Want to save time in the morning while also saving counter space? Let’s be real, who doesn’t? Thanks to the best BB cream products, you can.
You might be wondering: what is BB cream?
According to WebMD, BB cream, also known as beauty balm, promises to do the job of six: moisturizer, primer, sunscreen, skin treatment, concealer, and foundation.
The best BB cream can disguise bags, blemishes, redness, and dark circles.
The best part is:
You won’t even look like you’re wearing any makeup. The best BB creams have a smooth, lightweight texture and provide coverage without looking cakey. It’s the perfect solution for when you don’t want to spend hours on your makeup.
Now:
Applying BB cream might seem complicated, but it’s not. We love the video tutorial by makeup vlogger Camila Coelho. She demonstrates exactly how to apply it, flawlessly.
Since choosing the right product isn’t easy, we spent hours testing and researching BB creams for your skin. The result? A list of the best bb cream products. We even categorized them based on your skin type.
And, if you’re in need of a foundation or concealer, we’ve got you covered there too.
#1 Best BB Cream Overall
Estee Lauder DayWear Beauty Benefit Creme SPF 35
- Moisturizes, protects, and perfects
- Both oil-free and oil-controlling
- Non-comedogenic; won’t clog pores
Pros
It’s no secret that Estee Lauder knows skincare, and the Daywear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit Cream is no exception. Rated a top product by Elle, Vogue, Cosmo, Allure, and Marie Claire, this BB cream works wonders on oily skin—combatting shine to maintain a grease-free complexion from morning to night.
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#2 Best BB Cream with SPF
Bobbi Brown BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35
- Multi-tasking formula protects skin in one easy step
- Available in a wide range of shades, from fair to dark
- Provides UVA and UVB protections
Pros
Bobbi Brown’s BB cream broad-spectrum is not only one of our Faves, but it’s touted by beauty experts from Elle, Refinery 29, Vogue, Cosmo, and Maria Claire. What everyone seems to love most about this product is that it not only protects instantly but corrects over time too. By combining moisturizer, sun protection, and foundation all in one, this BB cream will keep you looking fresh and flawless from the morning until evening.
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#3 Best Korean Beauty BB Cream
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42
- Lasts 8+ hours without the need for touch ups
- Doesn’t feel heavy and provides medium to full coverage
- Won’t make you break out
Pros
Moisturizer, UV protector, concealer, and foundation in one.
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Coverage
#4 Best BB Cream for Acne-Prone Skin
La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur with SPF 20
- Absorbs oil for all day matte skin
- Oil free and won’t cause breakouts
- Includes a broad-spectrum SPF 20
Pros
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Blur is the perfect BB cream for oily, acne-prone skin, as it contains a mattifying complex with airlicium and perlite. Additionally, it’s oil-free so it won’t cause breakouts, plus it contains SPF 20 for added protection.
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#5 Best BB Cream for Sensitive Skin
bareMinerals COMPLEXION RESCUE Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream
- Layers well with other makeup
- Provides a good amount of coverage
- Leaves a dewey, sheer finish
Pros
A multitasking gel cream that combines hydrating skincare benefits with SPF 30. Hypoallergenic and free of all silicone and perfumes.
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#6 Best Tinted BB Cream
Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen
- Leaves a natural looking glow
- Goes on smooth and is very lightweight
- Doesn’t settle into fine lines and wrinkles
Pros
Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer is a moisturizing, lightweight BB cream with SPF 20 and no harmful ingredients. Leaves the skin looking natural and dewy.
Tarte claims that Amazonian clay is one of nature’s most perfect ingredients, as it nourishes, hydrates, and absorbs surface oil from the skin. The clay gathers in the Amazon River basin where it is at its highest nutrient concentration until an eco-certified team sustainably harvests it. Then, the clay is naturally baked in the sun, which locks in the nutrients. Finally, the clay is shaved into a fine powder and infused into Tarte’s formulas. Pretty cool, right? If that doesn’t convince you, all of tarte’s products are paraben, mineral oil, sulfate, phthalate, and cruelty-free.
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#7 Best Drugstore BB Cream for Acne-Prone Skin
Garnier SkinActive BB Cream Oil-Free
- Brightens and hydrates skin
- Provides light coverage for a flawless finish
- Features SPF 15 for added UV protection
Pros
With hyaluronic acid and glycerin to hydrate, Vitamin C to brighten, and the SPF 15 sun protection, this BB cream is really an overachiever, grab-and-go beauty solution. Add to that the light to medium coverage this cream provides, and you’ll have everything you ever wanted in a BB cream.
