Pros And Cons Of Tinted BB Creams With SPF
Written by Irina Webb
Busy mornings call for versatile, time-saving products. Although magazine photos suggest otherwise, many women face common complexion challenges like uneven skin tone and blemishes. As a result, we often reach for products that help us look more polished and ready for the day. However, when you think about all the necessary steps—cleansing, moisturizing, applying sunscreen, and then makeup—it can take more time than most of us have. Too often we skip using SPF, which can be very damaging over time. This is where multifunctional products come in. Today, we’re diving into the pros and cons of BB creams with SPF. Specifically, we’ll explore why they’re gaining popularity, how they differ from CC creams and other complexion products, and more. Finally, I’ll share my top recommendation to help you confidently choose the right product for your busy mornings.
Pros And Cons Of Tinted BB Creams With SPF
When it comes to beauty products, sun protection is one of the most crucial elements for maintaining healthy, youthful skin. Specifically, SPF shields our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, which can lead to premature aging, dark spots, and even increase the risk of skin cancer (source). Because of this, the demand for products that combine beauty and skincare, such as BB creams with SPF, has skyrocketed.
Notably, tinted BB creams with SPF are loved for their ability to provide coverage with added skincare benefits, including sun protection. However, as with any product, they come with both advantages and disadvantages. In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of tinted BB creams with SPF to help you decide whether this multitasking product fits into your skincare routine.
What Is Tinted BB Cream With SPF?
To understand the pros and cons of tinted BB creams with SPF, it’s essential to first know what these products are and how they differ from other beauty items like foundations, regular BB creams, CC creams, and tinted moisturizers.
First and foremost, BB cream stands for “blemish balm” or “beauty balm.” It’s a versatile product that combines skincare and makeup in one. In particular, tinted BB creams with SPF take this concept a step further by incorporating sun protection.
Unlike foundations that provide full coverage, tinted BB creams offer lighter coverage. Their main goal is to enhance your complexion while keeping your skin moisturized and protected. Additionally, BB creams with SPF differ from foundations by including hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, and sometimes anti-aging benefits. As a result, they’re designed to improve overall skin health and provide a natural-looking finish.
Furthermore, tinted BB creams with SPF stand apart from CC creams (“color correction” creams), which focus on evening out skin tone by using camouflaging colors such as green or orange. Lastly, tinted moisturizers typically offer less coverage than BB creams.
Pros Of Tinted BB Creams With SPF
BB creams with SPF have become incredibly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. For many, they offer the perfect blend of skincare and makeup, streamlining routines while delivering multiple benefits:
- being a multifunctional product
- offering sun protection
- lightweight coverage, and
- added skincare benefits.
Multifunctional Product
One of the biggest advantages of tinted BB creams is that they are multitasking products. Rather than lining your bathroom counter with moisturizers, foundation, sunscreen, and then bronzer to add color back to your face – you can achieve it in one step. This makes your morning routine quicker and more efficient, especially if you have a busy schedule. (Learn about Skincare Routine For Busy Women: Effortless Glow On The Go.)
Sun Protection
Sun protection is essential for all skin types, and fortunately, tinted BB creams with SPF make it easy to incorporate SPF into your daily routine. Typically, these products come with SPF 30 or SPF 50.
Consistently using SPF can help prevent dark spots, sunburn, and the premature aging of your skin (source). Moreover, I believe you are more likely to apply SPF regularly if your makeup is combined with sun protection, ensuring your skin stays protected.
With that said, I want to draw your attention to a common misconception. You may be inclined to think that SPF 50 products are always superior to SPF 30, however, that is not necessarily the case. Here are 4 points to consider:
- marginal difference in UVB protection
- false sense of security
- more chemical ingredients, and
- diminished UVA protection.
Marginal Difference In UVB Protection
For starters, SPF 30 blocks approximately 97% of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks about 98%. The difference is just 1%, which, in my opinion, isn’t substantial enough to warrant choosing SPF 50 over SPF 30 in most situations (source). Please remember this, particularly if the higher SPF has a higher price point.
