BB Glow: The Ultimate Guide
Everything you need to know about the BB glow treatment – how it’s done, how much it costs, benefits, risks, and best examples.
Image source: Instagram @visages_dxb
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BB glow is a treatment that combines the effects of permanent makeup with micro/nanoneedling to recreate the look of wearing light foundation.
That’s why it’s also called semi permanent foundation. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about the BB glow treatment, side effects, cost, safety, and aftercare.
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How Is the BB Glow Treatment Done?
Basically, the BB glow facial is micro/nanoneedling with an added step of applying the tinted serum. It’s a complex treatment done in several steps:
- Cleaning face of any bacteria, dirt, makeup, and skincare residues.
- Applying a chemical peel, such as lactic or mandelic acid, removes dead skin cells from the skin’s surface.
- Applying a neutralizing solution that stops the chemical reaction of acids.
- Application of serums with a derma pen.
- Application of the tinted serum.
- Nourishing face with a hydrating sheet mask.
Does the BB Glow Facial Hurt?
No. The penetration of the nanoneedles feels like tingling, or very slight stinging at most.
BB Glow Facial Benefits
The BB glow can diminish:
- Discoloration (redness, age spots, dark undereye circles, freckles, etc.)
- Acne scars
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Large pores
- Dull, dehydrated skin
It improves the overall state and appearance of the skin by giving a brightening effect and increasing the production of collagen and elastin.
Who Is a Candidate for the BB Glow?
Anyone who’s dealing with any of the skin issues listed above and who wants to improve their overall skin state.
Who Isn’t a Candidate for the BBGlow?
Due to the nature of the application and the pigmented serums used, the BB glow facial isn’t suitable for clients who are:
- Pregnant or nursing
- Undergoing cancer treatment
- Suffering from skin conditions like Psoriasis, Rosacea, active acne, etc.
- Suffering from any infection
- Prone to keloid scarring
- Prone to allergies to cosmetic products
- Taking blood-thinning medications
- Taking Accutane
How Many BB Glow Sessions Do I Need?
Most clients need 3-5 to achieve the desired result. Some improvement is visible after the first session, but the longevity of the results is ensured through multiple treatments.
Image source: Instagram @bbglowperth
Does Microblading Hurt?
If you ask Lucy, the answer is NO! She even did the first pass without any numbing and found it to be “just like eyebrow tweezing.“ Lucy got some numbing before the second pass but felt like there was no need to get it reapplied. “It was totally bearable,” she explained.
How Long Do the Effects of a BB Glow Last?
The longevity of the BB glow results is 4-8 months, depending primarily on how many sessions you got in the series – the more sessions, the longer they’ll last.
Image source: Instagram @bbglowperth
Are There Any Side Effects of BB Glow?
Allergies to the products used are very rare with high-quality formulas, but they are possible and can be manifested through redness, rashes or itching.
Also, if you get a BB glow, tanning is not a good idea. The skin tans, but the pigments don’t, and you could end up with lighter patches that don’t look too attractive.
BB Glow Facial Prep & Aftercare
Here’s what you should do:
PRE treatment
- No retinol, Retin A, or Vitamin A for 5 days before the treatment
- No autoimmune therapies 12 hours before your treatment.
- No injectable fillers/botox within the last 2 weeks.
- No prolonged sun exposure to the face 24 hours before your treatment.
- On the day of the treatment, no makeup.
AFTER treatment
- Don’t touch your face for a few days
- Keep your face dry for at least 24 hours (no washing, but also no sweating)
- After 24 hours, wash your face with lukewarm water and mild soap for a few days (avoid harsh products)
- No makeup for at least 2 day
- No swimming for 7 days
- No sunlight exposure for a few days; after that, wear SPF when you’re outside
- No facials and harsh skincare for at least 2 weeks
- No vitamin C or retinol for at least 8 weeks (these can speed up pigment fading)
How Much Does BB Glow Cost?
The cost of a session varies from salon to salon, but the average price is around $200. Some salons charge as low as $120, and those who charge as much as $400 per session.
Is the BB Glow Facial Safe?
This is an ongoing debate.
The skin-tone color of the tinted serums is ensured by titanium dioxide, a type of opaque white pigment. Some scientists claim that long-term exposure to titanium dioxide is potentially harmful.
So far, BB glow has not been approved by the FDA. And while health concerns are something to be considered when considering any form of tattooing or micropigmentation, the aesthetic adverse effects of BB glow are what makes this treatment particularly controversial.
Again, the culprit is titanium dioxide.
According to Science Unfiltered, titanium dioxide can cause skin elevation when injected as tattoo ink – or in this case, a tinted serum.
This means that, due to the characteristics of its molecules, it can raise up in the skin and alter its texture. Which is not necessarily a big deal with body tattoos, but it definitely can be when the whole face is saturated with it.
Being a white pigment, titanium dioxide is also prone to color shifts under the influence of sunlight, so there’s the risk of discoloration into unnatural shades that make your skin look worse.
And to top it all off, it’s not an easy thing to remove, as titanium dioxide turns dark gray when touched by most lasers.
None of this is a problem if BB glow is done perfectly and the tinted serum stays in the upper layer of the skin, which sheds. But getting perfect depth across the whole face is virtually impossible, and serums often end up deeper and stuck for months and years.
So overall, the risks are not to be neglected and we advise you to proceed with caution.
WHY TRUST THIS GUIDE
This guide results from 5+ years of studying and researching the beauty & skincare industry. The information comes from reliable sources such as various medical references.
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