June 1, 2011

Do BB Creams Improve Skin? Do BB Creams Get Rid of Acne?

Do BB Creams Improve Skin? Do BB Creams get rid of acne, redness, or other skin problems? Do BB Creams prevent aging?

I get this question alot in the old mail bag. At least every other day someone is asking me if my skin has improved any since I started using BB Creams.

Here are my thoughts on the topic!

I have a few answers to this question.

First off, many BB Creams promise anti-aging benefits as well as improving skin overall. Since BB Creams were supposedly created as a treatment cream for those who had undergone laser skin surgery it’s logical to to believe they’ll help your skin. Obviously, a product that was created as a treatment cream would surely help the overall appearance of problem skin right?

Sadly, I can not confirm if BB Creams actually improve my skin even though I’ve been using them a number of years now. I don’t have serious issues with my skin aside from dullness and dryness. I sometimes get a very rare break out on my chin or jawline but it’s very rare. I don’t experience redness, acne, or any other problems. I do have some unevenness along my jawline but nothing too dramatic.

On a rare day I do get a pimple or a small breakout I can’t really say BB Creams have improved or helped the issues nor has it improved the overall appearance of my skin as my skin is already quite good.

On the other hand, I have heard many raves from those who have seen a dramatic improvement in the skin after constant use but sadly I have not experienced the same but perhaps I’m not using enough product to see these amazing results (I only use a smidge of product since BB Cream is so pigmented).

On the issue of anti-aging….

Many BB Creams promise anti-aging benefits sadly I cannot confirm this either. Most ingredients aren’t listed in English thus it prevents me from actually researching what sort of anti-aging benefits the cream might have. On the other hand those that do list them in English…well, only time will tell if I’m actually experiencing the real anti-aging benefits of the product.

Do I personally believe they are improving my skin or will improve it over time?

I’m both a nay sayer and a yes man here. In some cases, I do believe some of the creams might improve problem skin and I do think they might have anti-aging benefits but on the other hand I can’t help but think they are darn fabulous coverage overall but have no real benefits other than that

It’s a hard call saying whether a BB Cream will improve your skin but I think with patience and a little bit of time perhaps you’ll have your own skin miracle!

Have you experienced any amazing results thanks to BB Creams?

Redness eased?

Acne gone?

Do share!

Got a question?

Submit it to my mail bag at Musings.of.a.Muse at Gmail dot com

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • thiamere

    unfortunately in my case, bb creams break me out
    🙁
    it made my acne go from worse to worst!
    i guess i’m just one of those ladies that bb creams doesn’t work on. I have read a lot of raves about it so i tried lots of bb creams hoping that it could somehow make my skin better than before, but it backfired!
    >_<

    • the Muse

      oh no thia that’s horrible 🙁 sorry to hear it 🙁 have you tried many?! or just one in particular?!

      • Mariko

        I have the same problem – I think BRTC’s Blemish Recover BB cream is too strong, and dries too dewy for my taste. Maybe blemish-prone skin would benefit from a thinner texture, but then coverage would be crap 🙁

    • sarah

      Hey,

      You should first check out the tube whether it says “non comodogenic”. Otherwise it’s going to block your pores, and you’ll get acne all over again.

  • Old Cow

    I have not experiences any miracles due to BB creams and I have been using them for many years now. However, I have had far less break outs with BB cream than foundation and they are so much easier for me to use. Perhaps one might argue that they keep my skin stable? For me they are just tinted moisturisers with a better effect.

  • Jen G.

    Thanks! Sounds pretty interesting! I’ve just recently started reading your blog and hadn’t heard of these before 🙂

    • the Muse

      my pleasure Jen 🙂 Hope it helps. You’ll be seeing alot of BB Creams in the US this Summer/Fall as we are finally get them here in the US!

  • tiny

    I used a mischa bb cream on the back of my left hand months ago when I first got it.. I used 2 pumps because I didn’t realize how pigmented it was going to be, and since it was a first use, I had to pump a bunch of times to get product out anyway… back to what I was saying.. I used 2 pumps and I spread it on the back of my hand, so I could look at coverage.. It stayed on for about 20 mins and I wiped it off with your average makeup removing cloth. The back of my hand was visibly less wrinkled and lighter than my right hand. It’s been a few months now, and the wrinkles are still less prominent than in my right hand and my knuckles are still considerably lighter *I’m olive toned, we’re known for uneven skin tone and redness*

    I’m halfway tempted to do it on the back of my right hand now to even them out. LOL

    So that’s my experience anyway. 🙂

    • the Muse

      that’s interesting tiny!!!!!!!!!!!!! and rather brilliant ;D!

  • Courtney

    I’ve had BB creams that hide redness while I’m wearing it but as soon as I remove my makeup the redness is still there

  • Jessica

    i use the dr. wu bb cream all the time
    and i’ve definitely seen some skin-brightening, and some of my old acne scars have faded a bit :O

  • Littlecreek

    I’ve been using Skin79 for two months now. It hasn’t stopped my breakouts (I get stress and hormonal pimples) but I can say that I have noticed a difference in healing time from those bumps. They usually stay red for up to a week and now that is down to about four days. I’ve really enjoyed using it and recommend giving BB Cream a try.

  • Samantha

    Most BBs I’ve used have faded acne scars quicker; I used a silicone primer (which I totally shouldn’t have as it made me breakout like a mofo) with MUFE F&B and my skin just didn’t get any better…. Personally think Baviphat is very good although the coverage isn’t great– it doesn’t break me out at all and it doesn’t feel heavy compare to SF, Dr.Jart, Missha, Etude. I just received samples of Hanskin’s Smart Total BB, and I do feel that it heals my skin (and it seriously feels lightweight), but as most BBs contain oil, it ends up giving me little pimples around the nose area since that’s where its most oily.
    && Must say, Hanskin’s bb concealer is amazing. Provides heavy coverage like MUFE HD concealer but its so much easier to work with! Its not drying but it doesn’t feel oily at allll. 🙂

    • the Muse

      Hey Samantha couldn’t agree more Hanskin’s bb concealer ROCKS!

