BB creams, are they the real deal or a marketing ploy? Not a new debate, but one that still raises its head amongst industry and consumers alike.
Appearing on the market in 2011, BB creams were originally created by dermatologists to hide minor skin defects and became really popular in Korea. Nowadays, BB creams, aka beauty or blemish balms, offer the promise of a more streamlined beauty regime. They claim to do the job of a moisturiser, sunscreen, primer, skin treatment, concealer and lightweight foundation all in one.
Ok so I don’t know about all of that, and I certainly can’t see myself using a BB without moisturiser underneath. That being said, most have SPF nowadays and would make a great base or primer underneath foundation if you’re looking for a boost in coverage.
As someone who owns an insane amount of makeup but actually likes a natural finish, I’m a big beauty balm fan. Plus I’m militant about using SPF so on days when I don’t want to wear much, I know I can slap a BB cream on my face and not have to worry about using multiple products to achieve the same goal.
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What’s the difference between tinted moisturisers, BB Creams and CC creams?
People ask me this all the time and it’s a pretty warranted question. Think of it as an evolution in both coverage and skincare elements.
A tinted moisturiser is just that, a moisturiser with a touch of colour. Whilst the coverage is usually quite low, most should still have an SPF factor. Even when I really am having a no makeup day, if I have to leave the house for any reason I will use the Nars Radiant Tinted Moisturiser SPF30 for sun protection and just a touch of colour. For a bit more coverage (but less SPF protection), I also love the LB Cream from The Base. I use the shade caramel.
A BB cream is the next step in the evolution. It will have a bit more coverage plus provide some extra skincare benefits. My ultimate favourite is the Dr.Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm with SPF 45. It gives a low to medium coverage with a super dewy finish. And even though it’s so hydrating and feels so dewy on the skin, I find it lasts throughout the day. Plus, it also acts as a treatment serum, helping to brighten the skin and restore skin elasticity.
A CC cream will provide the most coverage out of the three. The Cs stand for Colour Correcting. Many CC creams can give as much or even more coverage than a traditional foundation. So if you’re looking for something lightweight, don’t be fooled. I use the it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better SPF 50 CC cream which has medium to full coverage, whilst still feeling lightweight on the skin. This cream is highly pigmented and contains hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and natural botanicals to help improve the skin’s texture. I usually reach for this when I need the coverage, aka am having a bad skin day, but don’t want to smother my face in something heavy.
I hope this post has helped clear up the BB/CC confusion and provide you with the information to choose the right product for you.
Do you buy the BB buzz? Which one is your favourite?
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Such a great post! I love wearing BB cream when I am not working. It is perfect for a natural finish and having a spf protection! Great post
Author
exactly it’s the perfect weekend makeup Bx
I love it cosmetics cc cream! thanks for sharing girl. Never knew the difference between tinted moisturizers, cc creams, and bb creams!
xo, Lydia
Author
Thanks so much! Yeah the It cosmetics is a bit of a cult favourite. Their shade selection really isn’t good which is one reason against it for me – what do you think?
I love BB Creams as well, love how light and natural they look and I feel like it has more benefits for my skin!
Kileen
cute & little
Thanks so much for sharing this! I am a huge fan of a good BB cream too!
I’ve always wondered this! I feel like BB creams are pointless for me because I have such dreadful skin that I need the best of the best full coverage foundations and BBs barely cover a thing. But they definitely are great on my “no makeup” days at home!
Author
Definitely BB creams are not going to give you much coverage at all! But I like that they have skincare properties so you could even wear one under your foundation as extra coverage
I want to try the It Cosmetics one! I love anything with hyaluronic acid. Hugs, Kait
http://www.baskinginburgundy.com
Author
Me too! Miracle ingredient
Such a great post! I’ve been really curious about that IT CC cream and I think it’s time to give it a try!
I actually didn’t really know the difference between BB and CC cream so thank you for clarifying that! I am obsessed with Bali Body’s BB cream. So hydrating, perfectly light, and gives me a nice glow. 🙂 I think BB creams are great for good skin days where you don’t need too much coverage.
Author
I’m glad I could help! I’ve never heard of that one, I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for commenting Bx
I’m more of a tinted moisturizer kind of girl, and if I do use BB cream, I use a small amount for my entire face. I don’t really need a full coverage.
Still, I really like the breakdown here – I actually never knew the difference between bb and cc cream!
Author
Totally feel you! Sometimes you don’t want coverage at all, which tinted moisturiser is perfect for Bx
I love wearing as little makeup as possible too. This is a great post!
Author
thanks girl!! x
I use a CC cream (it!’s actually!) during the work week. It’s a nice coverage that doesn’t look to heavy on my skin!
Author
I think that’s a really good way to do it! CC/BB during the week and foundation for a weekend event 🙂 also makes your foundation last longer x