One of my most popular blog posts to date is my round-up of the best BB and CC creams on the market (circa March 2013). One year and many BB/CC creams later, I’ve discovered one new BB cream that I just can’t get enough of: Benefit Big Easy Multi-Balancing Complexion Perfector. But is it a BB? According to Benefit, it’s better than a BB thanks to its balancing moisturizing and oil controlling properties and it’s cushiony liquid-to-powder formula (seriously, it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing any makeup!). To be honest, I spent more time trying to figure out if this was a BB cream or foundation (on the Sephora website they call it a foundation) but I’ve decided I’m going to refer to this little gem as diet foundation.
One of the reason I never like wearing foundation is because I feel like I’m smothering my precious fair skin with a heavy formula it doesn’t need. By far, this is the best lightweight BB cream on the market I’ve found. Just make sure you blend quickly once you apply. I’ve also tried applying this three different ways: with a stippling brush, a BeautyBlender and my fingers. In the battle of the applicators, my BeautyBlender won. My T-Zone area is primarily where I need coverage and my little dampened pink sponge can easily smooth out those hard to reach places (like around my nose). For the amount of coverage I’m looking for, this complexion perfecter has taken up a permanent residence in my makeup bag but that if you’re looking for medium to heavy coverage, you’ll probably want to layer this under you’re favorite foundation.
Over the course of the year, I’ve sampled numerous BB creams, not to mention the latest addition, color/complexion correcting creams, aka CC creams. It’s hard to choose the best BB cream, because I honestly think there are numerous great products out there… it’s just a matter of what works best for your skin type and coverage needs. Here, I’ve rounded up eight nine (an odd number, but hey, this isn’t Vogue ) of the best BB creams (and CC creams!) for common skin type needs/issues. I also enlisted the help of my multicultural beauty guru, Brittney!
Best for dry skin: Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25 ($34)—a one step skin perfecting balm offers unique water bead technology that hydrates and maintains moisture for plump and rejuvenated skin. It’s my go-to for days when I wake up with dry, flaky skin.
Best pore-minimizer: Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm ($34)—Tech meets beauty with this balm that diffuses light with high-tech pigments that will optically blur out pores, wrinkles and redness. It’s a miraculous pore-minimizer.
Best to layer under foundation: Olay Total Effects 7 in One CC Cream ($18)—A dual-chambered tube, this tone correcting moisturizer can be applied as a base or under foundation for extra coverage. The consistency may be a little sticky, but I’m a huge fan of Olay and enjoy the moisturizer side of it.
Best drugstore BB cream: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector ($12)—While it’s been on the market for over a year, this is still my go-to for that fresh dewy look. Also, it’s incredibly light weight and perfect to wear for warmer weather.
Best drugstore CC cream: Hard Candy CC Cream ($8)—While most effective CC creams may be a little pricey, Hard Candy is an easy short cut to great results. Their oil-free version neutralizes undertones, brightens complexion and evens skin texture. I prefer using a brush and only applying to needed areas, plus it’s got a thin consistency, so be careful when squeezing the tube.
Best long-wear BB cream: (Brittney‘s pick) IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Crème ($20)—Here in DC, where the humidity can make you feel like walking around in a pot of boiling water, wearing foundation can turn in to a runny mess by mid-afternoon. Iman Cosmetics BB Crème will curb your foundation fears—it offers supreme coverage, moisture and sunscreen in just one tube. We’re also a fan of their “find your shade” tool on the Iman Cosmetics website.
Best BB cream for oily/acne-prone skin: Estee Lauder DayWear Anti-Oxidant BB Crème ($39)— Gotta give some love to the first BB cream I ever tried. I still swear by this sweet cucumber scent and a cream that packs all the anti-oxidant protection and helps control excess surface oil.
Best age-defying BB cream: Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm ($38)— Innovative micro-sphere technology helps conceals imperfections and reduces wrinkle depth by up to 84 percent. Pore-reducer, oil and shine control, eliminates redness are just a few other reasons why I love this cream.
Best vitamin-packed cream: Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream ($48)—This multifunctional complexion corrector packs an Amazonian superfruit that has 30 times the vitamin C of an average orange that will evens out skintone. I’m a huge vitamin C junkie so needless to say, my complexion looks and feels good. We’ll take two!
Best lightweight finish BB cream: Benefit Big Easy Multi-Balancing Complexion Perfector ($38)- This multi-balancing BB cream is a balancer for moisture while controlling oil, plus it self adjusts to your exact skin tone. I particularly love the incredible lightweight finish. It’s a liquid-to-powder formula so apply it quickly! I promise, you won’t feel like you’re wearing any makeup.
I’m sure there are plenty of other BB and CC creams out there that I haven’t tried yet. Leave a comment on this post, and let me know which one(s) are your favorite!
Imagine a moisturizer, complexion-perfecter and sun protection all rolled into one.
I’ve been imagining something like that for quite some time. And then, before you could say, “I need a cream that combines SPF, moisturizer and a blemish concealer,” it appeared as I was walking down Connecticut Avenue on the window display of Blue Mercury. Helloooo, B.B. cream.
It’s easy to want one, but it’s even harder to choose which one is the best fit for your skin type. Here are my favorites:
Dior Hydra Life BB Crème: Dior’s BB cream will hydrate your skin, correct skin’s pigment and holds an anti-aging serum. The cream was first created by a plastic surgeon as a post-surgical product to soothe skin. [Note to self: need to write that guy a thank you note.]
Dior Hydra Life BB Crème, $56. Dior.com & Sephora Exclusive
Estée Lauder Daywear Anti-Oxidant BB Crème: What I love about this cream is the light signature cucumber scent, which will leave your skin feeling cool and rejuvenated.
Estee Lauder BB Crème, $38, on counters and esteelauder.com.
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer: My go-to for illuminators now has their own Tinted Moisturizer? Ah, heaven. This bottle packs a whole lot of SPF, hydration for your skin and a sweet natural glow. Some of their ingredients derive from the French Polynesian lagoons. I’ve always wanted to resemble the little mermaid…
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30, $42, Nordstrom.com
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