Welcome to Beauty School! Every Monday, JET experts will teach you how to preserve your sexy. This week, make-up and hair expert Dre Brown offers insights on BB and CC creams.
With a couple years of buzz under their belts, BB and CC creams are now part of the mainstream beauty vernacular. But what about the brown girls? Have you caught up on this young trend enough to know how to integrate these alphabetized multi-purpose “miracles” into your beauty regime? Let’s sip some “tea” on these concoctions and see what to look out for when considering adding one to your cosmetic collection.
Multi-Benefit Muscle:
With so many steps required in getting “flawless skin,” finding a product that covers multiple bases is definitely a plus. Both Beauty Balms (BB Creams) and Color Controllers/Correctors (CC Creams) offer the effects of moisturizers, primers, and pigment all in one. But knowing what your needs are specifically is essential in choosing what cream might be right for you. Antioxidants, moisture and radiance are universally appealing, so look beyond those benefits at consistency and coverage quality to narrow down your options.
BB creams often are richer in texture and offer emolients for dryer skin textures; whereas CC creams tend to have a lighter formula better suited for oily complexions. And, considering all of the benefits packed into those tiny BB and CC tubes, one mustn’t confuse them for foundations or heavier coverage products. These concoctions offer some coverage while creating a “glow” or dewiness over even skin. However, many women opt to utilize their BB or CC cream in combination with their choice of foundation or pressed powder for a richer finish.
Sheer or Shady:
When BB and CC creams first hit the US, many featured varieties from fair to medium. Even with lighter coverage, browner beauties were left to layer BBs with other products to ensure proper shade matching. Originating in Europe and Asia, the first of these products were originally tailored for fairer complexions, yet many brands have since broadened the spectrum of shades to help meet the needs of more consumers.
CC creams also boast tone balancing benefits that many believe can correct hyper-pigmentation and blotchy-ness with continued use. Considering these issues are prevalent among women of color, choosing a CC cream to pair with your choice of foundation or powder could prove to be a smart move in ultimately achieving even skin.
Top Picks: Check out these brown skin friendly BBs & CCs along your miracle cream quest!
Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer – about $35, various online retailers
BlackUp Paris CC Cream – $39, blackupcosmetics.com
IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB CRèME – $17, most drugstores
What is your favorite BB or CC cream? Let us know in the comments!
