The words ‘BB cream’ have picked up a huge buzz in the beauty industry. Every brand has released their own version and the double initials have even extended their reach to BB nail products and BB hair items – despite standing for ‘blemish balm’.
So, what is a BB cream?
BB creams first originated in Asia. Here, people can be prone to pigmention. So the words ‘blemish balm’ aren’t actually referring to spots, as we would usually refer it to. They were originally formulated to target pigmentation and to even the skin. They’re also infused with lots of amazing ingredients that help to create an overall glow.
So Editor-in-Chief Susannah Taylor takes us through her favourite BB creams and believe us when we say, she’s tested quite a few…
Estee Lauder DayWear BB Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit Crème with SPF30 , £34
An antioxidant beauty benefit cream with added SPF 35 (bonus to BB creams, they usually contain a fairly high SPF), it’s perfect to wear on top of your normal skincare. Susannah likes to wear it like foundation, as she tries not to look caked and more natural. Though BB creams tend to be quite sheer, so they may not be suitable for acne-prone skin. If you have greasy or combination skin, you may avoid applying moisturiser in the summer, so you might find yourself reaching only for this as it has added moisturising benefits. Once applied, it gives a glow to the skin and evens it out to give it a pore-less effect.
Garnier Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One BB Blemish Balm Cream , £9.99
For a relatively inexpensive choice, Susannah cannot recommend Garnier’s BB Cream enough. Actually one of the first on the market, this has remained a firm favourite of Susannah’s. Slightly lighter than the Estee Lauder one, this one is also very sheer and smooths out imperfections while allowing your skin to radiate through.
Burberry Beauty Fresh Glow BB Cream , £30
Discovered at a presentation by amazing makeup artist, Wendy Rowe, Burberry’s BB cream has an SPF of 20 and Susannah has been bowled over from the first time she used it – it just might even be her favourite. It instantly glides into the skin and disappears while evening the skin out. You don’t have to work into the skin and you really don’t have to be an expert at applying makeup. For Susannah, this is one of the most fool-proof BB’s on the market.
By Terry Soleil Terrybly Hydra Bronzing Tinted Serum , £59
While it’s not a BB cream, this is an amazing product for this time of year. If you don’t want to wear a heavy foundation and want to opt for something light, while maintaining a bronzed look to the skin, this is the one for you. It’s a brown liquid with luminescence in it, but not too much to make it obvious that you have something on the skin. Apply it to moisturised skin and you’ll be left with a veil of light bronzy glow. It also slightly evens out the skin and maintains the glow from your summer holiday. It’s also a bonus that it smells lovely.
Do you have a favourite BB cream? Or have you ever tried any that you really did not like? Let us know in the comments below!