I never bought into the BB Cream craze.

When the popularity struck, I was more interested in full coverage foundations and oil absorbing powders. BB creams were marketed as sheer, wear alone products and looking natural was the exact opposite of what I was going for at the time. Plus, I tried the whole tinted moisturizer thing years prior and ended up feeling like I had a big, fat, greasy layer of oddly pigmented goop on my face. 

Recently, I decided to give them another chance. It all sort of happened coincidentally when I went on a new foundation bender that ended with me returning five different high-end foundations and suffering a weird, burning skin irritation.

Trying to crack the flawless skin code is like a full time job.

 So in the process of trial and error (aka fifty primer/foundation combos), it sort of dawned on me. I needed to correct or blur my skin while priming it, then follow with a buildable foundation. And then I thought, “I would like some beneficial skin ingredients while I’m at it”. Bam. There it was. The thing I so eagerly mocked would end up being my saving face.  

BB’s to the rescue!

OK, now it’s background time. 

BB creams haven’t always had the best reputation among professionals. You see, they originated as a “blemish balm”, which in the US is typically attributed to acne. In Asian cultures the term blemish is used to describe any red, brown, or discolored spots. Naturally a blemish balm, in the traditional sense, was designed to lighten skin, correct imperfections, and prevent sun damage. Products imitating the blemish busting balms made their way to the US but with one major flaw; they lacked enough of the good stuff to actually make a difference. 

So why am I going to all of the trouble naming all of the ways I love my BB cream? Because there are a few (FEW) that really stand out in the grand scheme of multitasking products that actually made a difference in my face routine. 

1. Take a light/medium coverage foundation to full coverage 

I adore my NARS Sheer Glow foundation but sometimes you just need more oomph. I up the power of my fav foundation product with a more concentrated BB. You can achieve a natural look that doesn’t appear made-up. Apply it all over (including neck and chest), gently tap on your foundation with a damp beauty blender, concealer if you need it, then set with an SPF powder. 

 2. Keep foundation in it’s place 

Does anyone else feel like primers do the opposite of what they are supposed to? Trust me, I’ve tried more than a few and the ones that work give me skin bumps. Solution? If I want to keep my makeup from sliding off and avoid any sensitive skin reactions, BB cream is my go-to product. Choose a cream that suits your skin, meaning matte for oily skin or hydrating for dry. Always use a good setting powder for SPF and extra staying power. 

 3. Anti-aging benefits

Do your skin a favor and start using Retinol and exfoliants to keep your skin looking and feeling young. Philosophy’s No Reason to Hide BB contains salycilic acid to help skin cell turnover, along with some other good skin ingredients. Don’t skip your nightly Retinol for fine lines, but think of this daytime treatment as an extra measure. And above all, NO treatments can reverse sun damage if you keep on damaging it every day. Daily SPF is just as much of an anti-aging all-star as any other method!

 4. Sun protection without that awful smell

SPF to the billionth power! Yes, I cannot stress enough how important it is to always use protection (from damaging rays) if you want to slow down the aging process. All four BB Creams I’m linking below are formulated with mineral sunscreen. Smelly face problem solved.

 5. Smooth and perfect neck and chest complexion 

There is absolutely no reason in this day and age to have a mismatched face/neck situation. Just none. A quick and simple solution is to take your BB cream down your neck and chest. Not only will you smooth and blur imperfections, but you will be protecting some of the most sensitive and frequently ignored skin on your bod. Remember…about the SPF…? A flawless face doesn’t hide the age spots, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity on a neglected neck!

Beautypedia is a great resource for finding the best of the best. Find solid reviews and get the top rated BB Creams in every price range and variety! Check out HERE.  

Physician’s Formula Super-BB-All-In-1-Beauty-Balm-Cream-SPF-30 

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer

NARS Pure Radiant Moisturizer

Philosophy No Reason to Hide Moisturizer

I’m currently on bottle number two of the Physician’s Formula BB Cream and I’m ready to buy stock in this company. I’ve also had my eye on THIS product by Stilla because it’s also had some pretty stellar reviews.

♥Liz