If you love makeup, and everything regarding beauty, chances are that you’ve heard of BB cream. Hell, it might even be an integral part of your beauty regime, and so it should be!
WATCH: My Winter Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin by Hyram.
BB cream is a makeup staple that won’t break your bank, is good for your skin, and fulfills the role of a foundation. It’s the real MVP of any makeup bag.
So what even is BB cream?
If you still have no idea what BB cream even is (but use it regularly), we’re here to explain it. And lucky for you, it’s really simple.
It’s basically tinted moisturiser, with so much more goodness packed in. The ‘BB’ stands for Beauty Balm, or Blemish Balm. It evens the skin out like foundation does, but it a helluva lot more lightweight. It also delivers skin benefits that you could expect from serum or moisturiser.
FACT: BB creams were originally used by dermatologists post-skin surgery to help cover redness and heal skin at the same time!
The best BB cream is dependant on everyone because the point of the cream is to combine your own specific skin needs in one formula.
Thankfully, you can have more than one favourite BB cream! There are that many amazing ones out there. You might even want to switch up the ones you use due to your skin at any specific time. To help start you on your BB cream adventure, we’ve put together a list of the ten best BB creams in Australia.
La Roche-Posay Uvidea XL Tinted UV Protection BB Cream
Nourishing and luminous, this BB cream hydrates your skin and achieves a flawless complexion.
Real life review: “I have been wearing this BB cream for seven years and have gotten most of my friends obsessed with it – it’s my holy grail” – MADDY
La Roche-Posay BB Cream, $35.95 from Adore Beauty.
The Base By Lara Bingle LB Cream
This creation delivers a natural glow that we all strive for and that’s thanks to the hint of bronzer that’s in the formula. It’s also incredibly lightweight, so it allows your skin to breathe.
Real life review: “Love it! Feels so nice on the skin. Perfect for at home/everyday use or weekends when you want to look fresh and natural.” – LUCINDA
Rimmel London BB cream SPF 15
This BB cream is perfect for brightening tired skin. It primes, conceals, protects from the sun, and reduces the appearance of pores. It hydrates, awakens and brightens, all with its radiance-enhancing, natural-looking tint! It also comes in a matte finish.
Real life review: “This bb cream is great! I have been searching for a bb cream with sun protection that is lightweight for ages. It gives my skin a subtle, natural glow that is perfect for daytime wear. The only problem is that I have to mix in some moisturiser to lighten it as it the light colour is still to dark for my skin but that is regular problem for me.” – KATHERINE
Rimmel London BB cream, $13.95 from Chemist Warehouse.
it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream
When it Cosmetics calls its BB cream ‘your skin but better’ they really mean it.
Touted for its buildable coverage that will *actually* cover up your spots it comes in three formulas: it’s original BB cream, an illuminating cream and an oil-free matte cream.
Real life review: “I’ve purchased this 3 times. One layer gives medium coverage, and it’s enough to cover my imperfections! On days I want to have lighter or more natural complex, I mix this with my sunscreen and it looks flawless! Love this.” – CLARISSA
it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream, $63 from Sephora
L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Anti-Ageing BB Cream
This BB cream is ALL about being radiant. It’s what we all strive for! The formula is incredibly lightweight and it fights early signs of ageing with hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed soy protein.
Real life review: “I love a great B.B. cream for a natural coverage and I adore L’Oréal products. This age perfect age defying B.B. cream gives me great coverage and a really smooth radiant result. I love that it conceals small imperfections and fine lines and yet looks so natural. I recommend a good primer and moisturiser first for a flawless finish. It’s anti ageing ingredients really fight the signs of aging to give me a more youthful Dewey look. I absolutely loved this B.B. cream and would buy it again, great price, great packaging, no negatives. Loved it and would recommend it.” – DEBBIE
L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Anti-Ageing BB Cream, $26.95 from Beauty Crew.
Dr Jart+ Premium BB Beauty Balm SPF 40
This balm is the ONE you want for covering imperfections. But that’s not even its best quality. The serum is enriched with antioxidant bio-peptides and adenosine to make skin firmer and protect it from the natural elements.
Real life review: “Love love love! I’m 56 with sensitive dry skin. I use both colors, mix them to match my skin, and it gives great coverage (at least medium) and looks like my real skin. My skin is much less red since I’ve been using this, and the finish lasts all day. I love Dr Jart products!” – LISEGOlIGHTLY
Maybelline New York Dream Pure BB Cream
A lot of the BB creams out there are made for hydrating and blurring skin, but when your skin is acne-prone, you have bigger concerns. This BB cream contains two percent salicylic acid, which aims to look after breakouts, rather than simply covering them up. AMAZING!
Real life review: “Great for a foundation alternative! It has enough coverage for those lighter days. I love how Maybelline has so many variations for different skin types including different shades so there is something suitable for everyone! It also has SPF in it which I’m a big fan of! Def worth trying!” – EVANA
Bourjoiis Healthy Mix BB Cream
This BB cream is the one to go for if you need to fight any sign of fatigue. The formula contains vitamins A, C, E and B5 to brighten your complexion in the morning, and will keep your face glowing and all the way into the night.
Real life review: “The texture is light, the formula is easy to blend, and it gives skin a really believable-looking glow. What’s not to love about this base?!” – IANTHA (Beauty Editor at Beauty Crew).
Bourjoiis Healthy Mix BB Cream, $25.00 from Priceline.
Want more fashion, beauty, health and pop culture news from Girlfriend?
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Remembering Liam Payne: Special Tribute Issue
On sale now