All the rage, bb and cc creams and their virtues have been widely lauded since their launch in the western world (like most cool beauty bits and pieces, they’ve been big in Asia for years).
So, most of us know the benefits by now — basically these lightly tinted creams are multi-purpose tubes of wrinkle, blemish, UV, dry and redness fighting components, and are designed to not only replace your foundation, but a slew of other products in your beauty bag too. And with so many uses, and so many on the market, picking the right one for you can be a challenge.
So here we talk you through five of the best, why we love them and what they can do for you.
Erborian bb Crème Light Allergenic
Big, big, big in the beauty world internationally, we predict the same cult-potential here in Australia for Eborian. This light and hypoallergenic version is one of our favourites yet. Containing Chinese camellia, Huang Qin and Japanese knotweed these ingredients help to calm the skin as well as reduce the signs of aging. SPF 25 helps to protect skin and the finish is a soft, velvety feel. A little of this goes a long, long way, and in my opinion isn’t the most hydrating bb cream on the market, which simply means it’s perfect for mixing with your favourite moisturiser for a lovely, light coverage for day to day wear.
Erborian CC Crème HD à la Centella Asiatica
Another top pick (yes, Erborian know how to do bb and cc creams right thanks to their Korean heritage). This ‘high definition’ radiance skin perfector is made from concentrated CC pigments, a new generation of ‘Colour Controlling’ pigments. Melting onto the skin, to add some luminous freshness and radiance to any complexion, this cc cream prevents the first signs of ageing, moisturises, enhances your skin and helps diminish imperfections. You can wear this alone if you aren’t a huge fan of heavy makeup (perfect for wearing to the gym, or when casually running errands) or else, pair with a coloured base and apply first as a light priming product. Even try mixing it in with your ‘coloured’ base products for extra radiance –- who would ever say no to that?
Mayebelline New York Dream Pure bb Cream
Oily skinned girls, ladies with blemishes to fight, or even lasses who feel a little shiny from time to time, this is the bb cream for you. Containing just 2% salicylic acid and vitamins, this oil-free and non-greasy bb cream offers smooth coverage with just a touch of colour. It contains SPF 15, and helps to soothe redness, diminish blemishes and minimise pores. Even though it fights oil, this bb cream is anything but dry. And the 2 tones may seem limiting, but both work to colour correct and adjust to your natural skintone. One of my top choices.
Sanctuary Spa Skin Perfecting bb cream
If you are looking for a mega-hydrating cream and want a smooth and natural coverage all day long, look no further than this Sanctuary Spa version. Just as hydrating as their illuminating moisture lotion (which means super hydrating) and containing SPF 15 protects from UVA and UVB damage, this cream provides instant radiance to skin and 24 hour hydration. The Medium to Dark shade adds a healthy glow to medium toned skin and should sit perfectly against darker tones. A little of this cream also goes a long way, so it should last you a long time. Bonus.
Ultraceuticals Ultra CC Cream Mineral Tint SPF 30
This is one of the newest cc creams on the market and one we think you are going to love. Formulated with Ultraceuticals unique B² Hydrating Technology (Vitamin B5 & B3, Hyaluronic Acid) and infused with Broad Spectrum SPF30 sun protection, it helps to prepare the skin against future environmental stresses, whilst the potent active brightening extracts and conditioning ingredients in this cream help to restore your skin’s radiance!