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The BB in BB cream stands for blemish balm! The name is totally appropriate because BB creams are usually light coverage, natural formulas.
They’re aimed at evening the skin tone and are packed with skincare benefits and sometimes even SPF. They’re perfect for everyday makeup as they’re natural, easy to apply and comfortable to wear.
BB creams tend to have much smaller shade ranges because they’re light coverage formula makes them suitable for multiple skin tones. This works to an extent, but light coverage only has so much give!
If you’re pale, a light coverage light-medium shade may not work. If you’re pale, finding a BB cream that’s light enough but also not orangey can be really difficult!
Top 3 BB Creams for Pale Skin
Our overall pick for best BB cream for pale skin is the Eborian BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20. It has 3 light shades that are lightweight and geared towards evening out your complexion.
Best BB Creams for Pale Skin-The List
1. Eborian BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
This wins as our pick for best BB cream because it corrects the skin tone to unveil a smooth, even complexion without heavy coverage!
This BB cream evens out and mattifies the complexion while moisturizing and plumping skin.
The BB Cream Au Ginseng is formulated with traditional herbs used in Asia for centuries, this lightweight five-in-one tinted crème provides buildable and mattifying coverage for a flawless base that can be worn alone or under your favorite makeup look.
It primes, corrects, hydrates and protects which is exactly what you want from your BB cream. It blends in with your skin tone so it’s great for using your finger to apply and it’s the perfect product for healthy, everyday coverage. It comes in 3 shades.
Pros:
- A best seller!
- Includes 3 shades
- Lightweight coverage blends in with your fingers.
- Hydrates the skin.
- Has SPF
- Easily corrects redness and dull skin.
Cons:
- Could clog pores
2. Tarte BB blur tinted moisturizer SPF 30
This lightweight BB cream gives the skin natural coverage with a subtle glow. It doubles as your daily moisturizer with SPF 30 with a medium coverage with blurred soft-matte finish for a fresh-faced look.
The BB cream includes Triple-B complex with diamond powder, plants & lipoamino acids helps diffuse light & minimize the look of fine lines & pores while hydrating & brightening.
The formula is a great option for dry, dehydrated skin that needs some extra nourishing. This gives a ‘your skin but better look’ and is comfortable for everyday wear! The price is definitely worth it!
Pros:
- Includes SPF
- Vegan and cruelty-free.
- Has 15 shades that cater to fair-medium skin tones.
- Offers shades with warm and cool undertones.
- DOESN’T CREASE!
Cons:
- The price (worth it though)
3. Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream
This BB cream does it all – full coverage, SPF 42 and it’s packed with skincare benefits! K Beauty brands tend to have lighter complexion shades. This one offers 4 light shades ranging from very pale to light shades with a few different undertones. It contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and firm up the skin while minimizing fine lines. This contains SPF 42 and it has a dewy finish due to emollient plant oils that provide natural conditioning.
Pros:
- Contains SPF 42 which is sufficient for your face daily.
- This BB cream is very affordable and packed with tons of good skincare benefits and ingredients.
- This is a full coverage formula while most BB creams are not.
- Shade range is very well suited for pale skin tones. Offers more shades on it’s website.
- Good for mature skin as it does not settle into fine lines.
- Get the benefits of a foundation in a BB cream texture.
Cons:
- Not light coverage like most BB creams. More like a full coverage foundation.
4.Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream
This BB cream has a shade range that definitely tailors to light skintones. It’s an oil free, matte formula that’s geared towards oily skin types. The formula is water based and it’s a lightweight texture that helps to even skin tone and cover blemishes. It’s not full coverage and perfect for everyday or when you’re looking for light makeup.
Pros:
- Decent range of light shades.
- Affordable.
- Gets great reviews! Reviewers comment on the ‘good’ coverage that’s not cakey or oil throughout the day.
- Oil free, water based formula.
- Oily skin friendly.
Cons:
- Matte formula is not everyone’s preference.
- Does not have SPF.
5. Pacifica Alight Multi Mineral BB Cream
This Pacifica Mineral BB cream isn’t your average BB cream! It contains specialized mineral pigments that instantly adjust to your skin tone allowing one color to work for many. It’ll work for many skin types and offers a radiant, sheer and glowy finish that makes the skin look healthy and at it’s best. Pacifica’s one shade, color matching formula makes it impossible to pick up the wrong one!
Pros:
- Formulated with parabens and phthalates.
- Cruelty-free and vegan.
- Light coverage.
- ‘Clean’ product free of parabens, silicones and phthalates for a relatively affordable price.
- Brightens the skin tone and hides blemishes.
Cons:
- Light, glowy coverage is not everyone’s preference.
- This contains shimmer.
- Does not contain SPF.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I apply a BB cream?
BB creams are low maintenance and apply well with your fingers or a sponge. BB cream should be applied with fingers because they start off white and blend to match your skin. The heat from your fingers helps the product to blend better. If the formula is already tinted, a sponge works for light coverage if you don’t like using your fingers.
If you want the most coverage out of your BB cream, apply it with a dense brush.
Remember to always wash your hands first before applying BB cream with your fingers. It’s a sneaky cause for acne!
Do I need to wear SPF if my BB cream has SPF?
Yes! And here’s why – BB creams usually don’t have enough SPF to act in place of sunscreen. SPF 35-50 is always what you want to aim for when applying sunscreen to your face. The second part to that – to get the full SPF promised in your BB cream you need about two tablespoons full of product. Obviously, this is significantly more BB cream than anyone would apply or would even look good. So, apply an SPF under your BB cream and then the layer of BB cream will help to add more SPF coverage.
If your BB cream is SPF 20 and your sunscreen is SPF 50, that does not equal SPF 70. Layering them will help you to get more foolproof, SPF 50 coverage.
Will a BB cream with SPF cause flashback in photos?
SPF can be a culprit for flashback in photos. So can finely milled loose and pressed powders. So, yes, a BB cream may cause flashback if it has SPF. If you’re on a night out or taking flash photography, skip out on a BB cream in favor of a foundation sans SPF. Just apply your SPF under your foundation or tinted moisturizer and you won’t have to worry about flashback.
Final Thoughts
Sold on the magic of a BB cream yet? If you’re in the market for a good BB cream for pale skin, our overall pick is the Eborian BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 because it checks every box! It’s easy to find, light and hydrating, affordable and blends in to match your skin tone once you apply it. It’s suitable for all skin types and most importantly, their shade range has good options for pale skin.
Our other top choices are Tarte BB blur tinted moisturizer SPF 30
and Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream because they both feel and look amazing on the skin. They are worth the price! Finding a BB cream with different undertone options is tough but hopefully after reading this you have an idea of what will be best for you.