This Or That: Regular Foundation Or BB Cream?

Hello lovelies!

Having an ideal skin finish is the obsession for every woman wearing makeup. And I share this obsession myself. Whenever I wear makeup, I must look perfect!

However, with all the available options for skin coverage, many of us can feel overwhelmed. Generally, we may be lost in front of the choices offered by cosmetics companies. Foundations, BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturizers are all great products, but we may not always know when to use them.

In the first beauty battle of this website, we will compare two products in particular for the coverage of our skin. Should we choose regular foundation or BB cream to get the best skin finish? That is the question.

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Understanding the Basics: Foundation vs. BB Cream

Standing for “beauty balm” or “blemish balm” cream, a BB cream is a multitasking makeup product. Indeed, it encompasses all the benefits of a moisturizer, a primer, a foundation, and a SPF.

Also, with many ingredients such as antioxidants, collagen, or hyaluronic acid, a BB cream offers the best of both worlds in makeup. You will have hydration and anti-aging skincare while sporting makeup on your face. Smart!

The BB cream is designed to give a light and sheer coverage while also treating your skin. On the contrary, a foundation offers a maximal coverage to your skin, and its texture is heavier than a BB cream.

And don’t be fooled by all the foundation types you may find on the market. Even a liquid foundation with a lighter coverage will still have better coverage than a BB cream. However, a regular foundation doesn’t have all the skin benefits offered by a BB cream.

Despite this fact, many cosmetics companies reviewed the ingredients of foundations these past twenty years to make them more innocuous for the skin.

When should you use regular foundation or BB cream?

In my own experience, I find that you can use a BB cream if you want a natural/minimal/no makeup look. Therefore, it is adapted for your daily life. If you want a quick fix before going to work or during the day, a BB cream will be your best friend.

On the other hand, since foundation offers a perfect coverage, I’d advise you to keep it for your nights out, as well as special occasions and events. And foundation is the best makeup tool if you want to have the best appearance on pictures!

Moreover, if you have blemishes like acne, a foundation will be more appropriate since it has a maximal coverage. Of course, you have BB creams dedicated to acne-prone skin on the market. However, a regular foundation will always beat a BB cream anytime for its ability to cover blemishes to the full.

Your Skin, Your Choice: Selecting the Right Product for You

Now that you know what products you should choose. But there are some tips you must follow to select the right product for you.

What’s your skin type?

First of all, know your skin type. Do you have a normal, dry, oily, sensitive, or combination skin? Indeed, depending on your skin type, your girlfriend and you won’t choose the same products!

For instance, if you have acne, you won’t choose the same regular foundation or BB cream. To get more information about it, I invite you to read my articles about determining your skin type and choosing the right foundation for you.

Choose the right shade and undertones

The choice of your BB creams and foundations also depends on your skin tones and undertones. Since the last ten years, many brands such as Fenty Beauty offer several shades matching everyone’s complexion.

Also, be aware that BB creams offer less choices in shades than foundations. Indeed, they generally offer three types of shades (light, medium, and dark) and don’t cater to all the skin tones in between. Therefore, be careful when you choose your BB cream. In case you hesitate between two shades, always choose the lighter one.

In her best-selling book Bobbi Brown Makeup Lessons, Bobbi Brown recommends you buy two shades depending on the season: a light one for colder seasons, and a darker one for summer.

If you want to know how to know how to determine your skin tones and undertones, read this article.

Understand the underlying ingredients of your makeup products

Depending on your skin concerns, you must also understand the ingredients of your products.

For instance, if you have acne, you will favor light formulas with non-comedogenic ingredients to appease your skin inflammations. These ingredients include mineral pigments such as zinc and titanium oxide to provide coverage without clogging your pores. And stay away from comedogenic ingredients such as mineral oil and coconut oil.

Is your skin reactive? Are you subject to allergies? Then, you must pay attention to hypoallergenic ingredients in your foundation and BB creams.

The most common allergens in makeup products are preservatives, fragrances, solvents, and some sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone. In your case, you may turn to more natural options like mineral makeup.

Make a patch test before choosing your products

Consequently, it’s very important to perform a patch test before choosing your products. Why? Because it will enable you to determine if you react badly to the products, or if the shade is the right one.

To choose the right shade, many people of my generation (I’m in my late 30s) put some foundation or BB cream on their wrists. However, a saleswoman in Sephora recommended that I should try them on my jaw. It’s up to you!

Do you have persistent rash and eczema while using your current foundation or BB cream? Then, stop using it immediately and consult your dermatologist.

Application Mastery: Tips for a Flawless Look

Applying a foundation or a BB cream more or less obey the same rules. Prepping your skin and applying your products properly will guarantee you the best results.

Prep your skin

But first and foremost, you must prepare your skin. I advise you to never (please I insist on never) forget to take care of your own skin underneath your makeup. You may refer to my ultimate skincare guide if you need more information about your skin prep.

