13 Best BB Creams For Dark Skin 2024

Whether you’re a beauty enthusiast or not, you probably know what foundation is.

A popular product that fewer people know are BB creams.

People hear the name and normally don’t even think of it as a beauty product, but it definitely is.

BB creams have come a long way since the late 1960s, and now these products are flying off shelves, whether it’s in Sephora, Ulta, or the drugstore.

Different from foundation, BB creams have their own benefits, and there are many.

For a look into the ins and outs of BB creams and great BB cream options for Black women, check out our picks below.

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30

If you want a great 3-in-1 product, try the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream.

This product will help provide sheer buildable coverage, while also providing hydrating skincare benefits and SPF protection.

Plus, the brand really focuses on the skincare benefits with their claim that this BB cream will boost the skin’s hydration by 215% in one week.

I don’t know about you, but my skin can never be too hydrated.

Lastly, when it comes to shade options, BareMinerals is superior to many brands.

They offer customers 20 different shades to choose from.

Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15

Next on this list, we have the Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer.

This product is made for those with normal to dry skin types and is available in nine shades.

Bobbi Brown describes their BB cream as a lightweight, creamy moisturizer that covers unevenness while infusing the skin with hydration.

While it will still look like skin, your face will feel softer and smoother after application.

Lastly, this product also contains SPF 15 which will keep your skin protected from the sun.

Their formula of this BB cream also includes Jojoba Seed OIl, which is a known product that is great for hydrating the skin.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream 

When it comes to drugstore brands, Maybelline is always seen as superior.

That’s why their Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream made its way onto this list.

The brand boasts that this BB creams is one lightweight formula with 8 skin-loving benefits.

Some of their benefits include that the cream hydrates, protects the skin with SPF 30, brightens, blurs imperfections, smoothes, enhances, and is oil free without any heavy ingredients.

Providing a sheer coverage with a natural finish, Maybelline’s Dream BB Fresh is only available in five shades, so be mindful that finding the “perfect” shade might be a little more difficult.

The bright side with BB creams, however, is that because of the sheer coverage, one shade can work for quite a few surrounding skin tones.

CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream

CoverGirl is another popular drugstore brand, and their Clean Matte BB Cream is worth trying.

Available in six shades, this BB cream is specifically for those with oily skin.

If you want a clean, shine-free face, this product can give it to you.

Not only is this product oil-free, but it’s non comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.

We all want that easy, breezy, beautiful CoverGirl look, and you can achieve it with this BB cream.

Plus, another added benefit to this product is that it is available in matte and sensitive formulas.

Mary Kay CC Cream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Now, you won’t have the ease of picking up Mary Kay products at places like Sephora or the drug store, but you’ll find their CC Cream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15 available on Amazon and their site.

With slightly more coverage than you’d find in a regular BB cream, this product is suitable for all skin types, and also promises to deliver 8 benefits.

This Mary Kay cream will help color correct the with its five shades, that surprising lean on the deep spectrum.

Oil-free, fragrance-free, non comedogenic, and dermatologist-tested, you can be sure this product will benefit the skin while helping you look flawless.

Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40

Clinique is another great brand that you’ll find in the drug store, stores like Sephora, and on Amazon.

It’s great because you need to be able to get your hands on Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40.

While only available in four shades, this BB cream was developed for those with blemish-prone or oily skin.

With coverage said to last up to 12 hours, this product is going to even out the complexion while offering buildable coverage and UVA/UVB protection.

Clinique is one brand that is often recognized for their ability to combine makeup and skincare, and this product is an example of that.

Iman Cosmetics Skin Tone Evener BB Creme

With the brand founded and created by the incomparable model, Iman, the IMAN Cosmetics Skin Tone Evener BB Creme is a must-try, especially for women with deeper complexions.

While this product is only available in five shades, the range clearly caters to women with deeper skin tones.

Unlike many other BB creams, IMAN’s product doesn’t contain SPF, but it does include a host of other beneficial ingredients like grape seed, aloe, and vitamins A, E, & C.

