Skip to Content

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

12 Of The Best BB Creams For Dewy, Radiant Skin

BB = Beauty Balm.

By
best bb cream uk

The days of unwashed hair, Houseparty (remember that?) and pairing your track pants with a white shirt for that last-minute Zoom call may thankfully be behind us, but there are some lockdown habits that continue to linger. It's clear the pandemic has had a lasting effect on our beauty routines: while we might have rushed straight back to our favourite hair salon and reacquainted with our nail technician, a few beauty habits have fallen by the wayside – and perhaps for the better.

Winter is usually the time we hail the return of full-coverage foundation, but things feel different this year. All that time we spent getting to know our bare faces has made us more inclined to embrace a lighter, more breathable base: the kind that illuminates and unifies without feeling like a mask.

If you, like us, are edging towards a more low-maintenance beauty look, it's time to return to BB cream.

Like many beauty game-changers, BB cream was born in South Korea. The letters were originally an abbreviation for ‘blemish balm’, but are now widely recognised as standing for ‘beauty balm’.

But what is a BB cream, exactly? It might masquerade as something buzzier and more exciting, but it’s essentially tinted moisturiser, souped up with good-for-skin bonuses like pollution-shielding extracts, moisture-grabbing humectants and that all-important SPF. The best ones out there will unify your skin tone and keep you hydrated, meaning you can streamline your routine while still looking put-together and pleasingly glowy.

So if you’re looking to strip things back for now (or for good!) scroll down to find the perfect BB cream for you.

The Best BB Cream For Easy Glowing Skin

1
Best all-round BB cream

L'Oréal Paris Age Perfector BB Cream

Age Perfector BB Cream
1
Best all-round BB cream

L'Oréal Paris Age Perfector BB Cream

Now 10% Off
£11 at Boots

Don't let the name fool you here: this is a brilliant all-rounder that everyone should try. Offering SPF50 alongside hydrating, redness-concealing coverage with a bright, dewy finish, it might just be the best complexion launch of recent months.

2
Best BB cream for an all-in-one base

Trinny London BFF Cream SPF 30

BFF Cream SPF 30
2
Best BB cream for an all-in-one base

Trinny London BFF Cream SPF 30

Yes, that Trinny is now a certified make-up queen, thanks to her incredibly successful eponymous beauty brand. The star of the show – so much so, it continually sells out – is the BFF Cream, which is one of the lightest, glossiest beauty balms we’ve come across.

The white cream contains encapsulated pigment, which bursts on application and adjusts to your natural skin tone. Flower extracts work to bounce the light back out from dark circles while neutralising redness and, to top it all off, there's SPF 30 in there too. Consider every single box ticked.

3
Best BB cream for oily skin

Erborian Super BB Cream Au Ginseng

Super BB Cream Au Ginseng
3
Best BB cream for oily skin

Erborian Super BB Cream Au Ginseng

Erborian pretty much owns the floor when it comes to BB creams, and this one is the first thing you should try from the brand. It contains niacinamide to control oil and reinforce your skin barrier, and has just enough pigment to unify and brighten.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Coola Rosiliance Medium-Deep SPF30

Rosiliance Medium-Deep SPF30
4

Coola Rosiliance Medium-Deep SPF30

Coola knows that rosacea-prone skin types benefit from a gentle mineral sunscreen, which is why this one-and-done BB cream contains a pure titanium-dioxide filter alongside a flattering sheer tint. Trust it to keep your complexion unified and skin shielded all year round.

5
Best BB cream for major glow

Iconic London Radiance Booster

Radiance Booster
5
Best BB cream for major glow

Iconic London Radiance Booster

This recent gem from Iconic London looks intimidatingly shimmery in the tube, but somehow melts on contact with skin to deliver a dewy, intensely luminous finish that looks entirely natural.

Rather than an obvious 'make-up' effect, it reflects the light without glitter or pigment, leaving your natural skin to shine through. For that 'just back from Barbados' glow, this is the one.

6
Best BB cream for moderate coverage

Dr. Jart BB Premium Beauty Balm

BB Premium Beauty Balm
6
Best BB cream for moderate coverage

Dr. Jart BB Premium Beauty Balm

Dr. Jart's latest launch sits somewhere in-between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation. It's cushiony and moisturising, yet heavily pigmented, so masks redness and pigmentation with ease.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Best BB cream for full coverage

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50

Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50
7
Best BB cream for full coverage

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50

We know, we know...It’s technically a CC cream. But let’s be honest, there's no real difference (aside from marketing jargon) and this one absolutely deserves a mention here.

This cult formula boasts proper SPF 50, enough coverage to tempt even the most foundation-fixated, and the kind of creamy consistency that melts into skin beautifully.

So popular was the original, there’s now an illuminating version that offers more of a shimmery glow, and an oil-free iteration for those who prefer a more matte finish.

8
Best BB cream for a dewy finish

Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser

Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser
8
Best BB cream for a dewy finish

Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser

Now 20% Off

This supremely dewy base is ideal for anyone who wants a mineral sunscreen without the drying, chalky finish. Remarkably light, it leaves dehydrated skin quenched thanks to the aloe vera and hyaluronic acid inside.

9
Best BB cream for value

e.l.f. Camo CC Cream

Camo CC Cream
9
Best BB cream for value

e.l.f. Camo CC Cream

Complexion products at this end of the price spectrum can be hit and miss, but Elf rarely lets us down. This absolutely brilliant formula delivers the hydration of a moisturiser and the glowy pigment of your favourite foundation. The coverage is higher than most, as is the SPF: there's factor 30 in there to keep you protected.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10
Best BB cream for neutralising redness

L'Oreal Paris Magique CC cream

Magique CC cream
10
Best BB cream for neutralising redness

L'Oreal Paris Magique CC cream

A green-tinted cream is ideal if you're hoping to covern red acne scarring or thread veins. Big on Tiktok (and for good reason) this one gets the balance just right, bringing down redness without veering into chalky territory.

11
Best BB cream for sensitive skin

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF30

Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF30
11
Best BB cream for sensitive skin

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF30

Anyone who struggles with sensitive skin or frequent breakouts will likely have dabbled in the Bareminerals brand before. While it's best known for those classic mineral powders, this oil-free, gel-textured BB cream is the future. Available in 18 shades, it sinks straight into skin, brightening dullness and concealing redness without feeling heavy or settling into enlarged pores.

12
Best BB cream for low coverage

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Light Revealer

Tinted Moisturiser Light Revealer
12
Best BB cream for low coverage

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Light Revealer

Laura Mercier's latest illuminator offers barely there coverage, so is perfect if you're after a super-natural result. It's glowy and radiant, yet doesn't veer into greasy territory.

Watch Next
 
preview for ELLE UK - Beauty
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Shop Beauty

three models in matte lipstick

ELLE Edit: 15 Matte Lipsticks That Won’t Flake

best contour palette

ELLE Edit: 11 Of The Best Contour Products

milan, italy january 15 models pose backstage at the dhruv kapoor fashion show during the milan menswear fallwinter 2024 2025 on january 15, 2024 in milan, italy photo by rosdiana ciaravologetty images

ELLE Edit: The Best SPFs For Acne-Prone Skin

london, england february 18 models are seen backstage ahead of the paul costelloe show during london fashion week february 2022 on february 18, 2022 in london, united kingdom photo by nicky simsbfcgetty images

ELLE Edit: The Best Make-Up Mirrors With Lights

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below