You’d be forgiven for either not knowing what the best CC cream actually is, or having never heard of them.
In among all the makeup staples – foundation, concealer, mascara etc – adding another layer to the mix can just complicate things. Not to mention, make things more expensive, yet CC creams can work wonders either beneath your makeup, or on their own.
This is especially the case if you have uneven skin tone, blemishes, redness or your skin is a little dull while we’re all stuck in lockdown!
CC stands for ‘colour-correcting’ so as this name suggests, these creams can help correct your skin tone through a mix of green, purple and terracotta liquids.
This is because to counteract redness, for example, you need to put green on top of it to balance the two. Similarly, it’s why peachy colours work so well at masking the purple in dark circles.
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If you want to learn more about this, check out our guide to colour theory makeup. CC cream sits alongside BB cream, which stands for beauty balm, and can be used in conjunction with, or on its own.
This means the best CC cream will create an even base upon which to put your foundation and concealer, or can be used on its own for a minimal makeup look. Some, including our Editor’s Pick from IT Cosmetics, provides such great coverage as well as a host of other benefits, we rarely use a standalone foundation.
As a result, while it may seem like just another product, a CC cream could actually replace other items in your collection – saving you time and money!
To help you decide if they’re worth the money, and help you find the best one to suit your skin, we’ve handpicked our absolute favourites for all budgets and skin types.
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Why we love it: No surprises here. The IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream is one of our favourite skin products for almost everything.
It’s the perfect CC cream if you’re looking for a product to replace your foundation and correct your complexion. So much so, it’s the best foundation we’ve used, let alone the best CC cream!
Elsewhere, it’s infused with hydrolysed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins meaning it can easily replace your primer, moisturiser and serum.
This combination helps reduces redness, blemishes, appearance of wrinkles and fine lines – and if that wasn’t enough, it has an SPF50. What’s not to love?
Buy now from IT Cosmetics
£16.66 | Buy now from Superdrug
Why we love it: Olay calls this a 3-in-1 product because this CC cream acts as a moisturiser, serum and sheer foundation. The most immediately attractive point might be the price and this could be the best CC cream to try if you’re dubious of using a CC product for the first time.
It hydrates the skin, and contains Tone Correcting Vitamins to gradually balance your skin tone over time. It additionally includes anti-ageing properties so will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles when used regularly.
Buy now from Superdrug
Why we love it: This is the most expensive of the CC creams we’ve listed, but it is highly recommended.
It reduces redness and discolouration and is super lightweight compared to some of the other richer CC creams, so can be used as a primer as well as moisturising base.
We’d say this product is best suited for drier skin types, rather than oily ones, but ByTerry has a cult following so it’s definitely a brand that’s worth the investment if you can stretch to this serum.
Buy now from Lookfantastic
Why we love it: La Roche-Posay is regularly a saviour for anyone skin problems and breakouts, so it makes sense the brand would create one of the best CC creams on the market.
It’s perfect for anyone struggling with heavy-duty creams and are prone to spots. Your skin is left nourished by the inclusion of shea butter and various antioxidants including Vitamin E, but this CC cream also protects with its SPF30.
This CC cream is better off as a base than a standalone product, but is buildable if you want a natural-looking finish.
FURTHER READING: Why is my skin breaking out during lockdown?
Buy now from Lookfantastic
£30 | Buy now from Feelunique
Why we love it: This CC cream from Clinique is perfect for anyone who finds that the more makeup they apply, the more their skin flakes and the worse it looks.
Clinique’s Moisture Surge is exactly what dry skin needs, with its thick cream texture offering more hydration and nourishment than other lighter-weight creams.
It offers medium coverage, so it could be worn alone if you don’t want to overload your skin but it also pairs well with foundation. The colour-correcting technology infused into the moisturiser-makeup offers a flawless finish too.
Buy now from Feelunique
£30 | Buy now from Amazon
Why we love it: If you’re anything like us, your skin has random flashes of redness and blemishes at the most inopportune times and when this happens, our go-to CC cream is the Rosalique 3-in-1 Anti-redness Miracle formula.
Developed by bioscientists, and especially suited for people sensitive skin, this cream can help with rosacea, cuperose, blemishes, spots and flushes as well as double-up as a standalone foundation or concealer.
When you first apply the cream to your skin, you’ll see it change colour in front of your eyes, going from a green to an orange and then neutral tone. The micro-encapsulated pigments in Rosalique mask redness and unevenness instantly and the green outer layer of the micro balls neutralises inflamed patches.
It also helps calm and soothe the skin and, because of its SPF50 rating, it protects from damaging or irritating UVA and UVB rays.
Buy now from Amazon
£39 | Buy now from SpaceNK
Why we love it: If you’re a little Korean Beauty obsessed – and why not, have you seen their flawless skin?! – you may be tempted by Erborian’s CC cream.
Not only does it blend seamlessly and even your skin tone, it uses cutting-edge technology meaning it adapts to your skin tone to colour correct as accurately as possible.
This CC cream is the perfect balance between skincare and makeup, offering essential nutrients and skin-boosting ingredients while also giving illuminating coverage. The magic bottle comes in two ‘shades’ for medium to dark skin tones and fairer skin.
Buy now from SpaceNK
Amira Arasteh is a freelance journalist and content creator. Find her making sense of beauty trends, tips and topics – when she’s not stuffing her face with the best food in London or travelling the globe