  • Linda

    I’ve tried quite a few BB creams and none have been the right color…most of them gave a grayish cast on my nc15-20 skin tone. I always say i’m gonna stop and then give in again when a new one comes out… It’s a form of torture I put myself through. Also, I find them a little heavy and greasy. Maybe, I should try some BB compacts….hmmmmm…

  • B.B.

    I’ve been using the hot pink bottled Skin79 BB for a month-ish and I’ve noticed a big difference. My problem area has been my chin, which has a bit of acne scarring and is also prone to redness. I used to tone it down with concealer even when wearing a foundationy product but now I can go without.

  • Luna

    Hey Muse, I’ve been using Dr Jart’s Silver Label BB cream and it worked wonders for my skin 🙂 Besides cutting my makeup routine in half, it definitely does help with my skin. I do have acne and scarring and so far, after a week use, it evens it out 🙂 I’m a big believer in BB creams 😀

    • the Muse

      hey luna no doubt bb’s cut makeup in half ;-D agreed! I don’t have any acne/scarring issues so I’m never really sure if it’s improving my skin so it’s nice to hear that it’s working for folks with problem areas ;D! that rocks!

  • Christine

    i am quite proud to say having friend who are MUA in korean beauty stores are definitely a bonus ;D

    I had my fair shares of BB creams, though i have to admit that i dislike the feeling of having anything on my face, i do feel that the BB cream is not too overbearing.

    Personally, i am not too adventurous with makeup, and i have never tried BRTC or even Dr. Jart’s BB creams before, but i did try Missha’s, Face Shop’s and Etude. Otherwise, i do think some BB cream does do what it’s supposed to do, but bare in mind that there are some ingredients that not everyone’s skin is tolerant to. 🙂

    I do recommend to layer a thin veil of primer before putting on BB cream and to clean them throughly after you’re done with the day. I realized that they could cause some serious clogged pores XD;

  • NeenaJ

    Thanks so much for your comprehensive posting on BB Creams! I finally took the plunge and picked up a Missha Perfect BB Cream in ebay. I bought the lightest shade (#13).

    What’s the best way to apply it? With fingers, a sponge, beauty blender, brush? Obviously, I want coverage, but don’t want it to look like a mask. Are there secrets to application and blending these creams? Please help before mine arrives in the mail, LOL!

    • the Muse

      my pleasure neena glad it was helpful! I use my fingers hun, no secret to it. a small dot on each side of my nose and blend down and outwards. Done ;-D flawless!

  • Angel

    I have the Missha BB cream and the Skin79 hot pink. I can’t say much about the MIssha BB cream, because I have oily skin with a bit to a lot of acne (depending the time of the month) and for me it’s just a bit too heavy and oily. I like the Skin79 though. I like that it keeps my face kind of soft and not dry and still not oily (although I like to put some powder on top). It also works very well with my acne. My skin looks already more even and blemishes fade a lot sooner than before. Especially new scars (the red ones) fade very quick. I wouldn’t say it works wonders on my face, but I’m very happy that it’s helping so much with my skin problems 🙂

  • vilumi

    Does anyone here use Maybeline’s BB cream ? and is it applicable to a 15 year old like me ? Please answer because I wanna try one but im quite worried about the results if I tried one

    • Emily

      Yes, yes! Use it! I’m 16 and I’ve been using it for two weeks, I posted my results below your comment! Hope it helps 🙂

  • Emily

    BB Cream has worked wonders for my skin! Before I started using it, I caked my face in foundation, in an attempt to cover up my acne. It did cover it, but when I took off my foundation my complexion was horrendous. I didn’t even want to look in the mirror. Since I began using BB Cream, the improvements have been unbelievable! As the coverage from it is not amazing, I would apply small amounts of foundation to cover up my spots. Every day I am finding myself using less and less of the foundation because my skin is getting better and better! The BB Cream has completely cleared it up! I am so happy with the results I’ve got after just 2 weeks of using it! I really hope the improvements continue 🙂 – And will definitely be continuing to use Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB Cream. It’s given me a new sense of confidence, and now, when I’ve taken my make-up off, I don’t hide from my family, or avoid my own reflection. 🙂 Huge thanks to Maybelline!

  • mary

    im 16y.o and have a lot acne and scars too.. im in skin doctor caring now and she make my acne gone.. now i want to try bb cream but my skin still have acne so im afraid to use bb cream.. anyone give me suggestion best bb cream brand for my acne oily and scar skin! thx b4 *and sorry my grammar is sucks

  • staci

    I love my Garnier combination to oily skin BB. Cream! A quick run down on my skin type and issues:
    Growing up i had occasional pimples(one or two a year) . Now in my late 20’s, and three children later, I’ve found my face has completely changed. I’ve tried every acne medication out there. Finally, I came across a system that works for me! I would like to share some information i got from a Dermatologist to help others. So at night, i use a combination of Neutrogena On-The-Spot (Benzoyl 2.5%) and an equal amount of Hydrocortisone cream mixed then rub in well. In the morning, I’ll wash of course then repeat, only difference is I use 25% Benzoyl, 25% Hydrocortisone and 50% Garnier comb to oily. Just add a powder to set if you want. The BB cream is amazing, with other medications to take care of the underlying issues and this oil free BB cream, I’ve had healthy skin! Hope this helps others who have acne trying to use any BB, being you’re not supposed to put this cream on damaged skin. Thank You Garnier!:)