What is BB Cream?

Courtesy Clinique, Boscia

Beauty junkies have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of BB Creams stateside, and no wonder.

Already a skincare staple in Asia, BB Creams promise to camouflage pores and wrinkles, moisturize, reduce redness, even out skintone, keep oil in check, offer anti-aging benefits, and shield skin from the sun.

If you think that sounds like the beauty equivalent of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, you’re exactly right.

“The ‘BB’ in BB Cream stands for blemish balm,” explains Alyssa Kobel, Marketing Director for skincare company Boscia. “In Asia, a blemish is any skin imperfection—not just pimples. It could be sunspots, blackheads, uneven skintone.”

Althought the creams are a hit in Asia, "BB cream was originally developed in Germany for post procedure coverage (i.e. face lift) to treat and conceal," explains Sephora Director of Merchandising for Skincare, Carolyn Bojanowski. "In the U.S, our clients love products that are multi-taskers. We absolutely think that their success and popularity will continue to grow in the here."

Typically, BB Creams provide sheer, buildable, natural-looking color, much like a tinted moisturizer. They also leave skin (temporarily) silky-feeling and poreless-looking, thanks to silicone, which is often one of the first ingredients you’ll see if you check the label. (Look for “cyclopentasiloxane” or “dimethicone.”)

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