Basic-O-Base 01 : Etude House AC Clinic Daily Sun BB SPF 30/PA++

Hi guys!

It's already on the 7th day of February with not even one review up yet on this blog because i've been too busy posting life-style posts (yes, life's been fun!), i actually still have a few more lifestyle posts (CNY for one!) lining up to be blogged but i decided to take a break from them and do a review today :).

The first review of February also mark a new series for my reviews, Basic-O-Base where i'd be reviewing all base type of beauty products : BB Cream, foundation, CC Cream, primer, etc. I think i'm gonna chuck my concealer reviews in this series too but i'll be differentiating the specifically designed ones on different series (ex : under eye concealers and eye lid primers would be featured in another new series : Eye Stories!). I'm gonna start off the series with my first ever BB Cream, and my favorite so far!

AC Clinic Daily Sun BB Cream SPF 30/PA++ (picture courtesy of Google)

Even though the name doesn't suggest that it's specifically targeted for acne prone and oily skin, but it's pretty obvious from the line that it came from (the AC Clinic, which is a famous line for acne care from Etude House) what's the purpose of this BB Cream. I consulted with the online shop where i got them for a nice acne-preventing BB Cream (i was just starting to dip my toes into the BB Cream world back then, haven't even started blogging yet) and the owner suggested this one. I cannot read Hangeul so i cannot read any of those words in that picture above, but the "non-comedogenic" line showed me that i am on the right track haha. Plus it contains SPF! Totally God-sent for a lazy gal like yours truly *shamed face*.

As you should know by now, i am blessed with pretty much clear and acne free skin (but i do get white and black heads, hence my happiness reading the non-comedogenic claim!), but i am absolutely obsessed with acne preventing/treating beauty stuffs, mainly because i'm super scared of getting them! I got this BB Cream for quite a while now (from the online shop i used to frequent called Para Para, which is sadly no longer operating, but it's easy to find in pretty much any online shop that sells Korean beauty products) and i'm more than half-way through the tube (am saving it for those times when i just had a facial, where i would only wear anti acne base+powder for at least a week, also for those rare times when i actually get a breakout) by now even though i don't wear it daily (mainly because i don't want to finish them up too fast :p).

The tube contained 50gr of BB Cream

Comes with a twist off top in a squeezy tube. It's quite practical and hygienic

This is the amount that i use for one layer. Like, 6 dots (because it's very sheer so i needed a bit more product than most bases)

This BB Cream only comes in one shade, which is pretty light. It does make my (already pale) face look kinda ashy when first applied but it warms up fast. Still, i think this BB Cream wouldn't be suitable for people with darker skin tones. Consistency of this BB Cream is really thick (but not in a heavy way) and creamy, it spread very easily and evenly-it's also non-cakey. Like a dream. I absolutely love it! It also covers my big pores rather nicely, so... more love!

The ingredients contained in this BB Cream : Salicylic Acid and Hinoki Cypress, Water, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Arbutin, Panthenol, Papaya Fruit Extract, Garlic Bulb Extract, Onion Bulb Extract, Wintergreen Leaf Extract, Tea Tree Leaf Oil and more (source : Secret of Asian Beauty).

Other reviewers commented on the BB Cream's distinct smell, that is the same smell as other products from AC Clinic line, but for me... I guess my weirdly sensitive nose (when it comes to body odor and other unpleasant smells) doesn't work when it comes to most beauty products (but that's a good thing! So i mostly am not bothered with any product's scents!) so i do not detect anything out of ordinary from this BB Cream's scent. Smell like any other base/powder for me. It's not exactly a very nice smell (as in perfumey or yummy), but i don't really like my BB Cream to smell too perfumey anyway.

My pale, tired and zombie-like bare face

As you can, i don't really have much to cover (that bump next to my nose's not pimple, it's an old mole that's been lasered off but grew back, i'm going for a second treatment as soon as i gathered enough courage, it was pretty damn painful!) except my dark circle and some redness that needed to be evened out

Like i said, i do not get zits much, but of course i am only human. Usually around my period i'd get one or two zits, and as soon as i saw one grazing my face, i decided to take pictures to further show you the effect of this BB Cream.

My red zit, bare faced

My zit, one layer of AC Clinic Daily Sun BB

One layer of AC Clinic Sun BB

The coverage was sheer, as you can see one layer couldn't really conceal the redness of that mean pimple i had near my mouth! So i decided to add one more layer (i usually stop at one layer because i prefer sheerer, light make up).

Redness diminished after two layers!

With 2 layers of AC Clinic Daily Sun

I'd say the coverage of this BB Cream is sheer, medium at best (after you build it up). I find it to be very light, moisturizing (non-drying) but with a matte finish (i still need to set it with powder though because my skin's crazy oily), comfortable on my skin. It definitely doesn't have the strongest coverage, even with two layer you can still see how dark my under eyes are! But no foundie/BB Cream can conceal those dark shadows anyway, that's where under eye concealers comes!

To make it easier to compare, L-R : Bare face, 1 layer, 2 layers

Before and after AC Clinic Daily Sun BB

According to this ad, this BB Cream also has whitening and wrinkle care purposes. The whitening part i'm not so sure, i guess it does make your skin look whiter instantly because of the tone *LOL* but permanently i don't think so (i wouldn't want my face to be any whiter anyway). And wrinkle care? I don't really have wrinkles yet (i have very fine lines under my eyes that are invincible when i'm bare faced but always seems to be accentuated by any concealer i use FML) so i can't vouch for it. But i never really consider BB Cream as skin care anyway, and neither should you! I see it as a kinder version of foundie (with their extra benefits as in moisturizing, etc), you should totally still invest in entirely other set of skin cares.

This BB Cream is supposed to have an oil control benefit as well, but even though i find it mattifying after it sets (it sets pretty fast after i applied it on my face), the oil control's very so-so on my oil-tank skin. Like most other BB Cream/foundie (even after being set with powder), i find my skin start to shine after 3-4 hours (but that's better than some, actually). That doesn't bother me as i always carry oil blotters with me and it's been a habit to blot my face every couple of hours anyway.

As i like to use this BB Cream after having a facial (when my pore's recently purged and quite open, i don't want to gunk it up right away), i always follow with powders that has the same anti-acne and non-comedogenic claims. After i ran out of my DHC anti acne powder, i found a new love in Sari Ayu Bedak Jerawat (Pimple Powder) and they work really well together (review coming up, soon-i hope :p).

Match made in (Asian) heaven. LOL

2 layers of AC Clinic Daily Sun BB+Sari Ayu Bedak Jerawat, dunno why i looked so glum

I don't think this BB Cream would actually TREAT acne, but i believe it won't make it worse (at least it didn't on my skin) so it's safe to use even when your face's having a breakout. Remember, i write this based on my own experience, it might have different effects on other skins. But for me, this is love!

I don't remember the price but i think it's under IDR 130.000, totally worth every penny for such an awesome BB Cream haha. It's very easy to find in most Korean cosmetics seller and also at the counter (but of course it's a lot more expensive at the counter, at least twice the price of online shops).

I very highly recommend this for people with light skin tone who are looking for non-comedogenic, acne friendly base make up with easy-on-the-pocket-price.

Not recommending it for people with dark skin tone, and maybe not very suitable for those with dry skin either (because of the matte finish, it might cling to dry patches).

Would i repurchase? Well, of course! I also haven't found any other acne-preventing/treating BB Cream so far, i'd love to try other brands too so if you know any, please leave a comment below!

Old picture, was wearing this BB Cream!

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