False Sense Of Security
Second, people using SPF50 may feel overly protected and stay in the sun longer or reapply sunscreen less frequently than if they used SPF30. This false sense of security can lead to overexposure and increase the risk of sun damage, despite using a higher SPF. Both SPF30 and SPF50 should be reapplied in both cases as neither lasts the entire day.
More Chemical Ingredients
Third, in my experience, higher SPF formulations often use chemical filters or nano-sized zinc oxide to achieve increased protection. To learn why I opt for mineral sunscreens over “chemical,” please read my List of Harmful Ingredients in Sunscreen post. Keep in mind, if a company does not confirm that their mineral sunscreen is non-nano, do not make the assumption that it is. In my experience, product descriptions typically specify this point, so read carefully.
Diminished UVA Protection
Lastly, SPF measures UVB protection but it doesn’t necessarily offer better UVA protection. In fact, scientists are still working on a standardized way of labeling UVA protection. Furthermore, UVA radiation is responsible for deeper skin aging and some skin cancers (source). In other words, selecting the best UV filter is more important than simply choosing a product with a higher SPF number (source). I’ll cover which UV filter is best in a minute.
Lightweight Coverage
For those who don’t like the feel of heavy foundation, tinted BB creams with SPF offer a lightweight alternative. In other words, they provide enough coverage to even out your skin tone and minimize the appearance of imperfections. Consequently, they are ideal for everyday wear, especially during the warmer months when you want to avoid cakey makeup.
In addition, BB creams with SPF make reapplying solar protection a breeze. Headed outside in the afternoon? Rather than redoing all of your face makeup, a pump or two of a BB cream with SPF does the job and refreshes your complexion in one step.
Added Skincare Benefits
You will find that tinted BB creams with SPF often contain beneficial ingredients like antioxidants, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid, which provide added skincare benefits. These ingredients help hydrate the skin, reduce inflammation, and protect against environmental damage. Continue reading to learn about my favorite BB cream with SPF and additional skincare benefits.
Cons Of Tinted BB Creams With SPF
While BB creams with SPF offer many benefits, there are also some potential limitations, such as:
- limited coverage
- shade range, and
- skin type considerations.
Limited Coverage
While the lightweight coverage of tinted BB creams can be a pro for some, it may be a con for others. Specifically, you may find that a tinted BB cream doesn’t offer enough coverage if you have significant blemishes or dark spots. In such cases, you will find that layering it with a concealer is necessary.
Shade Range
Another downside of some tinted BB creams with SPF is the limited shade range. Unlike foundations, which often come in a wide variety of shades, BB creams typically offer fewer options. As a result, this can make it challenging for individuals with very fair or deep skin tones to find a perfect match. However, some brands have expanded their shade ranges to be more inclusive, so it’s worth investigating.
Skin Type Consideration
Next, while tinted BB creams with SPF are marketed as suitable for all skin types, they might not work for everyone. For instance, those with oily skin might find that some formulas make their skin appear greasy, while individuals with dry skin might need additional hydration. Therefore, choosing a product that has considered those needs is important.
Furthermore, BB creams with SPF may contain ingredients that can clog pores, leading to breakouts, especially in individuals with oily or acne-prone skin. If you’re concerned about this, choose a non-comedogenic product (which means it won’t clog pores). For more guidance on this, check out my post on Non-Toxic Foundation.
Best BB Cream With SPF
When evaluating all of the pros and cons of typical BB Creams with SPF, it becomes clear that Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 is an absolute winner (ADVOCATE10 for 10% off on the 1st order of $50+). Specifically, Crunchi has met all the requirements for a clean and effective BB cream with SPF, including:
- advanced and hydrating skincare ingredients
- non-nano mineral zinc oxide SPF for effective broad-spectrum protection
- perfect everyday coverage in versatile shades, and
- non-toxic non-comedogenic ingredients.
