Since making their debut in the western market in 2011 after taking off in Asia, BB creams have become one of the most sought after product in the global beauty industry. But what are they exactly and what do they do?
The BB cream is a product created by dermatologists that marry the worlds of makeup and skincare, combining the effects of anti-aging creams, suntan lotion, skin hydration, healing and full coverage makeup all in the convenience of a single product.
Say goodbye to the days of half-empty cosmetic containers sitting on your bathroom shelf. So long to the ten-minute skincare regime involving fifteen different beauty products. It’s the age of minimalism, the age of simplicity, the age of the BB cream.
Along with the hip, new beauty trend comes an array of companies recreating the same product. It can be overwhelming to navigate the world of cosmetics, especially when you’re looking for vegan and cruelty-free alternatives.
Luckily, we’ve narrowed down a list of the top five vegan BB creams with a wide variety of effects and prices to suit every buyer.
Article NavigationTop 5 Vegan BB Cream BrandsAndalou Naturals Vitamin C BB Beauty BalmCOVER FX Mattifying Primer “BB Cream”Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Creamjane iredale Glow Time Mineral BB Creame.l.f. BB CreamHow to Find a BB Cream that’s Right for YouUnderstand the ProductKnow Your Skin TypeKnow How You Will Use This ProductLook for the Vegan Symbol and Cruelty-free BunnyTime to Rejuvenate with Cruelty-Free BB Creams
Top 5 Vegan BB Cream Brands
Andalou Naturals Vitamin C BB Beauty Balm
Andalou Naturals is the leading beauty brand in sustainability. They are non-GMO project certified, and they always use the most natural ingredients on the market. Their cruelty-free BB cream provides coverage with high-quality ingredients suited for most skin types.
What We Like
Those with skin sensitive to chemicals will love Andalou Natural’s chemical-free BB cream. It provides minimal coverage which allows the skin to feel fresh while smelling like a peach thanks to the fruity, vitamin-C-packed ingredient list.
What We Didn’t Like
The color range isn’t the most varied, and those with lighter or darker skin tones might struggle to find their perfect match. For another sheer coverage brand, try Pacifica if you struggle to find your perfect skin tone. If your skin is acne prone or requires more attention, you might prefer a BB cream with better coverage like Cover FX, Jane Iredale of E.L.F.
COVER FX Mattifying Primer 'BB Cream'
Although this product is marketed as a primer, it follows the definition of a true BB cream because of it’s healing qualities and skin rejuvenation properties
Cover FX has over 40 shades suited for a wide variety of ethnicities with different undertones. Their products provide full coverage with healing properties, perfect for those with acne-prone skin looking for a product to hide and heal scars simultaneously.
What We Like
Cover FX’s “BB cream” is most suited for those with oily skin as it helps regulate the skin’s natural production of oil. This cream was developed under the supervision of dermatologists and has been clinically tested to provide the healthiest alternative for sensitive skin.
The ingredients are natural, packed with vitamins and free from inflammatory substances such as mineral oil, gluten, talc, parabens, and fragrance. If you’re on the go, Cover FX provides a travel sized alternative to the full product, which is perfect if you want to try it out on your skin before investing your big bucks.
What We Didn’t Like
Cover FX’s “BB cream” is definitely on the pricier side and might be too far out of budget for the average shopper. If you’re someone with acne, struggles with oily or sensitive skin and wants something to hide your skin while you try and regulate it, Cover FX might be worth the investment. If not, E.L.F’s products are much cheaper and work just as well in most cases.
Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream
Pacifica’s vision is to overcome the myth that natural, sustainable ingredients don’t provide good results. Like a true BB cream, this product should change and adapt to match your natural skin tone with sheer coverage.
What We Like
This vegan BB cream will leave your skin noticeably dewy and youthful, perfect for those with normal skin. Pacifica’s cream is the only cream on the list with age-defying properties, ideal for the aging beauties looking to minimize wrinkles and lines. A small amount goes a long way, making Pacifica’s product great value for money.
What We Didn’t Like
As Pacifica’s BB Cream is most suited for normal skin types, acne sufferers might prefer a product with fuller coverage. If this is the case, opt for a more heavy-duty BB creams like Cover FX, Jane Iredale or E.L.F.
jane iredale Glow Time Mineral BB Cream
The Jane Iredale BB cream specializes in creating a four-in-one product that acts as a foundation, concealer, sunscreen and skin rejuvenator with active skin care benefits. They use high-quality ingredients to provide unbeatable coverage.
What We Like
This cruelty-free BB cream provides superior coverage that lasts throughout the day in humid summers or blistering winters. A little goes a long way making this great product value for money, despite it being on the higher end of the price range.
What We Didn’t Like
The BB creams use colors that are best suited for yellow-based skin tones. If you think your tone is more red-based, these colors might not be suited for you. If you’re struggling to find your perfect foundation color, try Cover FX’s wide range of tones.
e.l.f. BB Cream
E.L.F’s vision is to be the leading cosmetic company in innovation, empowerment, and education without compromising on budget. Their BB cream primes, moisturizes, protects and hydrates the skin from UVA/UVB rays with SPF 20.
