What's In This Post
There seems to be a lot of fear in the makeup community regarding BB creams for acne. Many people have the impression that since BB creams are oily moisturizers, they must be bad for people with acne-prone skin. However, this is simply untrue. You see, moisturizers are designed to lock in your skin’s moisture.
Your skin produces oil due to a number of reasons. Some of these reasons may include stress, pollution, poor diet or pollution. The oil that is produced this way by your skin is not linked to hydration. To be clear: It is not a signal that your skin needs to be hydrated. Your skin’s natural oil should not be confused with the oils in BB creams.
So Does BB Cream cover acne? Yes! BB creams can cover acne quite well. In this post, I will go over some of the things you need to know when selecting a BB cream for your acne and point out a few products that have worked great for me.
Contents
Our Picks for the Best BB Creams For Acne
Bella Terra Mineral BB Cream
This is an alcohol-free BB Cream. It also does not contain other skin irritants such as preservatives, parabens, sulfates, additives or dyes. It’s hypoallergenic and it’s a BB cream that won’t cause breakouts. It’s one of the best BB creams for sensitive acne-prone skin.
The added minerals in the BB cream make it very ideal for both dry and oily skin. The BB cream will moisturize your dry skin while the minerals provide oil-absorbing power to control shine throughout the day. The foundation is lightweight and won’t clog your pores.
Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream
Best of all, there are 10 shades available which are a lot more than your average BB cream brand.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur with SPF 20
This is a great BB cream for oily skin with large pores. This is because it provides excellent sheer to medium buildable coverage. It comes in 2 different shades and has a UV protection of SPF 20.
In Summary, what makes this BB cream good for oily skin is that it is:
- Oil-free
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
- Non-Comedogenic
- Broad Spectrum SPF 20
This BB blur cream also contains Perlite to absorb humidity and sweat.
Andalou Naturals Perfecting BB Beauty Balm
What’s unique about this BB cream is that it contains a combination of resveratrol and coenzyme Q10: a super antioxidant complex that helps to reduce fine lines and helps smooth the skin. It also has an SPF 30 sunblock.
This foundation has a matte finish and is excellent for controlling oil on your skin throughout the day. It’s hydrating and not known to cause acne breakouts. There are tinted and untinted versions available.
Best Drugstore BB Creams For Acne Prone Skin
Maybelline New York Makeup Dream Pure BB Cream.
The oil-free formula does a great job of absorbing the oils on your face, giving you great oil control. The added salicylic acid makes this a good BB cream for acne oily skin.
Word of Caution: You will need to use a dedicated sunscreen with this product if you plan to go out in the sun. It doesn’t come with sunblock and salicylic acid naturally strips away the outermost layer of the skin, leaving it prone to sun damage.
Neutrogena Skinclearing Complexion Perfector
This is a sheer coverage BB cream with a natural matte finish. It is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. It’s a gentle tinted moisturizer that minimizes the appearance of pores. It is lightweight, easy to blend and won’t settle into fine lines and wrinkles.
What You Need To Know About BB Creams and Acne
Does BB Creams Cause Breakouts?
Yes! BB Creams can cause breakouts if you’re not using one that is suitable for your skin.
You may have heard that BB Creams are the “Holy Grail” of beauty products. Sure, they are great for many people and many of my clients have had success using them. However, it’s important to understand that not all face makeup is created equal. Throughout my professional makeup career, I have seen cases where clients breakout because they used the wrong type of BB Cream for their skin.
Acne development is caused by excess oil production, bacteria, and clogged pores. Therefore, in order to find a BB cream that works for your acne, it must:
1) Control Excess Oil
2) Kill Acne Causing Bacteria
3) Be non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pore)
The perfect BB cream for your skin must be able to do the above 3 things effectively. It’s important to realize that each individual is different. Just because a BB cream works for your friend, it doesn’t mean that it will work the same on you.
The way you apply your BB cream might also be a cause of acne. Many people think that they need to apply a ton of layers of product in order to cover acne or acne scars. However, this is simply not true.
Adding too many layers can actually emphasize your skin’s texture, which brings more attention to your acne.
If you want to make sure that your new BB cream won’t cause breakouts, look for BB creams that are oil-free, non-comedogenic and contains acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid (Read sections below for more details). In addition, avoid BB creams that contain silicones, alcohol, lanolin, and oils.
How Do I Cover Acne Scars With BB Cream?
The way you use a BB cream is different than the way you use a foundation. BB creams usually have a lighter coverage than foundations. Depending on how red your blemishes are, I recommend using a concealer to cover the trouble spots first and then applying BB cream on top. Doing it this way ensures that you are not applying too many layers of BB cream.
Here are the general steps to follow when applying BB cream to cover acne and acne scars:
Below is a picture of our model showing her acne scars before applying the BB cream:
Step 1: Start with a non-comedogenic mineral powder. The powder provides a bit of light coverage and also helps to soak up excess oil.
Step 2: Layer on BB cream. Start with thin layers and blend it into your skin. Focus on the trouble areas first and work outward. Gradually build up the makeup until you get the coverage that you want.
Step 3: Lock in your BB cream by dusting on a layer of non-comedogenic loose powder. Use a light hand while doing this because too much pressure will create an unnatural, mannequin-like finish.
Result: The result of this makeup routine show shown in our model below. Notice that the acne scars are less noticeable and her complexion is smoother.
Here’s a video of this tutorial:
What BB Cream Ingredients Can Work on Acne?
The ingredients list is probably the first thing you read when considering a new BB cream. But with all the scientific words and terms, what are the actual ingredients that you should look out for?
People with acne-prone skin should look for products that are oil-free and water-based. Furthermore, products contain dimethicone (a form of silicone) are great because they help to absorb oil and minimizes the appearance of large pores.
Another great ingredient to look out for is salicylic acid because it does a great job of eliminating acne-causing bacteria and helps to dissolve excess oil. The regular use of salicylic acid can help to diminish the appearance of breakouts and prevent blemishes.
If you are serious about your acne, look for ones that include aloe and retinol. Aloe is incredibly soothing to those dealing with breakouts. Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that encourages rapid cell turnover and the production of new skin cells.
