Review | Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream SPF 30/PA+++

Well, hello there February! Time sure flies fast, last month most especially as I practically didn’t feel January at all. It was a blur of work and leisure and a LOT of books. That’s the culprit really – the books part occupied most of my “free” hours. I did update my Done Reading section with quick reviews of the books but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  At the beginning of 2014, I promised myself that I will learn how to review stuff. I know I have done reviews in the past but I really want to be able to transcribe my thoughts about a certain product in a way that’s pretty cohesive to everyone and not just for me. I want to be able to write my little notes about certain things in the hopes that one of you will find the information useful. I personally rely so much on the beauty bloggers of this world before I finally decide to purchase a product. My reviews will also serve as a record for me on whether I should repurchase a product or not and also, a stepping stone of some sort for me to get to my HG products. That’s one of my Beauty Goals for this year – to be able to compile an edited version of my current makeup kit with HG products. I know that’s a pretty tall order and a really long search for some, but I do hope to at least be able to come up with the basics. I also want to learn how to apply makeup better. My current skill level is still quite far from achieving the looks I want to be able to do.

To start on this journey of improvement, I hope to produce better photos for the blog. I was never much of a photographer. I loved my ever reliable point and shoot before finally graduating to permanently using my phone’s camera for practically everything. Unfortunately (or maybe quite fortunately), Mark introduced me to the wonderful world of the micro four thirds. I really still don’t know much so please correct me if I’m wrong but my understanding of the micro four thirds or the mirrorless compact system cameras is that they have similar capabilities with the DSLRs but in lighter (cuter) bodies. It’s also a bonus that Mark already has a small collection of lenses to which I have unlimited access. LOL. So now, I’m slooooowly trying to learn how to use one in terms of settings etcetera because I’m admittedly OC when it comes to things. I do have my own camera strap now and I feel a bit more knowledgeable because of that. HAHA. But I still don’t have my own camera.

Anyway, that’s quite a long intro already so let’s get on to the review shall we?

I mentioned before that I am an Avon lady aside from being part of the Avon Makeup Council which gets me access to special previews of Avon’s newest products. One of the very first items I purchased this year was the Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream with SPF 30/PA+++. As I have never been a fan of the BB Cream, I immediately got the CC Cream as soon as I saw it was available from the brochure. The reason I disliked BB Creams was that I found them a bit tedious to blend. I prefer using my fingers for quick application and somehow, the BB Creams I have tried always require a brush for a better finish. When the CC Creams first came out, I tried those that I had easy access to, Clinique and Chanel, but they both were a bit out of my budget as I find that the coverage of the CC Cream is not as “complete” as the BB Cream. The texture and coverage of the CC felt reminiscent of the Tinted Moisturizer which I have loved and lived with everyday since college in various brands. The CC Creams however, have additional benefits which make it a step higher in the skincare/makeup department than the Tinted Moisturizer.

Since I recently finished my Laura Mercier TM and haven’t repurchased yet, I found myself constantly reaching for the Anew CC Cream. Avon’s first ever Complete-Correcting Cream boasts of a relatively high SPF and “15 patent/exclusive ingredients to provide 15 benefits”. Let’s list them all down so I can check which ones I have experienced so far: (list taken from Avon’s brochure)

1. Brightens skin – CHECK. I find that when I use the CC Cream, my skin has that glow-y effect that’s quite different from the somehow oily sheen I get from the other not tinted day moisturizer I use.
2. Reduces yellow skin tone – CHECK. I can vouch for this as my normally yellow toned skin loses its yellow-ness after application. I don’t know if I like this effect much though as I find that I keep reaching for Ben Nye’s Luxury Powder in Banana to bring back a bit of my yellow tint. Maybe I’m just not used to seeing my face without the yellow or it might be that I find it a bit weird for my face to not be yellow while the rest of my skin is.
3. Evens out skin tone – CHECK. The sides of my nose and under my eyes are noticeably darker than the rest of my face and they are evened out a bit when I use the CC Cream. The CC provides coverage enough for me to skip concealer but not when I want a “flawless” base. That would require the concealer’s dedicated strength.
4. Hydrates skin – HALF-CHECK. I gave this half a check only because my skin is really dry lately and I find that I have to use another moisturizer underneath the CC Cream for my skin not to flake. There were also really cold days in January that I had to skip the CC Cream because it did not give me moisture enough on top of my usual moisturizer. I had to switch to liquid foundations during that time. I’m looking forward to summer though as I feel that the CC Cream (and my skin) would hold up better in the moisture department come warmer weather.
5. Reduces dullness – CHECK. There’s that glow-y effect I get yet again.
6. Makes pores invisible – HALF-CHECK. The CC Cream’s coverage is sheer yet buildable but I don’t think it can fully make pores invisible. It does give pretty good coverage though and the visible pores I have are somewhat diminished.
7. Anti-oxidant – CHECK? I really don’t know how to measure this.
8. Diminishes fine lines – CHECK. Same sheer coverage that’s buildable and decent for daily wear.
9. Moisturizes skin – HALF-CHECK. Refer to #4.
10. Protects from UV damage – CHECK. SPF 30 is not that high but it isn’t low either. I would recommend a higher SPF though.
11. Protects from skin darkening – HALF-CHECK due to #10.
12. Improves translucency – CHECK. Same glow-y effect I mentioned before plus I haven’t broken out from using this.
13. Covers imperfections – HALF-CHECK. Imperfections maybe, yes. But dark spots, not so much.
14. Blocks pollutants – CHECK? Again, I don’t know how to personally measure this.
15. Makes skin radiant – CHECK. Can I just say how much I love the glow-y effect? If not for the color it gives me, I would use the CC Cream on its own.

Here is a collage I made for comparison:

The leftmost shows my bare face with only a thin layer of moisturizer and eye cream. The middle one was taken after application of the Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream SPF 30/PA+++. For reference, I am a MAC NC40. The rightmost shows my FOTD using the following products: Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream, Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana, NARS Deep Throat and Laguna from the One Night Stand Palette, Urban Decay’s Foxy and Tease Eyeshadows from the NAKED 2 Palette, Avon Always on Point Reflective Eyeliner in Molten Gunmetal, Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon.

Swatch collage:

Overall, I would recommend the Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream SPF 30/PA+++ if you’re looking for an affordable Tinted Moisturizer alternate with additional benefits and if you’re not much of a fan of the heavier BB Creams. The sheer coverage is definitely light enough to wear everyday and is buildable enough if you’d prefer a bit more coverage. Use moisturizer underneath though if your skin is dry like mine. Set with powder for the finish to last longer – this step takes out a bit of the glow-y effect though but it might be worth it to keep the CC Cream lasting almost the whole day.

Costs P699 for a 30g tube and available via your friendly Avon ladies. The Avon Anew 360 White 15-in-1 CC Cream SPF 30/PA+++ also comes with a free 15g Anew 360 White Night Cream if you buy until Feb 15. It also came out as part of the BDJ January-February Box but the one I got had the Avon Face Pearls instead so you might get one of the two if you’re subscribed to the BDJ Box.