by Chrysa Smith

When I get a compliment from my mother, I know it’s well deserved. They just don’t come all that often, or very easily. But just today, I got one. And I’m holding onto it, because I found a beauty product that does what it says. Hold on—it’s called Miracle Blur. Now, while you giggle, I will tell you that this L’Oreal product really does blur the unattractive, which makes it so appealing.

It’s in the category of those BB creams we see everywhere on drugstore shelves. Known as blemish balms or beauty balms, BB creams straddle the market between tinted moisturizer and other ‘face fixers’ that do everything from prime to hydrate to conceal to minimize to erasing the look of…..whatever isn’t attractive. In essence, it perfects the skin, whatever your skin. And while I’m usually skeptical, my $24 didn’t go to waste after all.

But to my surprise, it doesn’t replace the moisturizer (at least mine), which just upped my price of my morning beauty routine. It goes on after moisturizer and has such a rich texture, you’d think it would be greasy, but it’s not. Just a dab or two on the cheeks, chin and forehead really does make a difference. After applying the BB cream over my moisturizer, then my foundation, my skin winds up about 1/4 inch thicker than it was when I began, but I have to say—the finish is so smooth, it mimics the look of professionally applied makeup—or that applied after a beautifying facial.

My large pores looked surprisingly smaller. I don’t have many lines (one benefit of still oily skin), so that didn’t matter. But I still do break out, and it smoothed the appearance of that as well. It is armed with a sunscreen, which makes up for that which isn’t in my moisturizer, but I think it’s in my foundation, which means I’ve got to be up at protection bordering 100. Surely nothing from above shall harm me.

I’m curious if any of you have tried these creams, and what your experiences are. For a look at the L’Oreal product, visit your local drugstore (CVS has it on the skincare shelf), or check out the beauty in a tube I copped at http://www.lorealparisusa.com/en/Products/Skin-Care.aspx.