Oh, what's this? A Naruko product with both skincare and make up functions? I knew I had to try this, and when Naruko Singapore offered me the opportunity to review the Naruko ampm All Day No Shine Sebum Balancer, Naruko Total Defense Make-up Removing Mousse and this BB Sunscreen, I jumped at the chance.
Naruko is a brand that is well-known for its plant-derived ingredients (e.g. essential oils) and focus on high-quality, low-cost, effective skincare products that are suited for daily use. However, Naruko has also ventured into make up, with products such as the Naruko Narcissus Defense BB Sunscreen SPF50 ★★★★. Against my glowing reviews of Naruko's other skincare products, how will this BB Sunscreen fare? Find out after the jump!
Naruko Narcissus Defense BB Sunscreen SPF50 ★★★★
Packaging
Ingredients
Interesting fact: This BB sunscreen contains anti-wrinkle amino acids and collagen to repair skin and maintain its natural resilience! BB cream, sunscreen and skincare all-in-one? It sounds promising already.
Swatches
Swatched and blended out on my hand, the Naruko Narcissus Defense BB Sunscreen SPF50 ★★★★ looked rather light and a little pink. My skin has yellow undertones, so I was concerned that the Naruko BB sunscreen would make my skin appear ashen/grey.
How to apply it (taken from Naruko.sg)
1. After your daily skin care routine, use a dime-sized amount and spread it evenly on face.
2. Concentrate on dry and flawed areas (dark spots, freckles, etc.); apply extra if needed.
3. Apply foundation or loose powder if desired.
5. Rub your palms together until they are warm and gently press them against your face to help the sunscreen and foundation/loose powder combine together.
My Experiences with the Naruko Narcissus Defense BB Sunscreen SPF50 ★★★★
The first thing I noticed about product was the smell. If any of you have used the Naruko Narcissus product range, you'll know what I mean when I say this BB sunscreen smells heavenly. It has a very refreshing and soothing scent, which smells amazingly natural due to the plant-derived extracts (see "Ingredients" above).
Swatched on my hand, the Naruko BB sunscreen looked pink (see "Swatches" above), but I didn't have to worry about it not being able to suit my skin, which has yellow undertones. When I applied it on my face, it did even out my skin tone and even brightened it significantly, giving me fairer looking skin without an unnatural whitish cast.
Here are some photos of me wearing the Naruko BB sunscreen on bare skin, with no other foundation products, powder or otherwise, on top of it. Apart from that, I'm wearing concealer (only on the undereye area), eyeliner, lip gloss and I also shaded in my eyebrows. The photos of my face are not edited at all!
I love how natural it looks on my bare skin, much like a tinted moisturiser. It does give my skin a "glowy" look, doesn't it? While liquid and cream foundations can tend to look a little flat on the skin if piled on too thick and if contouring is not done well, this BB sunscreen is sheer enough to avoid that problem.
However, that's also its drawback. It's really sheer (I'd give the coverage about 4/10), which is good for those with skin that is free from serious acne, heavy pigmentation or scarring. For those with such issues, this BB sunscreen likely won't be able to provide a heavy enough coverage for a flawless finish. If you have a few pimples here and there, some light pigmentation/marks, this BB sunscreen would probably lighten those a little, but not to a great extent. A thin layer of foundation of loose powder/foundation on top of it would be recommended, as mentioned in "How to apply it" (see above).
That being said, I loved the texture of this product. It was very moisturising, non-greasy and lightweight; extremely suitable for my oily skin. Even after a couple of hours of wear, my skin neither felt nor appeared oily nor greasy. I also love that it has excellent skincare properties, such as the inclusion of amino acids and collagen to repair and maintain the skin's condition while also providing some base coverage.
While this BB sunscreen doesn't replace my current HG foundation (Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation in No. 54) in my usual make up routine, I'll definitely use it on days when I feel more dressed down and willing to skip on the heavier foundation make up. Using this BB sunscreen as a base/primer and then applying a layer of loose powder/foundation on top could be the way to go on days when my face is a little more flawed (e.g. breakouts, redness etc.). The SPF 50 and PA++++ protection (denoted by the four stars) is also a plus, as I would be able to go out without applying another layer of sunscreen. No skipping on the concealer though! My undereye area is much too bruised looking for this BB sunscreen to cover up, even after I'd applied more product there.
I do like this BB sunscreen a fair bit for the scent and the fact that it is moisturising and non-greasy, with a high SPF. However, the low level of coverage is slightly disappointing, especially for those with pimples and dark undereye areas (like me). Of course, there's always the option of layering some loose powder/foundation over, but it would have been more convenient if this were an all-in-one product with both good coverage and excellent skincare properties. Another factor is the price, which I feel is slightly on the high end (S$25.90 for 30ml). It would be more attractive if priced at a more affordable rate.
Where can I purchase it and how much does it cost?
This product has been recently launched as part of the Naruko line carried in Watsons, so you can hop down to your nearest Watsons store to check it out. You can also get it from the Naruko SG website, where the full range of Naruko products are sold (international shipping is not available). It costs S$25.90 for a 30ml tube, and if you purchase it now during the GSS promotion, you get an extra free 10ml tube worth S$8.90!
Stationery
As usual, here's the eco-friendly stationery box you can make out of the packaging. It's a cute little namecard holder with narcissus flower prints. Out of all the designs I've encountered so far, I like this the best for its clean blue and white prints. One day I will take a picture of all the stationery I've made from Naruko boxes and post it up here, haha.
Let's Break It Down
Product Name: Naruko Narcissus Defense BB Sunscreen SPF50 ★★★★
Product type: BB sunscreen
Amount of product: 30ml
Price per product: S$25.90
Comments: High SPF 50 and PA++++; great sun protection. Great moisturising and skincare properties. Is lightweight and has low coverage. Very suitable as make up base.
Where to buy: Watsons and Naruko SG
To buy or not to buy: If you have good skin that doesn't need a high coverage product for everyday use, this is perfect for you. If not, this would be better as a make up base cum sunscreen. Nifty little product to have in your handbag. It's also good purely as a facial sunscreen though the price is a little high.
Product approved 3.5/5. 4.5/5
EDIT: I have been using this daily, and my opinion of it has vastly increased because it's non-greasy (throughout the whole day, mind!), it provides slight coverage for more casual days, and it has a high SPF of 50 (protects against UVB rays that burn) and PA++++ (protects against long term skin damage). Put simply, I love it! No other product has been able to replace it so far.
Note: To read more about UVB and UVA protection, click this link.
EDIT: I have been using this daily, and my opinion of it has vastly increased because it's non-greasy (throughout the whole day, mind!), it provides slight coverage for more casual days, and it has a high SPF of 50 (protects against UVB rays that burn) and PA++++ (protects against long term skin damage). Put simply, I love it! No other product has been able to replace it so far.
Note: To read more about UVB and UVA protection, click this link.
Disclaimer: I received this product for review. My opinions are completely honest and 100% my own. No compensation was received for this review.
Upcoming review: Narcissus Total Defense Make-up Removing Mousse. Fantastic for cleansing your face of most make up and leaving your skin feeling baby smooth and clean!
