I'm back with another in my Foundation Review Series, and one I'm pretty excited about, too.

Laneige is a brand most people know of already, thanks to a strong international beauty market for Korean goods. The time of the BB cream is long gone; now is the time of the BB Cushion - a compact that houses a 'cushion' saturated in foundation liquid. You apply this with a sponge that comes together with the compact. I'm told the sponge is key to this sort of foundation as it disperses the product perfectly on the skin.

I first tried the BB cushion trend with Laneige's original offering - the BB Cushion SPF50. It is a beautiful foundation that gives me a gorgeous glow, and it is quite whitening, so I always got compliments when I wore it. Only issue is, Malaysia is as hot and as humid as ever, so I'm always looking for something more matte for my skin. By then, the BB Cushion [Pore Control] had already been released, so it was only a matter of time before I finally took the leap and spent the RM150 to purchase it. I chose the lightest colour, #13 True Beige, because my skin tone is only a tad bit darker than the colour of the foundation, and I wanted a brightened-skin effect. This colour achieved that perfectly for me.

'Pore Control' in this case simply means oil control, and when the Koreans say something, you had better be sure that they mean it! The oil control on this BB cushion is well beyond satisfactory - it keeps the oiliness at bay for a good 4-5 hours before letting through only a tiny bit of oil, and that's nothing a tiny powder touch-up won't fix. In fact, you can fix it by dabbing on a tiny bit more of this BB cushion, since it travels well. The compact comes with a sealing door which prevents the liquid from spilling out, and separating the puff applicator from the wet cushion until you're ready for your next application.

This has medium, buildable coverage. Here's what it looks like on my skin:

Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] in #13 True Beige applied with applicator puff, no concealer, no powder.

I've layered the foundation here in a few places like my cheeks and chin, and you'll see there are still a couple of stubborn, dark scars peeking through. Another problem area, around my nose, there are visible dark spots and pores that weren't fully covered and concealed. The coverage is still pretty good and on casual days I find I don't need to use concealer.

The finish is quite matte, though you do see a glow in the skin still, much more so than any other 'glowy finish' matte foundation I own.

All in all, this is a fantastic everyday foundation for oily-skinned girls and one of my favourites. The application is easy, the coverage is great, the oil control is great, and the finish is lovely. I highly recommend purchasing this. You can get yours at a Laneige counter near you, or at Sephora. One box comes with a refill cushion and will set you back a mere RM150.

A lot of people are confused about the BB cream trend and have a lot of questions. What is a BB Cream? Should I use a BB cream? How is a BB cream different from a foundation? Which is better, BB cream or foundation?

This post answers a few of those questions, and includes mini reviews of my favourite products, from both the BB cream and foundation families. Read on to find out more.

What is a BB Cream?
BB (a.k.a. blemish balm, and a host of other names since "blemish balm" was trademarked in Korea) cream was first formulated in Germany, and was used to treat the skin of patients who had just undergone surgery. BB cream is formulated with a host of skin-treating benefits, such as acne treatment, whitening, wrinkle treatment, sun protection, etc. The trend took off in a huge way in Asian countries (particularly Korea) and has started making waves in the Western cosmetics industry as well.

Should I use a BB cream?
Honestly, it's totally up to you. BB creams (generally) offer a bit more coverage than foundations, and almost always come with a generous amount of SPF. They are also thicker than most foundations, though less is needed compared to foundations when it comes to covering the skin. In my opinion, the skincare benefits of a BB cream compared to a foundation are negligible, so a BB cream is really not going to offer you that much more skin benefits compared to a foundation - it's mostly a marketing gimmick. So really what you want to do is compare the finish between a BB cream and a foundation to determine which one suits you and your needs best.

BB Cream Finish
BB creams tend to give your skin a more dewy, radiant finish. Because it was the Koreans who first caught on to BB creams, most formulations are very much oriented towards the Korean glowy skin trend. They are mostly quite full-coverage, providing a sort of all-in-one product, theoretically eliminating the need for concealer, sunscreen, or moisturiser.

Foundation Finish
Foundations offer you a lot more variety when it comes to finishes. They have sheerer formulations, matte ones, cream-to-powder, and so much more. Foundations tend to steer towards the more cakey side compared to BB creams (not all of them, mind you!) when they're full coverage, and if you're looking for something less cakey, you will need to use concealer to cover up any blemishes or dark circles.

At the end of the day, you need to listen to your skin's needs. If you live in a humid climate and/or have oily skin, you won't need a dewy finish foundation/BB cream. If you have lots of small imperfections that need covering, BB creams might work better for you because they contain more pigment and therefore give more coverage. Here's a more detailed list of the skin types that each type of base would cater to more adequately:

Foundation
Oily skin (go for mattifying foundations)
People who want a lighter texture in their base
People who like sheer coverage foundations (these look more natural)

BB Cream
Blemished skin
People who like dewy skin
Dry skin

My absolute favourites? They're all here!

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - great coverage, about average thickness. A teeny bit ashy.
La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream - fantastic coverage, not too thick. Their two colours are lovely - one has a pink undertone and the other yellow, but both aren't overwhelming so they look really natural on the skin.
Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream - a lovely light formulation with medium coverage. Great for those with oily skin because this is quite light.
Diorsnow BB Cream - fantastic coverage and a great glowing finish. Also not too thick.
Dr Jart+ Black Label BB Cream - this one has less coverage but is quite light, but is quite 'wet' on the skin. It gives the skin such a beautiful glow though!

Hera Age Away Foundation - I love this because it gives the skin a boost in radiance, yet doesn't feel too sticky or wet on the skin.
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation - this is a fantastic one because it is really light and you don't have to use a lot, but it does cover imperfections well. Looks fantastic on camera.
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation - this one has decent oil control and coverage, and gives the skin a healthy look.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - this product really gives the skin a lovely glow, and despite its name, it actually is semi-matte, so it's great for humid climates/oily skin.
Diorskin Nude Foundation - I love this one because it's not dewy or sticky, but it gives the skin a glow, and the coverage is quite decent.

Do you have a favourite? Which do you prefer - BB cream or foundation?

Chanel's CC cream (known as the Complete Correction Cream) is exclusive to the Asian market, and as far as I know, is only being sold in China, Taiwan, and possibly Hong Kong. I was lucky enough to get my hands on this through my lovely friend Tina, who blogs over at Chasing Elixir. If you want to purchase Asian cosmetics (or Asia-exclusive releases from your favourite brands), head over to her blog to find out how to contact her.

Packaging