VIDEO: Behind the Craze of BB Creams

Check out the latest sensation in makeup products- BB creams!

By Charleen Gonzalez


BB creams are the biggest thing in makeup right now, leading every makeup brand to release their own version of the beauty balm.

This latest craze promises to moisturize and offer built-in sun protection, but many formulas offer other skin benefits and foundation coverage. Choosing the right one really depends on what skin issues you want to tackle, but you're sure to find the right one in the sea of BB creams coming out.

What is a BB cream?
BB creams became wildly popular in South East Asia, especially in South Korea. The word BB actually means blemish balm or beauty balm. The idea behind the original BB creams was to have a light foundation, moisturizer, primer, blemish fighter, skin brightener and sun protector in one convenient product. U.S. versions of the Asian creams vary wildly, with some being little more than tinted moisturizers. A real BB cream has SPF protection, with variations in terms of the foundation coverage and skin benefits. Here are some of my top BB cream picks:

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Urban Decay

Urban Decay'sNaked Skin Beauty Balm with Broad Spectrum SPF 20 is not your typical BB cream. The formula is meant to flatter any skin tone and comes in one, universal shade which dries nearly transparent. The concept behind this product is not to give the skin any foundation coverage, but rather help blur the imperfections and let your natural skin shine through. This formula is great for those who don't like to wear foundation, yet still want to minimize the appearance of pores and lines, all while protecting their skin with SPF. The beauty balm also includes anti-aging ingredients like
Vitasource™ and Glyage® to help firm the skin over time. I like pairing this with the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation for a flawless look.

Tarte
Tarte really took their time to create its blemish balm, which rivals the Asian versions thanks to their BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen. What I like so much about Tarte in general is that they use natural ingredients in all their products. The BB cream includes tripleB complex, which is a proprietary blend of natural diamond dust, plants, and lipoamino acids to diffuse light and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This BB cream has a light to medium coverage, depending on how many layers you put on. Instantly after applying, my face appears more even, my hyper-pigmentation is diminished, and my pores virtually disappear. I also love how it is friendly to oily skin, as the cream dries to a silky, matte finish. It also has the benefit of being available in four shades.

Clarins
Clarins is known for their amazing skin care products, and they didn't disappoint with the launch of their BB Skin Perfecting Cream this March. What appeals to me the most about this BB cream is how incredibly moisturizing it is, while still giving a light foundation coverage. Even if my skin is looking dull and dehydrated, my skin looks more radiant and supple after applying a layer of the product. The BB cream includes radiance booster ingredients like Organic Kiwi Extract, which energizes and revitalized the skin, and Katafray Bark Extract for moisture and skin comforting properties. For an expert, no-makeup finish, Clarins has you covered. Comes in three shades.



Get the Products:
Urban Decay
Tarte
Clarins


To see more of Charleen' beauty videos check out her YouTube channel

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