What We Like
E.L.F’s vegan BB cream leads the way in longevity, providing full coverage, minimizing lines and protecting against the elements for the full day. This product provides a youthful, dewy glow to the driest skin types.
What We Didn’t Like
Sensitive skin sufferers may not enjoy this product as some of the ingredients have been known to cause irritation. If this is the case for your skin, opt for a more natural, chemical-free product like Andalou Naturals or Pacifica.
How to Find a BB Cream that’s Right for You
Still struggling to find a good BB cream? Don’t despair. Here’s a handy guide to help you know what to look for:
Understand the Product
Understanding the product is key to finding the perfect one. The term ‘BB cream’ is being loosely handled these days thanks to the growing trend.
Some companies will try and sell you a ‘BB cream’ but it’s nothing more than a tinted moisturizer. A true BB cream has healing properties that help rejuvenate your skin and has been clinically tested to provide great results.
Know Your Skin Type
Knowing your skin type is important in finding the correct product for you. First of all, you need to know your shade. Are you fair skinned, dark skinned? What about your undertone? Discovering which one you have is quite simple.
The easiest way to decipher your skin tone is by checking the color of your veins. Take a look at your wrists. Do your veins appear blue or purple toned? If yes, you have a cool undertone and would be best suit red-based tones. If your veins appear green, you have a warm undertone and are more suited to yellow-based products.
Finding the correct tone can be tricky business, especially when shopping online. Sometimes a product can look entirely different on the packaging than it does on skin. The best way to discover which tone to use is to browse blogs or video websites such as youtube.com for beauty gurus who swatch test the colors of the product you wish to buy.
Finally, what type of skin do you have? Oily, dry, normal, combination? Is your skin sensitive to harsh chemicals? Knowing this can save you money when trying products that aren’t meant for your skin type.
Dry skin sufferers will find their skin flaky and chalky, especially during the winter months. Your pores will be small and almost invisible, you might have visible lines and wrinkles, you could have red patches or have a dull complexion.
Oily skin suffers might be acne prone, have large pores, whiteheads, blackheads or blemishes, shiny skin with a lot of natural oil production. Puberty, stress, heat or hormonal changes can impact the oiliness of a person’s skin.
Those with combination skin experience both oily and dry skin symptoms, whilst those with normal skin tend not to have any severe skin problems.
If your skin is sensitive, watch out for products with harsh chemicals in their ingredients list. Opt for organic, GMO-free, natural alternatives without irritating ingredients such as talc, mineral oils, parabens, fragrance or gluten. Redness, itching, burning or dryness are all symptoms of sensitive skin.
Know How You Will Use This Product
This step might sound quite silly. Of course you know you’ll use this product, otherwise why are you here? It’s actually a bit more complicated than that though.
These are some things to consider before buying:
- Are you satisfied with the way your skin looks and feels at the moment?
- Are you trying to enhance your look or beauty regime with a new product?
- And finally, are you going to use the BB cream to replace your current makeup routine or are you looking to use this cream as a primer to protect your skin before the rest of your full coverage makeup?
Knowing this might deter you from wasting your money on an expensive full coverage BB cream when a sheer primer might do the trick.
Look for the Vegan Symbol and Cruelty-free Bunny
If you’re new to the vegan lifestyle you might be overwhelmed with how to shop cruelty-free and vegan. Is there even a difference? Surprisingly, there is. Vegan means no animal product was used in the ingredients list (common ones are beeswax and carmine), and cruelty-free means no animal was tested on during the production process.
Cruelty-free and vegan are not necessarily interchangeable so it’s important to look for the big green V vegan symbol and the cruelty-free bunny trademarks.
Do they Sell in China?
Something important to take into consideration is if a company sells to China. China is a country where it is required by law to test on animals before the product goes to market. Often companies will refuse to sell their product there on principle.
Look on the company’s FAQ page to be sure. Is there a question about vivisection practices?
Does the company say ‘we believe animal testing should be a thing of the past and are taking steps to make sure our business does not take part in such practices’ or does the company say ‘all our products are 100% cruelty-free and vegan.’ Notice the difference?
Often companies won’t explicitly say if they test on animals or not and will skirt around the question with fancy wording to confuse buyers. Don’t be fooled! Look for companies who will say proudly that they are cruelty-free and vegan. If the company is legitimate, they will probably have the words plastered on their website’s front page because they are proud to be cruelty-free and vegan.
What about parent companies?
Some cruelty-free, vegan companies are owned by non-vegan, non-cruelty-free parent companies (think Urban Decay and L’Oreal). It’s up to you to decide whether or not these companies should be supported, but keep in mind there are lots of brands with parent companies who share the same ethics and values as they do. Every brand on our list is owned by cruelty-free and vegan parent companies.
Time to Rejuvenate with Cruelty-Free BB Creams
Finally, know that there are plenty of vegan, cruelty-free products on the market, not just the ones I listed, so shop around. Discover what’s best for you, and hopefully, you’ll find your perfect BB cream before long.
Hopefully, by now, you’ll have learned a lot about vegan and cruelty-free BB creams, and you’re ready to venture out into the world alone to find your perfect product. Good luck and remember everyone is different. What works for someone else might not work for you so make sure to do your research before making a purchase.