Tinted Moisturizer vs. Foundation
BB Creams? CC Creams? Tinted Moisturizers? Foundations? So many terms you may not be fully familiar with. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that confusion is easy with so many different options for your skin care products.
When it comes to the various options available for skin coverage, it’s important that you select the right one if you want to get the best results. But how do you know which product is the right one for you? Especially if your skin care needs change from one week to the next.
Let’s take a closer look at these four unique coverage products and how each one can benefit you. We’ll also touch on the potential pros and cons, as well as who may get the best results overall from each product.
Tinted Moisturizer
What Is It?
True to its name, a tinted moisturizer is a skin moisturizer with a touch of additional color tone added into the mix. This gentle tone provides just a hint of coverage while also bringing along some hydrating benefits to your skin.
Who Is It For?
A tinted moisturizer looks the most natural on most skin types and shades, and can be great for quick coverage when your skin is generally looking and feeling great that day.
It’s the perfect pick for most skin types that won’t need a lot of coverage that day, but still need a little something extra. For anyone that is going for a “skinimalist” look, our PREVENTION+ daily tinted moisturizer is a great pick.
Since a tinted moisturizer is a combination of moisturizer and light foundation, we recommend applying it to your face with your fingers to get the perfect and most balanced blend.
Pros
- Extremely lightweight formula won’t feel thick or caked on
- Works well on most skin types and shades
- Brings nourishing hydration to your skin
Cons
- Does not provide enough coverage to hide blemishes
Foundation
What Is It?
One of the essential basics when it comes to makeup, foundation is probably something you are quite familiar with and may even have in your beauty kit right now.
Foundation is available in dozens of different colors and shades such as our I CONCEAL flawless foundation that ranges from porcelain to mahogany tones. You can also find foundation in various formulations of powders and creams making it one of the best ways to provide full coverage of blemishes and imperfections on your face.
Who Is It For?
Foundation is the best go-to product when you need full coverage. If you have an important date, meeting, or family gathering but notice your skin has a few blemishes, reaching for the foundation should be your first step.
Since foundation comes in a wide range of different shades, tints, and tones, you can find one that blends perfectly with your natural skin tone. If you want to perfectly blend, contour and highlight your foundation, we recommend using our I BEAUTY flawless foundation brush for the best professional-looking results.
Pros
- Provides full coverage
- Found in the widest range of shades
- Available in finishes from dewy to matte
Cons
- The wrong finish may look wet or shiny on your skin
CC Cream
What Is It?
CC is short for color corrective and it is a much lighter option than foundation. While you will still get foundation-like coverage from CC cream, you’ll more than likely get a medium-to-full coverage instead of a full coverage.
Who Is It For?
CC cream is great for hiding and blending hyperpigmentation and redness. It can also mask or blend blotches from sun damage or injuries, as well as reduce the overall brightness of redness caused by eczema or rosacea.
If you are looking for a lighter foundation that can still cover up blemishes, CC cream is a great option. Not only that, but it can work exceptionally well as a primer underneath your normal foundation since it not only provides color correction and balance, but also brings along a whole range of skin hydrating benefits.
Pros
- Provides medium to full coverage
- Perfect answer for color correction
- Contains skin hydrating ingredients
Cons
- May not be the best choice for overly dry skin
BB Cream
What Is It?
BB is short for beauty balm and is one of those tried and true trend-setting products that seems to be a staple product in a variety of beauty makeup lines.
Similar to foundation, BB cream will deliver coverage that can hide minor blemishes, while also providing a range of additional benefits including SPF protection and nourishing hydration.
Who Is It For?
If you find yourself looking in the mirror and not loving the condition your skin is in for the day, reaching for the BB cream can be your best option; especially if you are short on time!
BB cream can handle a variety of minor skin issues at once. It provides a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturizer, but much less than foundation. It also offers a few more beneficial ingredients than CC cream such as SPF protection.
Pros
- Evens out skin tone
- Helps cover skin blemishes
- Contains a blend of antioxidants
Cons
- Very small range of shades
Choosing The One For You
Now that you have taken a closer look at the differences between CC cream, BB cream, and tinted moisturizer vs foundation, you may still be wondering which one is best for you.
If you are looking for full coverage, consider the foundation first. It can cover up blemishes, redness, and hyperpigmentation. It’s also available in a wide range of skin tones to perfectly blend with your natural skin, and can also be found in finishes from matte to dewy.
For a very minimal coverage that can correct minor discolorations in your skin tone, the CC cream should be your go-to. If you’re running short on time and CC cream isn’t providing the results you want, the BB cream can help cover blemishes while still remaining lightweight.
If your skin is looking and feeling great, but you still want a small amount of coverage, the tinted moisturizer is perfect for that day.
