skin care essentials BB Cream vs. CC Cream: What's the Difference?

Whether you’re new to the world of makeup or a beauty aficionado who stays up-to-date with the hottest and latest trends, you’ve likely heard of BB cream and CC cream. While both creams are awesome picks for days when you want to wear minimal makeup, they’re not quite the same. 

By understanding the difference between these tinted face creams, you’ll be able to pick the right one for your skin care concerns. Below, we’re covering the differences between BB cream and CC cream and how to use them, so you can determine which is best to add to your makeup routine.
 

What Is BB Cream?

BB cream, short for beauty balm or blemish balm, is a skin-first product, meaning it’s meant to hydrate, illuminate, protect, or mattify the skin. BB cream is basically a do-it-all skin care, makeup hybrid. It offers sheerer coverage than foundation, which is great for everyday use or for anyone who loves that no-makeup, makeup look. 

When Should I Use BB Cream?

BB creams are super versatile and there are formulas out there for all different skin types. The L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream is formulated with antioxidant vitamin E to smooth the skin’s texture, correct uneven complexion while hydrating and hiding blemishes.

If your complexion looks red — whether from sun damage or acne — try the L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Anti-Redness (For All Skin Types). This BB cream has a green tint that transforms into a universal shade to help reduce the look of redness. Thanks to its multi-benefits, you can skip primer and moisturizer and just apply this one color-changing product.

If your complexion looks dull, try the L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Anti-Fatigue (For All Skin Types). This BB cream is formulated with color-transforming pigments infused in an ultra-light lotion to help revive the appearance of tired skin. It’ll refresh the look of your skin, correct the look of skin for an even-looking complexion, and hydrate for all-day moisture.

What Is CC Cream?

The “CC” in CC cream stands for color correcting or complexion corrector. It neutralizes the appearance of imperfections by utilizing colors opposite each other on the color wheel (for example, green cancels out red). Instead of using a different color correcting concealer and foundation, you can take care of all your color-correcting, and coverage needs with this one product. 

When Should I Use CC Cream? 

On days you don’t want to wear a ton of makeup or are pressed for time, CC cream also comes in handy. Offering more coverage than BB creams, CC creams tend to have thicker, heavier formulas and can help to further disguise imperfections like dark spots. You can also look for a CC cream that’s also formulated with broad-spectrum sunscreen so that you can cut out another step in your daily skin care routine. 

Editor’s tip: Blending is a crucial step to achieving a seamless finish, so whether you decide to apply a BB or CC cream with your fingers or a makeup blender like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender, smooth it onto your face in circular motions and build coverage as needed.

What’s the Difference Between BB Cream and CC Cream?

While similar, CC cream offers more coverage than BB cream. Use BB cream for days you want lighter coverage and a natural look, and grab CC cream when you want more more of a color payoff as well as color correction. 

Next: What's the Difference Between Tinted Moisturizer, BB Cream and Foundation?

Photo Credit: Chaunte Vaughn