In the beauty world, there's one thing I'm jealous of: people who have unreal skin . You know the kind where you'd suspiciously stare at their complexion, wondering if they're wearing foundation or if the skin Gods blessed them.
I'm not saying I strive for flawless skin – in fact, the word flawless should be removed from the vocab altogether – but texture and pigmentation have always held me back from achieving a more unified complexion.
As a foundation-averse girlie during the day, I'm forever hunting out the best lightweight tints that give me that ‘my skin but smoother' finish. There are many I rate, but Anastasia Beverly Hills' new Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint is truly special. Here's why...
Said to be the “first ever BB cream in stick form”, the tint has a creamy – but not pore-clogging – texture, it softens pigmentation to leave a believable finish, feels incredibly lightweight to wear and (a crucial part for me) it takes seconds to apply.
Hence the name, I see this product in two halves. First, you've got the skincare side; it contains the same hydrating ingredients you'd likely find in your favourite serum – although, that's not your hall pass to skimp out on your skincare routine.
The hero hydrator is hyaluronic acid , alongside plumping peptides and seed oils to keep the skin nourished while you wear it. It's an emollient and doesn't dry down throughout the day so, that being said, I'd suggest it for anyone with dehydrated skin rather than oily.
On the makeup side of things, it definitely champions the ‘no makeup makeup' movement. Think: perfect for festival szn when you want to look presentable, but not like you've woken up early to do a full face in your tent. The pigment is delicate so you can use it alone as a flattering base, alongside concealer for more coverage, or as a primer to your foundation.
As for the finish – oh, the finish! To put into perspective the effect this balm had, I recently went on a work trip and as soon as I sat down for dinner, amongst fellow beauty journalists and PRs, everyone had something to say: “Your skin is glowing”, “I can't stop looking at your makeup”. I was flattered, to say the least.
