Breaking down BB and CC Creams

First picture: Aveeno Clear Complexion BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Fair to Light

Second picture: Physicians Formula All-in-1 Beauty Balm Concealer, All-in-1 Beauty Balm Powder, All-in-1 Beauty Balm Cream, all in Light/Medium

Third picture: Hard Candy CC Crème in Medium and Dark

So, what is BB cream anyway? A hugely popular product in Asia that is just now taking the U.S. by storm, BB creams—the initials generally stand for “beauty balm” or “blemish balm”—is like a hybrid of all your necessary face products rolled into one. It should moisturize and include SPF; it should have a bit of a pigment or tint to it so it can serve as a concealer or foundation; and it should prime and add a glowing effect to the skin. Essentially, it does a little bit of everything, and should eliminate a few different steps from your facial routine each day.

But, because it has a little element of everything, it’s not going to totally moisturize your skin or totally cover up every blemish. Similarly, BB creams are usually offered in a limited color range, so you might not find a shade that directly matches your complexion. Nevertheless, the product is a huge time-saver, and I’ve found myself swapping out tinted moisturizers and SPF lotions for BB cream instead.

And, after BB creams began making inroads into the U.S. market, CC creams—the initials stand for “color control”—were close behind. These are thinner in consistency than BB creams but are supposedly better for your skin, more corrective in contrast with BB creams’ preventative properties. They tend to have higher levels of SPF and are more focused on color correction, fighting against dark spots or wrinkles. But CC creams don’t necessarily replace BB creams; because of their difference in texture, you could use the thicker BB cream during the winter months, when you don’t need as much SPF, and the lighter CC cream during the summer.

Where to start with these products? Try your local drugstore, since many mass-market brands are launching their own BB creams. 

Aveeno offers Clear Complexion BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30, which is only available in one shade (“Fair to Light”) but uses the brand’s Active Naturals Total Soy Complex as well as “natural light reflecting minerals” to create a flawless look. I’m more of tan, olive skin tone, and the product was too light on me, so this might be best for very fair-skinned women.

Similarly a bit disappointing was the Physicians Formula line of BB items, which includes All-in-1 Beauty Balm Concealer with SPF 30 in a clicking pen-style applicator; All-in-1 Beauty Balm Cream, also with SPF 30 and in a typical tube; and All-in-1 Beauty Balm Powder, also with SPF 30 and in a compact with a brush. All products are available in two shades, Light/Medium and Medium/Deep, and I received the former for review. According to Physicians Formula, the concealer and powder are the first products of their kind in the U.S., and all three items are supposed to cover up imperfections, minimize large pores, and even out skin tone.

But I found the Physicians Formula items to be, to varying degrees, problematic. The cream feels too slippery—almost greasy—and yet also not quite pigmented enough, so when I applied it to my face it just sheered out and seemed to disappear. It still felt heavy, however, which was a bit of a bizarre conundrum. Additionally, the color I received, Light/Medium, wasn’t perfect for my skin tone, but perhaps I couldn’t tell because it was so unnoticeable on my face? Ultimately Physicians Formula missed their mark with the cream, which didn’t make an impression on me whatsoever.

The concealer and powder, however, were far more effective. The concealer has a light, sheer formula, so it doesn’t pack much pigment, but it felt very moisturizing on my dark under-eye circles. I don’t adore this kind of click-pen applicator because I suspect product is getting lost in the tube, but because the texture is fairly thin, the concealer didn’t get clogged at all. The powder was similarly good: It has a matte, smooth finish that didn’t clog my pores or seem dry. Like the concealer, the powder is also fairly sheer, but in comparison with the cream’s oily texture, this was far better.

And ultimately, both the Aveeno and Physicians Formula products were better than Hard Candy’s CC Crème, which comes in four shades—Fair, Light, Medium, and Dark—includes SPF 15 and is exclusive to Walmart. Man, was I disappointed in this product. I received the Medium and Dark shades for review, and both came out very strong yellow, almost orange, tones that made me look quite sickly. Like the Physicians Formula cream, Hard Candy’s CC Crème felt greasy—much heavier than I expected a CC cream to be—and although I didn’t experience much fading during a six-hour wear test, the cream simply felt uncomfortable on my face. Similarly, SPF 15 seems quite low for this kind of product. Perhaps this could be a good option for a tween or teen looking for an affordable tinted moisturizer-type of product, but as a genuine CC cream, I don’t think Hard Candy hit the mark.

So of these three drugstore options, I would say check out the Aveeno BB cream if you’re in the right skintone range; skip the Physicians Formula BB cream and Hard Candy CC Crème; and experiment with the Physicians Formula BB concealer and powder if you’re interested. Most drugstores have really generous return policies these days, so what do you have to lose? For my favorite picks for BB and CC creams, though, click on to the next page.

AVAILABILITY: Aveeno’s BB cream is $16.99 and available at Target; Physicians Formula BB cream is $14.95, concealer is $12.95, and powder is $13.95, available at stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Ulta; and Hard Candy’s CC cream is $8 and available exclusively at Walmart.