What's the difference between a BB or a CC?

Remember when BB Creams first came in the cosmetics market? They were HOT! Then not long after that, comes CC Creams and now I heard there's gonna be a DD Creams next! Well, now we're confused! haha. Which one do we use then? Which one does the job the best? Which one will be your new best friend?

It seems like we can't open a magazine or turn on the television without seeing an advertisement for all those flesh colored fluids, right? And I'm sure if you’ve set your foot in any beauty or drugstore or cosmetics counters these days, you've probably seen a lotttttt of those items! - Liquid Foundations, Creme Foundations, Powder Foundations, Tinted Moisturizers, Tinted Sunblocks, BB Creams, CC Creams, DD Creams, and the list goes on! The alphabet formulations like BB cream, CC cream, and DD creams, have joined the tinted moisturizers and standard foundation on the shelves, as potential skin-perfecting options. But what do they all supposedly do? What’s the difference between them? And most importantly: Which should you use? O___o

BB Cream or CC Cream? Or soon in the market...the DD Cream?

Okay if you're a little confused, I'm gonna share with you what I know about these two popular creams in the market, the BB and the CC.

BB Cream, which stands for Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm, was originally meant to be an all-in-one product. So supposedly, instead of spending five minutes applying your essence/serum, moisturizer, base/primer, foundation and sunblock, you could just apply a BB Cream and you're all set. While its benefits seem to be endless, BB Cream is the world's best tinted moisturizer, packed with tons of benefits as well as SPF.  So most BB Creams would tackle additional jobs like shine protection and, my personal favorite, covering up some of those imperfections such as red marks/acne scars and discoloration that I have on my face. They’re lighter than foundation but heavier than tinted moisturizers. Although, personally I feel that BB Creams made my skin a little oilier. In terms of coverage, it differs from brands to brands, just like foundations. Some gives you medium coverage. Some gives you full coverage. You just need to try them on, to know if it's for you

This is my BB Cream that I tried on my hand that I purchased in a drugstore. This one gives me medium coverage. But the shade seems a little too white on my hand (my face is a bit fairer than my hand) But most BB Creams are available in three different shades: Fair-light, light-medium and medium-deep. - BB Creams are best for women with normal skin that don't really require a lot of coverage. 

Thanks to the moisturizer, serum and sunblock, you also have the added benefit of protecting your skin from the sun and decreasing skin damage with anti-aging properties. If you've used BB Creams before, you know that it goes on as smoothly as a tinted moisturizer, and it's also lighter than foundation! BB Creams would give you an instant sheer coverage and some SPF benefits delivered! It's perfect for a younger woman whose skin needs a little pick-me-up! - Great for people who don't like applying so many products on the face.

So anyway...in general, BB Creams tend to be more preventative...and CC Creams tend to be more corrective.

Okay now the CC Cream. The CC abbreviation actually stands for Color Correcting or Complexion Correcting. It is similar to BB Cream, but is more focus on the skin care part. Packed with vitamins C and E, the Complexion Corrector cream is similar to the BB cream.

While a BB cream will likely have an anti-aging elements and treat breakouts, a CC cream will focus on existing issues. What I like about the CC Cream is that it's lighter than a BB cream, it just feels like a moisturizer! And it also less oilier than BB! - CC Cream's primary purpose is to correct color-related skin issues, such as sallowness or redness. They're a little heavier on anti-aging, helping with uneven skin tone, age spots, wrinkles and other simple skin issues.

Just like the BB Cream, the CC Cream contains moisturizer, sunscreen and has the same amount of tint with the usual choices in fair-light, light-medium and medium-deep.

I bought mine from Hansaegee.com. It's white in color though. Not a tinted one. But I love the fact that it brightens the skin, not whitens it! 

Btw, Korea/Asia seems to be the trend setter for a beauty/cosmetics products, as opposed to Europe. So of course when I first heard there's a CC Cream in town, I'd try one from a Korean brand first! hehe

Normally the SPF in CC Creams would be higher than in BB Creams in an effort to help prevent additional skin problems caused by the sun. CC Creams are best used on skin with minor skin issues since it really tries to focus on fixing those problems! Because of its matte texture, it works great as a base for foundation! It's also less oily than the BB Cream..which can often give you the illusion of brighter skin and even diminish the look of discoloration! (BB Cream gives my skin a lot more shinier than it already is, to be honest! That's why I prefer the CC)

My CC Cream

The CC cream is a great addition to the makeup regime because of its multi-purpose use. So after reviewing some CC Creams in stores, I find that most of the CC Creams in the market are tinted with flesh colored. Honestly I don't prefer to use the CC Cream alone, on my skin. I needed more coverage on my face as I told you before, I still have my red marks from my acne that I suffered few months ago. Hence I wanted to use it with my foundation that I love. Personally I would prefer to use CC Cream + Foundation than a BB Cream alone, or a BB Cream + my foundation - although this may sound a little weird cuz the BB Cream is already like a foundation, so why would I wear both. haha. This is because the CC Cream is less oilier than the BB when applied on my skin. So if you're an acne-prone, or have dull skin, dark spots or constant redness, CC cream is for you.

I only applied them at the back of my hand. I didn't apply them on my fingers, to let you see the difference it made on my skin. The BB Cream made my skin a little whiter, while the CC Cream made the skin brighter!

Choosing your favorite BB cream and CC cream will often come as a result of the trial-and-error, because there is no uniform formula. It gets more confusing, when the BB or CC benefits and coverage vary greatly among different brands! Perhaps because it is a relatively new product to the beauty marketplace. So you have to be diligent in reading their ingredients and most importantly, trying them out to figure out what you want and need. Brighter or lighter or whiter or whatever.

When trying to decide between these two creams, start with deciding which type of coverage you need the most and your skin type. If you're looking for something that has more coverage, and are happiest with a quick make-up routine, I suggest you head to the BB Cream counter. But if you fall into the category of needing something that has a more of a natural look, and wants a liquid that works just like moisturizers but also can combat skin discoloration and age spots, then the CC creams will be your best choice!

Umm.....Still confused? haha. Just think of the BB Creams as the "makeup with skincare benefits", as it has more coverage and usually has primer included.. Plus more good for the skin ingredients than traditional tinted moisturizers and foundations.
And the CC Creams are more like "skin care with cosmetic benefits", so it has more of a skin benefit, with added vitamin C & E and dark spot correcting ingredients...and a sheer coverage.

Haha. Sounds almost the same, no? LOL. Just go and try them out and then figure which works best for your skin! Good luck! ;)


XOXO,
Shazzy.