Lastly, you don’t have to worry about it being made with harsh chemicals because this formula is paraben free.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

When it comes to complexion products, Nars is one brand that is often considered at the top of the tier.

Their Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer has always been a popular product.

With twelves shades, this product is supposed to help improve the skin’s overall condition while providing moisture as well as SPF 30.

With light coverage, this product is said to make the skin look more natural and glowing.

This Nars product is oil free, paraben free, and synthetic fragrance free while being formulated for those with normal to dry skin types.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35

If you’re trying to get camera ready, try the Smashbox Camera Ready B Cream SPF 35.

Smashbox is a popular brand among makeup artists and if you’re trying to look as flawless as their clients, this BB cream is worth trying.

Considered a 5-in-1 miracle worker, this product primes the skin, perfects the skin tone, hydrates, banishes shine, and protects with SPF 35.

While this product could be worn on it’s own, Smashbox also recommends pairing it under a foundation for even more coverage.

Also, if you have sensitive skin, you don’t have to worry about your skin disagreeing with any added ingredients like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, oil, fragrances, or talc.

Black Radiance True Complexion BB Cream SPF 15

Another brand that caters to women with deeper skin tones, the Black Radiance True Complexion BB Cream SPF 15 is worth trying.

With four shades for people of color, this product evens and refines darker complexions with 10 promised skincare benefits.

Black Radiance boasts that their BB cream moisturizes, conceals, primes, smoothes, and minimizes shine.

An oil-free formula, it’s non comedogenic while giving a natural looking radiance to its wearer.

Plus, this product also includes SPF 15 which is great for protecting the skin from the sun.

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream With SPF 50+

IT Cosmetics is one brand that is constantly trying to elevate the skin of its customers.

An example of this is their Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+.

Available in twelve shades, this product is said to work as beautifully as your full-coverage foundation, hydrating anti-aging serum, and SPF 50+ physical sunscreen.

The brand is known for partnering with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to create their products, and this cream is no exception.

Specifically, this product is infused with collagen, peptides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and vitamins – all products recognized for their skin benefits.

If you want your skin to look great while helping it transform into healthier skin, this IT Cosmetics cream should be on your list.

CoverGirl Queen Collection CC Cream

CoverGirl created their Queen Collection to cater to women of color.

Their Queen Collection CC Cream is a lightweight formula that was created for deep skin tones.

This cream provides a flawless, natural finishing while also giving your skin the necessary benefit of hydration.

Like many of the products on this list, it is also oil-free and non comedogenic.

Similar to most of Covergirl’s products, this CC cream will have your feeling like an easy, breezy, beautiful CoverGirl.

E.L.F. BB Cream SPF 20

E.L.F. is another popular drugstore brand, and their BB Cream SPF 20 definitely deserves a spot on this list.

While the brand is known for their affordable products, they never skimp on the quality.

Available in seven shades, this product is weightless, super blendable, and provides UVA/UVB SPF 20 protection.

Plus, while it will help provide coverage, it has great ingredients for keeping the skin healthy such as cucumber, aloe, jojoba, and Vitamin E.

Lastly, it’s great to know that all E.L.F. products are vegan and cruelty-free.

What Is A BB Cream?

While the trends come and go, there was a time when all you’d ever hear about were BB creams.

The Western beauty community has often looked to countries like Korea for their trends, and BB creams were one of them.

BB creams might’ve not been created in Korea, but their beauty wearers were known for wearing the lighter coverage product. 

The product was actually created in Germany by Dr. Christine Schrammek.

Schrammek originally created this product for use on her patients.

After harsh treatments, like peels and microdermabrasion, left their skin red and inflamed, she didn’t want to apply heavy foundations that might exacerbate the issue.

Instead, she wanted a product that would provide some coverage while also being light on the skin.

Soon, South Korea took the concept and ran with it, which is where BB creams began to grow in popularity.

According to Byrdie, BB creams can be described as “a foundation alternative that offers light coverage while being kind to the skin.”

Depending on who you ask, they stand for different things as well.

Some call them blemish balms, beauty balms, or blemish bases.

