Dr. Jart+ Premium Beaty Balm SPF 45 ($43.99, amazon.com) arrived in Septembers Birchbox and I was pretty darn excited to try it. I really like the idea of BB creams; foundation is too much but tinted moisturizer is just never enough. That said, I think the execution is often subpar. But Dr. Jart+ Premium Beaty Balm SPF 45 comes from South Korea, where they’re a little more advanced in certain areas of skin care. It’s a 4-in-1 product, acting as a sunscreen, moisturizer, primer, and treatment serum. Let’s take a look at each of the four functions and which ingredients make it happen.
1. Sunscreen: Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide (My Favorites!)
So, I’ve worn a lot of sunscreen, both as a sun protection enthusiast and as a blogger, and I’m all about the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide combination. Here’s why: These sunscreens physically shield you skin from the sun’s harmful rays, which means that they work right away. Better yet, you can layer them over chemical sunscreens, which work by converting the energy from the sun’s rays into less harmful forms of energy in your skin, for added protection.
These two are a truly great pair, because they work to block a broad spectrum of UV rays. UV rays are separated by length into longer UVA rays (aging) and shorter UVB (burning). While UVA damage isn’t as immediately evident, it penetrates more deeply and shows up later as prematurely aged skin (Skin Cancer Foundation). Zinc oxide works to block both UVA and UVB rays, while titanium dioxide blocks UVB rays (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology).
It’s so crucially important to wear sunscreen regularly to prevent long-term damage to skin that causes aging, so products like these are great to keep on hand.
2. Moisturizer: Glycerin (Hello, Hydration!)
I love glycerin and I think, for the most part, you should too. It’s got a lot of uses, but there are some in particular that make it a really stellar ingredient. It’s a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which means it acts similarly to the natural structure and function of skin, and a humectant moisturizer, which means it binds with water in the environment to hydrate skin (Dr. Leslie Baumann).
It also helps improve the skin barrier by speeding up cell maturation (International Journal of Cosmetic Science). It does this through residual transglutaminase, an enzyme reaction that creates covalent bonds between proteins. That reaction is essential for keratinocyte differentiation, when skin cells move up through the skin layers to eventually become corneocytes, which form the stratum corneum (outer layer of skin) and eventually shed. And once those corneocytes are in the stratum corneum, glycerin expands them, as well as the intercellular lipids, to help reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and, subsequently, keep skin moisturized (Treatment of Dry Skin Syndrome).
3. Primer: Silicones (Silky Smooth Skin!)
Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Triethoxycaprylylsilane — These are some of the silicones and silicone-based ingredients in Dr. Jart+’s product. Silicones are great in products because they moisturize, condition, act as solvents, and serve as delivery agents. They work by forming a molecular lattice on the skin (The Chemistry and Manufacture of Cosmetics). The spaces in this lattice are still large enough to allow for beneficial ingredients to penetrate through, while still forming a bit of a protective barrier over the skin (though not as heavy as something like petrolatum). Since this product’s most prevalent silicone is the heavier dimethicone, it’s a good option for those with normal to dry skin.
These are the “primer” ingredients because they create a silky smooth canvas for your makeup. By laying on top of the skin in a breathable layer and helping to stop other products from slipping into fine lines, these ingredients help to ensure that cosmetics overtop look smooth and even.
[Related: Ingredient Spotlight: Cyclopentasiloxane]
4. Treatment: Arbutin + Palmitoyl Ogliopeptide + Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (Brighter Complexion and Firmer Skin!)
This combination of treatment ingredients does some real heavy lifting by brightening skin, smoothing wrinkles, and reducing inflammation.
Arbutin is a derivative of hyperpigmentation-treating hydroquinone, but it’s been found to be less toxic. It’s naturally plant-derived, and Dr. Jart+’s product has a great dosage. In high doses, arbutin can be therapeutic and help to treat hyperpigmentation, but too high and it can also cause paradoxical hyperpigmentation (Skin Therapy Letters). It works by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in pigment (melanin) creation. While it’s not the best skin lightening ingredient on the market, it’s in a high enough concentration in this that it will definitely have effects.
As for the peptides, they’re in a lower concentration, but this is a great time for me to reiterate that despite how great all-in-one creams can be, it’s still advisable to use targeted products in addition to treat any issues you might have. Palmitoyl Ogliopeptide helps to reduce wrinkles by increasing collagen fibroblast production (Dermatologic Therapy). More collagen means firmer skin. Pamitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 works to reduce inflammation (Clinics in Dermatology). It does this by reducing particular cytokines, which are a number of substances released by specific cells as signals, that cause inflammation known as interleukins.
Swatches, Before and After Photos
Overall: 90%
I think the good doctor definitely got Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45 right. I was a little wary of the one “universal color,” which isn’t universal at all because it’s only for light to medium skin. I’ll admit that it’s imperfect; it seemed a touch too dark for me, and I had to do a bit of crafty blending to make it look natural. In an ideal world, there would be more options to run the gamut of skin tones, but if you fit into the light to medium range, it’s a great BB cream. I loved the way the formula felt on my skin and it had great coverage, making my skin look smooth with a matte finish and covering up imperfections well. Add in that it has treatment aspects and sunscreen and I’m definitely sold.
Ingredients:Â Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Arbutin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Calcium Stearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Talc, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Alcohol, Lecithin, rh-Oligopeptide-1, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, PVP, Platinum Powder, Steareth-20, Chrysin, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
*Editors’s Note: This post contains affiliate links.