Belif True Cream Aqua Bombs: An Honest Review

When I was younger, the only time I really used moisturizer was during the winter months when my skin would become really dry and rashy. During the past few years, I’ve found myself requiring moisturizer more and more often, even during the warmer times of the year.

For the past month, I’ve been using the popular True Cream Aqua Bomb and newly released True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera. Both products by belif are such fun, lightweight moisturizers to use during the summer. I wanted to share my experience with you.

And I am baring my face to show you how it looks!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see full disclosure for more information. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my thoughts, and I hope you find some inspiration here!

What Is It: Moisturizer & Clean Beauty

The True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera and the True Cream Aqua Bomb are moisturizers that hydrate the skin.

As a clean beauty brand by Sephora, belif adheres to Sephora’s standards for Clean at Sephora. While scouring through the ingredients, I noticed many of them are herbal extracts. However, I have not studied clean beauty deeply and I am not familiar with Sephora’s standards for clean beauty. Therefore, I will leave you to decide whether the ingredients are beneficial or not. The standard and list of ingredients can be found on the product pages.

Packaging

The True Cream Aqua Bomb and True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera both come in tubs that are made of recyclable material. Visually, the bottom part of the tub appears to be wider than the top. In reality, the diameter inside is actually the same as that of the mouth. When you open the tub, what you see is what you get. So you’ll be able to scoop product from all parts of the tub and won’t have to worry about wasted product.

The tub does require you to dip your fingers or a brush into it, which is a cause of concern for contamination over time. Definitely use clean hands or brushes, and sharing should probably be avoided.

Travel Friendly

The design of the lid is really effective in preventing spillage or leakage. After storing both products upside down and sideways for a few days, there weren’t any signs of leaking.

I also took the liberty of shaking the tubs rigorously in various directions for 60 seconds. Upon opening them, it was obvious that the product had moved around and was unsettled. However, there weren’t any signs of leakage, and product didn’t seep out onto the lid at all. It was deeply satisfying!

When traveling, I would still put the True Cream Aqua Bomb and True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera in their own protective bag. But when I’m out and about, I would feel comfortable simply tossing them into my bag.

Scent

Initially, I really liked the scent! It was refreshing and light with a hint of citrus. The citrus component is more persistent in the True Cream Aqua Bomb compared to the True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera.

After repeated use, I realized that the scent resembles the smell of dish detergent. Just a hint of it, which I couldn’t put my finger on at first. I found it to be a little off putting, but it isn’t noticeable throughout the day once the product is on my face.

Also on several occasions, I wore the belif Aqua Bombs over the Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum by Thomas Roth. The serum has a rather strong, musky scent. I found that the belif Aqua Bombs actually neutralized and made the musky scent much less noticeable. 

Overall, many users like the scent, and it wouldn’t deter me from purchasing the belif Aqua Bombs.

Product Longevity

The samples I received were 10 mL tubs, which fit in the palm of my petite hands. At first, I was skeptical about the small size and didn’t think I would have enough product for a thorough assessment. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how little product is required! A dime size amount is enough to cover my face and neck. 

After one week of daily use, I used the belif Aqua Bombs on and off. It’s been a whole month, and I still have product left. If used on a daily basis, each of the 10 mL tubs would have easily lasted at least one and a half weeks. I am also pleased to see that the recommended expiration date is 12 months from opening the bottle.

How To Use

Apply to the face and neck after toner and essence. Use morning and night.

APPLY USING HANDS

I usually rub the gel-cream between my palms quickly and then smooth it over my face and neck. Using this method, the gel-cream felt cool on my skin, but the cooling sensation was not intense. At most, it only lasted for 1-2 seconds. 

On other occasions, I dabbed the gel-cream directly onto my face and then proceeded to smooth it out using my fingers. The cooling sensation lasted longer this way for about 5-10 seconds. If you like the cooling effect, this would be the way to go.

APPLY USING A FLAT BRUSH

The brush picked up way too much product at a time. As you can see in the photo above, the brush basically slathered a thick layer on top of my face and didn’t really do anything else. As such, I didn’t find it to be effective. 

Due to the thick layer, I would use a brush only to apply the belif Aqua Bombs as a mask (discussed further below). To use as a moisturizer, I would stick to my plain ol’fingers.

Use As A Stand-Alone Product

On a few lazy days spent at home, I wore the belif Aqua Bombs alone without any other serum, makeup, or facial product. Immediately after application, my skin felt soft and silky to the touch and had a dewy appearance. Overall, my skin felt moisturized. 

I didn’t notice a visual difference between the True Cream Aqua Bomb and True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera.

Refrigerate It

During the first few times of refrigerating the belif Aqua Bombs, I rubbed the gel-cream quickly between my palms for 1-2 seconds. This caused it to warm up before it even touched my face. There was a cooling sensation, but it wasn’t intense and didn’t feel much different from when the belif Aqua Bombs were stored at room temperature. 

On another occasion, I dabbed the gel-cream directly onto my face and neck and then rubbed it gently using my fingers. Using this method, the cooling sensation lasted a few seconds longer. Of course, the gel-cream will eventually warm up as you continue to smooth it over your face.

Other than the initial cooling sensation, the belif Aqua Bombs didn’t perform any differently throughout the day. For me, it’s not worth it to refrigerate. Instead, I prefer to store it with the rest of my skincare products for easier access and less handling.

Other Uses

For the most part, I used both products as a moisturizer. However, belif does recommend a few additional uses including storing in the fridge for maximum soothing benefits, mixing with liquid highlighter to create a glow base, and using as a mask.

To be honest, I am a bit confused by the intent of the mask. I suppose it would leave a cooling effect. But to achieve hydration and moisturization, wouldn’t it make more sense to let the gel-cream absorb into the skin rather than applying a thick layer and then wiping off the excess? 

Does it Actually Work?

I used the belif Aqua Bombs twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Because they don’t promise long term results, I was more interested in how it wears throughout the day. 

Both belif Aqua Bombs were cool, very lightweight, and easy to apply. It literally felt like I was applying a thin layer of water to my face, except that my skin didn’t dry out once the water evaporated. It took a few minutes for my skin to absorb the gel-cream completely, but I love how the belif Aqua Bombs didn’t leave a sticky feeling after. To top it off, they also didn’t have the greasy or oily feeling that comes with a lot of moisturizers. I hope you can see in the image below how the belif Aqua Bombs gives off a dewy appearance.

The cooling factor was stronger in the True Cream Aqua Bomb Aloe Vera, which is expected with aloe vera being a key ingredient. Other than that, both belif Aqua Bombs performed the same.