I looked. I got confused. And I asked for help!
I was in the middle of the ‘skincare’ section at this shopping mall when nothing written on those cute yet elegant packaging made sense to me! Frankly, a multi-step makeup routine is not my cup of tea. All I wanted was something to cover up my dark spots without much of a hassle, but labels like ‘C.C.’ and ‘B.B.’ gave me a hard time.
For almost a minute or two, I stared at the wide range of products that “could” fulfill my need. Luckily, there was an in-house skin expert who answered all of my questions!
And I feel so good that now I know what I am using on my face and not believing whatever the aunty from my regular beauty parlor told me! Here’s what we discussed!
What is a CC Cream?
What is this cream for? What does it do? Is it too cakey? I do not want it if it’s too cakey.
Well, here are the answers!
First things first, C.C. cream is a lightweight color corrector cream and not a foundation. So, it is definitely not going to end up giving you a cakey look. And most importantly it lies on the cusp of skincare and a hint of make up because these days formulations of a CC Cream have evolved a lot. For example, you will find CC Cream with SPF and PA factor or say CC Creams with moisturising and skin calming ingredients like Calmnerv CR , glycerin and Caprylyl Methicone etc. .
And in a very layman language, and as per your needs, a C.C. cream helps you even out the blemished/ hyperpigmented or uneven toned skin. With a good coverage, it gives a neutralized tone to your face
Benefits of CC Cream
I found it very interesting that a C.C. Cream has a lot many perks along with giving a subtle coverage.
To calm the skin and conceal the redness, a good C.C. Cream is enriched with skin calming ingredients like Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extracts. It is also packed with anti-aging color-correcting ingredients.
Besides this, it is going to hydrate your skin well giving you a quick on the go makeup finish keeping you away from different shades and layers of makeup.
“Another remarkable benefit of a C.C. Cream is that it has great SPF properties protecting you from the sun. This defends your skin against the dark spots/ hyperpigmentation triggered due to sun.” He pretty much summed up C.C. Creams for me. Not all coverage products take note of SPF and PA factors.
“Great! And what is the purpose of this?” I asked all perplexed while picking a pack of B.B. Cream.
What is a BB Cream?
“There’s nothing to get confused about!” He assured me. I smiled.
B.B. Creams are basically beauty balms. Such creams are only a very lighter version of C.C. Creams. Adding more to it, B.B. Creams are known to hydrate and moisturize the skin. This makes them even closer to a tinted moisturizer.
Benefits of BB Cream
The skin expert further delineated the other benefits of B.B. Cream. I learnt that this cream can act as a primer as well as a moisturizer in the layering of the multiple makeup products! Additionally, it offers a very light and sheer coverage from minor dark spots or blemishes.
Furthermore, a B.B. Cream has skin nourishing properties like hydration with a very mild coverage. It is available with or without SPF. anyway, you need to use a good broad spectrum sunscreen with a B.B. Cream as the ones with sun protection have a very low SPF; from around 10-30.
What works better- CC Cream or BB Cream on your skin?
I duly understood the framework of CC and BB creams. However, I was still confused with what to choose for my skin type.
Again the skin expert explained that most of the time, both CC and BB creams are designed to work for all skin types. Given that, you should also consider your requirements before making your decision.
As mentioned in the beginning, my prerequisites were to cover the spots, under-eye circles and blemishes on the skin. And since makeup is out of my league, I wanted to maintain a neutralized tone with a fine yet not so heavy coverage which would even protect my skin from sun damage. So, all the requirements matched with the properties of CC Creams infused with SPF. Therefore, I had my choice matching my skin tone!
I learnt something very important from the conversation that I had with the skin expert.
Enlightenment - No matter whether you are investing in makeup or skincare products, you shall always keep your skin first. Products that can help better your skin alongside coverage will help you build your skin health.
FAQs
1. Is it okay to use CC Cream daily?
Again, I had this concern because I was under the impression that regular usage might hamper my already affected skin. But truth to be told, I was informed that such creams are formulated for daily use. So, it's completely fine! Imagine a CC cream has SPF 50 or higher, and has skin calming ingredients, meaning you can apply it daily and it is going to suit every skin type.
2. Is CC Cream good for acne-prone skin?
My skin type is oily, and this made me worry what if after using it I might get acne and breakouts! Well, a solution to that is, while choosing a cream, look for the ‘non-comedogenic’ label on the packaging. This signifies that it won’t clog your pores and will keep skin breathable avoiding the buildup and ultimately acne.
