7 Best Korean BB Creams

When it comes to skincare, Korean beauty brands are ahead of the curve. So it’s no surprise that their BB creams are some of the best in the world. BB cream is the perfect solution on days when you don’t want to apply heavy foundation or makeup.

In this post, we’ll look at the 7 best Korean BB creams that will help you achieve a flawless complexion.

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What Is A BB Cream?

You might wonder what a BB cream is and what it does for your skin.

If you’re unfamiliar with BB cream, it stands for “blemish balm” or “beauty balm.”

It’s a type of tinted moisturizer that provides light/medium coverage while also evening out the skin tone, hiding blemishes, and offering sunscreen protection.

A BB cream is a multifunctional product used as a primer, moisturizer, foundation, and sunscreen. Korean BB creams are usually lightweight in texture and often provide more coverage than their Western counterparts.

BB cream first became popular in Asia, and Korean BB creams are some of the best. They’re often packed with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

7 Best Korean BB Creams

The formula moisturizes, protects, and corrects without needing to use a separate foundation. It acts as a treatment serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen in one.

One of the original K-Beauty BB creams, this newest version of this beauty balm moisturizes and primes the skin with SPF 40 sun protection in a mixture of chemical and mineral sunscreens.

Dr.Jart+ calls this Korean beauty balm Asia’s “wonder” beauty product.

Brightening ingredients like niacinamide and color-correcting pigments help to improve the appearance of skin tone, pores, and texture.

The buildable formula can be used for lighter or higher coverage, especially in areas of redness, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation.

It works to blur uneven skin and other imperfections in your complexion so that you won’t need a separate concealer or a foundation. Please note that this BB cream contains essential oils.

It comes in four shades: Light, Medium, Tan, and Deep.

It is formulated with ingredients to soothe the skin while covering blemishes and blurring imperfections.

The Cica BB Cream is inspired by the traditional Korean herbal remedy, cica, also known as Centella asiatica extract. Cica is known for its ability to calm and heal the skin.

Niacinamide is a multi-benefit active ingredient that brightens the skin, evens skin tone, and improves the appearance of enlarged pores.

It can even help to balance oil production in the skin, making it a favorite of those with an oily skin type.

Allantoin has anti-inflammatory and healing properties that help to soothe the skin, while panthenol helps keep the skin hydrated and moisturized.

It contains both mineral and chemical filters with an SPF 38 sunscreen protection.

This Korean BB cream comes in six shades formulated for a range of light skin tones to deep skin tones.

It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and contains no fragrance or essential oils.

It brightens your complexion, improves the look of wrinkles and fine lines, and provides SPF 50+ PA+++ sunscreen protection (chemical and mineral filters).

It’s a high-coverage snail BB cream that provides a natural finish without feeling like heavy makeup on the skin.

It helps to even out discolored and uneven skin tone while diminishing the appearance of blemishes and breakouts.

A 35% concentration of snail secretion filtrate (snail mucin/snail slime) is the key ingredient in this Korean BB cream.

It’s a natural skin regenerator that helps to repair damage from environmental aggressors and brightens dull skin.

Since damaging UV rays cause excessive melanin production, which leads to hyperpigmentation, freckles, and sun spots, the sunscreen in the formula helps to prevent these skin concerns that contribute to premature skin aging.

Niacinamide and adenosine are also included to help with wrinkles and fine lines.

Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 known for its ability to even out skin tone and improve the appearance of sun damage by brightening skin tone while smoothing the look of wrinkles and fine lines and replenishing the skin barrier.

Adenosine is an anti-inflammatory ingredient that has wounding healing and skin barrier repair benefits. It has even been shown to improve the look of wrinkles.

It’s formulated without parabens and artificial fragrances and is suitable for sensitive skin types.

This BB cream is ideal for wrinkles, aging, and mature skin. It’s also great for sensitive and dry skin, as the formula moisturizes thirsty skin.

It comes in four shades to work for a variety of skin tones.

This Korean BB cream also provides SPF 42 PA+++ UV protection (chemical and mineral sunscreen protection).

This cream is formulated to brighten skin tone and hide discoloration, blemishes, and other imperfections in your complexion while moisturizing your skin.

Filled with skin-loving ingredients, the formula contains sodium hyaluronate, the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, to keep your skin hydrated and help it retain moisture better.

