Make-Up

I have just come back from a couple of months in New Zealand, and even a sporty, chilled out town like Queenstown, the buzz word is BB or CC creams.
If you’ve set foot in Sephora, a drugstore or anywhere near a cosmetics counter lately, chances are you’ve been bombarded by a bewildering array of flesh coloured fluids. The alphabet formulations–like BB cream, CC cream, and soon DD creams–have joined tinted moisturisers and standard foundation on the shelves as potential skin-perfecting options. But what do they do? What’s the difference between them? And most importantly: Which should you use?


Tinted moisturiser
The explanation is in the name: The product gives you a sheer colour with a moisturising benefit. My sense is that they may be headed for extinction, or at least hibernation. While tinted moisturisers are still on the market and probably still have many fans, I haven’t seen a new launch for one in quite a while–alphabet creams are all the rage now.

BB creams otherwise known as Beauty Balm, Beauty Benefit, Blemish Base, or Blemish Balm
 Are an Asian import that have become super popular in the last two years sweeping across the world. BB creams provide coverage with added skin care benefits like SPF and anti-oxidants–the list goes on depending on what brand you choose. They’re lighter than foundation but heavier than tinted moisturisers. While the additives in BB creams can have the same efficacy as they would in stand-alone serums, be careful about counting on BB creams for adequate sun protection. Many skin doctors are concerned that women are suing it as there sun screen, which results in inadequate protection.
You still need to wear an SPF.

CC cream
The difference between BB and CC creams is subtle–CC stands for "color correcting" and the products are meant to address issues like redness or sallowness (usually with light-diffusing particles), whereas BB creams are like lighter foundation with a few skin care benefits thrown in.
CC cream is a colour corrector and will be lighter on the skin, than a BB cream. I have only tried a couple, but they have more of a whipped, light, soft finish. A new and improved version  BB.
While BB and CC creams are marketed for separate issues, and are theoretically different, I can say from the few I have tried, BBs and  CCs, are almost the same.
Where it gets most confusing, is that BB/CC benefits and coverage vary greatly among different brands. For example, Clinique’s CC cream is definitely more opaque than some BB creams I’ve tried from other brands. So go figure. You have to be diligent in reading ingredients and most importantly, trying them out,  to figure out what you want and need.  Maybe start at your favourite brand of make up and take it from there.

Last week, I was told of a new contender, just to add more confusion...

DD cream
A brand called, Julep  has released what it’s calling a "Dynamic Do-All".  It sounds like a BB/CC hybrid. From what I have heard, the cosmetics industry was predicting something completely different for DD creams. Back in November of 2012, a cosmetics industry analyst (Vivienne Rudd)  told the Cosmetic Mintel,  that a number of DD creams, called Daily Defence creams were poised to launch, but they aren’t for your face–rather they are heavy duty body and foot creams." So it will be interesting to see if Julep can single-handedly changed the category with its launch.

Here in the Cayman Islands I think it is time to put the foundations away and choose a letter that suites your skin and life style.

Zena
www.lamercayman.com