BB Creams and Other Foundations

BB creams offer light coverage and skin benefits

BB creams are popular as an alternative to foundation or as a primer for it. Users expect BB creams to offer SPF, feel good on the skin, and be quick and easy to apply. Some boast additional benefits, like antioxidants or brightening capabilities, but users don't typically seem too swayed by these bonuses.

While some foundation brands and products have been expert favorites for years, the BB cream category is new enough that there aren't any cult obsessions yet. Still, BB creams are a beauty magazine darling, so there's been enough coverage to identify a clear best reviewed pick.

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream, our best reviewed pick, (Est. $13) is recommended by Choice magazine, Good Housekeeping and Allure magazine -- all highly reliable review sources that utilize a combination of experts and real women. Garnier Skin Perfector meets the basic requirements of a BB cream as it's comfortable to wear and easy to blend. It offers an SPF of 20 and light, buildable coverage. The sheerness is similar to a tinted moisturizer, but reviewers say it's easy to layer for additional coverage.

However, the shade options are limited, so if it isn't an exact match, it's best worn in a light application. For a BB cream that has more color options, both Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream SPF 30 (Est. $7) and Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 (Est. $39) are recommended by Good Housekeeping magazine. They each come in five different shades, have a high SPF and are praised for their good color coverage.

Garnier offers two versions of its Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream: one for normal to dry skin, the other for oily and combination skin. However, this BB cream is fragranced and may be irritating to sensitive skin. For those with sensitive skin, Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm (Est. $34) is a hypoallergenic option. It's also available in six shades -- more than we found for any other well-reviewed BB cream.

We also found recommendations for Clinique Age Defense BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (Est. $37) and Estee Lauder DayWear Anti-oxidant Beauty Benefit BB Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 35 (Est. $39) . The two are remarkably similar: They boast antioxidants and a relatively high SPF. However, they're available in only two or three shades that users don't all love. They may act as a good primer, and for just that, they don't seem to be worth the price.  

What other foundation formulas are available?

Beauty chemists are constantly churning out new ways to achieve a flawless face. There are plenty of good foundations that fall into this broad other category -- anything from mousses to "liquid shakers." But "new" formulas don't always solve beauty qualms.

Creams have been around for a long time, but in recent days they seem to be decreasing in popularity. We found a few cream foundation sticks recommended by pros, but they don't gain much traction from user reviews. For example, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick (Est. $42) is recommended by About.com beauty guide Julyne Derrick and gets a score of "good" (her third highest score) from beauty expert Paula Begoun, but it gets only 3.5 stars from MakeupAlley.com reviewers and doesn't gain much attention elsewhere. It's praised for being easy to apply and easy to take on the go, but users say it clogs pores and isn't good for oily skin. The full coverage and luminous finish aren't a popular combination for everyday makeup among reviewers.

Mousses and foams are a nice alternative to creams for a natural-looking finish with medium to full coverage. Women's Health says these aerated formulas are less dense so they apply evenly, then dry to a luminous, airbrushed finish. Editors recommend Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup (Est. $13) for dry to normal skin. MakeupAlley.com reviewers are not as impressed, giving it 2.5 stars. They are more satisfied with Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Mousse Makeup (Est. $34) , though it only has 89 reviews, it gets 4.2 out of 5 stars with 76 percent of owners saying they would buy it again.

Another newcomer mentioned in the Women's Health article is "liquid shaker" foundation. This formula is much thinner than standard liquid foundations and is a good alternative to thick, cakey creams for oily skinned women. These formulas contain pigments that adhere well to the skin for long-wearing, full coverage. Shiseido Makeup Perfect Refining Foundation (Est. $39) is recommended in this category. Reviewers like the formula in general, but some find it's difficult to use because it is too runny. Others say the formula sets too quickly to apply evenly. Many find the powdery soft finish promising but feel it falls short.