BB Cream or CC Cream: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Choose?

Sometimes there’s very little time for makeup after finishing the skin care routine. Esp in the morning or any lazy evenings while hanging out with friends or grocery shopping. Applying a good quality base will be the key to achieve – “The Ideal Skin”.

It’s always complicated to choose between foundation, BB Cream and CC Cream. Even choosing the correct shade and level of coverage, the finish could be really challenging!

Understanding the difference between BB Cream, CC Cream, foundations and tinted moisturizers, you need to learn about your skin type, and what kind of look you are choosing for yourself.

What is BB Cream?

The BB Cream is the shorter form of Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm which is used for correcting blemishes, a product that is somewhere in the middle between tinted moisturizer and foundation. It’s not too heavy, nor too light. The BB Cream lightly covers discoloration and provides light coverage and evens skin tone without using a heavy textured product.

BB Cream benefits skin as some of the products in the market contain ingredients such as vitamin E, niacinamide, hyaluronic acids, antioxidants, ceramides, SPF and more.

Vitamin E protects skin from UV radiation, prevents UV spots, age spots and protects skin against stress. It also strengthens the skin lipid barrier, keeps it soft and hydrated. It also reduces the sign of aging by collagen and keratin production, heals skin from inflammation and redness, improves sun protection and leaves the skin soft and smooth. Niacinamide builds skin barriers, reduces acne and sebum production, minimizes pores, improves skin texture and provides anti aging benefits, reduces irritation and keeps the skin calm. Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin, reduces wrinkles and fine lines, keeps the skin moisturized, smoothes and tightens skin, plumps skin, enhances skin barriers, improves skin elasticity, and reduces signs of aging. Antioxidants protect skin from UV radiation, environmental damage, prevent dark spots, brightens and evens skin tones, hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier and soothes inflammation. Ceramides strengthen the moisture barriers of skin, boosts hydration, reduces the signs of aging, and improves skin texture. BB Creams are a perfect blend of makeup and skin care, offering coverage, hydration, glow and protection.

BB Cream for oily skin with a non-comedogenic and oil-free formula, that provides oil control and matte-finish, dark spot correcting benefits, coverage, and glowing skin all day long. These products blurs clogged pores, and can act as the best sunscreen for oily skin. As BB Creams are light weight and give a natural finish, they can be applied again or easily removable using any kind of micellar water or cleansing balm. BB Cream for dry skin, reduces uneven skin tones, boosts moisture, improves skin barriers and provides sun protection and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Anyone with dry skin must try the products that provide dewy finish. Though SPF is included in the product, it’s recommended to wear sunscreen before applying BB Cream. There are products available for all skin types and sensitive skins as well. It is recommended to apply the shade on the jawline to find the correct shade. To get the best skin texture, a skin prep cream or a primer can be applied before applying the BB Cream.

BB Creams were developed for the patients experiencing skin irritation, redness and inflammation due to applying foundation after microdermabrasion or peeling treatments. These products blur imperfections and provide a balanced coverage. The k-pop culture and k-drama celebrities enhanced the popularity of this product as its capability to transform skin easily.

What is CC Cream?

The CC cream is the shorter form of color corrective or color control. This product is used for, of course, color correction, uneven tones and reduces the visibility of hyperpigmentation and other spots. The ingredients of CC Cream calms redness, inflammation and irritation of the skin.

CC Creams are skin-friendly formulas, though lighter than BB Creams. The ingredients may include vitamin C and mineral SPF. CC Creams can be worn as color correctors before applying foundation, applying with less amount of foundation will create a seamless and airbrushed texture. If applied on oily skin without foundation, it’s recommended to use setting powder to get the matte finish and wear a sun protection underneath. The shade selection process of CC Cream is the same as BB Cream.

If coverage is priority, foundation is the best choice as some of the products guarantee full coverage. Foundations have thicker consistency, and a less thicker option is available in the form of BB Cream. If the goal is to get flawless skin then CC Cream with Foundation will be the wisest option. It completely depends on the look one chooses to look with make up, the options are already there!

BB Cream Vs CC Cream

Feature	BB Cream	CC Cream
Primary Purpose	Hydration and Light Coverage	Color Correction and even tone.
Ideal For	Clear Skin	Specific skin concerns such as dark spot, acne spot, UV spot, pigmentation
Coverage	Light Coverage	May provide full coverage, and can be used as a concealer.
Key Benefits	Moisturizes, hydrates, contains SPF	Corrects uneven tones, discoloration, dark spots and swallowness
Texture	Dewy, moisturizing, hydrating finish.	Lighter texture, some may have soft matte finish. Some products provide more coverage than BB Cream.
Best Suited For Skin Type	Normal to Dry Skin	Oily Acne Prone Skin, Skin with Hyperpigmentation, and more specific concerns.
Key Ingredients	Moisturizers such as hyaluronic acids, glycerin, vitamin C, SPF and more	Pigments for color correction, Antioxidants such as vitamin C & E, Anti Aging ingredients.

Understanding the differences between BB Cream and CC Cream helps choosing the correct product according to specific skin concerns. An upcoming guide will explore the product selection based on skin complexions.