Studio Gear Hydrating CC Cream Review

Somewhere in-between makeup and skin care lies the tinted moisturizer, BB cream, and CC cream. I think DD creams also exist, but let’s not get too carried away here. I wasn’t always a fan of this style of product having dealt with acne for most of my teen and adult life, I’ve usually just stuck with full coverage foundations. My skin has been doing better over the past few years so I’ve been able to experiment more in the lighter coverage world, and I’m loving the simplified application process and feel a lot better about wearing generally less makeup than before.

My experience is pretty limited in this field though, so I’ll quickly mention the BB/CC products I’ve loved (Skin79 Super+ BB Cream, Dr. Jart Premium BB Cream) and the ones I hated (Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream, Olay Total Effects CC Cream), since I think they provide a good reference point for those of you who want to know how Studio Gear’s Hydrating CC Cream compares to other popular products out there.

Today I wore it on a hike with zero additional makeup, and it was just perfect.

Product Claims

• Prevents fine lines and wrinkles with collagen-building ingredients
• Restores skin elasticity by promoting moisture retention
• Brightens and illuminates skin with a non-oily, complete coverage application

The Pros

• Easy application
• SPF 20
• Comfortable wear
• Natural finish
• No transfer

The Cons

• Have to use a lot of it (white formula with micro pigment beads)
• $34 sticker price (too high for how much you get & takes a lot to apply, IMHO)
• Short wear time
• Poor color range (nothing really suited for deep skin tones)

The Verdict
Like the Smashbox BB Cream, I felt like I had to use a lot of this product to get it going and blending, however I actually loved the finish of Studio Gear’s CC Cream. It was luminous and natural, which worked well with light concealing and powdering after. The coverage is light-medium in my opinion, because it hardly covered up any of my hyper-pigmentation and fading acne scars, but looked decent from afar. Unfortunately, the longevity did not impress me at all, and I found my skin totally naked at the end of a long work day.

All in all, this is an awesome product if your expectations are realistic. It’s CC cream with light to medium coverage, not something that will last all day and night. I’ve been wearing it a lot to work and for weekend activities. I love multitasking with one face product and appreciate that it doesn’t transfer on clothing. It’s comfortable, easy, and no fuss for everyday life. If I don’t have an event to go to after work, I am usually reaching for this product in place of foundation.

Thanks so much for reading, and if this product sounds interesting to you, please enjoy 10% off your purchase on studiogearcosmetics.com with code bloggercc! For your reference, my shade is Linen, the lightest in the range.

Disclosure: I received this product for consideration through BrandBacker. As always, this is my honest opinion.