We reckon there are fewer topics in the beauty and makeup industry that are more divisive than the BB cream vs foundation conversation. Straight up – which is the best product for your skin type?

There is no one answer to this question. In fact, it’s hard to answer without knowing your individual skin type as this is a basic requirement to pick the right makeup for you.

In saying that, knowing which one of these products is going to be best for you can be tricky. 

If you’ve ever looked at either product with utter confusion, there’s nothing to worry about because this article is going to hopefully answer all your pressing questions on the topic.

After you’ve read this we know you’ll be able to confidently decide which one is best for you.

When To Use BB Creams?

During the last 30 years, Korea has been perfecting BB formulations and currently leading the way for multi-tasking skincare routines.

This has caused a variety of beauty brands around the world to follow suit which means that when you’re bbb creauying a BB cream product from your favourite online retailer, you know it’s going to be high-quality.

The BB in BB creams stands for beauty or blemish balms and are the perfect entry level into colour cosmetics.

Their main feature is that they offer sheer coverage that will conceal and blur any blemishes or imperfections that will ensure your skin is looking its very best at all times.

This beauty skin product covers the skin with active ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and that all-important vitamin C, which will provide you with instant skin-perfecting and those long-term skin tone results we all want.

You’ll also be glad to know that most BB creams include sun protection ingredients and there are a variety of options available for many skin types including oily skin.

They also cater for combination, normal and dry skin types, as well as blemishes such as acne, rosacea, fine lines, and wrinkles. 

Despite all of these great reasons to start using BB creams, they do come with their disadvantages. One of those includes the shade range that is available to you.

Created to offer you sheer coverage and designed with pigments that will adapt to your skin tone, most BB cream brands will only offer a couple of shades.

Other brands typically offer more shades but many of them don’t include those highly sought after darker tones.

This will make it harder for those of you with warm and dark skin tones to find a beauty balm cream that will address your skin type and skin tone too.

Lets Chat Foundations

Without stating the obvious, foundation is usually what most makeup wearers will use to begin as part of their daily makeup routine. 

The great thing about foundation is that it comes in a variety of different forms including mousses, sticks, liquids and powders. 

Each of them offer different coverage and finish options including light, medium, or full coverage, as well as natural, dewy or matte finish.

Regardless, the reason we use foundations is to camouflage skin conditions such as pigmentation, redness, acne, and even out the skin tone as well.

They’re also built to last with some foundation makeup boasting up to 18 hours of wear.

In saying that, there is no one foundation that will be everything to every skin tone and type. These days there is a vast range of foundations that exist to suit every skin type.

You’ll also find that many of them offer skincare benefits beyond texture perfecting and colour correcting.

These usually come in the form of hydrating hyaluronic acid, mattifying clays, SPF sun protection, and acne-busting acids.

With regards to shades, there have been so many new ones coming onto the market it has been really hard to keep up. Typically, there are now more options for warm and dark skin tones than there once was.

If you compare the shade options for foundations to BB creams, the former typically have more available to choose from.

The Verdict?

Essentially the main difference between foundation and a BB cream is the coverage.

Foundation typically exists to hide imperfections, while BB creams exist to treat your skin and even out your skin tone with a light coverage.

What Should I Go For Then?

There really is no need to pick one over the other. Why not have both? In fact, we reckon it would be a smart idea to invest in a variety of both products to ensure you are able to have the full glam look you want.

In saying all of that, there are going to be days where all you want is something easy that benefits your skin type and gives you a sheer veil of colour. If that’s you – choose a BB cream.

However, if your main concern is any skin imperfections you might have, then be sure to choose a foundation.

Again, it all depends on you, your skin type and what you want to achieve. Either way, we reckon having both as part of your skincare routine is an all-round good idea.