This is just a mini-haul. I really wanted to try the Marcelle BB Cream so I ordered one online but if I spent $25 or more, I’d be eligible for free shipping. Of course, I had to spend a few extra dollars just to get the free shipping ;)

I bought 2 products and received 2 more as a gift:

• Marcelle BB Cream in Medium to Dark ($22.95 CDN)
  
• Marcelle Essentials Cleansing Milk in Normal to Dry Skin ($14.50 CDN)
• gift: Marcelle AC-Solution Exfoliating Gel
• gift: Marcelle Multi-Colour eyeshadow in Tropika (Spring 2011)

Marcelle’s BB Cream has been a craze on the beauty blogging scene for a while now so I had to hop on board and try it out!
I must point out that although his Beauty Balm (BB) Cream has self-adjusting pigments, it only comes in 2 shades (light to medium, medium to dark). I think it’s a huge downfall and it’s really limiting potential consumers.

As well as being suitable for all ages and skin types, this 8-in-1 cream claims to:

• Act as a primer and evens out skin tone
  
• Hydrate the skin
• Protect from premature aging and environmental stresses
• Promote skin regeneration
• Mattify and control shine
  
• Soothe and calm skin
  
• Reducesthe appearance of  imperfections
• Provide a radiant complexion

Marcelle’s BB Creams are also:

• hypo-allergenic
• perfume free
• paraban free (chemicals used as preservatives, linked to breast cancer)
• oil free
• non-comedogenic (meaning it doesn’t bock pores and reduces acne)
• and dermatologist tested.

Now that you’ve lowdown on the BB Cream and why people have gone bat-shit crazy for them, I’ll share some pictures with you and then my thoughts. And then, we’ll get on to the rest of my goodies.

before BB Cream

After BB Cream

I used the BB Cream (without a primer) as soon as I received it. It felt kind of sticky but blended nicely into my skin. After wearing it for a few hours, it still felt really greasy and I looked shiny.
I was hesitant to wear it to work the next morning but I grabbed it anyway. This time (again without a primer), I applied it with my fingers and then used a translucent powder to soak up that greasy feel. 9 hours later, my skin doesn’t feel greasy, it’s not shiny, and the foundation hasn’t rubbed of.
The BB Cream has a thicker texture (I blame that on the cream components) than most foundations, and a light, natural coverage. I’m still not sure if I’d repurchase it but I definitely wouldn’t cross it off the list just yet.

This multi-colored eyeshadow is way too confusing to use as an eyeshadow! Some colors aren’t even big enough to fit a brush without picking up multiple colors.
Here is the look I created using each “eyeshadow”:

I used the coral color has a highlight on my brow bone, the light lavender color all over the lids, the pink in my inner corner blend up into the crease, the dark burgundy color in my outer half of the crease and the light taupe/brown color to blend it out.
I hated the way this look turned out so I tried it as blush instead:

A little too dark for my skin, but with a light hand I could make it work.

I love milk cleansers so I had to try the Marcelle Essentials Cleansing Milk.
In comparison to my favourite milk cleanser (by Vichy, Purete Thermal), Marcelle Essentials Cleansing Milk isn’t far behind. It is slightly more liquidy than Vichy and it kind of stings the eyes but it’s completely bearable compared to other milk cleansers I’ve tried (ahem, NUYU!).
I still prefer the Vichy milk cleanser because it’s creamier and so much more hydrating that I don’t have to put on moisturizer. I also prefer Vichy because this one doesn’t sting my eyes at all! The Vichy milk cleanser is about $10 more than Marcelle for essential the same product, so I may be persuaded to reconsider.

Lastly is the Marcelle AC-Solution Exfoliating Gel that I received as a gift. I really like the product but it kind of smells like chlorine. I love swimming pools so I don’t mind the smell!