Is BB Cream Good for Skin?
Best Moisturizer for Dry Aged Skin
September 5, 2021
Twenty years ago, people had to choose whether they wanted to use a daily moisturizer or a skin-covering foundation. Today, we have a range of options and coverage levels in between those two choices, so you can decide how much coverage you need, and how best to nourish and protect your skin.
While it’s great to have all these options, so you can customize your look however you like, and even change it as your skin needs different things on different days, the range of choices can be a bit bewildering.
Today we’re taking a closer look at BB cream to determine what it is, and what kinds of skin can best benefit from it.
What is BB Cream?
BB Cream was originally developed in Asia and has become popular around the world over the past 10 years. It fits into a range of coverage options we have available today:
Tinted moisturizer
Tinted moisturizers are exactly what they sound like – they are moisturizer with a little bit of color in it. They provide very sheer coverage, and the main benefit is that they moisturize and lightly even out skin color.
BB cream
“BB” stands for “Blemish Balm” or “Blemish Base.” It was originally developed for those who have overall good skin color and texture, but who want all-over moisture and protection, and light coverage for a few spots. It evens out skin color better than a tinted moisturizer, with a sheer, natural look.
CC cream
“CC” stands for “Color Correcting.” CC creams are meant to address overall skin color challenges like redness or sallowness, while still remaining sheer and natural looking. They are usually color correcting and illuminating, but without much spot coverage.
DD cream
“DD” stands for “Daily Defense.” Generally speaking, DD creams provide almost as much coverage as a traditional liquid foundation, but with the skin care and moisturizing benefits we have come to expect from alphabet creams.
Despite the fact that these creams were originally targeted toward different degrees of coverage and skin care benefits, the truth is that there is huge variation in the degree of opacity and moisture levels in different products from different brands.
The fact is, different BB creams will have different ingredients, skin-care benefits, and coverage levels. But the BB cream category always implies a sheer, natural look, with light coverage, and skin nourishing ingredients.
What does BB Cream do?
Generally speaking, BB cream evens out skin color, lightly covers spots or blemishes, and hydrates the skin. Many BB creams also have sunscreen to protect the skin, antioxidants to nourish and renew the skin, or light-reflecting particles to gently illuminate the skin.
Because it is lightweight, BB cream is great for combining with other products. Used with a complimentary concealer and powder you can get more coverage on demand, as needed. It layers well with highlighters and bronzers as well, so you can contour without weighing down your skin with too much product.
Who Benefits Most from BB Cream?
BB cream is a fantastic option for many skin types, but is especially good for:
Traveling
Because many of us can’t or don’t want to travel with our entire range of beauty and skin care products, BB cream is perfect for travel. A single product provides hydration, light coverage, and sunscreen, and because it is versatile and easily layered, it can take you from day to nighttime looks without taking up too much space in luggage.
Tight schedules
If you have a busy schedule and don’t have time for a lot of daily fuss with your skin care routine, a BB cream is a great way to take care of your skin, get light coverage, and get going.
Moderate skin issues
If you have areas of mild redness, irritation, and blemishes, and want to simply even out those areas, a BB cream helps improve the look of skin. By providing light coverage as well as protection and nourishment, a BB cream can take care of the look of your skin today, while actually improving it for tomorrow.
No-makeup makeup
The natural look is extremely hot right now, and BB cream is an anchor of nude, natural styles.
Combination skin
Combination skin can be the most difficult to manage, but BB cream can help to hydrate dry patches without weighing down the skin or adding heaviness.
Is BB Cream Good for Dry Skin?
Generally speaking, yes. In fact, BB cream can be better for dry skin than many foundations, which tend to magnify problems with dry and aging skin. However, as we’ve mentioned, not all BB creams are formulated the same way. If you have dry skin, choose a BB cream with extra hydration, and a creamy, moisturizing formula.
Is BB Cream Good for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin?
Acne-prone skin can be the most difficult to care for. On the one hand, BB cream nourishes and protects the skin without oiliness or clogging pores, which makes it a great choice. On the other hand, people often want more coverage for breakouts than BB creams typically provide.
For light-to-moderate breakouts, choose a BB cream formulated for oily skin, and use a spot concealer if necessary. For severe breakouts when you need more coverage, you may want to opt for a CC or DD cream instead.
Conclusion
BB creams are good for the skin, with nourishing and protecting ingredients that don’t cake up the skin, clog pores, or create a heavy look. They are a great way to even out your tone, get light coverage, and provide all-day skin care in a single product. And the fact that they layer so easily gives you even more ways to customize your coverage.
Almost all skin types can benefit from a BB cream, and it’s a great product to keep on hand for days when you need less coverage or are short on time. Keep in mind that different manufacturers use extremely different formulas, so experiment and find the one that works best for you.