Ceramide NP, a type of lipid, helps to repair the skin barrier and maintain hydration levels in the skin.

It helps reinforce the skin barrier and improve your skin’s ability to protect itself from environmental aggressors.

Rosehip oil is loaded with fatty acids that nourish and revitalize the skin. It helps to improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while helping to even out skin tone.

Rosehip oil contains a high amount of linoleic acid.

This fatty acid can be beneficial for acne-prone skin since studies have shown that acne patients have lower levels of linoleic acid in their skin. Rosehip oil may even help improve the look of acne scars.

Rosemary leaf extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors.

It is also an antibacterial and astringent ingredient that can help to keep the skin clear.

Chamomile flower extract is a soothing ingredient that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

This Korean BB Cream is perfect if you deal with breakouts and blemishes and need higher coverage but don’t want to wear heavy makeup.

The BB cream comes in 7 shades and is suitable for all skin types, even oily, acne-prone, and combination skin types.

The BB cream comes in a Moist version (shown above) for a dewy finish and a Matte version for a matte finish.

This BB cream contains niacinamide, a multi-tasking active ingredient that brightens skin, improves elasticity, and reduces the appearance of pores.

Niacinamide is also an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from environmental damage.

Panthenol, also known as pro-vitamin B5, helps to soothe and moisturize the skin.

Adenosine is an anti-inflammatory that also helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by supporting collagen production and protecting the skin barrier.

Portulaca oleracea extract, also known as purslane extract, is a skin-soothing agent with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream (Moist) has a light coverage that evens the skin tone and leaves the skin with a natural, dewy finish. Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream comes in 5 shades.

This is the only BB cream in this post that contains mineral sunscreen protection only, so this sunscreen would be an excellent choice for you if you have sensitive skin and cannot use chemical sunscreen filters.

This lightweight BB cream is formulated with niacinamide to brighten your skin and even out your skin tone. The coverage is buildable, so you can apply multiple layers for higher coverage to cover blemishes or dark spots, or other imperfections.

Malachite extract is an antioxidant-rich ingredient that helps protect your skin from environmental damage and UV exposure.

Different weights of hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid) provide hydration and plump your skin at multiple levels for extended hydration.

The Joah Perfect Complexion BB Cream comes in eight shades designed to match a variety of skin tones, so it’s sure to be a good fit for your complexion.

A previous Glowpick winner for best BB Cream, this tinted BB cream calms redness and irritation with ingredients like Centella Asiatica extract, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, Portulaca oleracea extract, Scutellaria baicalensis root extract, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, and Arctium lappa root extract.

Since the sunscreen comes in only one shade, if you want to use it alone for lightweight coverage, it works best on lighter skin tones.

Niacinamide calms inflammation while boosting brightness and balancing oil production. Sodium hyaluronate, the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, helps hydrate your skin while providing a temporary plumping effect

The texture is light and creamy with an SPF 40 PA++ (a mix of chemical and mineral sun filters), perfect for daily use if you don’t want a lot of coverage. Its light texture ensures that it can be applied evenly without caking or looking overdone on your skin.

Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream is suitable even for those with dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Korean Sunscreen Labels

Korean sunscreen ratings and labels are different from those in Western countries.

The Korean system evaluates Persistent Pigment Darkening, which measures UVA protection like SPF measures UVB rays in Western sunscreens.

They use a system that rates the level of UV protection a sunscreen provides on a scale of PA+ to PA++++, with PA++++ providing the highest level of sun protection.

Benefits of BB Cream

BB cream is a multifunctional product that offers several benefits for the skin.

• It can replace your moisturizer and foundation, so it’s perfect for busy mornings or travel.
• It can help to improve skin tone and cover blemishes and dark spots.
• It’s lighter in texture than foundation, so you can apply a light layer for sheer coverage if desired in summer weather or hot, humid climates or additional layers for higher coverage.
• It can be used as a primer to help makeup go on more smoothly.

BB Cream vs CC Cream

While BB and CC creams are very similar, there are some key differences between the two.

While BB cream stands for “blemish balm” or “beauty balm,” CC cream stands for “color corrector” or “complexion corrector.”

A CC cream is similar to BB cream in that it offers light coverage and skincare benefits, but it also contains color-correcting pigments to help even out the skin tone and tone down redness or discoloration.

