CC cream is the latest craze coming out of the Korean beauty industry. So if you’re looking for a product that nourishes your skin while making it look smoother, brighter, and more even, CC cream may be exactly what you need – and you don’t have to go to Korea for it!
CC creams are available at all levels from mass-market through masstige and up to some genuinely luxurious products. There are CC creams to suit all skin types and tones. CC creams enhance your natural skin tone instead of covering it up, so it doesn’t need to match as precisely as the foundation does. Most manufacturers offer a range of five or six shades.
- Select the Best Product for You
You are undoubtedly aware that there is a whole alphabet of beauty creams out there, and you want to make sure that you’re using the right one for your skin and your needs.
- BB (beauty balm) cream: BB cream moisturizes, soothes, and tones down redness. It is suitable for all skin types, but some may be too heavy for oily skin.
- CC (color control) cream: CC cream brightens sallow skin, tones redness, and improves skin texture. It is suitable for all skin types.
- DD (daily defense) cream: DD cream helps protect the skin, especially from UV rays, and reduces the signs of aging. They are generally not suitable for oily skin as they can block pores.
- EE (extra exfoliation) cream: EE cream removes dead skin cells, renews the skin’s surface, and provides protection from UV rays. Some EE creams also contain acne-fighting ingredients. However, they are generally not suitable for thin or sensitive skin, and they should not be used frequently.
- PP (pink perfect) cream: PP cream is meant as a primer for makeup. It contains silicone particles that help even out the skin. It is suitable for all skin types but is intended to be used with other skincare products and makeup.
If you have normal or dry skin and you want it to look brighter and smoother, CC cream is indeed what you’re looking for! However, there are many excellent CC creams on the market, so you should decide which features are most important to you.
The best CC creams may contain:
- Mineral-based sun protection: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are examples of mineral-based sun protection.
- Skin protectants: These can include vitamins and antioxidants.
- Brighteners: Natural skin brighteners include licorice root and niacinamide.
- Skin-firming agents: Effective skin-firming agents include hydrolyzed collagen and peptides.
- Soothing agents: Some natural skin-soothing agents are soy, shea butter, and green tea.
- Oil-control agents: Oily skin can benefit from ingredients such as charcoal, silica, and colloidal clay.
- Acne-control agents: Natural acne-fighting ingredients include colloidal clay, salicylic acid, and tea tree extract.
- Moisturizing ingredients: Dry skin can benefit from ingredients such as glycerin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.
- Cleanse Your Face
CC creams are most effective when they are applied to freshly washed and dried skin. We’ve all been washing our faces since we were toddlers, of course, but let’s go over some recommendations from the American Academy of Dermatology.
First, don’t wash your face too often. Morning and night should be adequate for most people, and washing too often can irritate your skin and dry it out. However, if you have been sweating heavily, especially if you have been wearing a helmet or hat and sweating, you should wash the sweat off your face even outside of the morning-and-night regimen.
Use a gentle, non-abrasive, alcohol-free skin cleanser. Wet your face with lukewarm water; hot water will dilate blood vessels, damaged tissue and strip away your skin’s vital oils. (If you think that’s a good thing because your skin is oily, it’s not. Instead, your skin will ramp up oil production to make up for what was stripped away.)
Apply cleanser gently with your fingertips. Scrubbing or using a washcloth can irritate the skin. Instead, rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat your face dry with a clean, soft towel. If you have oily skin, you can apply toner with a soft cotton ball.
Moisturize your skin. Even oily skin needs moisturizer, but you will want to use an oil-free moisturizer if your skin is oily. Ensure that your skin is dry and the moisturizer is thoroughly absorbed before applying the CC cream.
- Apply Your Favorite CC Cream
Most people use CC cream over their entire face. This is recommended because it creates a smooth, even looks. You can apply it only where you want coverage; however, if you do this, you’ll need to be sure to blend it thoroughly to avoid looking mottled.
Wash and dry your hands. Next, dispense a little bit of CC cream onto your fingers and apply small dots to your face. Try one dot on the forehead, one on the chin, one on the nose, and one on each cheek for full facial coverage. Then, blend the CC cream for even coverage.
If you use your fingers to blend the CC cream, be sure to pat gently instead of rubbing or scrubbing. This protects your skin and also allows you to use less CC cream, which saves you money. You can also use a makeup brush or sponge to blend the CC cream. Be sure to wash the brush or sponge at least weekly or use disposable sponges so that you have a clean one each time.
- Check and Correct
Most CC creams are designed to provide light coverage. If you want heavier coverage in certain areas, you can apply a second coat of CC cream to those areas. Applying a second thin coat gives better coverage than applying one heavy coat. Use the same techniques described above, and be sure to blend thoroughly.
When satisfied with the amount of coverage, buff your face with a large, fluffy, round makeup brush. This brush should be clean, which means that if you used a brush to apply the CC cream, you need to use a different brush to buff your face. This brush also needs to be washed at least weekly to keep it clean.
Make small, soft circles with the brush. Start at your forehead and work your way down to your chin. Pay particular attention to the hairline and the jawline to ensure that there are no demarcation lines.
- Apply Powder and Makeup, If Desired
Some people find that CC cream alone gives them a look that they want, and that’s great! However, if you are one of those people, you may still want to brush on a bit of powder (yes, another clean brush) to set the cream. People whose skin tends to be oily will find this especially beneficial.
If you want more coverage or want to play with more color, you can apply your favorite makeup as you usually would. For example, you can use foundation on top of CC cream if you want to. CC cream is an excellent primer, and your regular makeup is going to look even better on top of this color-correcting base. You would use the same shades of foundation and other cosmetics that you usually do; CC cream makes your skin look better and brighter but does not change the color.