Fab or flub?: L’Oreal’s BB cream sunscreen promises the best of both worlds

Combining the power of a BB cream with the protection of a sunscreen, the 2-in-1 L’Oreal Paris’ Advanced Suncare Silky Sheer BB Face Lotion 50+ ($9.99 at Target) promises to help protect your skin from the effects of harsh UVA/UVB rays while also evening out your skin tone for the look of a healthy complexion.

First impression

Unlike other BB creams I’ve tried, L’Oreal Paris’ Advanced Suncare Silky Sheer BB Face Lotion 50+ is extremely watery. So watery, that you have to be extra careful when squeezing the lotion out of the bottle or it will go everywhere (trust me).

The lotion is tinted in what L’Oreal refers to as a “universal shade.” While L’Oreal might think the shade is universal, it looks more like medium to me.

Squeezing a dime-sized amount of product on the back of my hand, I blended the lotion into my skin with my finger. The formula felt very silky, and it left behind a powderlike finish.

The “universal shade” seemed to match my tanned complexion pretty well, but I’m not so sure it would match fairer or darker skin tones.

Fab or flub?

Flab. While the concept of combining a BB cream with a high-powered sunscreen seems like a surefire hit, L’Oreal Paris’ Advanced Suncare Silky Sheer BB Face Lotion ended up falling short of my expectations.

It dried to a nice powderlike finish each time, and I liked that the tinted lotion went on smoothly (I used a beautyblender for application), and that it contained a high SPF count. I found that the lotion did a wonderful job of evening out my skin tone, and I thought it made a great alternative to a regular face primer.

There was, however, one big problem. Each time I used the lotion, it left my skin extremely oily. After applying the lotion underneath my foundation in the morning, I checked my face midday and found that it looked even shinier than it normally does.

In the past, this has been my biggest gripe with facial sunscreens. No matter how much they claim to be non-greasy or oil-free, they always seem to leave my face shiny.

After realizing that the lotion was turning my skin into an oil slick, I decided to wear it by itself (sans my matte foundation) to see if the results would be different. On its own, the lotion seemed not to be as oily, although my face still had a slight sheen.

While I don’t see this product being everyday-friendly for me, I think it would be great for weekends or days by the pool when I want some light coverage but don’t want a full face of makeup.

This story was originally published April 24, 2015 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Fab or flub?: L’Oreal’s BB cream sunscreen promises the best of both worlds."