BB cream isn’t just makeup. It’s a shortcut to getting ready in the morning. It’s like a foundation with extra benefits like moisturizer, sunscreen, and anti-aging ingredients.
But if you’re prone to breakouts, is it the right choice for you? Is there a best BB cream for acne-prone skin?
Thankfully, yes, there are several non-comedogenic BB creams available. Some are sheer, while others provide medium, buildable coverage.
Today, we’ll review BB creams and CC creams for acne-prone skin. But first, here are ideas for preventing blemishes regardless of the makeup you use.
How to prevent pimples with BB cream (or any other kind of makeup)
Acne appears when pores get clogged. One of the major culprits is excess sebum. That’s why choosing BB cream that’s labeled as “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” is crucial. There’s no point in piling extra oil on your skin (1).
Next, look for makeup with salicylic acid if you’re not already using it as acne medication. It dissolves oil and reduces inflammation. Check out the Maybelline BB cream in the reviews below.
If you have oily skin, look for mattifying makeup that minimizes excess oil. And a CC cream that corrects for color (like redness or dark circles) reduces the need for concealer.
Before applying makeup, always start with a clean face and hands. Wash applicators like sponges or brushes each week, and don’t share them with anyone else.
At bedtime, always remove your makeup with a gentle cleanser and moisturize afterward. Change towels often to prevent cross-contamination.
Finally, although BB cream often contains sunscreen, it may not be enough protection. You might need a separate sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 broad-spectrum protection. If chemical filters irritate your skin or eyes, try a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide instead.
Best BB Cream for Acne-Prone Skin in 2023
Now, let’s investigate the top blemish balms.
Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40
Clinique is a trusted brand recommended for those with acne. Their BB cream reduces shine and oiliness for up to twelve hours. It’s formulated to stay velvety without looking flat or chalky. On the oiliest complexions, it may look dewy.
Shake the bottle before using it – there is a bead inside to mix it. The thin texture spreads easily and feels weightless.
It’s available in four shades that provide medium coverage.
Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm
This Korean brand offers multiple BB creams. This one is enticing because it has arbutin and caviar to fade acne scars.
Arbutin is like hydroquinone. It goes straight to the source of the problem and prevents excess melanin from discoloring the skin.
Moreover, it features green tea and aloe to calm existing breakouts. But it’s only available in one shade.
MISSHA M PERFECT COVER BB CREAM SPF 42 PA+++
Here’s another of the best Korean BB creams for acne-prone skin. Unlike many Asian BB creams, it’s available in a variety of shades. Still, deep skin tones may not find a match.
On the bright side, it offers better coverage than most. It lasts for hours, especially if you prime first or use a bit of powder.
Instead of flat, it dries to a youthful, satiny finish. Behind the scenes, it’s busy hydrating with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Both of those are excellent for oily skin as they don’t increase sebum production. Instead, they keep the skin comfortable.
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30
Look past the fact that it’s a tinted moisturizer because it offers benefits similar to a BB cream. Plus, it’s available in sixteen shades for every skin tone.
Next, it’s lightweight, oil-free, and hydrating. It feels cooling to the skin as it’s applied. And you don’t have to worry about artificial fragrances, parabens, phthalates, or formaldehyde.
It provides mineral-based sunscreen and has buildable coverage. If you’re a fan of the no-makeup look, it’s perfect.
It’s not surprising that it won the Allure Best of Beauty award twice.
Dr. Jart Dis-A-Pore BB Cream
If you have large pores and combination to oily skin, this BB cream works wonders. You’ll probably only need a concealer if you have serious blemishes.
Not only does it hide pores, but it perfects skin tone and texture with a clean, matte finish. It also offers SPF 30 sunscreen.
Natural extracts like hibiscus, jasmine, lavender, and chamomile soothe and nourish the skin. They help reduce redness and calm oil production.
What’s the downside? It only comes in one universal shade.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream
Here’s another award winner available in seven shades with medium coverage. It sets to a dewy finish that takes years off mature complexions.
Meanwhile, it’s turning back the clock with peptides, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid. These make the skin healthier with regular use. There’s also niacin to diminish hyperpigmentation.
What’s more, the oil-free formula has SPF 50 protection against UV damage.
Laniege BB Cushion Pore Blur
If you’re not familiar with Korean cushion compacts, you might think that this is a powder instead of BB cream. But once you pick up the sponge and press it against your cheek, you’ll feel the soothing liquid. It has an oil-absorbing formula that dries to a satin finish.
It reduces shine throughout the day while it moisturizes. The coverage is buildable and available in six shades.
Boscia BB Cream SPF 27 PA++
It’s not just UV light from the sun that can wreck your complexion. Air pollution and blue light from electronic screens can also wreak havoc. That’s why this BB cream is formulated to protect against all three problems.
It’s the active rice blend that defends against blue light and pollution. Meanwhile, taro root provides antioxidants to minimize and heal photo-aging.
Finally, turmeric oil diminishes discoloration and wrinkles caused by sun exposure.
Just a drop or two of this clean-smelling cream covers the entire face. It’s sheer, leaving the skin looking improved yet natural.
Maybelline Dream Pure Skin Clearing BB Cream
Here’s the best drugstore BB cream for acne-prone skin. It contains the maximum over-the-counter concentration of salicylic acid. This acne-fighter unclogs pores and reduces redness.
