The Marcelle BB Cream Beauty Balm is claimed to be the first Canadian-made BB cream which was recently released early February. I was very excited to try out this product since I have been a long-time user of Asian BB creams and I was curious as to how this product measures up. When this was finally made available at my local Shopper's Drug Mart, I had to get my hands on it and I have been religiously using it for the last two weeks.

PACKAGING: I was impressed at how much thought they put into the packaging. It comes in a white plastic tube with a pump. Not only does it make it more sanitary but it allows you to control how much of the product to dispense. Unlike other BB creams which come in 30ml tubes, this one comes with 45ml of the product.

PRICE and AVAILABILITY: The price is reasonable. It's $24.99 and is available at Shopper's Drug Mart but they sometimes have 15-30% OFF SALE on their Marcelle products. I was able to purchase mine for $17.99. It's more affordable than the other Asian BB creams I have tried and is more readily available at drugstores. The nuisance with Asian BB creams is that I either have to order it online or visit an Asian Cosmetics store in Toronto.

This BB claims to provide 8 in 1 Multi-Benefits
(1) Evens out skin tone
(2) Offers immediate and long-term hydrating benefits
(3) Protects from premature aging and environmental stresses
(4) Promotes skin regeneration
(5) Controls shine
(6) Soothes and Calms
(7) Reduces the appearance of imperfections
(8) Provides anti-dull radiant complexion

While I can't attest to the long-term benefits (i.e. protection from premature aging), I have been liking this BB cream for the following reasons

- It has cut own my makeup routine time in half. It is suggested that this BB cream be used as
a lightweight moisturizer, a tinted corrector, or a make-up base. While I still have to apply a moisturizer, I don't have to apply as much and I have skipped applying a makeup base/primer and setting powder altogether. This BB cream is extremely easy to apply - can be applied with your fingers (which is what I usually do) or with a brush. This is ideal for those days when you need to get out of the house quickly, still want an even complexion but don't want to go through the trouble of applying layers and layers of makeup. It's also great to bring in your purse for touch-ups during the day, which is harder to do with foundations.

- It evens out my skin tone without that mask-like appearance that foundations have. It gives your skin a radiant and healthy appearance, looks natural, and is very lightweight. My skin is combination-oily and this BB cream lives up to the claim of controlling shine. It blends really well and it applies smoothly since it does have that perfect moisturizer-like consistency. I have redness on my cheeks and the aloe and chamomile in this product has helped in soothing my skin.

- My skin has been very cooperative lately and I'm not in need of heavy coverage. This BB cream is enough to conceal any imperfections I want to cover up. During days when I need more coverage, I wear this then use concealer to cover up any blemishes that are still visible. It has a medium coverage - better than your typical tinted moisturizer but not as good as a full coverage foundation. If you have a lot of blemishes or very visible discoloration then this product will not offer that full coverage you want. However, this can work as a great base under your foundation. Since it does a good job at evening out your skin tone, you don't need to apply as much foundation.

- It's easy to remove and my Olay Daily Facial Cleansing Cloth removes it just fine. It claims to be hypo-allergenic, perfume free, paraben free, oil free, and non-comedogenic. This is one of the main reasons why I prefer using BB creams to foundation - it's a lot more gentle and forgiving on your skin. This has not made me break out and it has not clogged my pores. My skin is really sensitive and I love that it's fragrance free and paraben free.

THE CONS
- This BB cream only comes in two shades - light to medium and medium to dark. I have medium skin tone with yellow undertones and the medium to dark blends very well with my skin. While it does claim to have self-adjusting pigments, I don't see this working for someone with darker skin tones and very light skin tones so that limits the group this BB cream can cater for.

-For a BB cream, I am surprised that it does not contain SPF since every Asian BB cream I have used offered some sun-protection. It's not a big deal for me since my moisturizer already provides sun-protection but for a product that claims to do so much, it should at least have SPF. I did hear that Marcelle is currently in the process of making one with SPF.

- Don't expect this to be a miracle product that solves every skin problem you have. While it can even out your skin tone and cover up some imperfections, a full coverage foundation would be better suited for those with a lot of blemishes and discoloration.

THE VERDICT: This is a huge improvement to the already available North American brands of BB creams. While I like the Asian BB creams slightly more, the Marcelle BB cream is pretty comparable, is more affordable, and more readily available. I can see myself repurchasing this product and if they come out with one with SPF, then for sure I will get my hands on those.

I got the Marcelle BB cream from a giveaway on facebook and after 2-3 days (super fast delivery) had it at my frond door! As soon a as i open it i noticed the very elegant package with silver shade. I try the product right away. I found to go into the pores and matches perfectly ( at least on my skin type), leaves the skin so nice and smooth. It is everything you can expect from BB cream to be and think it will be a big hit in Canada!

I won this product from their facebook page ...a full size bottle valued at 22.50. Came in the mail right away within 2 days . Tried the cream right away ,love the light weight feel of it and has a nice color to it light to medium. I found that I didnt even need any other concealer with it .I will be buying this product again in the future :)

I just recently got the Marcelle BB Creme from a facebook promotion. VERY FAST DELIVERY! I just ordered it middle of last week & it was here Monday! When I got home I instantly tried it. I was eagerly waiting for this one in the mail so I was SO happy & excited when it came EARLY! It works great on the skin & instantly makes you feel like a million bucks! The packaging is also beautiful. Great look, style & easy spout to apply the creme! I would definitely recommend people to buy this & I will definitely be buying their products more in the future! Thanks! :)

This product is set to hit Canadian drugstores soon, but I was lucky enough to get a tube and try it out.
BB creams are super popular in Asia, and seem to be this miracle hybrid between a foundation, primer, moisturizer, concealer and treatment (depending on the kind). Well I starting hunting for them, and finally managed to get my hands on a few, only to be dissapointed. For a few, the formula was way to thick and cakey, for some the formula was ashy and white, making me look dead... etc.
Marcelle's BB cream is exactly what I needed. A BB cream tailored to my needs. Its still has the seem
qualities of an original asian BB cream, but the texture is softer, more liquid, and infinitely easier to work with; the colour is natural, neutral, the finish is as natural as it gets, with no cakey or whiteness to it. It has a medium coverage, hides anything and everything in one sweep, makes for a wonderful concealer, lasts all day, protects my skin and doesn't break me out.
I love this stuff.
Its everything you would expect a BB cream to be, but actually wearable, natural looking and easy to use.