Beauty Encyclopedia

BB cream

11.06.20240

BB-cream

BB cream: a universal skin care product with a toning effect.

Can BB cream replace the entire arsenal of skin care products?

The abbreviation “BB” literally means translated from English means “balm against blemishes”, “balm against blemishes” or “beauty balm”. The last formulation is used most often.

The innovative formula of the BB cream combines the actions of several cosmetic products at once: a caring day cream, a makeup base and a corrector.

History

Initially, the BB cream formula was developed by German dermatologists in the 60s of the last century to make life easier for patients who had undergone facial surgery or were victims of deep peeling.

However, in Europe, BB cream did not immediately catch on. It was called a “tinting moisturizer.” But in Asia, especially in South Korea, having been introduced there in the 80s, it quickly gained popularity, occupying the lion's share of the cosmetic market starting in the mid-2000s. Korean cosmetics manufacturers have improved the formula of BB cream, enriching it with beneficial moisturizing and anti-aging components.

Indications for use

BB cream is effective in the following cases:

    < li>Dries out inflammation;
  • Removes various skin rashes;
  • Evens out complexion;
  • Hides pigmentation;
  • Moisturizes;

    • li>

  • Can serve as a base for makeup;
  • Masks various defects;
  • Protects from exposure to sunlight.

BB cream and/or foundation

BB cream is very similar in its texture and principle of action to foundation, but still these are two completely different cosmetic products:

  • BB cream differs from foundation in its versatility. It not only hides skin defects, but also moisturizes it, whitens it, eliminates inflammatory processes, and fights the first signs of aging. Also, BB creams often have a fairly high SPF factor protecting the skin from the negative effects of sunlight, usually from 20 to 40;
  • It is generally accepted that foundation is much more successful at hiding skin imperfections, unevenness, age spots and redness, while BB cream only slightly corrects the tone and is not able to completely disguise serious imperfections. But this is not true at all. Today there are many BB creams, the texture and covering power of which is comparable to the effect of using foundation;
  • Before applying foundation, you need to cleanse the skin using a special degreaser and primer.  BB cream can be applied without special preparation simply to clean skin;
  • There are BB creams that can replace daytime skin care creams. You don’t need to apply any other care product underneath, except perhaps use a facial cleansing lotion from the same line of products;
  • In hot weather, foundation may spread, but BB cream will stay on the skin without changes throughout day.

Thus, for everyday skin care it is better to choose a lighter texture and more durable BB cream, while a thicker texture foundation is better to use in case of more serious skin problems. 

Also, these two products can be used simultaneously, applying BB cream under foundation. By successfully combining these two cosmetics, you can achieve both the “porcelain skin” effect and give your facial skin a more natural appearance.

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CC, DD and EE creams

To completely confuse everyone, cosmetic manufacturers, together with marketers, have released another line of masking products with a moisturizing function and sun protection, the so-called CC creams (translated from English – “color corrector”).

The difference between BB and CC creams is quite arbitrary and differs from brand to brand. Basically, CC creams have a lighter texture and contain so-called reflective particles.

There are also DD and EE creams — cosmetic products of a new generation, which have absorbed all the advantages of previous options, and plus have a rejuvenating and deeply moisturizing effect.

Advantages and disadvantages of BB cream

BB cream covers minor imperfections well facial skin defects: redness, unevenness, dark pigment spots, dark circles under the eyes, evens out the tone and at the same time has a fairly high protection factor from ultraviolet radiation.

Among the disadvantages of BB cream, like any product that takes takes on several functions at once, its lack of effectiveness in terms of skin care stands out. Therefore, you should not replace your usual set of daily skin care products with BB cream alone.

An incorrectly selected BB cream can clog pores and dry out your facial skin. Therefore, it is very important to take the choice of BB cream as seriously as possible, choosing exactly the product that suits your skin type.