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best drugstore bb creamIt's difficult to ignore a product that gives multiple benefits but has a pocket-friendly price tag. If anybody thinks that such a thing does not exist, then they probably don't appreciate the best drugstore BB cream products.
When they were still relatively new to the United States market, they sold around $9 million. The global market for BB creams is expected to reach approximately $3 billion by 2020.
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What Is a BB Cream?
The BB in its name stands for different things depending on who you ask, but Women's Health Magazine uses the Western meaning, "beauty balm." Others call it "blemish balm," "blemish base," and "beblesh balm."
If you're wondering, the word "beblesh" doesn't mean anything, according to a failed patent filed in 2009.
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Let's blow your mind some more: even if it was widely popular in Korea since the late 1980s, it was a German dermatologist, Christine Schrammek, who first came up with the formulation in the 1960s. It was later fine-tuned by South Korean cosmetic firms later on.
What it Does?
BB creams are multitaskers. It can work as a tinted moisturizer, and as a foundation for your make up. It can also protect you from the sun's harmful rays, as well as supply your skin with antioxidants. Depending on the formulation, it can also improve your skin's conditions and heal blemishes.
So if you are in a pinch, BB creams are your best bet for healthier skin that looks beautiful. You don't have to spend a lot of time or money on that perfect appearance.
The battle of abbreviations: BB vs. CC vs. DD creams
If you go up makeup aisles in drugstores or retailers, you will find that a lot of the products there use abbreviations. Apart from BB creams, you also have CC and DD creams.
It personally reminds me of weird bra sizes, but there's a slight difference among BB, CC, and DD creams. For instance, CC (color correcting) creams do everything BB creams can do but can even out your skin tone better while plying your skin with more antioxidants. Meanwhile, DD (daily defense) creams act as a savior for dry skin.
It has all the functions of BB creams, plus the skin tone benefits of CC creams, while also locking in the moisture on your skin. You should know that in Japan and Korea, DD creams are mostly used for knees, feet, and elbows, or anywhere that needs the additional hydration.
How to Choose a BB Cream
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When choosing the perfect BB cream, there are several factors to consider. Your skin type, for one. But this is easy because BB creams usually have labels that tell you if it's perfect for dry, oily, normal, or combination skin. Most BB creams are also suitable for all skin types.
Then you should consider what skin conditions you have and what you want to achieve. For this, you will need to take a look at the ingredients list. For instance, if you long for moisturized skin, then pick BB creams that contain hyaluronic acid.
If you want maximum sun protection, then choose one with a high percentage of zinc oxide. You can probably go by the sun protection factor that's often listed on the label as well.
Then there are the antioxidants included in the product. Antioxidants make BB creams do a better job of caring for your skin than regular makeup products. Some antioxidants fight wrinkles and other signs of skin damage, some prevent sunburn, and others facilitate skin repair. There are also antioxidants that can brighten your skin tone.
Further, you might want to choose a BB cream that matches your skin tone, as well as one that is not too thick, so it doesn't melt as you go through the day.
How We Chose
To compile this list of the best drugstore BB cream products, we looked at the highest rated products on Amazon, as well as the recommendations of credible beauty-related blogs and magazines, such as and .
Best Drugstore BB Cream Products: Top 7 Contenders
The best drugstore BB cream products are affordable and accessible, yet they deliver the same benefits that you can expect from the more expensive brands.
- DREAM FRESH BB CREAM: Daily 8-in-1 BB skin perfector brightens, smoothes, hydrates, & protects with broad-spectrum SPF 30. Gives skin a dewy finish.
- LIGHT COVERAGE FOUNDATION + SKINCARE BENEFITS = BB CREAM: BB Cream adjusts to skin tone, minimizes & blurs the look of pores, & reduces the appearance of redness.
- BEST FACE FORWARD: Maybelline has sheer, medium, & full coverage foundation in liquid, stick, & cushion foundation formulas, & a range of concealers, face primers, contour, highlighter, & pressed powders to help you create a perfect canvas.
- MAYBELLINE HAS WHAT YOU NEED to create any look—foundation, bb creams, concealers, & highlighters for the perfect canvas, eyeshadows, brow pencils, & eyeliners for any eye look & lip products, from showstopping matte lipstick to au natural lip balms.
- REMOVE MAYBELLINE MAKEUP WITH MICELLAR WATER: Use Garnier Micellar Water as a gentle makeup remover at night, & as a facial cleanser in the morning to prep skin for Maybelline makeup.
The Maybelline Makeup Dream Fresh BB Cream uses a water gel base that delivers all of its benefits without the heavy feeling. It has a dewy finish rather than a thick cover, as it also gives your skin a healthy glow. You can choose from five different shades for that perfect look.
This BB cream gives you eight benefits in one. It can help hide imperfections, protect you from the sun, and evens out your skin tone. It also brightens, hydrates, smoothes, and enhances your skin.
This oil-free product with SPF 30 is rated 4.0 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.
- Keeps the skin hydrated
- It restores elasticity to the skin
- Improves tone and texture.
Garnier SkinActive BB Cream Face Moisturizer is excellent for oily or combination skin. It delivers five benefits with just one product, making it one of the best drug store BB cream products available today. This Garnier BB cream hydrates your skin, controls shine, and minimizes pores. It can also keep your skin tone even and helps you avoid getting a sunburn.
With an SPF 15 formula, it also has wild berry and mineral perline. Studies show that 93 percent of women reported having an even skin tone, while 88 percent said that they enjoyed shine-free complexions with this product. Around the same number (84 percent) said that their pores are less visible.
