If you like the foundation’s look, but you don’t like a heavy feel, BB and CC creams are for you! Both products are one-part makeup and one-part moisturizer. They’ve got enough pigment to balance out the skin color. But they’re simple enough to look and feel completely natural. Although BB cream or CC cream share many similar characteristics, they are not the same.
BB and CC creams are usually multipurpose items. They combine cosmetics and skincare in one formula.
Depending on the products, use BB cream or CC cream as:
- Primer
- Concealer
- Foundation
- Highlighter
- Moisturizer
- Mattifying product
- Skincare treatment
- Sunscreen
As a multitasking product, BB and CC creams are perfect for simplifying your morning routine. They will help you save time, money, and space for your vanity.
WHAT IS CC CREAM?
CC stands for ‘tone corrector’ or ‘complexion corrector.’ An efficient 2-in-1 skincare product, the CC cream provides almost the same effects as using a color correction cover for a foundation.
By using colors opposing each other on the color wheel, CC creams neutralize the presence of skin imperfections. E.g., if you had purple undereye circles and veins, you’d want to go for a peach/orange color CC cream. If you’re dealing with rosacea-related redness, sunburn, inflammation, or broken capillaries, a green CC cream can work well to neutralize the reddish color.
WHAT DOES CC CREAM DO?
In addition to providing a light coverage than a foundation, CC creams have additional anti-aging properties (AA + BB = CC!) and an airier feel compared to BB creams’ thick and heavy texture. CC cream is suitable for those with:
- Enlarged pores
- Redness caused by rosacea
- Uneven texture.
In terms of skin benefits, CC cream shares several properties with BB cream. Examples of ingredients are:
- Skin protectants: Vitamins, antioxidants
- Mineral SPF: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide
- Brighteners: Niacinamide, licorice root
- Skin firming agents: Peptides, hydrolyzed collagen
- Soothing agents: Green tea, soy, shea butter
Look for Niacinamide CC creams as well as Vitamins B and E to help you restore the youthful glow of your face. Niacinamide helps exfoliate the skin to minimize the fine lines and wrinkles, while vitamins B and E help improve the skin’s natural protection against moisture loss.
In general, CC cream focuses on anti-aging effects. Most CC creams have SPF plus ingredients that blur wrinkles and age marks.
CC creams are lighter in consistency than BB creams. They also have a soft, fluffy texture with a matte finish.
WHEN TO USE CC CREAM?
Suppose you’re in a hurry and want to cover up your imperfections with the least amount of time. Or if you don’t want to wear so much makeup, instead of choosing a makeup, opt with CC cream with a wide-spectrum SPF and benefit from the many additional skincare benefits.
WHAT IS BB CREAM?
BB cream is short for ‘blemish balm’ or ‘beauty balm,’ which you can use to moisturize, protect, and correct the skin.
BB creams were popular in South Korea in the mid-1980s. But they were originally developed in Germany in the 1960s to help patients recover from laser therapy and surgery. The trend made its way from the epicenter of beauty in the East to female beauty bags in the West around 2011. The buzz for BBs soon made them a makeup bag must-have.
WHAT DOES BB CREAM DO?
Significantly lighter and providing more sheer coverage than foundations, these pumped-up, tinted moisturizers have skin-enhancing benefits to:
- Refresh
- Brighten
- Hydrate
- Smooth
- And even out your skin tone for a flawlessly radiant look.
An additional advantage of BB cream found in most BB creams is sunscreen, which helps shield the skin from harmful sunlight.
Use BB cream containing ingredients such as glycerine, niacinamide, and at least SPF 15 for best results. Glycerin helps to hydrate the skin by keeping it moist. Niacinamide improves the surface cells’ growth by extracting dead skin cells for a new, even rejuvenated complexion. And SPF protects against UV rays.
Usually, the main advantage of BB cream is the hydration of dry skin. It appears to have an emollient texture.
It’s worth noting that SPF in BB creams can differ a lot. The American Dermatology Association suggests that you should use sunscreens with SPF 30 or higher daily. If the BB cream has a lower SPF, you’ll also need to wear sunscreen.
WHEN TO USE BB CREAM?
BB creams are safe to use on a regular, everyday basis. As one of the most versatile skincare ingredients on the market, they’re beneficial when you don’t have time to apply a moisturizer, primer, and foundation. Just add a bit of BB cream (ideally one with SPF), and you’re ready for the day!
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CC AND BB CREAM
One of the most major differences between CC and BB cream is that BB cream provides light coverage and additional skincare advantages. CC cream also aims to correct color. It is mainly intended to help fix the color of redness, dark circles, or pale skin and is meant to be underneath the foundation.
On the other hand, BB creams are helpful if you like a touch of coverage with additional sun protection and hydration, without looking like you have makeup on.
BB and CC creams also differ from regular dyed moisturizers, a form of light-weight face cream that provides a touch of color.
BB Cream or CC Cream: Which one is better for your skin type?
It is important to consider your skin type when deciding between BB cream or CC cream.
Here’s what you should use if you have:
- Oily skin
CC cream is best suited to oily skin. Its matte texture makes it less likely to slip and slide on your skin. BB cream, on the other hand, can be too emollient to suit your needs.
When buying a CC cream, look for an oil-free formula of mattifying ingredients like:
- Silica
- Colloidal clay
- Charcoal
- Acne-prone skin
Similarly, if you have acne-prone skin, use CC cream. Its light texture is less likely to cause breakouts.
You can also check for oil-free formulas with:
- Colloidal clay
- Tea tree extract
- Salicylic acid
- Dry skin
BB cream also contains moisturizing properties, making it best for dry skin.
Moisturizing ingredients to look for include:
- Ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Glycerin
- Panthenol
The Bottom Line
If you’re not a fan of the traditional foundation, you might prefer BB or CC creams. Both products have sheer coverage, so they appear natural on the skin. Plus, BB and CC creams are multipurpose, so you can make the routine simpler.
BB cream is a moisturizing makeup that is suitable for dry skin. It’s like a tinted moisturizer, but with additional skincare properties like SPF glowers and minerals.
In the meantime, CC cream has better coverage than BB cream. It’s lighter and more matt, but it’s perfect for oily and acne-prone skin. Most CC creams contain SPF minerals and anti-aging properties.
