CC Cream has been taking the beauty world by storm recently. The migration from BB to CC is intriguing to most beauty enthusiasts as it’s something new, something different and let’s face it…the name “CC” itself is already interesting enough. Let’s hope there’s no DD or EE Cream after this :D. Oh wait, there is a DD Cream now. Anyway, I’m not here to talk about BB, DD or EE Cream. I’m here to share with you a new CC Cream on the CC bandwagon 😉 Dr. Brandt is the most recent brand to jump into the CC Cream bandwagon. Just end of July 2013 they had a press launch for their new CC Mat With Signature Shinerase™.

Dr. Brandt CC Mat is an all-in-one oil-free colour control cream that provides instant mattifying coverage and oil-control while giving the skin an instant makeover, just like a flawless work of art :D. It provides a matte finishing but yet natural looking to even out skin tone and the SPF 30 PA+++ in it is to protect the skin using 100% mineral filters. CC Mat is more suitable and ideally to be used for oily/combination, blemish-prone and sensitive skin types. As you already know, I used to have combination skin until I was diagnosed that I have oily skin. I suppose it’s not necessary that your skin will be drier as you get older because I’m one breathing example of the total opposite 😛 No matter how much BB creams has become a cult product, it doesn’t work on oily skin. Or at least on me :D. I personally would prefer to stay away from BB Cream as my face gets oilier and makeup looked patchy a few hours after putting on makeup. Not a very good sight since I’m in advertising sales line and I do meet people all the time. Most of the BB Cream doesn’t offer oil/shine control, also a point that deter me away from using it. Staying power is good for normal or dry skin user, not for oily skin. Dr. Fredric Brandt then change the cult into a new generation of multi-talented cream that is especially for oily or combination skin. He is among one of the first few to bring this new generation (CC Cream) to the market, in a mattifying version of a coveted formula. Dr. Brandt CC Mat is infused with a few beneficial key ingredients:

The tube is a silver grey flip-cap packaging which I appreciate more than those screw type of cap. I never fail to drop these type of cap on the floor :D.

It is recommended to shake the tube well prior to each usage before flipping the cap open. The dispensing hole is quite huge, try not to squeeze too much at one go to prevent wastage. Normally I would just lightly tap on the table for the excess CC Mat on the dispensing hole to go down before closing the cap back.

Here is the swatch of Light to Medium shade that I’ve been dying to show you since the beginning. Remember I said that the color shouldn’t be any different from your current skin tone? Just look at the swatch. It is invisible and blended so well with my skin tone that I barely can see the swatch. So this proves the theory of the small test that I did at the press launch. It is the specialty of CC Mat 😀 Being someone with oily skin, I appreciate very much that this mattify and regulate sebum secretion. Drier skin girls will go urrggghhh upon seeing the matte finishing from the swatch below but I absolutely love it. However I don’t think you should be too worry that this will dry your skin out as this CC Mat somehow gave me that dewy look and finishing. It’s never too matte even for me. For dry / combination skin – you can apply only on T-zone or any area that you think is oily. For combination / oily skin – apply all over face and build coverage from there if needed. In terms of coverage, this CC Mat gave me a medium to full coverage. All I need is just a little amount of CC Mat and that’s it. It covers all imperfection, no concealer needed :D. I always set it with finishing powder. I don’t like that sticky feeling if I don’t.

On the days that I had CC Mat on my face, I only need to blot once. Usually it’s 2-3 times which is very annoying. To test out the mattifying effect longevity on me, I did a comparison between CC Mat with a normal liquid foundation, Lunasol Modeling Water Liquid Foundation.

Dr. Brandt CC Mat (Light to Medium)

I put on my makeup by 9am for another eyeshadow palette review. By the time I’m done with all the picture taking in the stuffy room, it’s already 10am. My face is not matte matte that is flat looking. It’s the kind of matte that still gives me that dewy look. Love it. I went out for a shopping trip, reached home, went out again to visit my aunt, reached home again and took another photo at 2pm. Usually my nose area is the first area where shine peeks through. This is no exceptional for CC Mat as well. Only difference is the shine peeks through after the 5 hours mark! That’s remarkable. This is no easy test I tell you. I usually took a short afternoon nap on weekend so you bet I went to nap with this full makeup on. An hour after that I woke up with a sharp pain on my right eye. Almost wanted to remove all the makeup but I just hang in there otherwise the test will be failed. I was so glad when it’s finally 6pm. That’s the usual time I reached home from work. Face is of course with shine here and there but yet still not that bad and did you notice that NOTHING slipped off? My overall makeup is still very fresh looking 😀

Lunasol Modeling Water Liquid Foundation

It’s Sunday and I put on makeup at 11am as I was about to go out for a test drive. My face is very matte and looking flat. Didn’t put on any eye makeup as I wasn’t going anywhere fancy 🙂 Unfortunately the car showroom wasn’t open that day so I headed to aunt’s house again before heading back home. It has only been 3 hours after I put on makeup and shine is already visible on my face. Not forgetting to mention that the foundation has started to slipped off, especially under eye area. I took a short afternoon nap (of course) and woke up with a face that resemble a panda lol! It is only 4.30pm. Most of the foundation had slipped off and my eye dark circle is very visible now. T-zone and inner cheek is very oily now. Based on the comparison above, Dr. Brandt CC Mat is indeed mattifying than other base makeup 😀

Here is the ingredient list for CC Mat.

I find that I reached for this tube more often than other base makeup nowadays mainly because of it’s excellent oil control and coverage. It offers their user with a 7-in-1 benefits such as:

• Mattifies, regulates sebum and erases shine
• Evens out skin texture and tone
• Conceals imperfections such as blemishes and redness, with buildable progressive coverage (sheer, medium, high)
• Protects against UVA/UVB rays with 100% mineral filters
• Smoothes and hydrates
• Non-comedogenic

The coverage is buildable in 3 levels: sheer / medium / high. Usually I only apply a sheer layer or if you prefer higher coverage, just apply extra layer for extra coverage. For uneven skin tone area such as pigmentation, redness or acne marks, just dab and pat onto the said area in patting motion. This should do the trick 😀

Have you jump onto the CC Cream bandwagon yet or you are still very much into BB Cream? If I have to choose, I would prefer CC Cream due to it’s better oil control properties. Dr. Brandt CC Mat With Signature Shinerase™ is specially for oily and combination skin :D. Right down my alley.

Disclaimer: Product was given to me as door gift during Dr. Brandt CC Mat press launch event. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.