That’s why I advise you to always cleanse and moisturize your skin, with products adapted to your skin type. Moreover, you may add a primer, especially if you apply a foundation. However, I advise you to keep your primer for special occasions. I talk more about the importance of primers in this article.

How should you apply your BB cream or foundation?

BB creams and foundations do have quite similar applications on your skin. Indeed, foundations (especially if they are liquid or in stick) and BB creams can be applied with your fingers.

However, I don’t recommend applying these products with your fingers, especially if you’re not a makeup artist or if you don’t blend your products easily. Consequently, brushes, sponges, and beauty blenders are your best friends.

For the record, here are the different types of application:

• fingers are more appropriate for BB creams and lighter foundations
• brushes are appropriate for heavier coverage
• sponges are required for medium to full-coverage

Let me tell you a story about it. When I was a student in a business school, I had a friend who put a nice foundation. However, she never blended it properly and she always had some traces of foundation here and there. We always had to tell her to blend her foundation better.

Then, one day, I asked her how she applied her foundation and she confessed that she just used her fingers. And I understood why her face was always messy! I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.

If you’re a perfectionist, or if you want a natural finish, these tools will help you to achieve the best results. It’s always better to use a brush or a beauty blender to get an even result, than thinking you are the best makeup artist. Always strive to have a more natural result and avoid being messy with your makeup!

Troubleshooting common issues: Caking, creasing, and oxidation

Applying BB creams and foundations can raise several issues, such as caking, creasing, and oxidation.

• Caking: your makeup may appear caked if you apply too much foundation or BB cream. This also happens when you have dry skin, or if you don’t layer your products properly.
• Creasing: you may notice creases of makeup around your eyes, your forehead, and your mouth by midday when you apply your foundation in the morning. This happens because you put too much foundation or BB cream on your face.
• Oxidation appears when your foundation or BB cream becomes darker in the afternoon, while it was perfect when you apply it in the morning.

To deal with these issues, prepping your skin and using a primer are the best weapons to get a perfect skin. Also, you may apply a finishing powder to fix your makeup.

And finally, you can put some clean tissues in your bag. They will help you to remove excess oils from your face, extending the life of your foundation.

Beyond the Surface: The Impact of Your Beauty Choices

Now you know how to choose and apply your foundation or BB cream. However, did you know that your makeup choices could impact the world at a larger scale?

Exploring the ethics of beauty: Cruelty-free and vegan options

Many classic makeup products are made with animal products, such as pork fat. Also, many cosmetics companies used to test their products on animals. I heard that some still do…

Consequently, it’s very important to choose cruelty-free and vegan products, especially if you have specific ethics. Many brands, such as e.l.f. or TooFaced promote an ethical beauty that aligns with these preoccupations.

Biodegradable packaging and sustainability

Did you know that your makeup choices could also impact the environment? According to a report of the OECD published in 2022, the cosmetics industry produces over 120 billion units of plastic packaging every year. Also, the vast majority cannot be recycled, since only 9% of plastic waste is recycled.

Consequently, many companies have chosen to favor biodegradable packaging and a zero-waste approach. It will even become an industry standard in the upcoming years. If saving the planet is one of your major preoccupations, choose makeup brands such as Axiology or 100% Pure.

Support inclusive beauty brands

In the past, many people couldn’t find the right foundation shade for their skin tone. And sadly, this was true for the darker skin tones. I know, I’ve lived enough on this earth to remember a time where this was the case.

Fortunately, companies like Fenty Beauty disrupted the market with a large spectrum of shades adapted to everyone. Also, I don’t forget Iman Cosmetics that already did the same thing for women of color.

Don’t hesitate to support inclusive beauty brands, especially if your skin tone hasn’t been represented by mainstream cosmetics brands.

The future of beauty: Innovations in foundation and BB cream formulations

Innovation is still constant in the formulations of foundations and BB creams. Indeed, the upcoming innovations will make these two makeup products interchangeable and closer. For instance, foundations will include more skin conditioners and emollients. Some foundations even include SPF now!

As for BB creams, the next step is to create more shade ranges to be more inclusive. Also, cosmetic companies explore formulas leaning towards specific skin concerns, such as hyperpigmentation and sensitive skin.

Well, let’s wait and see how it’s going on!

Regular Foundation or BB cream: My Personal Selection

For my foundation selection, I invite you to read this article. As for BB creams, I love two brands: Erborian and Iman Cosmetics. But don’t hesitate to buy other brands, especially if they’re aligned with your ethical preoccupations.

Conclusion: should we choose regular foundation or BB cream?

To conclude, BB creams and foundation are somewhat close in their use and applications. However, they must be used at different times of the day, and for different occasions.

In my opinion, these two products complement each other and can find their place in your vanity case. For more hydration, light coverage, and more skincare, choose a BB cream. For moire coverage and a more polished finish, choose a regular foundation.

Now, it’s up to you to choose what’s best for your own situation!

Well, that’s it for today? What would you choose yourself – regular foundation or BB cream? What’s your experience with both products? Feel free to share in the comments below?

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