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If you want to look “fairer skin,” use a CC cream. CC creams usually offer more coverage than BB creams, but they’re still very lightweight, which is especially useful if you’re trying to hide redness or uneven skin tone. (You can learn more about the difference between BB and CC creams here.) Another plus is that most CC creams are formulated with SPF, moisturizing ingredients like squalene and hyaluronic acid, and anti-aging and protective ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, and retinol. With so many options, it can be hard to choose the right one for your skin type. To help, we spoke to six makeup artists and beauty writers about the best CC creams, from drugstore options to radiant and matte finishes.
IT Cosmetics CC Cream is a winner when it comes to coverage and skin benefits. It offers medium to full coverage with a natural finish that is shine-free, and is formulated with high SPF, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and antioxidants for extra hydration and anti-aging benefits. It has an SPF of 50 (one of the highest on the list), so you can use it as both a makeup primer and sunscreen, as beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton sometimes does. It’s also made with soothing vitamin E and colloidal oatmeal, in addition to sunscreen and moisturizing ingredients. Four experts praised it for its impressive lineup of ingredients and its effectiveness on all skin types. Makeup artist Annabelle LaGuardia says the formula is lightweight despite its full coverage. It’s available in a wide range of 24 shades.
Elf’s Camo CC Cream is less than a third the price of IT Cosmetics’ and was praised by the four makeup artists I spoke to. Like the above products, it offers full coverage with a natural finish. The main difference is that it has a lower SPF content (you’ll want to wear sunscreen if you use this formula) and it’s more focused on hydrating the skin. Active ingredients are Vitamin B5, Tremella fuciformis, and Hyaluronic Acid. Considering the price, this is still a great natural-looking moisturizing formula. Plus, it comes in a wider range of 60 shades.
Dermablend’s Oil-Free CC Cream is a favorite of beauty writer and consultant Cristina Rodolfo. Rodolfo has acne-prone skin, but she never broke out in this formula. It’s high-coverage, so just a little bit is enough to cover blemishes, redness, and unevenness without feeling chappy. It contains antioxidants like baicalin, niacinamide, vitamin E, and caffeine to help fight free radical damage and aging. Like the It Cosmetics formula, it has SPF 50, but only comes in 13 shades.
Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg recommends Thrive Causemetics CC Cream for mature skin. He loves its patented Blur Effect technology, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also has SPF 40 for UV protection and Vitamin C to help even out skin tone over time, and it comes in 28 shades.
Celebrity makeup artist T. Cooper loves Toty’s CC Cream, which is made with patented PLE FernBoost technology, green tea, and vitamin E to help prevent photoaging. The buildable, medium coverage formula gives you a radiant finish, unlike the more natural finish found in most CC creams listed. It’s formulated with SPF 50 and comes in 15 shades.
This CC cream is a favorite of Strategist contributor Garrett Munce. Munc has tried dozens of tinted moisturizers, and he says this is the easiest to blend. The encapsulated formula comes in white, blends to match your skin tone, and is made with soothing centella. Like the products above, it has a more radiant finish and comes in three shades.
On the other end of the spectrum are matte finishes. Rodolfo prefers IT Cosmetics’ Matte CC Cream because it’s not drying or chalky (a common problem with matte foundations) and doesn’t leave you looking or feeling shiny. Instead, this formula offers hydration and full coverage. Air lycium and lentil seed extracts help blur skin, reduce shine, and minimize pores, while hyaluronic acid hydrates and prevents dryness. It’s made with SPF 40 (slightly lower than IT Cosmetics’ overall Best Pick) and comes in a wide range of 30 shades.
Update June 21, 2024: A note has been added to the intro about the BB and CC cream descriptions, and prices for all products have been updated and availability confirmed.
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