Review - Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector

Oh my goodness, my life is now worth living! I have found Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector and my life is complete! This product quite literally works miracles.

Let me tell you first the condition that my skin was in a couple of days ago. I've been having unsightly breakouts around my chin and mouth recently which have been causing me a nightmare. I've been using a Clean and Clear foaming face wash in the mornings and a Clearasil overnight wash in the evenings which have kind of done the trick, but then my skin get's really dry... I'll tone down the foaming face washes a little and up the moisturizing but then I get the breakouts again. It really is a vicious cycle and I've been at my wit's end, particularly because every time I apply my foundation and concealer I've been concerned about drying my skin out even more or oiling it up too much. I simply couldn't win.

I was considering giving up skincare for good (why bother when none of my expensive products have been working?) when the lovely people at Garnier sent me three free sachets of Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream and everything changed.

Now for a little background; B.B. Creams (Blemish Balms!) were developed by a German doctor back in the 1950's in order to provide a light-to-medium coverage for problem skin WHILST fighting the problem itself. Made famous by a beautiful Asian actress with a gor

geous silky complexion, this idea spread across Asia and has finally made it to Europe. All of the big cosmetic brands are jumping onto their own version of the BB Cream each promising to make your skin look, and more importantly, feel good.

Let's check out Garnier's product claim:

"It's your latest beauty secret... An all in one, sup

er dooper, anytime, anywhere, skincare solution for perfect skin.

Use it on its own, use it as a primer, when you get up, after the gym, a post-work touch up, pre-date beautifier... the list is endless.

Discover the 2 little letters that are driving beauty editors into a frenzy... B.B. has arrived!

- Feel the sensation of the light texture that ins

tantly melts into your skin.

- The formula with mineral pigments gives an instantly 'perfect' skin. The result? Sheer coverage; imperfections look blurred, lines softened. Your skin look luminous, smoother and more even. See the B.B. difference!

- 24hr hydration. Skin feels more supple, smoother, softer. Feel the B.B. difference!

- UV protection: SPF 15 to help protect the skin

Go B.B! In just one step, even, cover, hydrate, illuminate and help protect your skin."

Let's get down to business. This product currently costs just £8.99 at www.boots.com and if you want to try it before you buy (although take my word for it, you'll LOVE it) then hop on over to http://www.garnier.co.uk and request your free sample.

So how did I fall in love with a beauty product? Well, like I said, I was struggling with my skin when this product arrived for me in the post. I wanted to try it immediately, but I already had make-up on and I was about to settle down for the night, so I decided (begrudgingly) that I would wait until the next morning to try out the Miracle Skin Perfector.

Now, although I had high hopes for the product, my expectations were not so great because basically, this product sounded too good to be true. Usually the words 'miracle', 'skin' and 'perfect' don't go together in my experience, so I figure

d it was all just a gimmick although hoped that it wasn't. I was not disappointed one bit.

BEFORE...

I woke up on Friday morning and my skin was as miserable looking as ever. Dry in patches, spotty in others, and my eyes looked tired and grey. 'Fantastic' I thought as I tore the top off the sachet in my bathroom. Initially when I saw the three sachets I figured I had three days worth of product... When I began applying the product and realized the extent to which 'a little goes a long way' applied to the cream, I was really pleased to see that each sachet could be used for about three days. Of course this depends on the amount of coverage you would like.

The formula is really creamy and rich when first squeezed onto your finger. I applied directly to my face with my fingertips and I felt that when I started to stroke it across, it became a lot lighter and more liquid, which made it feel more moisturizing and comfortable to wear. After patting it onto the skin on my forehead, cheeks, chin and nos

e I noticed that it was still a little streaky, but this may well have been because I was using too much product. This was easily remedied though by buffing it into my skin with a standard powder brush.

Now, the finish... was... heavenly. My skin felt silky soft to the touch, my complexion looked milky with no discoloration at all and even my spots we only noticeable upon closer scrutiny. My dry patches vanished and yet my skin felt like it could breathe; the Miracle Skin Perfector was not clogging up my pores or creating a suffocating film trapping the oil into them. In fact, my pores which are usually quite present were virtually invisible. My skin was even and the tone was a sort of natural-looking perfection which I've never seen on my own face before.

Although the coverage was just right (amazing con

sidering the brain-boxes at Garnier only call it 'light to medium') I did dust a little powder over my T-zone as I was looking a little 'dewier' than I usually like. Then again, this could be down to the amount of product I used.

AFTER...

The finish held it's ground all day until I removed it with a make-up wipe in the evening. My skin underneath was already softer than usual.

Now, I've only been using this product for three days, as I said. And yet, I feel like the general condition of my skin has already improved vastly. Even without the product on, my skin feels much more hydrated, the redness around my eyes has faded and even my spots appear less red and the sizes appear reduced. Basically I could not be happier.

For the first time in ages, I feel like I've found a product which lives up to its claim and I can genuinely recommend it to anyone. It is cost-effective is you only need a little bit, a great price for the effect you get, good for your skin, works well alone or as a base and actually stops people as they come out of lectures so they ask you, 'Excuse me... I know this is weird but... what foundation do you use?' (Ok, so that last one only happened once, but still!)

In my next Boots haul I'm definitely buying a full tube... Garnier sent me a £1 off voucher too so I'm an extremely happy bunny!

Have you guys tried out a B.B. cream yet? Will you be purchasing the Miracle Skin Perfector? You're mad if you don't!

gabriellasofia