The formula adjusts to skin tone, which is handy as it doesn’t come in a wide variety of shades. It’s oil-free and lightweight with a sheer, velvety finish. Just add a light layer of powder for extra coverage if needed.
Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector
If you’re searching for BB cream that keeps your face from getting greasy, here it is. Garnier has made it able to hydrate while controlling shine. It’s potent enough that it’s a little too mattifying for dry cheeks. If you have combination skin, you might need to moisturize before using it.
It offers light to medium coverage with tinted minerals, but it also includes a chemical sunscreen filter with SPF 15. The pigment blurs pores and evens skin tone.
L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in Anti-Redness
L’Oreal offers a variety of BB creams, including anti-fatigue, anti-redness, plus light, medium, and deep shades.
The anti-redness formula is sheer with a green tint. Its purpose is to cancel out discoloration from blemishes and rosacea, for example. Don’t worry, the green disappears within moments.
It works quite well, according to reviewers. Moreover, it’s so lightweight, it works well as a primer underneath other makeup.
COVERGIRL Clean Matte BB Cream
You won’t be disappointed when you understand the limitations and benefits of this BB cream. The negatives include the fact that it’s thick and matte and not straightforward to blend with fingers. It may oxidize on some users.
On the flip side, there are definite benefits. For one, the thick texture gives it medium coverage that controls oil well. Then, it’s buildable but not cakey.
If you’re tired of having a shiny complexion and hoping to spend as little as possible, give it a try.
e.l.f. BB Cream SPF 20
Not everyone with an acne-prone complexion has oily skin. That’s where this BB cream comes in handy. It’s formulated for all skin types, even dry.
It features aloe, jojoba, cucumber, and vitamin E to keep the face hydrated without triggering breakouts or excess oil. Plus, it’s vegan and free from parabens and phthalates.
Rimmel Match Perfection BB Cream
You might think that we’d choose Rimmel’s matte BB cream, but we decided to show you the Match Perfection instead. It offers light to medium coverage that minimizes shine and hides dark circles. Many reviewers say it’s good enough to replace foundation for casual wear.
It mattifies enough for oily complexions, but not too much for combination skin. Users say the oil control lasts for about 6 to 8 hours, but a dusting of powder can extend that.
Physicians Formula Super BB #Instaready BB Cream
This is a brand that avoids harsh ingredients. They’ve crafted this BB cream to be very blendable and long-lasting even on hot, humid days. It has a semi-matte finish but only comes in two shades for light to medium skin tones.
The coverage is enough to hide large pores and fine lines because it has InstaFilter Technology. This is a unique blend of mattifying ingredients, color filter pigments, polymers, and spherical beads. It creates a diffused, soft-focus appearance.
At the same time, the formula has SPF 30 sunscreen.
Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
If you don’t expect the full coverage of a foundation, you may fall in love with this tinted moisturizer. It’s just enough to enhance the appearance.
It minimizes imperfections while it absorbs excess oil with clay. There’s chamomile to get rid of redness while antioxidants fade dark spots.
Like other products from Tarte, this one is free from parabens, gluten, and mineral oil.
Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Beauty Balm SPF 45
Mature, acne-prone skin can benefit from this BB cream. It’s enriched with a Bio-Peptide Complex and white gold to stimulate collagen production. It’s not just camouflage but also an anti-aging treatment for the skin.
It color-corrects tone, fading discoloration with arbutin. It also has adenosine to firm the skin. What’s more, it uses mineral sunscreen that reflects harmful rays, not chemical filters that absorb them.
Rumor has it that this is one of the first BB creams to hit the American market, and it’s been popular ever since.
Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint
This tinted moisturizer comes in a dozen shades from light to dark. It sets to a satin finish that stays natural-looking, not flat, although it definitely reduces shine.
It’s infused with vitamins C and E to diminish discoloration and guard against UV damage and pollution. Plus, it has SPF 30 broad-spectrum protection.
Bobbi Brown BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35
If you have medium to dark skin, you’ll love this brand’s selection of shades. All of them are matte enough to keep the oiliest skin shine-free for hours.
The secret is silica that absorbs oil. There are also light-reflecting pearls to disguise pores. But don’t forget the caffeine and botanical extracts that eliminate redness, too.
The featherweight texture melts into the skin to provide medium coverage with an excellent amount of sunscreen.
purlisse BB Tinted Moisturizer Cream SPF 30
Our final pick is a testament to international cooperation. It exists because researchers in Korea, America, and France created it with the best natural ingredients and scientific solutions for healthy skin.
Like all products from this brand, it’s vegan and free from parabens and petrochemicals. Those with acne-prone complexions can rest easy knowing that it’s formulated and tested for sensitive skin. It comes with a satisfaction guarantee, too.
It’s available in several shades from light to deep, including neutral, pink, or yellow undertones.
Reviewers say it stays put all day and doesn’t rub off on clothing or napkins. The thick texture looks darker but dries lighter. Those with dry skin should moisturize first.
Conclusion
Acne-prone skin may feel like a Catch-22. If you try to hide the blemishes, it’s always a worry that makeup will cause more to appear. But the BB creams that we reviewed above are designed to protect sensitive complexions while providing plenty of coverage.
If we helped you find your new favorite makeup today, please tell us about it in the comments below.
Source:
1. https://www.aad.org/news/makeup-tips-acne-prone-skin published December 10, 2019, accessed March 30, 2021