It’s joined by CC (color-correcting) cream, which specifically addresses issues like redness and sallowness — whereas a BB cream acts as a lighter foundation. Most recently, anti-aging DD (daily-defense) cream has entered the fray. And let’s not forget AA (anti-aging) cream, which features anti-aging elements without the color correction of a DD.
BB cream, which boasts more natural-looking coverage than foundation, remains the most popular of the bunch. Invented in 1967 by German dermatologist Christine Schrammek to soothe her patients after surgery, it didn’t become popular until some 30 years later in Korea, where it’s worn a few shades lighter than one’s natural skin tone. (In the US, the trend is to match the skin tone exactly, and the cream comes in lotion or a compact form.)
Coco Park, who co-wrote the new book “Korean Beauty Secrets: A Practical Guide to Cutting-Edge Skincare & Makeup” with Kerry Thompson, is a big fan of the BB, but she warns women not to use the sunscreen built in to BB creams as their sole source of sunblock: “The SPF is a nice stop gap, but it’s not the protection you need,” she cautions. “Put on your full SPF, let it sink in for 10 minutes, do a moisturizer and then a BB cream.”