Do You Know How to Choose the Best ‘CC’ Creams?

What are BB CC and DD creams? We asked makeup professionals for a rundown!

In recent years, makeup companies have produced so many miracle products that reduce redness, illuminate skin, help eliminate wrinkles, last longer, and more. The real miracle is making room for all these great beauty products on your vanity! Thankfully, new skincare and makeup hybrids were invented to serve multiple purposes so that you can get numerous benefits from one item. Color correcting creams, or ‘CC creams,’ are one combination product that helps even out skin tone and eliminate redness, and a CC cream could be a useful addition to any beauty arsenal.

Color correcting creams are lightweight tinted moisturizers that use light-diffusing particles to create an even look free of patchiness and discoloration. Since these creams are also part of the skincare family, they contain nutrients that nourish skin. These dual benefits offer value to those who have trouble finding foundations that will not cause breakouts.

Those with sensitive skin might also enjoy CC creams because they tend to be lighter than other makeup and hybrids. Plus, delicate skin is also protected from sun damage with CC cream, and some brands also work to stop wrinkles and zits from forming. This is a good alternative to other primers and foundations because the cream is meant to provide coverage while limiting the amount of makeup you need to apply, and the Stila CC Color Correcting Cream with SPF 20 is made with a natural formula and is paraben free.

If you experience redness all year or your face gets irritated in cold weather, CC cream can correct redness and is sheer enough that your face will not be caked in makeup. The cream also helps when chilly temperatures or harsh climates make skin look dull. The ORIGINS Smarty Plants CC SPF 20 Skin Complexion Corrector is a mouthful, but this CC cream works well when skin acts up in response to the environment and also helps protect against damage from smog and pollution.

CC creams are handy because they work as a moisturizer and primer that can be applied easily by massaging the cream into skin. The Olay Total Effects CC Cream is a pore minimizer that creates a completed look for makeup minimalists. While the cream is intended to create a natural look, those who want a more finished appearance for the office can mix the cream with foundation. Applying concealer after a CC cream also adds coverage and completely neutralizes blemishes.

People with oily skin may be worried about using makeup with a built-in moisturizer, but one could use CC cream as a replacement for a separate moisturizer and look for creams with non-oily textures. The CC Cream Age Defense SPF 30 is light like all CC creams and is non-oily, and this anti-aging cream by Skeyndor also focuses on firming skin and reducing wrinkles.

Ultimately, CC cream is a time-saving, multipurpose tool that creates a natural look without hassle. All CC creams moisturize and even out skin, so deciding which extra elements you need allows you to pick the right CC cream for you!