I used to have really bad skin. In middle school, my forehead was constantly broken out. Unfortunately, I didn’t really understand how skincare worked so I was essentially burning my skin off with Stridex, causing it to produce more oil and break out more. Luckily, towards the end of high school, a friend of mine introduced me to a facial moisturizer that was actually made for skin prone to breakouts, and I got hooked.
Unfortunately, around this time, I also got hooked on full face of makeup every damn day. I was putting layers on layers of foundation on to cover the cystic acne that came from unhealthy lifestyle choices in college- not drinking enough water, drinking too much everything else, eating crap, not sleeping enough… you get the picture. My skin got very little time to breathe and I wasn’t worried a bit about providing it with any sun protection either.
While I still break out along my chin during certain times of the month, if I’m stressed/ sick, or if I don’t wash my face well enough when I do use foundation (maybe a couple times a month), my skin is so much happier with me now that I treat it with care, not aggression. This summer I’ve tried two products that I want to compare for my real-girl women on the go.
e.l.f. Cosmetics BB Cream SPF 20||Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer
While the e.l.f. Cosmetics BB Cream SPF 20 had heavier coverage, it might have actually been too heavy. This may be a weird thing to criticize, but it was difficult to wash off my hands after applying it and left my fingers feeling dry. That being said, it did cover up my blemishes quite nicely- almost with the thickness of a foundation. It also left the same feeling on my skin as a foundation when I removed it, which I wasn’t crazy about. I do appreciate the SPF 20 as should we all, and for $6, it really packs a punch. Honestly, for that price, I’d probably buy it again to use as foundation in a pinch while traveling or if I run out of the real stuff, but I might not go back to it for my every day.
The Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer is much lighter coverage. Enhancer is definitely the right word because it certainly doesn’t cover much. The trade-off is that my skin is happier with this product and there really isn’t a whole lot I need to cover. Honestly, if I do my whole routine with bronzer, highlighter, blush and all- this works plenty well as a base. By the end of the day, my skin still feels moisturized. It is double the price of the e.l.f. Cosmetics BB Cream SPF 20- but that only brings it to $12.99, still making it budget friendly. There’s an SPF 20 in this one too and I have to claim it as my favorite for everyday face. Usually, it’s just this stuff, mascara on my top lashes, and out the door.
e.l.f. Cosmetics BB Cream SPF 20||Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer
Let me know if you’ve tried either of these and what you think. Do you have a favorite everyday beauty product?
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