Finding makeup that contains sunscreen, but does not leave my skin looking gray and ashy, has always been a challenge for me. I'm sure it has been a challenge for a lot of women of color, too. I love and want to take care of my skin by making sure that I wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with an spf of at least 20, but I also hate the feel of too much product sitting on my face (especially during the warmer months.) It can be difficult to find makeup that also provides broad spectrum sun protection without making me look like I've put baby powder on my face. Can you relate??? Thanks to Ambi Skincare, which has been providing skincare products for women of color for decades, I  found a product that provides coverage, evens out my skin tone and contains broad spectrum sun protection without leaving my skin looking ashy. The Ambi Even & Clear CC+ Cream is a really light feeling, non-greasy CC cream and the light/medium shade is a perfect match for my skin tone. It gives my skin a soft glow with absolutely no ashy appearance.  The coverage is really light so it's great at making my skin look even-toned and naturally flawless without looking like I'm wearing full coverage makeup. Have you tried it yet? I highly recommend it! Leave a comment! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Disclosure: press sample, affiliate link

Last spring and summer while in Southeast Asia, I became intrigued by cushion compacts. Cushion compacts, like the BB cream, are the beauty brainchild of Korea...I really would like to go on a beauty passage through Korea. They seemed to be everywhere and I made mental note to myself to grab a couple before heading back to the states.  Well sun, sand and sea took priority over everything else and on my last day there I was preoccupied with trying to figure out how to fit the gazillionth sarong into my suitcase and forgot all about getting my hands on a cushion compact.  I had yet another opportunity on the plane to purchase one duty free, but the color swatch wasn't much help so decided to pass. Well since then I have been obsessed with finding them, I've noticed them slowly making an appearance here in the US in the last few months.  I was FINALLY able to get my hands on a cushion compact from IT Cosmetics and I am so utterly in love and obsessed! The IT Cosmetics CC+ Veil Beauty Fluid Foundation SPF 50+ is unlike anything...and I really do mean ANYTHING...that I have ever used.  I do not wear foundation, tinted moisturizer or powder unless I am attending a big event or doing a photoshoot because no matter the brand, I can always feel it on my skin and I absolutely hate that feeling.  Well the IT Cosmetics CC+ Veil Beauty Fluid Foundation SPF 50+ is so  incredibly light that I forget that I am wearing it.  It covers imperfections, but does not hide my skin so my skin still looks really natural, glowing, bright and flawless...how they've managed to accomplish that must be some form of beauty voodoo. The IT Cosmetics cushion compact contains CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ UVA/UVB, which is a physical only sunscreen that protects against the rays that both burn and age your skin. The CC+  improves skin texture, brightness and increase skin hydration by 79%. The  formula is  infused with Peptides, Niacin, Algae, Vitamins A, C, B, E, Hyaluronic Acid and Hydrolyzed Collagen along with Antioxidants and natural botanicals for long-term brightening and color-correcting benefits.  This cushion compact makes it amazingly easy to build the level of coverage you want, for someone like me who likes a really thin layer of coverage, I just press on the cushion once for the perfect amount of product. The color I am wearing in the picture is "Rich." This past week has been the first time in my life that I have worn any type of "coverage" product on my face every single day, this may not sound like a big deal to most, but for me this is HUGE!  The fact that I actually WANT to wear this product speaks volume about how life changing it is.  For once in my life something was actually worth the wait! Let me know if you've tried it! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! *Disclosure: Press sample, affiliate link

I've been wanting to get on board with the BB and CC Cream trend, but I have to admit that I've been having a hard time buying into the hype. When BB creams first came on the market, everyone was buzzing about them. I've tried a few and while they've been fine, they kind of felt like glorified tinted moisturizers that I saw no real benefit from. With most BB creams, I needed to wear foundation on top of them to achieve full coverage. I just didn't see the point in straying from my beloved moisturizers. Then came CC Creams, which was kind of confusing because many of us wondered, what’s the difference? Before I tell you about my new obsession with a product that really has made it's own little spot in the makeup world, here's the rundown: BB stands for blemish balm. It was meant to be an all-in-one product to cover you with moisturizer, primer, SPF, foundation, and serum. For me, most felt like tinted moisturizers. BB’s provided me with little to no coverage. The CC in CC creams stands for color and/or complexion correcting. A CC is pretty much a BB, but with better skin care benefits and coverage. CC's have a matte texture, so they work well as a base and look great standing alone. I was super confused when BB's started being shown up by CC's, but after trying a handful of different products, Pur Minerals CC wins the BB-CC Challenge as far as I’m concerned. Pur Minerals CC Cream lives up to everything I was hoping for and felt like we were being promised in a cream! Its light weight mousse-like formula gives great coverage, takes care of minor imperfections, is SPF 40, and has skin care benefits! I have pretty fair skin and unlike a tinted moisturizer, Pur Mineral's CC Cream Light blended really well with my skin tone and gave some great coverage … almost full coverage. So much so really, I wore it on TV with no other face makeup. That's the real test when it comes to complexion correction and coverage. I felt confident enough with my complexion that I didn't even bother with foundation for a TV appearance! It's that good! It comes in 4 different shades, light, medium, tan, and dark. I’m very fair, light was perfect for me. For many women, I know the wear time of a product is super important. I’m not one who brings makeup to work and does any reapplying besides lips once I leave the house. It’s just not something I ever think about or feel necessary. The days I wore Pur Minerals CC Cream on its own for the day, I did notice needing a little refresher by the end of the work day. On the flip side, the days that I used a little powder to set it, I was good to go all day long and didn't need any touch ups. A little bit of powder to set is the best way to achieve a full day face without touch ups! The only thing I’m less than in love with is the packaging. While I love how clean and neat the packaging is, for me the tube pump isn't ideal. At the same time, when you love what’s inside, you don’t mind working for it a little. If you've been curious about CC Creams and whether or not this is a product to get on board with, I'd suggest trying Pur Minerals CC Cream before any others. Having tried so many that are out there, I can safely say no other CC Cream actually lived up to the C's (coverage, complexion correcting) like this one. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! *Disclosure