with a slightly pink undertone. It looks a little light on me initially but after 10-15 minutes, when it has settled down, it blends into my skin pretty well. I would say it’s suitable for fair to medium skin tones, it may look ashy on darker skin tones.

I have been wearing the BB Cream for 2 days now and I must say, I am pretty impressed with it. I will continue using it for the next couple of days and explore ways to wear it. I will follow-up with a more detailed write-up in a week or so. I have not tried any BB Creams apart from this so I can’t compare if this is really any better but I am enjoying it so far.

For those who are new to BB Creams, will Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30/PA+++ be your first too?