The 6 BB Creams That Cosmo Editors Would Give Up Foundation For
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Sometimes a full-coverage foundation just feels like too much for everyday. I'm not always in the mood to blend a thick layer of makeup all over my face, especially when I'm just looking to quickly smooth out my skin texture or hide a few breakouts. That's where BB cream comes in: a lightweight, skin-perfecting hybrid that evens out your complexion while also adding a dose of skincare benefits and sun protection.
Originally a K-beauty staple, BB creams (or beauty balms) made their way stateside as the elevated cousin of tinted moisturizers and skin tints. The multitasking formulas make your face look fresh and even, while also being filled with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and more. So, team Cosmo tested a bunch of BB creams (as well as 3-in-1 tinted moisturizers and CC creams) and narrowed them down to the best ones that smooth redness and breakouts without the heaviness of a foundation.
Ahead, the six best BB creams to shop right now, all tested, reviewed, and ultimately loved by Cosmo editors.
BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream
Why we love it:Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream is skincare-forward with a serum-like texture that blends in easily and leaves skin looking naturally radiant. Despite its lightweight feel, it offers impressive coverage that smooths redness and evens skin tone without feeling heavy or oily.
One Cosmo editor says:"This serum-like formula practically glides onto skin, making it perfect for quick, low-maintenance makeup days. It pretty much feels like skincare—lightweight, hydrating, and so easy to blend. The finish is subtly glowy, like the Paris filter IRL, and it somehow still manages to smooth out redness and even skin tone without ever feeling heavy or greasy. It's easily one of the most effortless complexion products I've tried." —JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Jasmine Hyman for Cosmopolitan
BB Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 40
Why we love it:Dr. Jart's supercharged BB cream rolls skincare benefits, makeup, and mineral-based SPF 40 protection into one convenient formula. It feels slightly cooling upon application and seamlessly blurs out imperfections to even out your skin tone and cover breakouts, leaving skin looking velvety-smooth and soft.
One Cosmo editor says:"I've pretty much sworn off foundation because I hate when it feels too heavy on my face, but this is the closest thing to the coverage of a foundation, without the overly cakey feeling. It's great for my dry and sensitive skin, and covers all my blemishes and dark circles while neutralizing redness—making my skin concealer-optional." —JH
Jasmine Hyman
BB Blur Tinted Moisturizer
Why we love it:If you've got oily skin but don't want a heavy duty matte foundation, this BB cream from Tarte is your best bet for smooth and even skin. The formula is loaded with diamond powder and plant extracts to blur the complexion. It also keeps shine in check with Amazonian clay to absorb excess oil. Not to mention, it also boasts SPF 30 for extra sun protection—a true multitasker.
One Cosmo editor says:"Almost all BB creams are super dewy and not right for dry skin. But not Tarte's. This is actually the most mattifying bb cream, tinted moisturizer, skin tint—whatever you wanna call it—that I've ever used. It leaves my skin with a cloud-like, soft finish when I blend it with a sponge or brush (a brush just maximizes coverage, in my experience)."—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Beth Gillette for Cosmopolitan
Tinted Moisturizer Blurred Matte SPF 30
Why we love it:Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer just earned itself a 2025 Cosmopolitan Acne Award for its ability to blur the skin, without exacerbating breakouts or clogging pores. It's ideal for normal to oily skin types that are looking for medium coverage and skin-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It also comes in a dewy finish for those with dry skin types.
One Cosmo editor says:"An oldie but a goodie, this is technically a tinted moisturizer, but it combines foundation, moisturizer, and SPF, so I consider it a BB cream. It's perfect for my oily, acne-prone skin thanks to mattifying and blurring properties, and the level of coverage is just right. It's not cakey or thick, but there's substantial enough of a tint that I don't need anything else." —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Lauren Balsamo for Cosmopolitan
CC+ Full-Coverage Cream
Why we love it:This formula delivers the coverage and color-correcting power of a foundation, but with the skincare perks of a BB cream (or technically, a CC cream). It evens out blemishes, blurs fine lines, and leaves skin looking soft and natural—plus, it comes in both matte and glowy finishes, so you can choose your preferred finish.
One Cosmo editor says:"Okay, so technically this isn't a BB cream, it's a CC cream, but it works just as seamlessly, with the added bonus of color correction. I've been relying on this workhorse formula since college, and it's never let me down. It has such an expansive shade range, unlike most bb creams, and layers really nicely onto my dry skin for just the right amount of coverage without being as heavy as a foundation." —JH
Jasmine Hyman for Cosmopolitan
BFF De-Stress Serum
Why we love it:Another one that's not *technically* a BB cream, but has the same skin-smoothing coverage and skincare benefits. This hydrating tint is packed with stress-fighting ingredients like Neurophroline (aka a plant extract that calms the skin), hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and plant antioxidants to help brighten and revive tired skin. It's non-comedogenic, blends seamlessly, and feels lightweight enough to wear all day.
One Cosmo editor says:"Skin tints and my acne usually don't go together, but this ultra-sheer formula feels like I'm just putting on a calming serum with a bit of coverage. It evens out my skin tone and adds a pretty glow that doesn't irritate or break me out." —BG
Beth Gillette for Cosmopolitan
What's the difference between BB cream and foundation?
BB creams are much lighter in texture than standard foundations and typically provide light coverage—enough to even out skin tone and cover up minor blemishes while still giving the illusion of your naked skin. BB creams are also stellar multitaskers compared to foundations, as many formulations have makeup, skincare, and sun protection benefits combined.
Foundation, however, is meant to have a more opaque look and full-coverage finish. This usually means it feels heavier on your skin. However, a lot of newer foundations are starting to incorporate skincare benefits into the formulas as well, similar to a BB cream.
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Which is better: BB or CC cream?
Neither BB cream nor CC cream is "better" than the other. It all comes down to what your makeup preference is. While both BB and CC creams are hybrid face products that provide skincare benefits and help to even out your skin tone, BB creams typically lean transparent to light in terms of coverage, while CC creams help color correct redness, dark circles, acne scars, etc. If you still want your natural skin to shine through, opt for a BB cream. That said, if you're looking to cover hyperpigmentation, acne, or fine lines, a medium to full coverage CC cream is often better suited for that.
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How to choose the best bb cream:
Look at the shade range.
Compared to other types of face makeup—like foundations—BB creams aren't as expansive when it comes to shade range. Many brands only offer a few options that are flexible and adjust to match your skin tone, but even then, there aren't that many choices for those with deeper skin tones. We appreciate the brands that prioritize range, like Kosas , Laura Mercier , and It Cosmetics , which have 20+ shades to choose from.
Consider the coverage.
While BB creams are known for their transparent to light coverage, there are some formulas that are buildable. A variety of the BB creams on our list range from light coverage to medium and full coverage. Think about what you're trying to conceal—if you have some hyperpigmentation or dark circles that you want to cover, you might want to opt for one of the more full-coverage options.
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Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hymanis the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she writes about all the best makeup products and launches. For this story she tapped team Cosmo for all their BB cream recs and tested a bunch of formulas herself.
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