Dictionary: BB Cream

Aaahh, BB Creams. I know that I am very behind the times, because these products have been all over the beauty world for quite some time now, and to be honest, I actually have no clue what they are. I've only had a slight interest in questioning what they're all about, but I've never really found out. Partly because the only ones that I've ever looked at in Superdrug have been a little out of my price range, especially recently when cash has been a little strapped in my direction, so I haven't really been buying that many beauty products. Hence the extreme lack of product reviews recently.

I decided that it was time to discover all about BB Creams, and this is very much a learning lesson for me, as it might be for anyone else who doesn't know what they are. So, if I get anything incorrect, I apologise now :)

The "BB" in BB Cream stands for "Blemish Balm", which is simple enough really, and already I'm getting the idea that the product is for covering up blemishes. However, I also came across people called these products "Beblesh Balms", but I'm not really sure what that means. When I looked up the word "Beblesh", Google literally just gave me a page full of BB Creams, so ultimately I'm none the wiser. From what I can gather, I'm pretty certain that they're the exact same thing.

The story of BB Creams is often contributed as starting in Asia, as this is where a lot of the hype has been over the past few years, however it was actually invented in Germany by Dr. Christine Schrammek. Initially, the product was created as a post-treatment for patients who had undergone treatments such as skin peels, and was designed to soothe the pain of the skin.

However, when the product was launched to an Asian clientele, it was promoted as a lot more than just an after-treatment. Instead it was promoted as a sort of "miracle cream" that contains several existing products, all rolled into one to create a theoretical Super Product:

Moisturiser, Primer, Sun Screen, Foundation and Anti-Aging Cream.

Seeing as BB Creams are a mixture of all of those things, then I guess that it's easy to summarise that they are a product that adds moisturise to your skin keeping it nourished, whilst protecting against the signs of aging and sun damage. However, with the added primer and foundation it works to create a fresh canvas-like surface for us to work with to create whatever look we're aiming for. Hence, it hides those flaws and blemishes that drive us crazy!

From the information that I've put together about BB Creams, they are the perfect creation for people like me. Y'know lazy people who generally can't be bothered to spend ages applying lots of different products. Instead I just need to apply one product that contains everything. It also seems like a great idea for people who are trying to either save money, or stop buying so many products for whatever reason (space, environment etc).

Of course they're also perfect for women with busy lives who just don't have the time to apply lots of products in a morning. I'd love to put myself in this category, but who am I kidding? I fit firmly in the lazy one ;)

This is really where I need to throw it out onto the floor, because I've never picked up a BB Cream. From what I can see they appear to sell like the stereotypical hot cakes, and appear to be incredibly popular in the beauty industry, so surely that's a sign that yes, they do work and that they are good, right? Otherwise people wouldn't keep grabbing them off the shelves and buying them!

I've not come across any negativity personally, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on them:


Have you tried BB Creams, from any brand? What do you think? Are they as good as the marketing lets on? Would you recommend them to people like me who don't know very much about them? Do I need to hurry up and go grab myself some?