When I first set up my blog, I said one of the things that I envisaged using it for was to explain the stories behind stories and to expand on aspects of stories that there weren’t necessarily space to cover in a published version.

That’s the case today - I’ve written a piece about BB creams for the Mail that appears today. The online version is here. It’s been edited for space and a couple of points that I thought were quite important, have been taken out. I’m not having a go at subs or editors - very often an editor has a better idea of what’s really important than the journalist does - but in this instance, I felt that the edits slightly changed the tone of the piece, making it slightly less critical, and also made it look like I didn’t understand some aspects of BB creams. As a result, I’ve decided to use my blog to publish the full version here.

As you’ll see, the original piece highlighted the importance of creating BB creams that specifically targeted the European market because of the differences in skintone, but also flagged up that I am a bit sceptical that BB creams are just tinted moisturisers under another name - something that Nica Lewis’ comment seemed to support.

Anyway - it’s below...

(By the way, I am trying to work out a way to enable comments on this blog without having a MobileMe account but in the meantime, any feedback has to be via Twitter (@featuresjourno) I’m afraid - sorry)

BB Creams – this summer’s biggest beauty story?

By Claire Coleman

We’re all so beauty savvy now that when it comes to creating the perfect canvas, we know how to juggle primers and concealers and exactly what to do with mineral powders and colour correctors. But just when you thought you had it all sewn up, here comes another product. Meet BB cream, it’s hitting the UK this summer and, if experts and style forecasters are to be believed it’s set to be one of this year’s biggest beauty trends.

Unless you’re very tapped into the Korean beauty market, or an avid reader of beauty blogs, you’ve probably never heard of BB creams. BB stands for Blemish Balm, which might initially sound like a euphemism for spot cream, but actually refers to a cosmetic/skincare hybrid.

The idea is that a BB cream is the answer to all your skincare and make-up woes in one handy tube. It brightens skin in the same way that a primer does; evens out complexion like a lightweight, non-clogging foundation; covers blemishes like a concealer; has the hydrating properties of a moisturiser; the soothing skills of an anti-inflammatory, and also boasts UV protection – so no need for sunblock – and the sort of anti-ageing ingredients more commonly found in serums. If you believe devotees, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of the beauty industry.

The concept originally comes from Germany where, in the 1950s, dermatologist, Dr Christine Schrammek, created an ointment to give to her patients for them to use after they had undergone peel treatments. The multi-tasking cream, that came in just one shade, not only soothed and protected skin, but also covered redness. She later commercialised the ointment and sold it as Blemish Balm, in Germany and beyond.

Flash forward fifty odd years and a number of Asian beauty brands have created their version of the wonder product, and it proves hugely popular with actresses and celebrities in South Korea. Their fans discovered the secret to a flawless complexion and a cult product is born. In fact, according to figures from market researchers, BB cream now accounts for thirteen per cent of the South Korean mass-market make-up sector. Asian women love the product because it was specifically designed to neutralise any red in the skintone, whitening and brightening the complexion to create a natural, flawless finish.

But could it really be as popular here?

Garnier certainly believes so. In August this year their version, Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-one BB cream, hits shelves and they’re billing it as their biggest skincare launch in years.

Although they’re by no means the only ones. Spanish spa brand, Germaine de Capuccini have just launched their BB Cream Perfectionist (£49.25, 0845 600 0203), a tinted cream with SPF 12 that’s rich in moisturising ingredients while Franco-Korean company, Erborian was the first to create a BB cream specifically for Europe with their BB Crème au Ginseng (£34, lookfantastic.com) in 2010.

Given that a number of big international brands, including Lancome, Estee Lauder and Christian Dior, already sell BB creams in other parts of the world, you’d have thought that introducing them to the UK wouldn’t be that much of a challenge.

Indeed, some of them have already, quietly, begun to bring them to British shores. In April Harrods has began selling DiorSnow White Reveal UV Protection BB Cream (£36.50) while Estee Lauder’s CyberWhite Brilliant Cells Extra Intensive BB (£26) is currently available at Heathrow airport and, from July, both Mac’s Prep + Prime BB cream (£22.10) and Clinique’s Age Defense BB Cream (£19) will also be available at Heathrow.

According to the companies, these products were initially launched in the Asian market and, with the rise of the travelling Asian consumer, the decision was made to launch them in certain locations worldwide, including London. But this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all going to be available in department stores around the country any time soon.

Because according to Laura Cross, Skincare Product Manager at Garnier, it’s not as simple as just plonking existing BB creams onto the shelves of Boots.

‘Although our sister company, Maybelline, already sells a BB cream in Asia, we felt it was crucial to launch a product that specifically targeted European skin types,’ she explains. ‘Because the colour and coverage of the original creams has been developed for Asian skintones, they can look grey and ashy on Caucasian skins.’

Garnier may be the first of the big brands to launch a European BB cream, but they certainly won’t be the last because, having had the opportunity to try out a number of these BB creams, I have no doubt they’ll be popular. They feel comfortable on the skin and offer a light coverage that some people might prefer to use as a primer for a foundation, but others will be happy to use on their own.

I applaud the idea of sun protection in a light tinted formula, although if you suffer from acne and are relying on BB creams to do anything more than cover it up, you may be disappointed. Online reviews from those who have used BB creams for several months seem to suggest that while they don’t block pores or exacerbate existing problems, they don’t really seem to improve them significantly either.

However, my biggest problem with BB creams is the sense that it’s the same old thing repackaged. I can’t see how they differ wildly from a tinted moisturiser with SPF.

‘The heritage of BB creams has always been about soothing,’ explains Shakila Bik, Garnier’s Scientific Advisor. ‘And that’s certainly something we concentrated on when developing ours. We’ve incorporated technology that offers really intense moisturisation, something not often found in tinted moisturisers, and we’ve also tested it on women who suffer from redness and tightness who expressed a preference for it over a conventional tinted moisturiser.’

But, according to Nica Lewis, Head Consultant of Mintel’s Beauty Innovation division, I’m right to be sceptical.

‘BB creams from the East and tinted moisturisers from the West are two faces of the same coin,’ she says. ‘They’re a great example of how beauty trends flow around the world. Regardless of whether a brand is based in Seoul, Sao Paolo or San Francisco, its cosmetic scientists and marketers strive to develop the miracle beauty product that packs multiple results in a convenient format.’

Whether BB creams really are a miracle beauty product depends, of course, on just how effective those results are. But, over the next few months, that’s something that you’ll increasingly have the opportunity to judge for yourself.

Clinique Age Defense BB Cream

The colour of this was clearly not designed for Caucasian skin because it gave me a slightly ashy hue. However, in the right shade, it would be great as it gave good coverage, concealed well and had an almost powder-like finish.

Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells Extra Intensive BB

Again the shade wasn’t entirely right and left me looking a little grey, but I loved the fact that it contains SPF35 and also gave skin a subtle dewy glow that was half way between powdery and shiny.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-one BB cream

Had a really nice fragrance and was a noticeably thicker cream than others; the colour certainly suited my skintone better and it was very moisturising, but left skin shiny so you’d definitely need powder over the top.

Germaine de Capuccini BB Cream Perfectionist

One of the biggest selling points of the original BB creams was that they included a high factor (30+) SPF. This one was only SPF12 and the Garnier one only SPF15, so while the colour of these European ones suits me better, I’d like to see more sun protection in them.

Mac Prep + Prime BB cream

Seemed to be less strongly pigmented than the others but, as a result, was very easy to apply and smooth all over. The finish was nicely matte so it would be a great single step for anyone who didn’t need much coverage.