Lessons In Humility From a Six Dollar BB Cream: Wet 'n' Wild Fergie BB Cream Review

I am a snob.

I don't mean to be. It's certainly not intentional, and I absolutely don't think I'm better than anybody else. That's not it, at all. I just have a real problem believing that a six dollar BB Cream from the drugstore is going to be anywhere near as good as an exponentially more expensive one from, say, Sephora or Ulta. Somewhere along the way, I got it into my head that cheap equaled, well, cheap.

I am a snob.

The thing is, I'm only like that with certain products. I will happily skip off to the drugstore for skincare. My lipliners are almost exclusively Rimmel. Cream shadows? Maybelline Color Tattoos ftw. Powder shadows, on the other hand? Pretty much going to be Urban Decay or Stila. Eyeliners? Urban Decay, period. BB Cream? Too Faced or Urban Decay, and the Urban Decay isn't even that good. Occasionally, I'll be in a pinch and have to use a Garnier that I've had for probably too long for it to still be sanitary, and I will marvel at how much I like it, and wonder why I don't use it more often. Then I'll put it back in the cabinet and forget about it--just like my CoverGirl Outlast foundation that is freaking amazing, but gets passed over for Urban Decay or MAC. Why? Because, apparently, I am a snob.

This needs to stop.

So, about a week ago, I had to go for a physical (ain't that fun?), which led to a trip to Walgreen's, where I decided I deserved a treat, goshdarnit. While perusing ye olde wall o' cosmetics, I saw this little darling by Wet 'n' Wild, and curiosity got the better of me: Fergie BB Cream 8-in-1 Beauty Balm. Everything about this screamed, "BAD IDEA!", but I just had to know.

You know what? I like it. I mean, I really like it. I've used it several times since purchasing, and have been impressed. Let's break it down:

Packaging: The packaging looks fantastic. I have it on my counter alongside NARS, Urban Decay, Tarte, and a few other high-end beauties, and it fits in surprisingly well. The product comes in a black squeeze tube with silver accents. A clear strip near the bottom shows the cream, so you can check the color, as well as see when you're running low. The cap is flat, and allows the product to stand up on its own. I do have a problem with the absence of any sort of safety seal, but there are advantages (more on that later). 9 out of 10.

Scent: Here's where things get tricky. The tube I own has a very distinct maple syrup fragrance. It smells exactly like you just smeared pancakes all over your face. I have absolutely no problem with this, as I happen to enjoy pancakes, and the smell disappears once the cream is applied. However, other people have purchased tubes with a drastically different, far more unpleasant scent. I believe I heard someone use the words "toxic" and "waste". That sounds dreadful. My advice: take advantage of the no safety seal issue. Buy a tube, keep the receipt, and before you leave the store take a good whiff. If it stinks, swap it out. I DO NOT advocate opening a tube you have not paid for. It really sucks when you buy, for example, a lipstick and get it home, only to find a fingerprint or worse waiting under the cap. Don't be that person. Plus, if the tube is defective, it's better the store know so that they can prevent someone else from buying and using it. 8 out of 10.

Texture: The cream has a very light, gel-like consistency, and is slightly tacky. It feels like nothing on the skin. 10 out of 10.

Range: Five shades are available, as of this writing, ranging from Light to Deep (a vast improvement to most brands' one- to two-shade ranges). I am a MAC NW15 and have been using Light/Medium, which is, perhaps, a skosh too dark. It looks fine in my bathroom lighting, but in natural (as you'll see in a moment), it's iffy. I think it'll be great during the Summer, though. Right now, I'm two shades lighter than Casper. 9 out of 10.

Application: I've been using my fingers, and the product has absorbed quickly and blended easily. I do recommend finger application, as opposed to brush. I find BB creams and tinted moisturizers (which, face it, Western BBs tend to be repackaged tinted moisturizers) apply better with fingers, because they warm up the product, which aids in blending. 10 out of 10.

Coverage: This is very light coverage. I wouldn't go so far as to say light to medium. This is strictly for evening out skin tone, and not for covering blemishes or extreme redness. It's definitely recommended for folks who don't need the coverage of an honest-to-God foundation, but just want a little something to keep from being completely bare-faced. It covers a little better than the Urban Decay Naked Beauty Balm, but that's not saying a whole lot. Here's a shot of my cheek after applying the cream. You can still see freckles and a slight amount of redness. The skin's texture, however, is nice. You don't see a whole lot of pores, and there's a slight glow. 4 out of 10.

See if you can find a constellation among the freckles! I have the Big Dipper on my right arm. I don't tan; my freckles just connect...

Finish: I've found this to leave a very natural, glowy, but not shiny or oily finish. I think it's quite lovely, and much nicer than expected. It looks much more expensive than any other drugstore BB I've tried. There's no shimmer, either, which also sets it apart from others I've looked at. Everything about this reminds me of the Stila tinted moisturizer I used to swear by around the time I graduated from college. This is just slightly less sticky and a heckuvalot cheaper. 10 out of 10.

Wear: On my normal-combo skin, in 64% humidity (I checked), with slightly above-average exertion (I had a voice lesson and took a whirlwind trip to the mall before heading on to work), no touch-ups were required by the time this godawful selfie was snapped. That was about three and a half hours. I don't look shiny, and there doesn't appear to be any wear or rubbing off. I did touch up with a little bit of powder about half an hour later, but it wasn't absolutely necessary. I was checking my lipstick and figured I might as well. 8 out of 10.

Pay no attention to the catterpillars over my eyes. It's pollen season, and I don't want to sneeze while holding tweezers near my eyes. I'm uncoordinated. It would end poorly. I'm making an appointment at the Benefit Brow Bar soon, I promise.

Other: This BB cream is cruelty-free and contains SPF 15. That's kind of low for a BB, but better than nothing. No score.

All in all, I think this is a winner. I especially like it for traveling, when you might not want to bring your expensive makeup for fear of it being lost or damaged. Plus...six bucks. Really? I mean, really?

Final Verdict: 8.5 out of 10. It's super cheap and works like a champ. Kind of a no-brainer.