Demystifying BB Creams, CC Creams And Tinted Moisturisers

A visit to the local cosmetics shop reveals a wide array of tinted moisturisers, BB creams and CC creams. The range is huge, so it can be confusing. Here, we look at what these creams are and what benefits you can hope to derive from them.

Tinted Moisturisers
These were the first introduction in the market from this range. As the name suggests, these are moisturisers with a light tint. Several companies have come up with these moisturisers.

Generally, the moisturisers in these are very mild and feel light on the skin. The tint is subtle and is supposed to give the appearance of nude skin. Some companies have also started adding a sun protection factor, but it is usually a low SPF of 15 or under with very few tinted moisturisers having a decent SPF. Of late, tinted moisturisers have lost their sheen. There has not been a launch of a new tinted moisturiser for a long time.

BB Creams
These are "blemish balm" or "beauty balm" creams. These creams are moisturising in nature, have a tint and also have some built-in sun protection. They are generally heavier than tinted moisturisers, but lighter than creams. Many companies have added to the portfolio of benefits and have also included active ingredients in them. These active ingredients include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, etc. The idea is that the same cream should serve several functions. So, this could function as a multi-tasking cream or an all-in-one cream.

Instead of using a moisturiser, a sunscreen and some compact, you can simply use a BB cream and get all the benefits.

The disadvantage is that the sun protection factor (SPF) is low. In order to get adequate sun protection, one will need to use a sunscreen in addition to the BB cream. The other problem is that most shades cater only to fair skin tones. Only recently have companies started to come up with darker shades that are more suitable for the Indian skin tone.

CC Creams
They are also called "colour control" or "colour correcting" creams. These are creams which have a colour dispersing agent included in the cream. The idea is that this addresses problems like redness or sallow complexion. It can also give the skin a more uniform tone and add to the glow of the skin.

Many companies that manufacture CC creams have also started incorporating sun protection agents in them. This has blurred the difference between BB creams and CC creams.

The disadvantage of CC creams in the Indian market is that companies have only very recently started to make CC creams suitable for the Indian skin tone.

The differences between the three types of creams are very minimal. If you have redness of the skin or have a sallow complexion, use a CC cream. If you are young and are only looking at some moisturising, you can use a tinted cream. If you have a skin problem, you can use a BB cream that has an active ingredient to sort out your specific skin problem.

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