Regardless of what you’d call them, BB creams are supposed to smooth, blur, perfect, and tint the skin.

Are BB Creams, CC Creams, And Tinted Moisturizers The Same Thing?

If you have this question, you’re not the only one.

When it comes to products on the market, BB creams, CC creams, and tinted moisturizers often seem like the same thing.

And if they’re the same thing, why are they called different things?

Like I said, they seem like the same thing, but they actually aren’t.

The differences aren’t that complicated.

As previously mentioned, BB creams are light coverage foundation alternatives.

While they are mostly used to allow you to provide slight coverage to the skin, they also have moisturizing and sunscreen properties.

You can think of tinted moisturizers as the opposite.

A tinted moisturizer is predominantly a moisturizer that can be used every day.

This product secondly provides a sheer coverage of pigment to help even the skin tone.

When comparing BB creams and tinted moisturizers, the latter is going to provide you with the sheerest coverage.

Tinted moisturizers are used as a product for hydration while BB and CC creams target skin issues and imperfections.

Now, if you’re someone who likes different levels of coverage, this is where BB creams and CC creams slightly differ.

Considered an improved version of BB creams, CC creams act as a “color corrector.”

What does this mean?

While CC creams are lighter than BB creams, many of them still offer foundation-like coverage.

The purpose of a CC cream is to “correct” the color of your skin.

This means a CC cream will even out your skin tone, reduce blotchiness, and fade hyperpigmentation.

Ultimately, while all these products provide different levels of skincare and coverage, BB creams are the central product that allow for a balanced mix of skincare and beauty coverage.

Should BB Creams Be Applied The Same As Foundation?

There’s a little more to BB creams than just applying them as a foundation.

When you touch a BB cream, you’ll notice that they’re instantly different from foundations.

While foundations often differ in texture, they’re still different from BB creams.

Foundations tend to be thick, and BB creams most often feel like a facial moisturizer.

Because of this, you’ll apply BB creams differently than your foundation.

Beauty sponges and brushes are common tools for applying foundation, and while you could use the former when applying BB creams, the latter doesn’t really work.

Since there isn’t much coverage when using BB creams, applying it with a brush could actually sheer it out more than you’d like.

A damp beauty sponge is a good option for applying BB creams.

Even so, the best method for applying BB creams is said to be with your hands.

The warmth of your hands allows you to work the product and let it melt into the skin.

This makes the product easier to manipulate and spread on the skin.

BB creams are vastly different from foundations, but depending on what you’re looking for, they can be a better alternative.

Are There Benefits To Using BB Creams?

While we touch on this is one of the previous sections, BB creams are an all-inclusive product. 

When it comes to cosmetic purposes, BB creams smooth, blur, perfect, and tint the skin.

These products can provide a ton of different benefits to the skin if you choose the right product.

One, the main benefit of BB creams is that they provide hydration to the skin.

When wearing this product, you might choose to wear a separate moisturizer, but in most cases, one doesn’t need to.

Two, as you’ll see in this list, most BB creams have SPF in them.

Now, in the 21st century, I hope that everyone knows that they should be wearing SPF everytime they leave the house.

It doesn’t matter if you’re White, Black, Asian, or Hispanic.

Everyone needs SPF.

Thankfully, by using a BB cream, you won’t have to worry about applying a sunscreen beneath the product.

Most BB creams offer some level of SPF.

While some only have SPF 15, many have SPF 30 or more.

The third great benefit to using BB creams is that it provides slight coverage.

Whether you’re looking for a product to even out your skin tone or prefer lightweight products on your skin, BB creams are your one-stop product. 

Best BB Creams For Dark Skin Conclusion

If you don’t follow the beauty community, it can be hard to keep up with their products.

The whole BB cream/CC cream/tinted moisturizer conversation can be a bit convoluted, but hopefully you have some better understanding of all these products. 

While it is great to have a beauty product that works well, great skin starts with skincare!

Get an amazing skincare routine underway by starting with our best face washes for Black women.

You won’t be sorry!