Banila It Radiant Cc Cream Review
Today, we’re taking an in-depth look at Banila Co’s iconic It Radiant CC Cream. This primer is one of K-Beauty’s most well known CC Creams, winner of multiple beauty awards and beloved by beauty editors and bloggers around the world.
Does it live up to the hype? And how does it compare to other CC creams on the market?
Let’s take a look as we give our Banila It Radiant CC Cream review:
What Is It?
Banila Co It Radiant CC Cream.
It’s a color correcting cream that comes in a 30ml tube. There’s also a 7ml mini version.
If you’re still wondering what a CC Creamactually is, let us break it down in a nutshell.
What Is A “CC” Cream?
The “CC” in CC Cream generally stands for “colour correcting”. CC Creams correct uneven skin tone, sallowness and redness, and can also help to make pores appear more even.
Korean CC Creams generally contain light-diffusing particles that even out your skin tone, as well as ingredients aiming to target the root causes of poor tone in the first place.
“BB” Creams on the other hand are “blemish balms”; these offer benefits more akin to a foundation. They usually contain both a sunscreen and a light colour or tint that actually covers your face and blurs out any imperfections, like acne or visible blood vessels.
Because the function of BBs and CC Creams aren’t actually overlapping for the most part, you can mix, match and layer them to cover different skin issues. The usual product order for a Korean CC or BB Cream involves:
Skincare > Sunscreen > CC Cream > BB Cream > Colour makeup (like your eyeliner, lippie etc).
What Does It Claim To Do?
Banila claims that It Radiant CC Cream helps “create a radiant, youthful complexion”. It uses transparent brightening capsules that give a dewy glow to the skin, while herb water complex “moisturizes the skin”.
What’s In It?
The full ingredients list for Banila Co It Radiant CC Cream includes:
“Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide (ci-77891), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Penta-Siloxane Cycle, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Hexa Siloxane Cycles, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Octyldodecanol, Lavender Water, Rosemary Water, Pure Chamomile Water, Root Extract, Horse Chestnut Extract, Round Leaf Morning Glory Extract, Pure Madonna Lily Water, Lily of the Valley Bulb/Root Extract, Lily Magnolia Flower Extract, Peony Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment, Milk Protein, Yeast Ferment Filtrate, Candle Bush Extract, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Exyl Benzoate, Diphenylsioxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycol Stearate, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, PEG-2 Stearate, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Silica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polysorbate 80, PEG-8, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ethanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Spices, Micah (ci77019), Yellow Iron Oxide (ci 77492), Red Iron Oxide (ci 77491) Ultramarine (ci 77007).”
Breaking The Ingredients List Down
Considering this is a makeup product, it has a really great range of skincare ingredients in it. The first one that stands out is niacinamide, which is relatively high up the list (meaning there’s more of it!) This is a form of Vitamin B3 and is a well-known brightening ingredient, that works well particularly for those with pigmentation, as it helps to suppress the formation of melanin causing dark spots.
The formula has an emphasis on skin calming ingredients, including plant and flower waters like lavender water – an anti-inflammatory that works to soothe the skin, rosemary water, which moisturises the skin and is often indicated for oily skin types, as well as pure chamomile water, which is booth soothing and relaxing.
There are also several fermented ingredients, which are very popular in Korean skincare. This formula includes lactobacillus ferment, lactococcus ferment and yeast ferment filtrate, all of which have cleansing benefits are great for smoothing the complexion. Another useful addition is milk protein extract, which assists to keep skin conditioned and smooth.
How Do You Use It?
After your basic skincare and sunscreen, apply a thin layer of It Radiant CC Cream to your face. Follow it up with your regular foundation or BB Cream, and continue with the rest of your makeup.
What Results Will You Notice Using It?
First things first – Banila It Radiant CC Cream is easy to apply – it isn’t gloopy or sticky and glides on easily. A little also goes a long way. You’ll only need a thin layer to notice the dewy glow it imparts.
It has a light, inoffensive scent that fades as you wear it.
Unlike the older formula, which was better suited to lighter skin tones, the upgraded formula really does adjust to match your skin tone and evens it out no matter what your colour.
If you have patches of redness, you’ll notice they look significantly less obvious after applying It Radiant CC Cream. Similarly, if you have big, obvious pores, they look more blurred and less obvious.
Basically, the cream moisturises, softens and blends your natural complexion so that you look like your natural self, but better.
Who Should Use It?
Anyone with poor skin tone – if you have dark patches, dull skin and pigmentation this will be a great fit.
Anyone who doesn’t like heavy makeup but wants light coverage – even if you don’t use BB Cream or foundation, this CC Cream will give you your skin, but better. It’s perfect for trips to the gym or any time you want to leave the house without actual makeup, as it instantly makes your face look brighter and clearer. It’s healthy skin in a bottle.
Who Should’t Use It?
Anyone who doesn’t like their face looking glossy – if you prefer a matte finish, this CC Cream may be one to skip (although, you can still achieve a matte finish by using powder over the top of it, so YMMV). Unlike other products, this one definitely doesn’t make you look oily or like a disco ball.
How Does It Compare To Other CC Creams?
There are a wide variety of different CC Creams on the Korean Beauty market, some of which impart colour (like a mini foundation), as well as light reflecting and tone perfecting properties.
The current crop of popular CC Creams (and primers) really seem to favour the glossy skin finish (think VDL Lumilayer Primer, Missha Strobeam Starter and others).
Compared to Missha’s Strobeam Starter Pink Light, which advertises itself as a primer, Banila It Co Radiant CC Cream has a more creamy consistency, whereas Missha’s product acts like makeup primer, holding onto the skin and keeping makeup in place. Missha’s product also blends well into your BB Cream, so you can mix and match your formula.
Whereas Banila Co It Radiant CC Cream fades away to a more subtle light-reflecting cream, Missha’s Strobeam Starter has more of a glossy, dewy finish to it.
At the end of the day, it really depends on what you’re after in a base, primer or CC Cream. If you like the K-Beauty glow, Banila Co’s primer is a great choice, without being over the top – the glow is subtle, natural and blendable.
Have you tried it? Let us know your Banila It Radiant CC Cream Review in the comments!
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