BB creams have been hailed as miracle-producing, multitasking hero products. While most of these beauty balms smooth out complexions, provide sun protection and contain skin-pleasing antioxidants like an amped-up tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, not all have skin-benefiting properties agreeable with those with acne-prone skin.
Is BB cream good for oily skin?
Some BB creams are too heavy and will clog pores, causing more pesky pimples. Others aren’t oil-free, which can be a problem if your skin is already greasy and you’re looking to steer clear of breakouts and shine. So, you need to be careful when picking the best BB cream for oily skin.
What is the best BB cream for acne-prone skin?
The best BB cream for acne-afflicted complexions is oil-free and even boasts pimple-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid. Most offer some hydration benefits, crucial for those combating oily skin. And it’s a sad truth that blemishes and wrinkles can coexist, so look for one with added anti-aging benefits.
Can BB cream give you pimples?
Since BB creams offer coverage and skin care in one, they’re generally safer for your face than foundation. But be careful. You need to pick a BB cream for oily skin that is clearly labeled “oil-free” to avoid causing new pimples or any irritation.
Is BB cream or CC cream better for oily skin?
There’s a reason why they’re called BB (aka blemish balm) creams. BB creams are definitely the safer bet for acne-prone individuals since CC (aka color correcting) creams tend to offer more coverage and therefore tend to have a heavier feel — not exactly ideal for the oily skinned among us. But there are now some creams that feature the best of both worlds so you can cover up those blemishes and help them heal while you tone down redness and fight the hands of time.
To help you find the right formulation for your problem skin, we picked some of the best blemish-friendly formulas out there that will treat your skin’s imperfections while camouflaging them, too.
- Maybelline
- BareMinerals
- Tarte
- Clinique
- Garnier
- Dr.Jart+
- Omorovicza
- La Roche-Posay
- Shiseido
- Estée Lauder
- Smashbox
- E.L.F. Cosmetics
- L’Oréal Paris
- Kiehl’s
- Mineral Fusion
Click through for our selection of the best BB creams for acne.
[ Next: The Best Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin ]
Double-Duty: The 14 Best BB Creams For Acne-Prone Skin
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Double-Duty: The 14 Best BB Creams For Acne-Prone Skin #1
The BB cream craze that began in Asia is sometimes the best replacement for a heavy foundation, especially if you suffer from breakouts and acne. Beauty balms or blemish balms, depending on their formulations, are tinted moisturizers with built-in ingredients that will help heal up problem skin, while providing coverage. We picked some of the best acne-friendly formulas out there, meaning they are oil-free, fragrance-free and made with skin-pleasing antioxidants to protect while concealing. Ahead, the best BB creams for acne-prone skin.
Image: Imaxtree
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Maybelline
Dream Pure BB Cream Skin Clearing Perfector, $8.99 at Ulta Beauty
Help clear and conceal those pesky pimples in one easy step. It's all courtesy of the oil-free formula’s 2 percent salicylic acid makeup. And this best BB cream for acne also minimizes the look of pores and reduces redness all while hydrating and smoothing out your complexion.
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BareMinerals
Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer, $30 at Nordstrom
Not only is this a best BB cream for oily skin pick, but it also works like a CC cream and boasts SPF 30 protection. Mineral electrolytes and marine botanicals team up to increase hydration in just one week. Plus, it comes with antioxidant powerhouse heart-leaf globe daisy to help protect against environmental stressors.
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Tarte
Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20, $36 at Tarte
Tarte’s vegan BB offering comes packed with its famous Amazonian clay that features comforting chamomile along with vitamins A, C and E. The best BB cream for acne provides light to medium coverage as it blurs imperfections and the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It’ll also prevent new damage from harmful UVA and UVB rays since it includes SPF 20 protection.
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Clinique
Acne Solutions BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40, $39 at Clinique
Formulated with salicylic acid, Clinique’s noncomedogenic blemish balm helps combat zits as well as conceal them.
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Garnier
SkinActive 5-in-1 Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Oily/Combo Skin, $25.99 at Walmart
Garnier's oil-free entry does it all. It controls shine, minimizes pores, evens skin tone, hydrates and helps prevent sunburn.
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Dr.Jart+
Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm, $36 at Sephora
This hard-working product brightens your complexion with arbutin, tightens with collagen, moisturizes with chamomile and shields your visage from the sun with titanium dioxide.
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Omorovicza
Complexion Perfector BB SPF 20, $95 at Omorovicza
Yes, this best BB cream for acne may be pricey, but it’s money well spent. The all-in-one moisturizer, foundation, sunscreen, concealer and anti-aging cream has ruby crystal in it, which minimizes the appearance of blemishes and white lupin to energize skin for a radiant finish.
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La Roche-Posay
Effaclar BB Blur, $29.99 at Target
La Roche-Posay's mattifying cream mousse absorbs oil, smooths skin texture, visibly refines pores and covers blemishes with shade-adapting pigments.
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Shiseido
Perfect Hydrating BB Cream SPF 35, $35 at Birchbox
This best BB cream for acne contains potent antioxidants and anti-oxidative ingredients that protect skin against free radicals plus UV and environmental stressors.
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Estée Lauder
DayWear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit BB Creme SPF 35, $43 at Estée Lauder
If you loved the brand’s discontinued Clear Difference BB line, try its DayWear BB Creme. You won’t regret it. It provides oil-free hydration while controlling skin’s excess sebum to effectively minimize shine and breakouts.
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Smashbox
Camera Ready BB Water SPF 30, $42 at Macy's
Smashbox’s super lightweight, ultra sheer formula won’t clog your pores or cause additional eruptions.
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E.L.F. Cosmetics
BB Cream SPF 20, $6 at E.L.F. Cosmetics
If you’re on a budget, check out this acne-friendly iteration. Vitamin E, aloe and cucumber are the key ingredients that help reduce irritation and inflammation in broken-out skin. And at only $6, it’s virtually a steal.
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L'Oréal Paris
Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream Anti-Redness, $10.99 at Ulta Beauty
This oil-free BB cream neutralizes any redness and conceals problem areas with a specially formulated green tint that hydrates, protects and soothes skin.
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Kiehl's
Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream, $38 at Kiehl's
When used regularly, the cream’s high concentration of vitamin C will clarify your complexion and gradually fade acne scars.
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Mineral Fusion
Perfecting Mineral Beauty Balm, $27.99 at Mineral Fusion
Mattifying minerals conceal imperfections and keep oil at bay. Lavender, along with aloe and licorice extract, help control oil production while minimizing irritation and redness.
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Double-Duty: The 14 Best BB Creams For Acne-Prone Skin #17
Next:
The Best BB Creams for Oily Skin
Image: Imaxtree
