Sleek BB Cream (Blemish Balm) Review in Medium 803

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope you all have been having an amazing Christmassy week so far. I  recently ran out of all my foundation which is something that hardly happens because i always have new ones to try or even samples/pots but this time I had none. I  recently tried the Estee Lauder Foundation (review up soon) but i wanted something lighter and for every day use . During the summer, I went without foundation and only used powder and concealer sometimes but with Winter here, i think foundation would be nice. So, I decided to try my second BB cream. The first one i tried was the Bobbi Brown BB cream (check out my review here) but i was not totally convinced to buy a full size so I went to Super Drug to pick up the Sleek BB cream. I have read mixed reviews about it but i was attracted to it because the shade "seemed" quite close to my complexion and Sleek is one of those brands that cater to dark skinned women really well. Let's get to the nitty gritty shall we?





Packaging
It's basic and characteristic of Sleek with their black sleek (no pun intended) packaging. This comes in a tube which is really handy as i hate anything without a pump. It's flat which means it can fit into my makeup purse or stand easily and it won't easily get damaged. It's also easy to clean if it gets messy during application. I also like the flip lid which makes it really easy to get the product out and prevent it from being infested with germs flying around.



Shade
I chose the shade Medium 803 which is a little bit dark for me. Understandably, many BB creams have a limited range of shades and Sleek has only 4 which include the Fair, Light, Medium and Dark. Light is too light for me and Fair is out of the question. Don't get me started with the Dark one though; it's really dark. Medium is more of my shade but it's a teensy weensy bit dark so i look a little tanned which I thought was not too bad at first...



Formula/Ingredients
According to Sleek Makeup, the Sleek BB cream marries the world of skincare and makeup into one formulation that provides full coverage that instantly conceals skin imperfections, resulting in a natural flawless finish. I quite agree with some aspects of the claim because this provides full coverage that is similar to a foundation but without the associated heaviness on the skin. It also contains Red Algae extracts which normalises the skin's moisture content and suppleness and Vitamin C which is an antioxidant which aids in reducing skin discolorations and aids in providing a natural glowing skin. It also contains SPF 15 which is quite handy in protecting your skin against the harsh rays of the sun




Coverage
As stated earlier, this is a medium-full coverage BB cream which is quite different to the Bobbi Brown BB Cream which is more like a light-medium coverage BB cream. If you have some redness or slight skin discolourations, this would be ideal to wear while your skin heals. For me, I was unable to appreciate its coverage because it was too dark for me so it indeed made me look very "covered" in a different shade.Given the thick coverage, it lasts longer than the Bobbi Brown BB cream in my own opinion and I quite like that although using a primer may be aiding it. I find that towards the end of the day, my T-Zone is quite shiny. I think it is very good lasting power for a BB cream.





Application
I find the formula a little too thick for the consistency of a BB cream but it is not too much of  a problem because the coverage is good, if you find your shade. It is a little problematic to apply on its own but if you mix it with a moisturiser it becomes a tinted moisturiser which is easier to apply provided the moisturiser's formula does not mess with its stability. I apply and blend this in as soon as it hits my face because if you wait longer, especially with the Winter weather, it becomes even harder to blend. But once its blended well (i use my small Lancome Travel Foundation Brush), it gives a very good finish and almost flawless look. It is very important to use a primer underneath and a powder to set it.

Cost
It retails for £8.99 which i think is very reasonable for the quality and amount that you get. Did i mention it comes in 50 ml? Oh yes, it does which is equivalent to almost 2 foundations (1 and more than half) given that most foundations and BB creams are 30 ml and more pricey than this.

Verdict
Would i repurchase? I don't think so... until Sleek Makeup releases more shades. I think it is a good quality BB cream especially for women with darker skin color but I think the range of shades are very limited which would make it difficult to find a good shade. I think if i mixed this with the Light shade it may work but if there is anything that puts me off, it is having to mix foundations or BB creams or anything at all. That's pet peeve of mine and it's an absolute No-No.



I hope you have enjoyed this post and I know i don't sound my usual enthusiastic self but i think I always have to give a good representation of how i feel about a particular product although my experience may differ from other people's own but i think this may help someone out there especially if you have a similar skin tone like mine. I would be seeing you in my next post which would hopefully be a positive review....x