The A's BB's and CC's of Creams

 

As of late, alphabetic makeup as I like to call them, have taken over drugstore and department store shelves.  Almost every major beauty brand has their formula for BB and CC creams.  While BB creams became huge last year, see my Blog: “BB Baby”, CC creams are the new sister to the alphabet makeup family.  So what’s the big diff?

To break it down, BB cream or Beauty Balm hits all the factors you want for your face but technically not a foundation.  Target age group: teens – 20s  It has sun protection, moisturizing qualities of a face cream and more full coverage than tinted moisturizer.  Many beauty gurus suggest it can also be used as a primer to actual foundation, depending on the formula.  It is suggested that you set them with a translucent or light coverage powder. 

 My Brand suggestions are:

1)      Maybelline: it says 8-in-one but that’s the point of a BB cream, moisturize, sunscreen, nourish, protects, revitalize, brighten, conceal and correct. Price: $

2)      Garnier: definitely for dry to combination skin.  Highly scented so avoid if you don’t like your makeup to have perfume. Price : $$

3)      Smashbox: comes in a vast array of shades, I used this on at Fashion week on all the models, from porcelain white skin to ebony black.  It did not need setting with a powder, and gave a great glow. Price: $$$

 And the new contender is CC cream, which stands for color correcting.  It’s a step up to BB.  If you pay close attention to the models used in some of the advertisements, it is geared towards a more mature makeup wearer. It boasts to fade imperfections and prevent future discoloration (this is over prolonged use). It has a mousse like consistency but covers just like a tinted face cream, evening out fine lines, dark spots and uneven skin tone.  The key idea to CC cream is correction, in that it corrects like a concealer would blemishes, redness and dark spots.

 Brand Suggestions: Per popularity in the media

1)      Clinque: Light coverage can replace the Clinique “Moisture Surge” gel cream, as a face cream, SPF 30

2)      Smashbox: Light coverage comes in 5 shades, lightweight, controls oil and has an SPF 30 factor

3)      Olay: can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, a lightweight coverage with SPF 15

Hope that helps you make your choice in the world of alphabet makeup!

Product Push: NYX Xtreme Lip Cream

My new obsession in the realm of lip color, is NYX Xtreme Lip Cream.  In a nutshell, it is the best color, its creamy but has a lasting power of a long wearing lipstick.  It glides on like a lip gloss, but the color is so pigmented, just like a lipstick.  My current color addiction is "Buttery Nude" and at this price point, you cant go wrong! I want them all!
Find them all at http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/p-153-xtreme-lip-cream.aspx or your local drugstore