BB creams and CC creams are a great alternative to full-blown foundations for those who are looking for a more natural finish with their makeup or who don’t want to burn too big a hole in their pockets. They are also excellent for the days when you want to be ready in a jiffy because since they provide a more natural coverage, they blend pretty easily and quickly. They are fast becoming a favourite of teenage girls who have just started using makeup and even those who are pro at blending have at least one for the “no makeup-makeup days”. While in the east BB creams and CC creams come with a ton of skincare benefits, the variants in India are pretty much tinted moisturisers with some SPF or essential oils. Here are the details of the BB/CC creams I have used till date and how they fared for me!
1. Ponds White Beauty BB Cream – This BB Cream is used and loved by a number of fellow bloggers, but I have a major issue with the words “Fairness Cream” printed on the packaging and the fact that this cream comes in only one shade. That being said, the reason why so many people swear by this cream is that if the shade matches your skin tone, the cream will provide an even brightened finish to your skin with almost medium coverage. The formula is a slightly thick, fairly pigmented cream that blends in quite easily with the skin. Also, the cream provides SPF 30, eliminating the need for sunscreen too. If only Ponds could stop using fairness as a marketing agenda and bring out more shades, this would be a decent product for an extremely affordable price of INR 165 for an 18gm tube. Click here to buy.
2. Lakme 9 to 5 CC Cream (Bronze) – The Lakme 9 to 5 CC Cream is the light-weight cousin of the Ponds BB Cream in terms of formula. It is slightly more watery, has a fresh citrusy scent and the shade Bronze is a slightly yellower version of the Ponds cream, but with slightly lighter coverage. It comes in 4 different shades (Bronze being the second lightest) that should cover most Indian skin tones considering that it does blend in quite seamlessly with the natural skin tone. If you want a CC cream that you can simply apply and forget about then this product is meant for you. It provides a more glowy finish than the Ponds cream that gives a more matte finish, so this one might not work for extremely oily skin types. A 30gm tube of this CC Cream is priced at INR 315. Click here to buy.
3. The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream (02) – If you are someone with acne prone skin who wants to treat their pimples while covering them up then The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream is your best bet. This BB cream provides light to medium coverage and has the cooling goodness of tea tree oil that actually helps in shrinking my active acne. This BB cream is truly the best of both worlds in terms of skincare and makeup for my skin type. My only issue with the product is that it has slight pink/greyish undertones which do not work the best with my warmer undertones, but I do use the product when my skin is acting up nevertheless (I am a shade 02 in the range). Priced at approximately INR 1200 in India, this one is the most expensive for sure and is best reserved for the days when your skin is really acting up. Click here to buy.
4. Nykaa Skin Genius BB Cream (04 – Spiced Cinnamon) – Last on this list is the Nykaa Skin Genius BB Cream. This one also has a good formula that provides medium coverage and a smooth finish to the skin, but it oxidises like crazy and turns orange on my skin, as you can see in the swatch. If you are able to find a suitable shade in this range (currently available in 5 shades) then it is a good BB cream that keeps the skin hydrated without making it greasy. The price of INR 349 for a 30gm tube is affordable too. Click here to buy.
Overall, while each of these products has their own pros and cons, my personal favourite is the Lakme 9 to 5 CC Cream because of its light-weight formula, my skin but better coverage, and yellow brightening undertones. It lasts for 4-6 hours on the skin and is excellent for wearing to college or office if you just want to even out your skintone a bit or hide small spots.
Have you tried any of these BB/CC Creams? Which one is your fave? Let me know in the comments below!
Check out my Battle of the foundations post to know which foundation to pick for your skin!
I hv used Lakme, L’oreal, Garnier and Ponds BB cream and Ponds is the best! It suits my skin beautifully and also works as a concealer
I am a die hard BB cc cream fan. If you get your perfect match and formula nothing better den that. I have used Garnier, Maybelline, lakme, Avon, ponds, fair n lovely, L’Oréal.
I think ponds is the best among it. After that L’Oréal.
I got Lakme cc cream yesterday in same shade, I guess. I haven’t tried it on my full face yet. But I heard lot of good reviews hopefully it will work out for me. I do have extremely oily skin which is less oily with toner and I also got lakme’s primer so hoping for the best.