Advanced Skincare Ingredients
In my experience, it is rare to find a skincare and makeup duo that includes such a wide array of advanced skincare ingredients. In particular, these ingredients are well known for their contributions to overall skin health as well as anti-aging benefits. For example, Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 (ADVOCATE10 for 10% off) features stable vitamin C and niacinamide. This blend of clinically proven antioxidants works to visibly brighten the skin and minimize the appearance of pores. Additionally, it contains squalane and hyaluronic acid. Together, these powerful hydrating agents help lock in moisture and plump the skin. Visit my Advanced Skincare post to learn more about the benefits of these ingredients and why they are central to my skincare routine.
Non-Nano Mineral Zinc Oxide
First and foremost, when selecting an SPF product, it is important to find the safest and most effective active ingredient which is non-nano zinc oxide. The FDA states that of the approved UV filtering agents, only the mineral options are “generally recognized as safe and effective” (source). To learn more, check out my List of Harmful Ingredients in Sunscreen post.
Given that non-nano zinc oxide is the most reliable mineral sunscreen filter, I will only use and recommend non-nano zinc oxide for SPF coverage (source). Furthermore, I have already addressed why SPF 50 is not necessarily ideal. My preferred protection level is SPF 30, I find it has the right balance for everyday life and keeps the consistency ideal in applications such as BB creams with SPF.
Lightweight Coverage In Versatile Shades
Further, Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 (ADVOCATE10 for 10% off) comes in five shade options, providing a thoughtfully curated range. For me, this product has effectively replaced the need for foundation in my everyday skincare routine. It gives me a natural but elevated look, even though I’m almost 50.
Not only that, I was pleased to find that I look the best in Light Medium shade and I don’t look bad in Light or Medium, which speaks to how well the product blends with the skin. That makes this product work well for the vast majority of skin tones, making Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 an inclusive choice for many.
Non-Toxic Non-Comedogenic Ingredients
One of the key reasons I have remained loyal to Crunchi year after year, despite numerous offers to affiliate with other beauty brands, is the company’s unwavering commitment to clean, carefully sourced ingredients. Specifically, Crunchi was created to provide skincare and cosmetics to conscious consumers who prioritize non-toxic products for both themselves and the environment. This dedication isn’t just a marketing slogan; clean ingredients are truly the lifeblood of Crunchi.
Additionally, having studied comedogenic ingredients for many years as a Manufacturing Advisor for Ingredient Safety, I can confidently attest to the fact that the ingredients in Crunchi’s products should not raise concerns, even for those with acne-prone skin. Ultimately, I see no issues with the choice of ingredients in Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 for those with acne-prone or dry skin (ADVOCATE10 for 10% off).
Conclusion: What Are The Pros And Cons Of Using A BB Cream With SPF?
Non-Toxic BB Creams With SPF Help Women Combine Their Skincare, Makeup, And Sun Protection Into One Easy Step. You Can Avoid Potential Concerns By Selecting One With Advanced Skincare, Non-Nano Zinc Oxide, And Clean Non-Comedogenic Ingredients.
To sum up, beauty enthusiasts agree that tinted BB creams with SPF offer a convenient way to streamline your beauty routine. If you’re considering adding a tinted BB cream with SPF to your routine, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons based on your needs and skin type.
BB creams with SPF are perfect for those who prefer lightweight coverage with added skincare benefits. However, they might not be the best option for those who need full coverage or special shades.
Furthermore, non-nano zinc oxide is the only broad-spectrum UV filter seen as generally safe by the FDA. I suggest SPF 30 to get the best of both worlds: solar protection and an easy-to-apply formula.
Crunchi Sunlight® Tinted SPF 30 (ADVOCATE10) is my top recommendation for a BB Cream with SPF. It incorporates advanced skincare, non-nano zinc oxide as well as non-comedogenic ingredients, and offers light coverage for nearly every skin tone.
If you are interested in other clean beauty options, explore my post on Beautycounter Alternatives where I highlight some of the best brands. As always, you are welcome to visit the I Read Labels For You blog for other useful information on skincare and makeup. I am confident you will find many wonderful options to make your morning routines perfect for you.
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