What’s a BB cream?

According to WebMD, BB creams are short for beauty balms or blemish balms. They were first developed in Germany by a dermatologist who wanted a single cream that would protect skin and provide coverage after laser treatments.

The all-in-one formulation became a sensation in South Korea and then spread throughout Asia.

“The average woman in Asia goes through seven different steps taking care of her skin,” says Jessica Wu, MD, a Santa Monica, Calif., dermatologist and author of Feed Your Face: Younger, Smoother Skin and a Beautiful Body in 28 Delicious Days. “When I was in Hong Kong, every woman I spoke to was using a BB cream to shorten that regimen.”

BB creams started hitting US and UK store shelves in the spring of 2011. Today, almost every major beauty company has a BB cream, from drugstore brands that cost under $10 to high-end department-store lines that may be as costly as $100 or more, as well as lines that are only sold at spas or in doctors’ offices. One of our favourites is Matis Reponse Teint BB Cream.

Matis BB Cream is a six­-in­-one beauty cream that conceals as it treats, revealing radiant, soft skin with a perfect finish. This super-powered BB Cream hydrates, reduces pigmentation, and protects against premature aging caused by damaging UVA / UVB rays. Matis BB Cream conceals imperfections with a universal tint for a healthy complexion that looks completely natural.

Features & benefits:

• Provides UVA / UVB protection with SPF 15.
• Protects against premature aging.
• Evens skin tone and fades pigmentation.
• Universal tint for luminous finish.

How to apply: Apply to cleansed skin, in place of or in addition to usual products. May be used instead of or as a compliment to usual makeup products.

Key ingredients:

• Cassia Angustifolia ­ Natural hyaluronic acid; binds moisture to skin and forms a protective film that smoothes fine lines and wrinkles.
• Imperata Cylindrica ­ Moisturizes skin.
• Iron Oxide ­ Evens skin tone.
• Sunflower Oil ­ Nourishing and hydrating.