The Garnier SkinActive BB Cream Face Moisturizer gets an average of 4.1 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.
- Discover L'Oreal's 1st Magic B.B. Cream with Beautifying Bead
- Encapsulated pigments infused in an ultra-light lotion with antioxidants Vitamin C & E
The L'Oreal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream can hydrate, correct, and perfect your skin. This light lotion can moisturize your skin and ply it with vitamin C and E, while also correcting and concealing imperfections and blemishes.
It also acts as a primer and helps make your skin healthier in the long run. It comes in four different colors, including fair, light, medium, and deep. These shades allow you to choose one that matches your skin tone perfectly.
The light variant gets an average of 4.4 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.
- COVERGIRL Smoothers BB Cream answers 10 of your skincare needs in a single tube. Pamper your skin with an instant skin enhancer that provides natural radiance along with a combination of all day hydration, lightweight, sheer coverage, and SPF 21 protection
- Get natural-looking radiance and all-day hydration with a lightweight formula that leaves skin feeling smooth
- Available in 3 shades, perfect for light to deep skin tones
- Sheer color for an instant skin enhancer
- Complete your look by using COVERGIRL Smoothers BB Cream before applying Smoothers Pressed Powder
The Covergirl Smoothers Lightweight BB Cream has been available since the start of the BB cream craze in the United States.
This lightweight BB cream is perfect for all skin types. You can get a natural-looking shine while moisturizing your skin. It also helps your skin be more elastic while offering SPF 15 protection from the sun's harmful rays.
It comes in three variants to help you find the perfect match for your skin: fair to light, light to medium, and medium to dark. The sheer colored BB cream will not clog your pores.
Covergirl Smoothers Lightweight BB Cream gets an average rating of 4.0 stars out of 5.0 from more than 600 reviewers on Amazon. Three out of four people give this product a 4.0-star rating or higher.
Over at Walmart, it has a slightly higher average rating of 4.2 out of 5.0 stars from more than 700 reviewers.
- 100% vegan & cruelty-free
- A true multitasker that hydrates, primes, illuminates, and perfects skin with a sheer finish
- Specialized mineral pigments that instantly adjust so one shade works for many
- Infused with coconut water, hyalunonic acid and plant stem cells
- Formulated without parabens, phthalates and other ingredients you don't want on your skin
With a sheer finish, the Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream moisturizes, primes, brightens, and then perfects your skin. It uses mineral pigments that blend nicely with your skin tone. It will also help erase those dreaded fine lines and make pores less visible.
This BB cream is 100 percent cruelty-free and does not use any animal ingredients, silicone, petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, or phthalates. Further, it has coconut water, hyaluronic acid, and floral stem cells. These help to hydrate your skin while helping to fight wrinkles and other signs of aging.
The best drugstore BB cream for that natural look, this product gets an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.0 stars on Amazon. It also gets 4.6 stars out of 5.0 from more than 200 reviewers on the company's online store.
- Infused with 100% Pure Argan Oil, known as Inchliquid goldInch for its rich conditioning benefits that improve skin's brightness, tone, texture and elasticity
- Multi-Tasking Magical Cream: Moisturizer + Foundation + Argan Oil Treatment + SPF protection
- Hypoallergenic; Gluten Free; Non-comedogenic; Paraben Free; Dermatologist Approved
- Glow Renewing Benefits: Evens Out, Smoothes, Moisturizes, Protects, Conditions
- Exotically scented formula instantly rejuvenates skin for a lit-from-within glow
Argan oil's many benefits include improving your skin's texture, elasticity, tone, and brightness. Is it any wonder why it's one of the ingredients you find in Physicians Formula Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing BB Cream?
This BB cream can do the job of your moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation. It is hypoallergenic, and dermatologist tested. It not only moisturizes your skin but also evens out your skin tone, protects and conditions it, while also smoothing out some of its rough patches.
The Physicians Formula Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing BB Cream gets an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.
The NYX Professional Makeup BB Cream comes in three colors: nude, natural, and golden. These hue options will help you achieve the no-makeup look without spending too much time trying to look natural.
This oil-free product will moisturize your skin for a smoother complexion. Some of the ingredients listed include ginseng root extract, which is known for its anti-aging, toning, and clarifying properties on skin. It also has hydrolyzed wheat protein that moisturizes and nourishes your skin. Meanwhile, benzyl salicylate and zinc oxide help protect your skin from the sun.
The NYX Professional Makeup BB Cream gets an average rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars on Amazon. It also gets a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.0 on the company's official store website.
The Skinny on the Best Drugstore BB Cream Products
The best drugstore BB cream products you can buy are more than just glorified foundations or tinted moisturizers. These products work hard to deliver several benefits for your skin. From protecting your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays to hydrating and protecting it, you can rely on these affordable BB creams to keep that healthy glow on your skin.
However, even the best drugstore BB cream does not offer you a magic bullet. Use it to augment both your skincare routines or your makeup rituals, instead of neglecting or replacing them.
For instance, BB creams generally do not have a high SPF or sufficient anti-aging action. Therefore, you will still need to use a proper sunscreen or a product that helps erase fine lines. You can also put blush on BB cream for a touch of color.
Nevertheless, you will not regret getting the best drugstore BB cream for your needs. At affordable prices, you get a world of benefits. Do you have a favorite brand? Talk to us about the best drugstore BB cream for you, and why you like it so much!
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