BB creams are a fun way to give your face a break from wearing makeup. But are they hydrating enough for dry skin? After all, they strive to be an all-purpose solution that disguises blemishes and protects your skin from the environment. It’s normal to doubt whether they can replace your usual moisturizer.
Top BB creams for dry skin
To find out if it’s possible to streamline the morning routine, we researched and reviewed the best BB creams for dry skin. These are the ones that many women depend on to serve as a moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation.
Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow Beauty Balm
Marcelle’s Golden Glow BB Cream adjusts to your skin tone after you apply it. It corrects your coloring and adds a subtle sheen that makes dry skin look radiant. Users report that it moisturizes their skin without making it shiny, and it doesn’t crease. They also appreciate the fact that the coverage lasts all day, but it can also be worn underneath a foundation.
Marcelle includes aloe, chamomile, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E in the cream to hydrate and protect your face. But there are no parabens, no oils, and no artificial fragrances, so it’s safe for sensitive skin.
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35
The Camera Ready BB Cream from Smashbox is available in eight shades so that you can find the perfect match. Like many other BB creams, you can wear it by itself or underneath a foundation. And it provides broad-spectrum protection against UV radiation.
Smashbox guarantees that daily use of the Camera Ready cream will raise the amount of moisture in your skin in just four weeks. Meanwhile, it also keeps shine under control. And it doesn’t contain any artificial fragrances, oils, parabens, phthalates, or talc.
NYX Professional Makeup BB Cream
The Professional Makeup BB Cream from NYX is a favorite choice for any age group. The lightweight formula disappears into your skin and leaves you with an enhanced but natural appearance. Older users report that it hydrates skin and doesn’t settle into lines.
La Mav Organic BB Cream
If you prefer organic products, try this BB cream from the Australian company La Mav. It’s vegan, with certified organic components, and it lacks the toxins that are all too common in skin care products. As a result, it’s safe for sensitive skin. Even if you have eczema, rosacea, or are prone to breakouts, you’re likely to have success with this product.
Although the formula lacks an SPF rating, it contains non-micronized titanium dioxide. This mineral is a physical barrier against UV radiation.
Next, although the BB cream is only available in two shades, it adapts to your skin tone as it dries. Although it conceals blemishes and creates an even finish, you can also apply it underneath a foundation for better coverage.
Finally, the cream contains hydrating and anti-aging ingredients like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, and Coenzyme Q10. It goes to work behind the scenes to fade away imperfections and make skin look younger. If you try it and don’t love it, the manufacturer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35
The first highlight of Bobbi Brown’s BB Cream is that it’s available in five shades to match virtually any skin coloring. Next, it is excellent for hydrating skin because it contains a water-attracting formula. Plus, if you have dull skin, you’ll appreciate how tiny particles of light-reflecting pearls add radiance to your face.
But that’s not all this formula offers. It also contains caffeine, peptides, and botanical extracts that shrink pores, reduce redness, and fade discoloration. Finally, it provides broad-spectrum UV protection against damage from the sun. Users who tried this BB cream report that it goes on smoothly without caking, and lasts for hours without retouching.
Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream
Garnier’s Skin Perfector BB Cream contains two essential ingredients for moisturizing dry skin. It has both hyaluronic acid to help skin recover its elasticity, and glycerin to lock in hydration. Although the lightweight coverage only hides minor imperfections, it feels lightweight and not greasy. And Vitamin C helps brighten skin tone, too. Plus, it’s an SPF 15 sunscreen for everyday wear.
Beauty by Earth Tinted Facial Sunscreen - BB Cream for Face SPF 20
Beauty by Earth avoids chemical sunblocks in favor of broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen in their BB cream. They only use safe and effective zinc oxide; the same stuff lifeguards wear for long days out in the sun. As a result, this cream stands up to 80 minutes in the water before you’ll need to reapply.
Besides protection against UV radiation, the formula offers healthy hydration with organic ingredients like aloe vera, jojoba and coconut oils. Fans of this brand appreciate the natural components of this cruelty-free product.
MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB Cream
The MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB Cream has better than average coverage for hiding imperfections. But it still feels lightweight on the skin, and it fights acne, too. It’s one of the most popular Korean creams that also lightens skin tone.
If you scrutinize the list of ingredients, you’ll see that it has moisturizing components like squalane, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, and glycerin. It also protects skin and fights signs of aging with Adenosine, rosemary leaf extract, chamomile, and macadamia seed oil.
