Must-Have: CC Creams

I've been wearing BB creams for going on two years now, but I recently discovered a product that has managed to replace my beloved BB cream: new Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Hydrating Colour Corrector Broad Spectrum SPF30.

I absolutely love this product: it instantly evens out my complexion, neutralises any red patches and even manages to minimise the dark circles underneath my eyes. I've been using this most mornings since my return to work and it's proven to be such a helpful product. Early mornings and a packed schedule means that I've had to resort to doing my makeup on the go, and this product makes that easy: I literally apply this over my entire face, add a bit of blusher, eye liner, two coats of mascara and a bright lippie, and I'm good to go. No primer, no concealer, and in summer, I suspect that I'll be able to give my usual moisturiser a skip some mornings, too.

So, what exactly is a CC cream? CC stands for 'colour correcting', so you can expect this product to even out your skin tone and diminish any redness (while a BB - or 'blemish balm' - cream was designed to blur fine lines and other imperfections). The Clinique CC Cream specifically contains clever colour-correcting technology that's designed to neutralise any redness or grey or sallow skin, for an even, radiant complexion. Although most of the research I've done claims that BB creams usually offer more coverage than CC creams, in my experience I've found the opposite to be true. As someone who prefers medium to full coverage, I have found several BB creams that do deliver (Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Dior and essence all have options that provide just enough coverage
while still being sheer), but I find that Clinique's CC cream provides more coverage and is less dewy than most BB creams I've used. It also seems to have a lighter texture, while the majority of BB creams feel much creamier.

So far, Clinique's CC cream is the first to hit beauty counters locally, but I know for a fact that there are loads more launching in September and October - just in time for Spring, when a makeup bag overhaul is always a good idea. Until then, I'd highly recommend that you give Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Hydrating Colour Corrector Broad Spectrum SPF30 a try - this one is definitely making it onto my 'June Favourites' list!

** And it doesn't stop there... I recently read about DD creams, or 'Dynamic Do-Alls', which are set to launch in the US soon. Watch this space!