Review | Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream [AD]

I tried a sample sachet of the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream in 2019 and had written a first impressions review at the time, fast forward to 2024 and I was compelled to give it another go to see what I think after using it multiple times.

Wishtrend kindly sent the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream to me for review purposes and I’ve been using it on and off for the past 4 months under different weather and skin conditions, as well as with different skincare underneath.

In today’s post, I’ll review the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream, first sharing some general information about the product followed by my personal experience.

Description

Natural coverage with hydrating finish, SPF40 PA++
This cream applies thin and even to provide natural coverage. The moist formula protects dry and sensitive skin while closely adhering to the skin to add a silky glow. Mild and hypoallergenic, this cream is suitable for all skin types, even sensitive and acne-prone skin.

How to use:
After the skin care routine, dispense an appropriate amount and apply along the skin texture.

*As per description on Wishtrend website.

Ingredients

Aqua (Water), Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Betaine, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Zinc Oxide, CI 77492, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bentonite, Sodium Chloride, Silica, Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate, CI 77491, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Stearic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Talc, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77499, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Alumina, Adenosine, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lauroyl Lysine, Arachidic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oleic Acid, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Quantity & Packaging

40g in a long thin beige squeeze tube with black printed writing for a sleek minimal look. The squeeze tube has a thin nozzle at the end with a small hole which helps to not squeeze out too much and you can easily control the amount according to the pressure you apply to the tube. A little goes a long way in my case so this narrow 40g tube lasts a very long time.

Scent

Contains artificial fragrance which is light and fresh, not overpowering or too noticeable.

Shade

Only available in one shade which is a pale neutral beige with hints of yellow, white and pink. I would say it’s close to shade 21 in other Korean foundations and BB Creams; too light for my skin tone as I’m between shades 23-25 depending on the brand.

Texture

A thick smooth creamy texture with a slight pasty grip. It sets down to a soft supple silky feel but somehow also a bit dry.

Coverage & Finish

Sheer to Medium buildable coverage with a semi-matte finish overall and a hint of natural glow to high points when the light hits.

My Experience

I mentioned how I wrote a first impressions review of the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream in 2019 after testing out a sample sachet, but now after using the full-size tube 5 years later, I’ve realised that the first impression might as well have been the full review because my opinion hasn’t changed much apart from one or two additional notable points, so we’ll take this review as more of an update. I thought after trying it again under different conditions I might get a better picture of its performance, but the overall finish and look on my skin has been consistent.

For context, I have combination skin that is drier in cold weather and oilier in hot weather but always dehydrated. I’ve now had the chance to see how the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream is for my skin type in both settings. From prior experience, I also knew to have my skin prepped and moisturised really well before using it no matter the weather/ skin condition as the thick creamy texture spreads well but can get a little pasty and drag along the skin texture, clinging to dry patches and accentuating fine lines as it sets.

Even after all the prep, and I’m talking, double cleansing, gentle exfoliation, toner, serum, moisturiser, suncream and then the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream, it dries down and sets to a semi-matte appearance with just a hint of a glow to the top of my cheeks where the light hits, but the rest of my face still looks quite flat and dry with apparent fine lines and texture. It’s much worse if I haven’t prepped with my best skincare and my skin is not as nourished, because then it most definitely clings to dry patches too. You can even see how dry it looks on the back of my hand in the swatch photo above and how the product settles into all the tiny fine lines there.

I found the best way for me to make it wearable is to really only apply the thinnest of layers and not slap on too much to prevent it from getting pasty on the skin. It then also gives buildable sheer to medium coverage that way, evening out the skin tone and reducing redness, but I do have to go over specific dark marks and blemishes with a full coverage concealer.

The name Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream might be a bit confusing because you could think it’s a spot treatment cream, but actually, it’s a foundation and skincare hybrid more commonly known as BB Cream (Blemish Balm); I think they could solve any confusion by simply naming it Klairs Illuminating Supple BB Cream.

One of the best qualities of BB Creams is the wonderful array of skincare ingredients that go into the product to help moisturise the skin, prevent breakouts from occurring, provide a smidge of sun protection, soothe the skin and reduce redness etc. The Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream in particular contains some of my favourite ingredients such as Niacinamide, Licorice Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice and many more amazing ingredients all great for nourishing, strengthening, soothing and brightening the skin.

You’ll notice I said it provides a smidge of sun protection, even though the packaging states SPF 40 PA++ and this is because although it contains the mineral and chemical sun protection ingredients to give the product that rating, you would have to apply 1/4 teaspoon of it to get the actual sun protection benefit like you would with any other suncream, but in this case as it is a beige BB Cream if you apply that much you’d end up looking ridiculous. So it’s very important to see the SPF rating of this product as more of a supplement and use an actual sunscreen underneath to get the protection you need.

Now the biggest downside of the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream is the fact that it only comes in one shade. It’s a Korean product so I understand that it’s marketed mainly for Korean people, but typically Korean foundations for Korean people come in shades 21, 22, 23 and that also isn’t enough as there are Koreans who are naturally more towards shades 24 and 25 which only some brands offer. The thing here is that the one and only shade of the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream is similar to most shade 21 foundations. For the Korean market, I think it would have been great to at least see the standard variety of Korean shades. Additionally, as Wishtrend and Klairs are now well-known and popular globally I hope they also consider expanding the shade range further so deeper skin tones can also use it.

I usually wear Korean foundation and BB Cream shades 23, 24 or 25 but my neck and chest area are closer to shades 21/22 so I can get away with blending a thin layer to match my body and applying some bronzer, otherwise, it’s definitely too pale. Saying that though, I like that the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream is a neutral tone and not too grey like some BB Creams and not too yellow, orange or pink like some foundations; it’s a perfect neutral tone but it just needs to be available in deeper and lighter shades to cater for more people.

So for my light-medium skin tone and for my combination dehydrated skin type, I can only ask and hope for 2 things: more shades and more moisturising/hydrating ingredients.

I would recommend the Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream to those who are around Korean shade 21 and have oily blemish-prone skin looking for a gentle BB Cream to even out the complexion with sheer to medium coverage. Anyone with dry skin or even a hint of dehydration, uneven texture and pre-existing fine lines might not like the texture and finish as much but as everyone experiences things differently it’s best to try it yourself and see what you think.

Where to purchase and cost? The Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream costs $25 and can be purchased on the Wishtrend website.

To get an additional 15% off your total purchase please feel free to use my discount code: SAIMAWT15

Disclosure: This product was sent to me by Wishtrend in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links; when you click these links and purchase a product, I will receive a small commission which will help support my blog at no extra cost to you. If you do decide to use my affiliate links, then thank you so much, I really appreciate your support.