BB cream or blemish balm cream has been tauted as a wonder product. It evens out skin tone, just like a foundation or tinted moisturizer, but also offers other benefits like high SPF and anti-aging ingredients. But it’s not for everyone. Assess your lifestyle to find out whether to get BB cream or foundation.
Do you have a lot of time in the morning?
BB cream is great for those who don’t have the time or inclination to layer several products. I can work as a moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup base.
How much makeup do you usually wear?
If you don’t like to wear makeup and just want to even out skintone, BB cream is for you. But if you like wearing eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, BB’s thicker formula can work against eye primers or makeup primers and all those layers feel heavy on the skin. You’re better off with a liquid or cream foundation, lightly stippled with a brush.
What’s your skin type?
People with oily skin should avoid BB cream which can clog pores. However, people with dry skin or mature skin benefit from the extra moisture and anti aging ingredients.
What’s your climate?
BB cream doesn’t hold up well in very hot or humid weather. On sweltering hot days a tinted moisturizer or light liquid foundation works best, combined with a powder foundation to absorb oils.
What’s your skintone?
BB cream disappears into your skin and looks absolutely flawless and natural–if you’re lucky enough to find a perfect match. Most BB creams only have two or three shades, whereas foundations come in a wider range of skintones. However, you can try mixing a BB cream with foundation to get a closer match. (If you have the wrong color of foundation, read our fast fixes.)