Although it has existed for quite some time, BB cream is growing in popularity as the rise of natural makeup continues to become more and more common. Using makeup that covers subtle imperfections without completely masking your natural skin is quite different to our norm of the past 10 years, so if you aren’t sure about BB cream, you aren’t the only one!
The idea of going from a full coverage foundation to a light coverage bb cream is a large jump, but there are some major pros to giving bb cream a try. There are some major bb cream benefits that might sway even the biggest critics towards giving it a shot. I am going to give you the lowdown on how to apply bb cream and answer the question “what does bb cream do” or the purpose of bb cream all in one swipe!
How to Apply BB Cream
One of the biggest pros of bb cream is that it is super easy to apply. For those with little skin in the foundation department, that is a huge plus. Here’s a quick and easy step by step guide on bb cream application.
- Skin Prep: No matter what form of makeup we are applying, we want to make sure our skin is as dewy and glowy as possible. This means proper cleansing, applying moisturizer, and a makeup primer each time. Not only is this good for your skin, but it will make a world of difference in the impact of the BB Cream.
- Stand Alone or with Foundation: Believe it or not, BB cream can stand alone or work with foundation. Personally, I would recommend trying it by itself. Blend it onto the face with your finders, starting in your areas where you need the most coverage and working from there.
For the foundation method, use less foundation to execute the BB cream to have maximum coverage without as much foundation use. - Concealer: Even with BB cream, you will still want to use a concealer. Focus on your undereyes and any problem areas. The concealer should match your skintone well to help blend with the BB Cream. Blend the concealer well and you are all done!
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Purpose of BB Cream
Why should you use BB Cream over a foundation? We’ve already highlighted this a bit, but the biggest purpose of bb cream is for a more natural look. BB cream is lighter coverage and lighter on the skin meaning that you don’t feel weighed down by lots of makeup on your face, and your natural beauty can shine while still feeling comfortable with a bit of makeup on your face.
It’s also can be applied with your fingers, so it is great for gals who always seem to be on the go and don’t want to spend lots of time or effort keeping up with a bag full of makeup products including a bulky foundation, foundation brushes, and all the other makeup a girl might wear on a typical day. BB cream is the makeup that doesn’t feel like makeup.
Not to mention it applies dewy and natural which is rising in popularity with each passing day. Matte is a thing of the past and glowing makeup looks are in my friends.
Finding the Best BB Cream
So now that we are all convinced to give BB cream a try, we can focus on finding the perfect kind of BB cream. This is a crucial step in rocking our new makeup look. Look for a BB cream with humectants in it. This is either glycerin or hyaluronic acid, typically. Both of these are great for your skin and provide extra moisture from the air to lock in that dewy look. For more information on glycerin, check out our article explaining all the benefits and ways to incorporate it into your self care products.
Another thing to look for is a BB cream with SPF in it. Unlike most might assume, no matter rain or shine, winter or summer, you need SPF in your sunscreen. The sun shines all year around whether we realize it or not, as we need to protect our skin from pre-aging through wrinkles and fine lines. You also may want to look for hypoallergenic or no fragrance BB creams to avoid breakouts. The less irritation to our skin the better.
Lastly, one of the most important things to look for in a BB cream is the right color match and blending abilities. Give the BB cream a swatch to see if it matches your skin tone and blends well. We are wanting a natural look, but we still want our makeup to be makeup, so make sure it does have some coverage. The better the cream blends, the more you will want to use this for your everyday routine, so be patient and find your perfect match.
Conclusion
BB cream is pretty simple and useful to have in our makeup bag, and can be a great option for summer days when we are in a rush, just came back from a pool day, or simply want to keep our skin as fresh as possible on a hot day. Now get to swatching and find the perfect BB Cream for you!