CC creams usually offer lighter coverage than BB creams, so they’re a good choice for those who prefer a more lightweight product.

CC creams also tend to offer more skin care benefits than BB creams, although Korean BB Creams offer many wonderful skincare ingredients, as evidenced by the products in this post.

BB Creams also tend to offer a more limited shade range than CC creams and usually will appeal to those with medium to pale skin tones.

NOTE: While all of the BB creams in this post offer sunscreen protection, it usually isn’t enough sunscreen coverage, so be sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen as the last step of your morning skincare routine before applying the BB cream for optimal sun protection.

How to Choose the Best Korean BB Cream For Your Skin Type

Selecting the ideal Korean BB cream requires understanding your skin type and choosing a product with ingredients tailored to your specific needs.

From combination and oily to dry and sensitive skin, there’s a K-beauty BB cream formulated to offer optimal coverage and skincare benefits for every complexion:

Oily Skin

• Look For: Mattifying or oil-control properties, non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores).
• Recommended Ingredients: Green tea, witch hazel, or tea tree oil.
• Avoid: BB creams that offer a “dewy” finish as they might exacerbate the oily look.

Dry Skin

• Look For: Hydrating and moisturizing properties, creams that promise a radiant or dewy finish.
• Recommended Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin.
• Avoid: Mattifying BB creams, as they can make dry skin look even drier.

Combination Skin

• Look For: BB creams that offer a balanced finish, neither too matte nor too dewy.
• Recommended Ingredients: Niacinamide (balances oil production) and hyaluronic acid (for hydration).
• Avoid: Extremely mattifying or overly hydrating formulas.

Sensitive Skin

• Look For: Hypoallergenic formulations, BB creams free from fragrances, alcohols, and parabens.
• Recommended Ingredients: Centella asiatica, aloe vera, or chamomile.
• Avoid: BB creams with added fragrances or harsh chemicals.

Normal Skin

• Look For: A BB cream that matches your desired finish, whether matte, dewy, or somewhere in between.
• Recommended Ingredients: Antioxidants like vitamin C or E, which help maintain skin’s health.

How To Apply A Korean BB Cream

Applying a Korean BB cream correctly can make all the difference in achieving a flawless, natural-looking finish. Here are some tips to consider:

• Choose the Right Shade: Just like any other base makeup, picking the right shade of BB cream is essential. If possible, test the BB cream on your jawline to get the closest match to your natural skin tone.
• Build Your Coverage: Start with a small amount. It’s easier to add more BB Cream than to take it away. Dab small dots of the cream on your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Blend using a method below and if you desire more coverage in certain areas, gently pat an extra layer of BB cream onto those spots.
• Application Method:
  • Fingers: Warm the BB cream between your fingers and gently apply it to your face using outward and upward motions. This method helps achieve a natural finish.
  • Sponge: Use a damp makeup sponge (like a beauty blender) and bounce the sponge across your face to blend the product.
  • Brush: Use a foundation brush for a polished look. Start at the center of your face and blend the cream outward in circular motions.
• Setting: For longer wear or for oily skin types, set the BB cream with a translucent setting powder. This step helps to prevent the BB cream from moving on your skin throughout the day.
• Blend to Your Neck: Always blend a bit of the BB cream down your neck to avoid any visible lines or color discrepancies.

Tips On Using A Korean BB Cream

• Skin Type Matters: BB creams come in many different formulations. If you have oily skin, you might prefer oil-free, mattifying BB creams. If you have dry skin, you might choose a BB cream that provides a hydrating, luminous finish.
• Mixing: If you can’t find the perfect shade, don’t be afraid to mix two BB creams together for a custom shade.
• Regularly Clean Your Makeup Applicator Tools: If you’re using brushes or sponges, ensure they are regularly cleaned to prevent bacterial buildup and breakouts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about BB Creams

Final Thoughts on the Best Korean BB Creams

Korean BB creams are some of the best skin care/makeup hybrid products in the world. They offer light coverage, SPF protection, and skin-loving ingredients.

So if you’re looking for a BB cream that does it all, one of these 5 options is sure to be perfect for you.

The best Korean BB cream for your skin type will address your specific skin concerns and provide your desired level of coverage. As a bonus, most Korean BB creams are very affordable.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, here’s to your good skin health!