Re: BB Creams?
They were the "newest" rage about 1-2 (maybe 3? who knows lol) years ago. I started really getting into them in November/December of 2007. One thing to remember about BB Cream is that although many people consider it a "skincare" product because it supposedly has ingredients in it that good for your skin, it is still a makeup product and therefore has to be properly removed.
I've actually tried quite a few of them from many brands -- I've tried ones from BRTC, Hanskin, Dr. Jart, Skin79, Skinfood, Lioele, Gowoonsesang, Missha, and Feverlet. My very first one being BRTC Recover Balm suitable for oily/combo, acne-prone skin.
BRTC and Hanskin are very popular in asia and I believe Hanskin is the brand that have the lightest shades. Skin79 probably has the most selection of different BB Creams (it's ridiculous how many different kinds they have lol). Certain Skin79 BB Creams and Missha Watery are fairly "dark" compared to most BB Creams out there. I've read many reviews and TheFaceShop probably has the lowest reviews. I've heard that it's caused many people to break out, but then again, everyone's skin is different. Feverlet is one of the few that's actually moisturizing and yellow toned. It's one of my favourites for sure.
As already said, they do come in light shades and there is very little colour selection. If you're lucky, they may come in 2 shades, but the majority of them come in 1 shade only. And if they do come in 2 shades, it's still pretty darn light and it's main difference is in the tone (i.e. pink toned or yellow toned). Coverage of BB Creams is similar to tinted moisturizers, but there are a few that give slightly more coverage, for example, Missha M Perfect Cover SPF42, Gowoonsesang Brightening Balm, and Lioele have fairly good coverage.
After trying so many of them, my final decision was to stop. There's just too many to keep up with and I have to order them online and..it's just too much of a hassle. I've read stories about people getting ripped off 'cause of sellers who jacked up prices so I always did my research and looked for the lowest price 'cause honestly, in Asia, most of the BB Creams sold there are dirt cheap. Some of them comparable to drugstore prices. Also, trying these is the same as trying any other product, you have to find the right one for your skin and though it is possible to get samples, sometimes there won't be samples available for the one you want.
FYI, for those who DO want to buy BB Cream, I suggest looking at G-Market (kind of like a Korean ebay). Shipping may seem expensive, but when I worked it out, it was actually not that bad (but then again, it depends on where you live). Just as an example, you may find some sellers that charge $20-25 for Skin79 BB Cream, but on G-Market, you can find 2 for 1 deals (i.e. 2 tubes of BB Cream for $5-10). They also have package deals and some sellers include freebies. I purchased a Lioele package that included 2 BB Creams and a powder compact and I was given, as a freebie, a pack of cleansing wipes, a various sample sized BB Cream and bases and what not. I also got a Hanskin package and was given samples of other BB Cream, shampoo, conditioner, and whatnot.
Anyway, the main point is, do your research before purchasing!
HTH