20+ Differences Between BB Cream And CC Cream (Explained)

BB cream and CC cream have always been for the rescue if the heaviness of the foundation does not appeal to you. The natural look and sheer coverage of both of them will give your face an enhanced tone, along with working as a moisturizer.

Even though both possess some similar characteristics, they also share some major differences. 

Major Differences Between BB Cream And CC Cream

What Exactly Is BB Cream?

Stepping out in the scorching heat without any sunscreen? That’s a bit damaging, don’t you think? Be it acting like makeup or protecting yourself from the harsh sun rays, BB cream is the right choice for you. 

BB cream provides extra coverage while being lightweight. Being suitable for every skin tone, it provides you with a vitamin-enriched glow that is accurate for your daily use. 

‘Beauty balm’ or ‘blemish balm,’ commonly known as BB cream, is made up of all the elements necessary for a good complexion- Primer, foundation, and moisturizer.

What Exactly Is CC Cream? 

‘Colour correcting’ or ‘complexion correcting,’ also referred to as a CC cream, helps in hiding the unwanted redness of your face.

It also helps in enhancing the skin tone of your face. In other words, if you want to even out your skin color and hide the discolored spots on your face, CC cream is your go-to. 

This cream includes light-deflecting particles that can effortlessly hide your dull, tired, or swollen skin. It also does not clog your pores or cause the skin to break out. Since it’s lighter than BB cream on the skin, it can work on every skin type, especially oily skin. 

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The key differences between BB cream and CC cream:

BB Cream-

  • It moisturizes your skin
  • Helps in skin smoothening
  • Can be used in place of primer, lightweight foundation
  • Contains SPF
  • Benefits on the basis of your skin type

CC cream-

  • It provides medium to full coverage
  • It is specifically used for ‘color-correction.’
  • For anti-aging, it contains some skin-friendly ingredients.
  • Acts as a natural foundation
  • Serves as a primer before applying makeup
  • Hides dark spots and hyperpigmentation 

Parameter BB Cream CC Cream 
AimProvides refresh, brightening, hydrated and smooth skinGives a result similar to using a foundation along with a color-correcting concealer
Skin typeDry skin Oily skin
Meaning Beauty balm/blemish balmColour corrector/ Complexion corrector
TextureHeavyLight 
Coverage LightMedium to full
Recommended forAn even skin tone and skin brightening Hiding enlarged pores, redness, and uneven texture
Benefits Conceal
Sun protection
Fresh skin
Smoothening
Even skin texture
Prime 
Hydrate 
Hydration
Sun protection
Conceal 
Anti-aging
Exfoliate 
Colour correct
Strengthening skin against dehydration 
Prime 

Contrast Between BB Cream And CC Cream

Purpose

  • BB Cream – It helps to even your skin tone and moisturize the skin. It will work on brightening your natural skin complexion, blurs facial lines and wrinkles, and hides dark spots. If you are always on the go, this cream will help you maintain your skin’s natural tone. 
  • CC Cream – Looking for anti-aging cream? Look no more, and CC cream is developed for your needs. It gives you more coverage than BB cream and corrects skin discoloration, which includes redness, dullness, dark circles, scarring, and whatnot. 

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Both BB cream and CC creams can be used as:

  • Primer 
  • Concealer 
  • Sunscreen 
  • Moisturizer 
  • Highlighter 
  • Skincare treatment 
  • Foundation 

Meaning

  • BB cream – It refers to ‘Beauty balm’ or ‘Blemish balm.’
  • CC cream – It refers to ‘Colour control’ or ‘Complexion corrector.’

Application

BB Cream- Steps to apply BB cream are:

  • Place the BB cream, about the size of a coin, in your hand. Now using either your finger or a damp beauty blender, spread it out evenly on your face.
  • With the help of your fingers, massage the cream on your face until it gets absorbed completely. You can also opt for a makeup sponge for blending it in case you need an airbrushed look. 
  • Once completely done, you can use concealer to add more coverage.
  • Even though applying BB cream is a finished look in itself, you can easily achieve a matte appearance by using a setting powder. But it is completely optional. 

CC Cream- Steps to apply CC cream are as follows:

  • Wash your face with clear water 
  • Take a small amount of the cream and put it on your face in the form of small dots.
  • Focus on the areas in which you want to color correct. It can be under your eyes or on your jawline. 
  • Now, with the help of a damp beauty blender, blend the cream on your skin. Carry out this process until you get the coverage that you need. 
  • In case you need to put on a full coverage look, you can opt for finishing powder. It will give you a sheer matte finish. Or you can simply use the foundation to keep it hassle-free. 
  • Keep in mind that a primer can stop your skin from absorbing the moisturizer. So it’s better to stay away from using a primer. 

