Kiehl’s BB Cream Review: High SPF with Nice Coverage

I’ve made no secret of my mini obsession with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Lotion with SPF 15 over the years. My skin just seems to love that lotion, and having the sunscreen built in is a great bonus. I fully admit that it doesn’t have quite the SPF I’d prefer (I’d like to be over SPF 30, I don’t like turning freckly), so I was often putting Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+ over it. (Watch for a review of that sunscreen, finally, in a few weeks.)

I’ve been experimenting with new foundations, tinted moisturizers and BB Creams recently, and when Kiehl’s sent me 2 tubes of their new BB Cream to try out, I admit that I may have done the Dance of Joy.

(Admission, I might be watching Bronson while writing this review. Also, my sister and I used to do the Dance of Joy. That was for you Nikki!)

For those of you that need a refresher, a BB Cream is basically a souped up tinted moisturizer. Add in some anti-aging ingredients, a little more coverage than you get with a tinted moisturizer, and if you’re lucky some broad spectrum UV coverage… and that’s a BB Cream. A CC Cream offers even more coverage. They’re meant to be one product multi-taskers, though it can take some research to find one that fits your needs and has a tint that works for you with enough coverage. Many of the first BB Creams to hit the US were more porcelain in tone, which didn’t work for many Americans. They do tend to fit those of us that are…. lighter in complexion better than darker, but as they’ve grown in popularity more and more tones have hit the market.

Kiehl’s previously offered a similar product, their Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer. It wasn’t as well known as their other products, but it definitely had quite a few fans. You can find information online about how to contact the company to beg for that product to be re-released, but really, the BB Cream kind of blows it out of the water.

The BB Cream offers UV coverage with SPF 50 instead of the SPF 15 that the Tinted Moisturizer had in its formula. In addition you’ll find Vitamin C to add a little anti-aging punch and a little more coverage than the tinted moisturizer.

Overall, it doesn’t feel much different than the Ultra Facial moisturizer. It is a little thicker, but it has the same light consistency, doesn’t smell like sunscreen, and is easy to spread/blend. I just spread it around with my fingers and I can add a little extra in areas that need more coverage. I blended a little using my Beauty Blender sponge, but I didn’t have to do much of that. It didn’t leave a residue behind and felt very lightweight, which I loved. I used the fair shade (they offer four: fair, fair/light, light and medium), and it was a great match for my pale skin tone. It was just enough coverage to make my skin look more even but not so much that I had on a lot of makeup.

Throughout the day the coverage wears very well, and I was really impressed that it looks just as good at the end of the day as it did at the beginning! I had no issues with oxidation turning the color darker either.

This is definitely my new BB Cream of choice!

Check out more BB and CC Cream reviews, tips and tricks!

Kiehl’s BB Cream at Sephora
PR Sample, Affiliate Links