First Impression: MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about my First Impression of MAC's Prep and Prime BB Cream in Extralight! I picked up a tester pot of this product from my local MAC counter because I don't trust Western BB Creams enough to purchase them straight away.

What Is It? 

"Prep + Prime Beauty Balm is lightly tinted in a nearly sheer beige tone to work on an array of complexions, it creamily re-texturizes the skin and then goes on to excel at being a face primer with high everyday UVA/UVB SPF 35 defense." (1)

As most of you will know, I have an insane obsession with BB Creams, but have not found a Western BB Cream that I have been in love with. Generally Western BB Creams seem to lack the light colour range that I need, as well as the skin enhancing properties that BB Creams are supposed to have - they're usually just glorified primers that have jumped on the BB Cream hype train.

I was incredibly please to find that the MAC BB Cream goes down to Extra Light. In fact, it goes up to Dark Deep too, which looks quite dark to me (I have zero experience matching dark skin to be honest) but I do find that Darker Princesses have the same problem as the Pale Princesses when it comes to matching their skintones. Both of us are outside the boundaries of "normal" skin tone I guess, and that isn't to say that extra pale skin is harder to match that extra dark skin, it's the same problem on opposite sides of the spectrum. *shrugs*

I'm quite on the fence with the BB Cream. I didn't feel like it had any skin enhancing properties, it didn't hide any pores and covered almost zero of my scarring. It did however cover my redness well, and was quick and easy to apply when I'm in a rush in the morning (100% of the time). I don't think this is really a BB Cream, but rather a tinted moisturizer, or a primer since it is in the Prep and Prime range and is described as being a primer.

Would I Purchase This Product?

Perhaps! It matches me quite well colour wise, and does quite well as a tinted moisturizer for under 6 hours (over 6 hours going super greasy). I don't think this is a BB Cream at all, so feel slightly offended almost that it's labeled as a BB Cream when the website describes is both as a tinted moisturizer and a primer. It is relatively pricey in New Zealand at around $50, so perhaps if I sold a lot of products that don't work with my skin then I would pick this one up, but only if I had excess money floating around (0% of the time).

Have you Princesses tried the MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream? What are your thoughts on Western BB Creams?