JoAnn M. Romeo Aesthetics

FOUNDATION: So if BB and CC creams provide some decent coverage and even skincare benefits, is this the end of traditional foundation as we know it? I don’t think so. Traditional foundations can be custom mixed, and this highlights probably the most important difference between all these BB, CC, DD creams, and tinted moisturizers usually come in only a few shades. Foundations come in dozens of shades, ensuring a more exact skin match. Personally, these creams are kind of like a shampoo and conditioner all-in-one, it does not give the exact finish you want. Some makeup artists like to use some BB and CC creams as primers, then put on the foundation. BB, CC, and DD creams can be convenient products for people looking for the all-in-one sun protection, hydration, and complexion camouflage, but the reality is that there is nothing particularly revolutionary or special about them. Most Western-style BB creams are tinted moisturizers, and most CC creams are lightweight foundation...

CC CREAMS: The difference between BB and CC creams are subtle. CC generally stands for “color correcting” and the products are meant to address issues like redness or sallowness (usually with light-diffusing particles), where BB creams are like lighter foundation with a few skin care benefits thrown in. CC creams are a variation on the BB cream to separate their products from the glut of options out there. CC creams generally provide more coverage than BB creams but not always, and are pitched as being formulas that can cover flaws as well as provide skin benefits, but they don’t always do that. CC creams are more of a whipped, light, fluffy feel and finish, kind of a new and improved BB cream. Where BB and CC creams get most confusing is the benefits and coverage, which vary greatly between different brands. You would have to be diligent in reading the ingredients and most importantly, trying them out to figure which is best for your of what you want to do. Truth, is a g...

BB CREAMS: BB creams were originally developed in Germany and used for skin care following a cosmetic surgical procedure. “BB” stood for “Blemish Balm” (blemish referring to any skin imperfection, not just breakouts). They caught on big in Korea, and then became a must-have beauty product in most of East Asia, therefore they are known to be an Asian important. They have become super popular in the last 2 years here in the US.  When these products hit the US market, they were renamed as Beauty Balms. Regardless of the country, the main selling point of BB creams is that they provide some amount of coverage similar to a sheer foundation along with some extra perks. Therefore they are lighter than a foundation but heavier than a tinted moisturizer. What are these extra perks? They are sun protections, skin lightening, and anti-aging ingredients. An all-in-one product for daytime. While the additives in the BB creams can have the same efficiency as they would in stand-alone...

If you've been reading and seeing while shopping for cosmetics lately, you are seeing a new group of products referred to as BB, CC, or DD creams, which is a genuine alphabet soup or a lot like shopping for bras. But what do they all (supposedly) do? What’s the difference between them? And most importantly: which should you use? These among other questions, have been brought to me as a skin therapist in my treatment room. These flesh colored fluids are just another formulation that have joined the tinted moisturizers and standard foundations on the shelves as potential skin-perfecting options. These are new products, all with enticing claims. These creams are supposed to do everything from fading dark spots and healing breakouts to fighting wrinkles, lightening dark circles, and brightening skin tone. Who wouldn't be intrigued with these particulars? Truth be told, there is not a ton of differences between the various skin cream acronyms, but we can have a favorite in...