The Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF 30 ($42) is a supposed dupe for MAC Waterweight foundation, which was released concurrently and speculated to be dupes. I picked up the shade Light out of 8 shades as my MAC Waterweight is in NC30 and I needed a lightweight version before my summer tan set in.
It's sad to say, however, that this foundation is not quite the same as my beloved Waterweight even if Light has less ochre tones than a MAC NC25. The consistency is a tad thinner with slightly less coverage and much less lasting power. Boo!
While I don't mind using this for days when I'm running errands, it will not pull me through an entire workday of 9+ hours. I would put wear time at a solid 5-6 hours with fading after that mark. The foundation fades evenly, but it fade nonetheless, especially on my combination t-zone. The BB Water will cover redness but not dark spots, and I always set it down with a powder as it remains tacky on the skin. Remember to shake well!
The formula is oil and alcohol-free and is meant to be an "all in one slap and go etc etc" dealio for lazy girls who want their SPF 30, moisturizer, and base in one. I don't think it's moisturizing enough by itself, so dry skin types will still need to prep. I also don't think it has enough lasting power for oily skin types.
I've included swatches with some golden and olive tones. From left to right: Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Light, Smashbox BB Water in Light, BareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream, and Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation 4.0.
Indoor lighting:
Overcast, outdoor lighting:
Indoor with flash:
Here's a side by side comparison of both the BB Water and Waterweight. While the ingredients are supposed to be identical, I still feel like the Waterweight provides light-medium coverage while the BB Water can only be built up to light coverage.
You can also see that the BB Water has less coverage for the same amount of product.
This is the product on bare skin with no primer or moisturizer. My medium sized pores on the sides of my nose are not blurred or exaggerated.
Here is the base product set with powder on the t-zone. The coverage does not hide hyper-pigmentation on my forehead or cheek.
Another view.
The BB Water appears to smooth out my skin texture and tone from human viewing distance. I have to warn you that there appears to be a lot of physical SS in the product as it gives a white cast when first applied.
I don't think this is worth the full price tag. You can honestly find a comparable tinted moisturizer at the drugstore for much less. I picked mine up at the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty event for $25, so perhaps, if you're looking for an easy base product, you can pick it up at the next sale.
xo Be
