How to Use BB Cream This Summer

Summer is the time of year when you get to sit back, relax, and soak up the sunshine. And that means you probably don’t want to spend quite as much time on your makeup routine. Plus, if you live some place where it gets really hot and humid during the summer, you may need to make a few midday makeup touch-ups—which can take up time you’d rather be spending doing something else. That’s where BB cream comes in. BB cream is basically a one-stop shop, as it’s a multi-purpose product that can offer quite a few benefits. Here, learn about why BB cream is a good option for your summer makeup routine and find out how to use BB cream this season.

Why BB Cream Is the Perfect Summer Product Pick

BB cream is basically a do-it-all skin care/makeup hybrid. The “BB” typically stands for beauty balm, and the benefits can include anything from hydration to color correcting to shine control. Think of BB cream like an upgraded version of tinted moisturizer—it's awesome for those days when you don’t want to wear a ton of makeup but would still like lightweight coverage. Heading on vacation this summer and don’t have room for your entire makeup bag in your suitcase? Just toss in a BB cream and you’ll be good to go!

The Best BB Cream Options from L’Oréal Paris

Now that you know all about BB cream, it’s time to find the right one for your skin. Try one of the following options from L’Oréal Paris.

L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: Ah, this BB cream’s a classic for good reason. It’s formulated with beautifying beads, encapsulated pigments infused in an ultra-light lotion with antioxidant vitamin E. This 4-in-1 BB cream primes to smooth skin’s texture, corrects skin for an even-looking complexion, hydrates for all-day moisture, and perfects to hide imperfections. It’s available in four shades (fair, light, medium, and dark).

L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Anti-Redness: Have summer-related redness? Hop on the color correcting bandwagon with this green tinted BB cream, which transforms to a universal shade to help reduce the look of redness. This BB cream has four beautifying actions: It helps neutralize the look of redness, corrects skin color for an even-looking complexion, hydrates for long-lasting moisture, and perfects the appearance of your complexion.

L’Oréal Paris Magic BB Anti-Fatigue: It’s time to perk up! This BB cream is formulated with color-transforming pigments infused in an ultra-light lotion to help revive the look of a tired complexion, correct the look of your skin, hydrate, and perfect.

How to Use BB Cream as Part of Your Summer Makeup Routine

As far as using BB cream in the summer goes, it should go on after your skin care products. Follow this step-by-step tutorial for using BB cream in the summer.

Step 1: Cleanser. Reach for a no-rinse cleansing option, such as micellar water, which can easily be used on the go. The L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin purifies and mattifies—just pour some onto a cotton pad and wipe the pad across your face.

Step 2: Moisturizer formulated with broad-spectrum sunscreen. Sun protection should be top of mind year-round, but we get that you may be thinking about it more during the summer months. Apply a moisturizer formulated with broad-spectrum sunscreen after cleansing. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends using one with an SPF of 15 or higher and taking other sun protection measures (more about that below). Try the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Lotion SPF 30.

But sun protection doesn’t end there. The FDA also advises taking a few other protective measures as well. Remember to reapply at least every two hours (or immediately after swimming or sweating), cover up exposed areas, seek shade, and limit your amount of time in the sun, especially during the sun’s peak hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Step 3: BB cream. Now’s the time to whip out your BB cream! Squeeze a small amount of your L’Oréal Paris BB cream of choice onto the back of your hand. You should only need about a dime-sized dollop to cover your whole face. As far as how to apply BB cream, it’s up to you—you can either do so with your fingers or with a makeup sponge, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender. If you’d like to add a little warmth to your face, follow up with a swipe of blush, bronzer, or highlighter—now you’re good to go!