Members of the oily skin gang will be delighted to discover this beauty balm that specifically targets shine and oil control. Mattifying the skin is the main aim of this BB cream and the water-based formula works all day to keep skin shine-free. It can be applied using just the fingertips or blended in with a sponge for those who don’t like to get their hands dirty.

While foundation will always have its place in our makeup bag, we just can’t go past the light, easy coverage that a BB cream affords. BB creams—short for beauty or blemish balms—are a hybrid between foundation and skincare. The idea is that they’re easy to apply and even out the skin tone while simultaneously improving its appearance. “BB creams are like a skin tint that provide fresh, healthy-looking coverage without the heaviness of a traditional foundation,” explains makeup artist and beauty expert Michael Brown.

BB creams FAQs

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Cahill says a BB cream is a beauty balm hybrid between skincare, primer, foundation, and/or SPF, whose goal is to lightly even out skin tone, treat, and protect. In contrast, a CC cream or color/complexion corrector is designed to correct uneven skin tone and add coverage while protecting your skin. For this story, we also interviewed two experts to gather more insights about what to keep in mind when buying a BB Cream. Those experts are:

Byrdie contributor Clare Holden was slow to convert to BB Creams, preferring to wear full coverage makeup AM to PM. But after her skin decided to erupt in unexplained breakouts she knew a change was needed. After discussing the situation with fellow makeup artists and testing out the offerings, she discovered BB Cream provided the perfect solution to give her skin a much needed break from heavy foundations without leaving her completely bare faced. Michael Brown is one of Australia’s leading celebrity makeup artists who has worked on the faces of Gisele, Sofia Richie and Alessandra Ambrosio.