Burt's Bees Radiance Day Creme

It's been a few weeks since I bought the Burt's Bees Radiance Face Sample Pack. Out of all the samples in this kit, I was most impressed by the Radiance Day Cream with royal jelly.

What it claims: "This quick-absorbing formula is light to the touch, but heavy in nutrients. Royal Jelly, one of nature’s most nourishing substances, is packed with 134 nutrients, including 17 amino acids, and vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as multiple B-vitamins, helps to minimize the appearance of fine lines and renew your skin. Bee pollen in the formula helps skin maintain its essential moisture and restore its natural radiance."

What I love about it:

Consistency: The total opposite of light formulas like Clinique Dramatically Different or Biore Dual Fusion, this stuff is thick and means business. Although I am acne prone and have combination skin, this impressed the hell out of me. This fall, I've been getting chapped, dry patches around my mouth. A few weeks ago, I applied the Biore Dual Fusion in the morning, and about a minute later, the white patches re-appeared. So I put the Burt's Bees on top the Biore, and instantly, my skin was DEEPLY moisturized. Throughout the day, whenever I touched my face, it felt baby soft and moisturized. Ever since, I've used this creme on a daily basis, and it has kept my skin soft and hydrated all day long.

Amazing under makeup:  Forget Strobe, forget Luster Drops. You have to try this moisturizer under your makeup. It made both my ColorStay foundation and Studio Fix Powder look more like NARS Sheer Glow. No joke. The moisturizer literally makes the foundation cling to my skin. This makes my makeup stay on all day, and even eliminates the need for setting powder! Just as the product claims, my skin REALLY did have a radiance. The light always catches the planes of my face without making me look oily. I think this aspect is my absolute number one reason for loving this moisturizer so much.

Non-Greasy: Although I've gone on and on about how thick and moisturizing this stuff is, it's not greasy. Sure, you can feel it on your skin all day, but its not greasy. Also, a little goes a long way. I only need 3-4 swipes on my cheeks, forehead, and mouth area. In fact, be careful you don't overapply. That will make you feel suffocated all day.

But there's always a but:

Not non-comedogenic: After using this stuff for several days, I did notice a couple of breakouts. I can't say for sure whether or not it was the moisturizer that broke me out, but I'm gonna mention it here for the sake of honesty. I've stopped using it for a few days now and my skin is recovering. Maybe for the acne prone or those with combination skin, this moisturizer be used sparingly. What I'm now doing is use this moisturizer for only half the week, and a lighter one for the other half. I've found this works well because this moisturizer really heals my skin, so I can go for a couple of days with a lighter formula and the chappyness hasn't returned.

No SPF: The day creme does not contain any SPF. I figure its not a big deal for me because I walk for 2 minutes to my office, and when I leave the office, its dark. But if you're someone who spends a lot of time outside, be warned that there's no SPF in this. I sincerely hope Burt's Bees comes out with a Radiance Day Creme with SPF someday.

Conclusion: I think Burt's Bees Radiance Day Creme is worth a purchase for me. It makes my makeup look flawless and keeps my skin hydrated all day long. My sensitive skin can't tolerate this much moisture for too long though, so I'm going to lay off of it for the weekends, and just use common sense in general. The non-SPF and tendency to break me out is a bit of a downer, but with a bit of caution, I think I have a powerful winner on my hands!