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#8 Best BB Cream for Oily Skin
Smashbox Camera Ready Bb Cream
- Goes on smooth and blends well
- Moisturizing without being greasy
- Feels like you’re wearing nothing
Pros
An award-winning, oil-controlling BB cream with SPF 35.
Product Ratings
Coverage
BB Creams for Acne-Prone Skin Tips & Advice
What is BB cream and what does it do?
According to WebMD, BB cream, also known as beauty or blemish balms, promises to do the job of five or six other jars and tubes: moisturizer, primer, sunscreen, skin treatment, concealer, and foundation. So what exactly does the “BB” in BB cream stand for? Well, some say Blemish Balm, and others refer to it as a Beauty Balm. We think it should be called a Miracle Balm because miracles are what it does.
A quality BB cream can disguise bags, blemishes, redness, and dark circles. It can make a tired face instantly look fresh. The best part is, you won’t even look like you’re wearing any makeup. The best BB creams have a smooth, lightweight texture, provide coverage without looking cakey, and have an impressive ability to stay put throughout the day. It’s the perfect solution for when you don’t want to spend hours on your makeup. What it doesn’t do is cover like a foundation. This product is for the days you don’t feel like wearing any makeup but still want some coverage. It has enough tint to even out redness but won’t cover anything major.
How does a BB cream work?
BB creams work wonders because of all of the impressive ingredients that go into them. A BB cream with SPF in it will typically have zinc oxide or titanium oxide in it. Anti-aging BB creams will have peptides and Vitamins A, E, and C in them. Many BB creams also have silicone-based ingredients that fill in pores and help smooth the skin as a primer would. Since BB creams also moisturizers, they often will have ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or coconut-derived products.
Is BB cream good for you?
While BB cream is not necessarily good for you, we think it’s better for your skin than applying five separate products at a time. Think about it, typically you would apply a moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, concealer, and medium to full coverage foundation. Not to mention, setting powder when it’s all finished. That’s six layers of product on your delicate skin. With a BB cream, which is lightweight and packed full of skin-loving ingredients, your skin only has to bear one layer. Not to mention, you’re saving time in the morning and that’s also good for your sanity.
What is the difference between BB cream and CC cream?
Between BB creams, CC creams, and now DD creams (yes, we’re serious), it’s hard to know which letter is right for you. Well, here’s the scoop. The truth is, BB and CC creams aren’t too different from each other. While the “BB” in BB cream stands for “Beauty Balm”, the “CC” in CC cream stands for “Color Correcting”. BB cream works as a skin treatment, primer, moisturizer, and light foundation all in one. A CC cream focuses more on color correction and evening out skin tone. Its formula is made to address redness and scarring. This is why CC cream is perfect for those of you with acne, dark spots, or blemishes. Or, it’s for anyone who simply wants a lighter coverage. CC cream is much lighter on the skin and doesn’t provide as much coverage as a BB cream.
Do you need a moisturizer with BB cream?
Since BB creams work as a primer, moisturizer, SPF, and foundation all in one, there is no need to apply an additional moisturizer. Many BB creams contain hyaluronic acid and glycerin in their formulas, which help keep your skin moisturized throughout the day. However, if the BB cream you are using doesn’t have SPF in it, you should apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF in it beforehand. The benefits of sunscreen are simply immeasurable. First and foremost, sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UV rays, which can cause sunburn, wrinkles, brown spots and skin discoloration, and, in extreme cases, even cancer. So the use of sunscreen will protect your skin, keeping it looking (and feeling) young and fresh.
What is the best BB cream?
The Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 is a moisturizer, UV protector, concealer, and foundation all in one. The consistency of this best-selling Korean BB cream is smooth and very creamy. It’s not a thin, watery formula, but it’s not so thick that it’s difficult to apply. Although this cream provides great coverage, this is not a full-coverage product. But, compared to the US BB creams (which provide the same amount of coverage like a tinted moisturizer) Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream provides a lot more coverage. After applying, this product leaves a glowed, semi-matte finish on your skin. The Gatuline RC, Hyaluronic Acids, and Ceramide moisturize and improve your skin’s elasticity while the Rosemary and Chamomile extract soothes the skin. Missha’s formula also contains SPF 42, which is the highest we’ve found in a BB cream.
What is the best drugstore BB cream?