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Some top-quality BB creams:

  • L’Oreal Paris True Match BB La Crème
  • Maybelline New York BB cream
  • Pond’s White Beauty SPF 30 Fairness BB cream
  • Missha M BB Cream Boomer

Some top-quality CC creams:

  • IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream
  • E.l.f. Cosmetics Camo CC Cream
  • Erborian CC crème 
  • Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting CC cream 

Ingredients Included

BB Cream- The key ingredients included in BB cream are:

  • Skin protecting vitamin and minerals
  • Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as mineral SPF
  • The moisturizing of the skin is done by ceramides and hyaluronic acid
  • Peptides and hydrolyzed collagen will help in maintaining the firmness of the skin
  • Skin brightening is done with the help of licorice root and niacinamide

CC Cream- The key ingredients of CC cream are as follows:

  • A titanium dioxide and zinc oxide-based SPF for protection from the sun
  • Antioxidants and minerals for use as skin protectants
  • Licorice root and niacinamide brighten ups the skin
  • Shea butter, soy, and green tea act as skin soothing agents
  • The skin firming is carried out by agents like hydrolyzed collagen and peptides. 

Recommended For

BB Cream- As mentioned before, this skin-perfecting, tinted moisturizer provides sheer coverage. Its coverage is more than the coverage provided by any foundation. You are recommended to use it if you want any of the followings:

  • Skin brightening
  • Skin hydration 
  • Smoothening of skin 
  • Refreshed skin  
  • An even and flawless skin tone

CC Cream- The anti-aging properties of this cream provides you with lighter coverage than BB cream and foundation. It also has an airy texture which makes it lighter on the skin. It is recommended for people who have:

  • Enlarged pores
  • Rosacea which causes redness in the skin 
  • Uneven texture 

Coverage

  • BB Cream – It gives light coverage. 
  • CC Cream – It gives medium to light coverage. 

Texture

  • BB Cream – The texture is heavy.
  • CC Cream – The texture is light and airy. 

Benefits

  • BB Cream – Be it blemish-prone or oily skin, BB cream seems to soothe any skin type. The antioxidants and salicylic acid present in this cream will act as a protective shield from skin breakouts. When used in summer, it won’t melt away. It gives you protection from the sun in the form of SPF 30. 
  • CC Cream – It can easily even outs the blotchiness and hyperpigmentation of your skin. You can use a CC cream if you have an issue with skin, especially discoloration. Its color-correcting characteristic will help people for balancing out their skin color. It also comes in different shades. 

Disadvantages

BB Cream – Even though BB creams and CC creams are a lot better than any foundation, they still have some cons. The disadvantages of BB cream are:

  • Provides only a mild coverage 
  • It can be unsuitable for acne-prone skin
  • Mature skin should keep away from using BB cream

CC Cream – The disadvantages of CC creams are only a few:

  • It cannot work efficiently on dry skin 
  • It does not necessarily give off a natural look

When to Use

  • BB cream – Need a light and natural/minimal makeup look? Go with BB cream. It provides more coverage than a tinted moisturizer. 
  • CC cream – It works as a base product with a lightweight. You can conceal discoloration and redness with it. 

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Basic similarities between BB and CC cream:

  • BB cream and CC cream are used to get great coverage to the skin. 
  • Their characteristics allow them to provide some amazing moisturizing benefits
  • Many of the BB creams and CC creams help in sun protection
  • Both of them, especially CC cream, provide anti-aging benefits as well. 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1. So, which one will work for me- BB cream or CC cream?

The answer depends on your needs and skin type. If you simply want mild coverage with a natural look, you can easily go with BB cream.

But if you are in need of hiding your dark spots and redness along with getting full coverage, CC cream should be your go-to.

Q2. How long do both of them last?

Since BB cream penetrates deeper into your skin for the sake of moisturizing it, BB cream usually lasts up to a few hours. CC cream can last much longer than BB cream. It can stay intact for a day, in fact. 

If you are wondering about the expiration timeline of both of these products, then both BB and CC cream can be used within one to two years after the opening of the pack. 

Q3. Can both BB and CC cream be used together?

You can use BB and CC cream together once you check that both of them are safe for your skin.

You can refer to the points mentioned above. For application, use BB cream first.

This will help you in getting an even skin tone. Further, to hide the blemishes or any dark spots, apply CC cream on the top. 

Q4. Can I use BB cream and CC cream for everyday use?

You can definitely use both BB cream and CC cream for daily usage. They are, after all, benefitting your skin in certain ways. 

Q5. Can I use BB cream or CC cream instead of any foundation?

Yes, you can. In fact, the prime objective of these products is to serve as a foundation. You can decide which cream you need on the basis of your coverage requirements. 

Q6. Which of them will suit an acne-prone face?

First of all, check which cream acts lighter on the skin. The benefits of these creams include preventing the outbreak of skin.

Since CC cream is not so harsh on the skin, its lightweight will act better on your acne-prone skin. 

Q7. Which cream provides benefits to oily skin?

One of the biggest contrasts between the two creams is the fact that BB cream provides complete hydration to your skin, which CC cream does not.

Since CC cream provides a matte finish, people with oily skin can use it to get a shiny appeal. 


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