Behold my new go-to face makeup: Dr Jart Silver Label Rejuvenating Beauty Balm, the 2012 reformulated version. I have long forgo regular foundations in favour of Asian BB creams. I say “Asian” because Western varieties are pretty much just glorified tinted moisturizers — and I have never been a fan of them. I started with Korean then eventually moved on to Japanese due to promise of lighter texture and warmer tone — and now it seems I’ve come full circle.
According to Dr Jart’s Korean website, the Silver Label BB cream is for oily to combination skin and was launched in 2005 as “Repairing Blemish Base”. It was reformulated in 2011 to “Rejuvenating Blemish Base”. The 2012 formula (the one I have) is now dermatologist tested, cruelty-free, and additive-free — and named “Rejuvenating Beauty Balm”. It claims to stay truer to shade (no oxidizing) and more long-lasting. Its packaging is now a chic slim black tube with silver accents.
It is described officially to have a matte finish, but I don’t see it myself. Of course, that’s all relative to your skin type and other products you happen to be also using. Usually I skip moisturizer when I use BB cream (just Japanese lotion, serum, and sunscreen), and on my generally normal skin, it gives a fresh, satin (not quite matte, not quite dewy) finish that I love so much, but it’s not greasy in the slightest. It lasts a good full day in the summer’s heat without sliding around or the need the blot if I set it with translucent powder.
The coverage is excellent. I would say it is medium to full, depending on how you’re applying it — patting it on will give a much fuller coverage. I personally just smooth it on (which is supposedly the “wrong” way of applying BB creams) for a lighter coverage, I just pat a little extra under the eyes. Even with my haphazard application, it evens out skin tone and covers up minor blemishes and mark well — I don’t even bother with a concealer. Even with its high coverage, its texture is surprisingly light — about a zillion times lighter than Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream, which feels grubby and greasy on my non-oily skin even in the middle of winter!
Like most Korean BB creams, this only comes in one shade. Its website calls it “Light Beige” or shade no. 21. (For reference, Black Label — which is for normal to dry skin — shade is “Skin Pink Beige” or shade no. 21–23. It’s also has the darkest shade in the Dr. Jart Basic line) I’m not sure what shade no. 21 is referring to… Is there a common shade reference standard for BB creams in Korea? Missha’s shade no. 21 (also called “Light Beige”) is sure nothing like it — much greyer and lighter. This is a light neutral beige with a tinge of yellow — in the same shade range as the lightest shade for most Japanese BB creams, perhaps a tiny bit lighter. In any case, it’s a perfect match for my skin tone right out of the tube with no oxidation.
As you probably know by now from my reviews, I don’t particularly care for the ‘skincare’ functions or the multi-functional effects in BB creams. In fact, the more I see the various “8-in-1”, “5-in-1” claims that every Japanese (and Western) BB cream seem to have, the more annoyed I get recently — they can seemingly do everything but wash the dishes. I still like having functional ingredients, but without the endless preposterous claims. Whitening seems to be the only skincare function this BB cream is specifically labelled to have, and it uses Arbutin in addition to its moderate sun protection to do to so. (Obviously, this also moisturizes skin and protects skin from UV damage but those are pretty much a given.) I highly doubt this alone will make any significant headway in fading dark spots or a tan, but every little bit helps, surely?
Dr Jart Silver Label Rejuvenating Beauty Balm SPF35/PA++ has, for the past 2 months or so, replaced my other BB creams and my concealer too! It applies well over a lot of different types of sunscreens, and even the occasional cleansed skin. This probably wouldn’t suit a lot of people due to do its high coverage and lack of shade selection, but if you happened be in the shade range, it’s an excellent BB cream to check out!
