Should You Use BB Cream, CC Cream, or Foundation? A Makeup Artist Advises

As most people who wear makeup know, a good base product is key to achieving your ideal skin finish and creating. However, we understand if you find the process of choosing between foundation, BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer to be overwhelming. Figuring out the right shade, coverage level, and finish can be a challenge on its own, and considering other categories to address factors like skincare benefits and color correction can feel especially over-the-top. To help, we asked celebrity MUA Brittany Spyksma to help us compare the various base products, and she reassures us that "knowing what look you're going for will help you in choosing the right product, as will knowing your skin type in choosing its finish." Ahead, read our full guide to foundation vs. BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer, so you can decide once and for all which base is your best match.

What Is BB Cream?

BB cream—short for "beauty balm" or "blemish balm"—is a complexion product with added benefits of evening out skin tone and correcting blemishes. It's lighter in coverage than standard foundations yet thicker than a tinted moisturizer.

Pros and Cons of BB Cream

• Balanced coverage: As mentioned, BB creams sit somewhere in the middle on the scale of tinted moisturizer to foundation, coverage-wise. This makes them the best of both worlds if you're looking for coverage and to even out your skin tone without a heavy texture.
• Can protect your skin: Spyksma highlights that BB creams can offer skincare benefits, too. While they often contain sunscreen, their key ingredients are antioxidants, which help protect skin against free radicals and damage-causing pollution.
• Could use more shade options: On the flip side, BB creams have room to grow in the way of shade range. Whereas many brands are now making foundations with 40 or more shade options (we're looking at you, Fenty Beauty), BB creams are typically only available in a handful of hues.

How to Apply BB Cream

To apply BB cream, dab a small amount on your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, then blend it in with your fingers, a wet sponge, or a foundation brush. Tarte's BB Tinted Treatment Primer ($40) is a great option to try, as it has more shades available than many BB creams, creates a natural matte finish, and includes SPF 30.

When to Use BB Cream: If you want a light, minimal makeup look but a little more coverage than a tinted moisturizer.

What Is CC Cream?

CC cream—short for "color corrective" or "color control"—helps cover up uneven tone and hyperpigmentation with added ingredients that calm redness and promote radiance. CC creams have a lighter texture than BB creams, but they still allow for a foundation-like coverage.

Pros and Cons of CC Cream

• Lightweight texture: If you're looking for a skin-friendly formula with solid coverage but find BB creams too heavy, a CC cream can help you find the lightweight, seamless result you're looking for.
• Good for color correction: "If you like the idea of a BB cream but have some skin issues like discoloration or redness, try a CC cream," Spyksma tells us. "It has color-correcting qualities that can make it a better fit for people who need a little more color balance."
• Limited shade range: Like BB cream, you'll likely only find a few shades to choose from with CC creams.

How to Apply CC Cream

CC cream is versatile, and you can apply it either as your main complexion product or as a color-correcting primer underneath foundation. The latter will allow you to achieve a completely even tone with a boost of skin-friendly benefits, and just a small amount of foundation will give you a seamless, airbrushed finish with major staying power. For impressive results, Spykma recommends Supergoop!'s CC Screen ($44), as it adds lightweight coverage and SPF 50 in a single step.

When to Use CC Cream: If you want a base product that feels lightweight but can conceal discoloration or redness.

Foundation vs. BB Cream and CC Cream

If coverage is your priority, foundation may be your best option, as it works to create an even skin tone while also camouflaging blemishes and other concerns. While many older foundations were infamous for being thick and cake-y on the skin, the comfort and finish of today's formulas bear a striking difference. While foundation is thicker in consistency than tinted moisturizers, BB creams, and CC creams, this base product is available in a wide range of consistencies, from light to medium to heavy. Foundations are also likely to come in a wider range of shades for all different skin tones and undertones, with various formulas ideal for everyday coverage or special occasions.

BB creams and CC creams are best if you find foundations to be too heavy or are looking for a formula with added skin benefits. Both these categories generally lean lightweight, and depending on the formula, you can get the benefits of SPF, antioxidant protection, and/or color correction in a single product.

How to Match Foundation to Your Skin Type

Foundation has several levels of coverage from sheer to full, but even the lightest still has more coverage than BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer. You can also find a finish—like matte, satin, or dewy—to complement your skin type. "I have dry skin, so I don't ever wear a matte foundation because it makes my skin look dull," Spyksma says. "I prefer light-to-medium coverage with more of a dewy finish."

Dry Skin Types

Those with dry skin should look for foundations with keywords like 'medium coverage,' 'natural,' 'dewy finish,' or 'buildable.' Spyksma's top pick for medium coverage and a glowy finish is Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation ($69): "It has really nice, light-to-medium coverage with a beautiful finish. It's on the list of favorites for most makeup artists I know."

Normal and Combination Skin Types

If you have combination or normal skin that skews neither oily nor dry, a satin finish is a good in-between option.

Oily Skin Types

For those with oily skin, a matte, fuller-coverage foundation can control oil production and allow for longer wear. If this sounds like you, Spyksma says to look for keywords on product labels that promise extended wear (they'll be labeled as "18-hour wear" or longer)—these are less likely to break up throughout the day, and oils won't stand a chance. Spyksma's top pick for a matte foundation is the Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Longwear Natural Matte Foundation ($60) because of its longevity and seamless finish.

How to Apply Foundation

Depending on the coverage, you can blend in foundation with your fingers (for lighter coverage foundations), a foundation brush (for heavier coverage), or a beauty sponge (best for medium to full-coverage formulas).

When to Use Foundation: If you want to choose between several levels of coverage, from sheer to full, or find a finish that fits your skin type's specific needs.

Tinted Moisturizer vs. BB Cream and CC Cream

Having a good skin day? Tinted moisturizers provide a natural, hydrated finish with a slight tint that's like your skin but better. The coverage is more sheer than foundations, and while this product is lightweight, skin-friendly, and sometimes even includes SPF, it typically focuses more on moisturizing as opposed to BB creams' blemish correction and CC creams' color control.

"A tinted moisturizer is going to give you minimal coverage," Spyksma says. "I recommend using tinted moisturizer in addition to your regular, everyday moisturizer, or finding a formula that gives your skin enough moisture on its own."

How to Apply Tinted Moisturizer

Because it's a blend of face cream and foundation, using your fingers is the easiest way to apply and blend a tinted moisturizer. Spyksma loves the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free Natural Skin Perfector ($53)—it offers a healthy-looking finish and SPF 20.

When to Use Tinted Moisturizer: If you prefer a skincare-makeup hybrid with a little color.

The Final Takeaway

Choosing the right complexion product for you comes down to your unique skin type and goals. Those who prioritize coverage or want plenty of shades and finishes may prefer foundation, while BB creams are great for light coverage with added skincare benefits. CC creams are ideal either for lightweight coverage that evens out hyperpigmentation or as a primer to make your foundation more seamless, while tinted moisturizer is a skincare-makeup hybrid that helps create a polished, nourished version of your natural skin texture. You might even switch between products depending on the occasion, but regardless, knowing your priorities in a base—and what each type can offer you—is the best way to walk the makeup aisles with confidence and get the results you want.