What Is BB Cream? Everything to Know About the Skin-Loving K-Beauty Product
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by Glamour editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.
You may have heard all the hype around K-Beauty skin care and makeup, but if you’re wondering “What is BB cream?” you're about to discover one of the best beauty innovations from South Korea.
The “BB” in BB cream can stand for a few things—beauty balm, blur balm, or blemish balm—but its effect is the same. The makeup-and-skin-care hybrid is loaded with skin-loving ingredients and blurring agents to smooth over imperfections while delivering a boost of hydration.
Some ingredients to keep an eye out for? Hydrators like hyaluronic acid and squalane, nourishing oils like avocado oil and mango oil, and anti-agers like peptides, niacinamide, antioxidants, and hydrolyzed collagen. Many BB creams will also include SPF protection as well, which is a great option for reapplying sunscreen on top of makeup.
Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer With Niacinamide and SPF
$48.00, Sephora
Erborian BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
$46.00, Revolve
A cross between makeup primer and tinted moisturizer, BB cream can be worn as is or as the base for foundation and concealer. Makeup artist Lauren O’Leary particularly recommends BB cream for mature skin and aging skin.
“As we age, we tend to lose moisture in our skin, so fine lines and wrinkles become more prevalent,” O’Leary says. “Many can act as a primer by prepping and smoothing skin, are moisturizing or brightening, and even have sunscreen.”
Maybelline Dream Fresh Skin Hydrating BB Cream
$10.00, Amazon
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint
$42.00, Amazon
BB cream pigments diffuse over skin, making skin texture like wrinkles and creases less noticeable. Most formulas are oil-free for a matte look, so if you’re looking for a dewy or glass skin finish, you may want to try traditional tinted moisturizer instead.
Most BB creams come in a cushion compact (another K-beauty innovation) with a sponge applicator, which O’Leary prefers over makeup brushes or fingers. “With a sponge you can get the most even application by pressing and rolling it into the skin, as opposed to using hands or a brush—where it can be a little more messy,” she says.
Want to try K-beauty’s favorite complexion product? Glamour did all the work for you by rounding up the best BB creams to wear now:
The 13 Best BB Cream for Mature Skin, According to Experts
Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer With Niacinamide and SPF 40
$44.00, Sephora
CoverGirl Clean Matte BB
$11.00, Ulta
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination with SPF 50+
$47.00, Sephora
Dior Dreamskin Fresh & Perfect Cushion Broad Spectrum SPF 50
$90.00, Sephora
Jane Iredale Glow Time Pro BB Cream SPF 25
$52.00, Ulta
Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
$39.00, Sephora
L'Oréal Studio Secrets Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream
$9.00, Target
Clinique Age Defense BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30
$43.00, Ulta
Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Perfector 4-In-1
$13.00, Ulta
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30
$37.00, Sephora
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint With Hyaluronic Acid
$22.00, Amazon
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Hydrating Skin Tint SPF 15 with Hyaluronic Acid
$46.00, Sephora
Erborian BB Crème SPF 20
$46.00, Ulta
Originally Appeared on Glamour