Dr. Jart Time Returning Beauty Balm SPF 40/PA+++
It may be a challenge to bring yourself to try the Dr. Jart Time Returning Beauty Balm because it has a rather unusual ingredient. As its label explains, it contains Mucin. And Mucin is made up of the slime that snails leave behind. We don’t know what led someone to experiment with snail secretions, but the result is that this component is very good at repairing damaged skin. It literally makes skin look and feel younger.
Older users may find that Dr. Jart’s BB cream is perfect for reviving their dry skin and erasing the passage of time. It contains SPF 40 to protect against sun damage, too.
DRMTLGY - Anti Aging Tinted Face Moisturizer SPF 45
We’re not sure how to pronounce DRMTLGY, but we know that their tinted face moisturizer, a.k.a. BB cream is a good thing. And we like the fact that they recommend it for both men and women since everyone should have the opportunity to feel more confident about their appearance.
This lightweight cream gradually improves your skin’s moisture levels and texture over time. It protects against UVA and UVB rays with SPF 45. And it gives sheer coverage to improve skin tone and disguise fine lines. You have 60 days to test it and see what you think. If you don’t love it, DRMTLGY offers a money-back guarantee.
Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream
Everyone with sensitive, dry skin can benefit from the hydration in Juice Beauty’s CC cream. It comes in five shades to match virtually any skin tone. And it’s especially beneficial for mature faces.
Users comment that regular use of the cream makes their skin feel softer. It gives natural coverage which disguises blemishes and corrects coloring. And it has SPF 30 mineral-based protection.
Andalou Naturals Perfecting BB Beauty Balm
The Andalou Naturals Perfecting BB cream has an intense concentration of zinc oxide. This mineral sunscreen offers broad-spectrum protection without the risk of irritating your skin. In fact, it’s earned a low hazard rating from the EWG Skin Deep Database. But that’s not all this beauty balm offers.
The formula is packed with antioxidants that erase wrinkles and fade blemishes. Andalou Naturals calls their technology “fruit stem cell science.” It relies on organic Fair Trade ingredients that sound delicious enough to eat. For example, inside the cream, you’ll find the BioActive 8 Berry Complex plus extracts of cucumber, pomegranate, tangerine, and orange. There’s also aloe, jojoba seed oil, hyaluronic acid, and vegetable glycerin for added moisture.
Tips to soothe and improve dry skin
Besides using a BB cream to care for your face, there are other things you can do to make your skin happy:
- When you wash, use lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser
- Blot your skin dry, then apply moisturizer right away
- Use a thicker cream at night to help your skin recover from the day
- Avoid products that contain drying alcohols, artificial fragrances, and retinoids (unless you need them for acne treatment)
- Exfoliate once a week with a gentle exfoliant
- Ensure that you drink enough water
- Humidify room air when the weather is especially dry
Although you might have naturally dry skin, there are many things you can do to protect it and help it retain moisture.
A brief history of the ultimate skin care product
Did you know that the first BB cream wasn't made in Korea? Instead, it was developed in Germany. A doctor invented an all-in-one product to treat her patients after chemical peels and micro-dermabrasion. It makes sense because applying a heavy foundation on raw skin would feel uncomfortable. And a BB cream hydrates and protects against sun damage, the perfect combination for skin recovering from a procedure.
A couple of decades later, BB creams exploded in popularity throughout Asia. Brands like Missha and Dr. Jart+ are top sellers there.
When BB creams began appearing in the United States, they became available in more shades to match a variety of skin tones. You might also recognize CC creams that have the added benefit of reducing redness and correcting skin color, not just disguising blemishes.
Questions about using BB creams
We’re often asked if it’s okay to use BB cream as a primer underneath foundation. In most cases, the combination works well, providing better coverage than either product could by itself.
Next, the debate rages about whether it’s better to apply concealer and then BB cream, or concealer on top of the cream. In our experience, we’ve had success applying long wear concealer first, then putting BB cream over the top. This method creates a more natural look.
Also, people ask if they need to use a separate moisturizer or sunscreen with a BB cream. The answer really depends on the type of BB cream you have. Unless you have very dry skin, chances are you won’t need a separate moisturizer for day wear. And if it the BB cream doesn’t have broad-spectrum protection, put on sunscreen, then apply your BB cream over the top.
Conclusion
BB creams offer worthwhile benefits even if you have dry skin. They moisturize and protect against the drying effects of the sun. Many brands also contain ingredients that fight signs of aging. We appreciate BB creams because they simplify getting ready in the morning. We hope you found one today that helps you feel confident about the natural beauty you already have.