These BB Creams Control and Correct Oily Skin in One Step
Have you ever wanted to put on your skincare products — moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, and foundation — all at once? Introducing: BB cream.
In the 1950s, German dermatologist Christine Schrammek created BB cream (also known as beauty balm or blemish balm) to treat redness after her patients received laser treatments or chemical peels. In the decades since, BB cream has taken off in the beauty world.
BB cream is excellent for anyone who wants to transform their skin without layers of foundation. The skincare ingredients in a BB cream act like a magic skin beautifier, covering blemishes and blurring pores and fine lines for smoother-looking skin. BB creams also act as tinted moisturizers, providing light coverage.
It may seem unlikely that such a versatile, all-in-one product works on all skin types, including oily skin. But most BB creams have a lightweight formula that's particularly useful for people with excess oil production. Here are some of the best BB creams for oily skin.
1. Purlisse Ageless Glow BB Cream
The Ageless Glow BB Serum SPF 40 gives you natural, glowy, and buildable coverage. While this is one of the best BB creams for normal skin, it’s designed to be versatile and works well for oily or combination skin as well. It contains bakuchiol, algae collagen, and vitamin C to reverse signs of aging instantly and improve your skin's overall health. Don't be afraid to build this up to achieve your desired coverage.
2. Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream
Covergirl's Clean Matte BB Cream foundation shows off gorgeous, shine-free skin. This lightweight, water-based cream foundation is one of the best drugstore BB creams for oily skin. It goes on smoothly and blends effortlessly while allowing your skin to breathe. Plus, its oil-free, non-comedogenic formula won't clog your pores.
3. Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream
Think light-weight moisturizing tint with benefits — this product is a true multitasking miracle that hydrates, primes, illuminates, and perfects, leaving a sheer, bare skin finish. This BB cream contains specialized mineral pigments that instantly adjust to your skin shade, allowing one color to work for many. The sheer application builds up for just the right amount of coverage while helping diminish the appearance of pores, fine lines, and uneven tone.
4. Dr. Jart+ Dermakeup Dis-A-Pore BB Cream
This cream is designed to blur the look of imperfections, minimize the appearance of pores, and leave a beautiful soft-matte finish — perfect for oily skin types. It contains vitamin-rich okra fruit extract that helps refine skin for a smooth, even-looking texture and mastic gum and non-nano powder particles that help control excess sebum production and offer anti-aging benefits.
5. Purlisse Perfect Glow BB Cream
Purlisse's #1 best-selling BB cream is great for combination or oily skin — and now, it's available in 11 shades. This long-lasting BB cream contains gogi and hawthorn berry to brighten your skin and jasmine to improve its texture and retain moisture. Wear this alone for a matte-yet-dewy finish that gives you the ultimate "no makeup" look.
6. Lily Lolo Natural BB Cream
The award-winning Lily Lolo BB Cream is a versatile hybrid between skincare and natural makeup. This silicone-free beauty balm allows you to perfect your look in one easy step. It’s packed with nourishing and anti-aging ingredients and mineral pigments that help blur imperfections and provide light coverage.
7. Dr. Jart+ Dermakeup Rejuvenating BB Cream
This triple functional, energizing beauty balm gives your skin complete coverage. Its gray-beige color perfectly covers reddish skin while a coating layer clings to your skin and enhances coverage. It forms a primary shield to restore the skin barrier, while keratin in the formula helps smooth your skin. This cream also provides SPF 35 protection, so you can be safe from sun damage all day.
8. IPKN Moist & Firm BB Cream
This all-in-one BB cream combines protection and control for one-step perfection. Moist & Firm BB Cream promotes brighter and more even skin tone, increases your skin's radiance, and supports firmness and elasticity. Wear alone or under foundation for a more radiant, dewy look.
FAQ
Is BB cream oil-free?
While many oil-free BB creams are available (like those listed above), not all BB cream is oil-free. Some BB cream is just the opposite: oil-based. This cream is best for people with dry skin, as the oil in the BB cream helps give their skin extra moisture.
Which BB cream is best for oily skin?
If you have oily or acne-prone skin, avoid oil-based BB cream. The best BB cream for oily skin will be water-based, mattifying, and control excess oil while perfecting your skin.
As long as it’s water-based, explore a variety of BB creams to find your perfect product. Find a BB cream with antioxidants or peptides for anti-aging properties, and look for a BB cream with SPF for oily skin if you want sun protection in your skin tint. If you have combination skin, try different water or oil-based BB creams to see what suits your skin best.
Is BB cream better for acne?
BB cream is an excellent choice for people who struggle with acne because it offers more lightweight coverage than other beauty products. BB creams also tend to have fewer ingredients in their formula (about 40 ingredients per bottle versus the 70 or more in moisturizer, foundation, and sunscreen). This is great for acne-prone skin, as fewer ingredients means a lower chance of irritation.
The best BB cream for oily, acne-prone skin will contain ingredients like salicylic acid (to fight acne production), silica (to help remove old acne marks), and clay (to remove sebum from the skin to prevent future breakouts). These ingredients will help improve your skin's health with each use, and none of them promote oil production.
Anyone who wants to hide their blemishes, nourish their skin, and get a smooth, beautiful face in just one step can benefit from a BB cream. And if you're still unsure which brand suits your skin type, the Flip community is here to help. Every day, we get tons of reviews from real beauty lovers like you, so you can see how these products work on real people in real-time.