The Maybelline New York Dream Fresh BB Cream is cheap (only $7), but works just as well as expensive brands. Maybelline is just about as good as it gets if you’re looking for a cheap product. This stuff is light, creamy, and leaves your skin flawless. The Maybelline formula is extremely lightweight, which is why it feels like you aren’t wearing any makeup (goodbye cake face). This stuff basically just blurs, blends, and evens out coloring. The texture is on the creamy side, which is why it blends flawlessly. It also has a few shades to choose from (5 to be specific) so you can find a close match for your skin. This BB cream does not contain any parabens, either. This product does contain a good amount of glycerin and also propylene glycol, which are humectants (a fancy word for an ingredient that pulls water from the air and keeps it on the skin). So in other words, this product is going to feel pretty moisturizing. The best news is, it can be found at almost any drugstore.
How do you put on BB cream?
You can apply BB cream in many different ways just like you would apply foundation. Some prefer to use their fingers, while others like using a brush or sponge. However, we love using a sponge for everything. It gives you a smoother, airbrushed look every time. Want to apply BB cream like a pro? Here is the absolute best way.
Step 1: Cleanse your skin thoroughly
Before putting on BB Cream, it’s important that your skin is completely clean. Using a good face wash can make all the difference in how your skin feels.
Step 2: Read the label on your BB Cream
Is there SPF in your BB cream? If not, apply a quality sunscreen before putting on your cream. It’s important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays before stepping foot outside.
Step 3: Apply your BB Cream with a brush or sponge
Unfortunately, there is an ongoing controversy about the best way to apply BB cream. In our opinion, using a Beauty Blender is the absolute best (and many pros will agree). Apply five dots of cream to your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Simply dampen your Beauty Blender and repeatedly tap the cream while blending out towards the outside of your face. Don’t forget to apply it over your eyelids, too.
Step 4: Touch up blemishes, dark spots, and acne
Allow your BB cream to dry for a minute or two. If there are areas that need more coverage, such as blemishes, dark spots, or acne scars, tap (with your fingers or Beauty Blender) to touch them up.
Step 5: Set your BB Cream with powder
Just like you would with foundation, you must set your BB cream with a translucent powder like Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder. Using a soft brush or Beauty Blender, gently tap the powder onto areas that get shiny, such as your nose and forehead. Also, apply powder to your eyelids and under-eye area. This will keep your eye shadow in place and keep the BB cream from rubbing off throughout the day.
Can you use BB Cream as a primer?
This question is a debated one among makeup artists. Typically, you can skip the primer if you are wearing a BB cream. Many BB creams contain silicone-based ingredients in their formulas, which help fill in fine lines and pores. However, there are some who say you should still use a primer if you’re looking for shine protection or oil control. The final verdict: You may or may not need a primer beforehand. Depending on the BB cream you choose and your skin’s needs, using a primer first may improve the performance of your BB cream. If you have oily skin, you probably should. If you have normal to dry skin, you can go without a primer.
What is BB Cream foundation?
BB cream foundation is just another name for BB cream. In fact, BB cream and foundation are two entirely separate products. And, they’re pretty different in what they do. BB creams actually fall somewhere in between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation. They are super lightweight and leave your skin with a dewy glow. BB creams are perfect for days when you want a little coverage but don’t want to wear a full face of makeup. They are great for the beach or days where you’re just running a few errands. One of the biggest differences between BB cream and foundation is the coverage. Foundation is a lot thicker and covers a lot more of your skin. And, it often doesn’t contain SPF or skin treatments.
Can you use BB Cream and foundation together?
You definitely can, no one’s stopping you. But the purpose of a BB cream is to give you the coverage you need without having to use so many products. BB cream gives you lighter coverage with the added benefits of a moisturizer and SPF. So, there is no need for a foundation. Unless of course, you need more coverage, then you could use BB cream and foundation together. If do you do decide to wear BB cream as your base, just remember it has a little coverage already. So, you won’t need as much foundation as you normally would use.
Which is better: BB Cream or foundation?
This is a question that really depends on what you’re looking for. As far as sun protection, hydration, and improving the overall appearance of your skin, BB cream is better. Although some foundations contain SPF, not all do and they’re often too low. Many BB creams contain SPF with some containing an impressive SPF 50. BB creams are also known for being very moisturizing where foundations don’t typically have any hydrating ingredients. Depending on which BB cream you’re using, they can also contain vitamins and anti-aging ingredients.
For coverage and shades available, foundation is better. If you’re looking for something with more coverage, you definitely want to go with foundation. BB creams have a light tint, which is enough to even out redness, but not much else. Plus, most BBs come in light, medium, and dark. So, it can be difficult to match your skin.
The bottom line: have both on hand. BB cream and foundation are both great products and ones that you want to have in your makeup bag at all times. You can use BB cream when you’re short on time or on days when you don’t have a lot going on. While you can use your foundation when you want to look your best. There’s no reason to choose one over the other.
