When my favorite dermatologist first mentioned BB creams to me, I did an informal message-board survey to see how many people knew what these were. Half of my respondents didn’t have a clue about BB creams, also known as “beauty balms” or “blemish balms.” But among those who were familiar with these hybrid skin-care/cosmetic products, the comments generally were quite favorable. So I figured that you’d want to be in the loop, too.
BB creams typically contain a wide range of active ingredients—moisturizer, sunscreen, antiaging antioxidants, acne fighters, pore minimizers—combined with tinted foundation to even out the complexion.
“I’m a big fan of BB creams,” said my go-to skin-care expert, Neal B. Schultz, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Reasons: Cost savings, convenience and ease of use. Instead of spending big bucks on numerous separate skin-care products and then spending long minutes applying one after the other (not to mention trying to figure out the right order in which to layer them), with a BB cream you simply buy and apply one thing.
BB creams are available from various manufacturers in stores and online. Two that Dr. Schultz likes: Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30 ($37 for 1.4 ounces)…and the more economical Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream SPF 15 ($13 for 2.5 ounces). Choose a product that is appropriate for your skin tone, then apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions. BB creams are safe—however, Dr. Schultz warned, people who know that they are sensitive to certain skin products should check labels and avoid any ingredients that have created problems for them in the past.
