cc cream is a great alternative for foundation. even though it’s full coverage it isn’t heavy and has a natural finish and is supposed to look like perfect skin.
In the spirit of trying new things I have been reading your recommendations and wanted to try something new that a lot of you think is worth the hype! So today we are looking into the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Oil-Free with SPF 40, Fair £32.50. Now it is worth mentioning that I have tried the original CC+Cream formula but I found it really shiny so a lot of you told me about the oil-free formula which is more suitable for my skin type.
Now this CC Cream is not a regular cream it is a oil-free matte formula with SPF 40 and leaves your skin with a natural looking long lasting matte finish. Products like these are amazing for summer because they offer you coverage but they aren't designed to be heavy or drying. The iT Cosmetics formula is designed to reduces the appearance of skin imperfections including redness, and reduces the appearance of pores without creasing or cracking, helping to reduce shine and control oil. So I guess we can see why it is such a hyped product but what I love most about this product is that it treats your skin while offering coverage and skin benefits.
When I use the CC Cream instantly you can see my complexion become even taking away the redness in my cheeks and it offers such amazing coverage I don't use concealer when I have this on. I personally love how easy it is to blend into your skin and depending on whether you use a brush or sponge you can build coverage or lighten the coverage depending on preference. Since I have oily/ combo skin type this matte oil-free formula is so much more long lasting on my complexion and doesn't move or fade during the day which I love the most. It's so easy to work with and I love how fresh and smooth it leaves my skin looking.
This is the type of product I 100% would grab when I need something lasting in hot weather. They have a wide shade range so you can find a colour that suits you best. So if you're looking for the ultimate face base with SPF40 check out the range and remember this products comes in different assortments based on skin type so head over to IT Cosmetics to see the full collection.
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Check out the Best BB & CC Creams
The Best Alternatives to Foundation - Tinted Creams and Skin Tints
Updated Jun 1, 2021 - Originally Posted: Jan 11, 2019
If you’ve ever gone searching for an alternative to foundation, you’ve probably been told to use a tinted moisturiser or BB cream, but more often than not these embody all of the traits that most people hate in foundation, plus more. Whilst tinted moisturisers can be a great alternative to foundation, they’re often thick, greasy, prone to oxidization, take more work to apply and blend than regular foundation, have poor staying power, and an even worse shade range. Whilst there are some great tinted moisturisers (BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Recovery Gel for example) they’re not necessarily the only option when searching for an alternative to foundation.
This is not a generic list of tinted moisturiser recommendations, but rather a list of skin pick me ups. Moisturisers, creams, primers, and other products that nourish, give a naturally gorgeous glow and the illusion of an even skintone.
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
If you’re after the perfect product to moisturise skin, correct redness, AND provide sun protection, look no further than Dr Jart Cicapair. Whether you suffer from redness, sensitive skin, or just want a product that will make skin look great without all the woes of foundation, this product is a total must have. Upon application the product is a slightly thick green cream, but it quickly dissolves into a perfect, universal beige tint which counteracts redness, blurs pimples, and dries down to a skin-like matte finish. Moisturising and lightweight, the formula has an added bonus of SPF 30, making it the ultimate all-in-one foundation replacement.
MAC Strobe Cream
A cult favourite product and one of MAC’s most famous, the MAC Strobe cream is a multi-use product loved by makeup artists, models, and beauty addicts worldwide. A lightweight moisturising cream, this is a product that can do wonders for the skin when worn alone. Available in many different shades of shimmer, this cream is the perfect pick me up for dull, tired, and lackluster skin. Best of all the variation of shades can help provide subtle colour correction to the skin: peach and red; which can help correct dullness and blue tones in the skin whilst gold can help with redness. There’s no need to worry about looking shimmery or glittery either, the shimmer particles are so fine they blend into skin seamlessly giving an iridescent, subtle glow. It’s a multi-use product too, use it in place of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with a foundation, or as a highlighter!
Laura Mercier Radiance Primer
Designed as a primer to be worn underneath foundation, this product is just as beautiful on its own. With a slight champagne yellow tone it helps to subtly counteract redness, blue tones, and dullness in the skin. The addition of light reflecting particles bounce light off the skin helping to diminish and soften the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, scarring, and freckles. It looks absolutely beautiful when worn alone, or as a substitute for foundation, for an even more flawless finish try buffing the product into the skin using a full, dense, buffing brush.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
A unique, multi-use product, Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter is a product unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. A light to medium lotion, this “flawless filter” is really like a filter for your skin, blurring everything in sight. The formula has a medium tint (and comes in a multitude of different tints for different skintones) and packed full of the finest, light reflecting micro-particles to exist. When applied as a replacement for foundation is provides a gorgeous glow to the skin which looks natural and picks up light from different angles to give a 3-dimensional look. Best of all the product can also be used a primer for foundation/concealer, as a highlighter after foundation, or mixed in with your moisturiser, foundation, or primer for a subtle glow.
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer
A new launch from It Cosmetics, the Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer is perfect for anyone with dull, lackluster, discolored, or aged skin. Packed full of nourishing, and hydrating ingredients the rich cream gives a luminous glow to the skin whilst also resurfacing and re-texturing. A subtle pink rosy tint helps to enhance the appearance of the skin, brighten, and diminish the appearance of dark spots. It’s perfect as a supplement for foundation and gives skin a gorgeous healthy glow and colour. Side note: also check out the L’Oreal Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer, they both have similar ingredients and purposes ( both feature Peony Extract and Lipohydroxy Acid as key ingredients) plus It Cosmetics and L’Oreal have the same parent company, so this is a great drugstore alternative!
Shop This Post:
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
MAC Strobe Cream
Laura Mercier Radiance Primer
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer
Also mentioned:
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream
L’Oreal Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer
Photography credits: ASOS, @maccosmetics, John Lewis
Story by: Evangeline Sarney
Originally published: January 11th, 2019. Updated June 1st 2021.
Taking Care of Your Face and Looking Good (With Minimal or NO Makeup)
Disclaimer: I am not a cosmetics or skincare professional. I would not even classify myself as an expert. But after years of confusion I still haven’t found a comprehensive beginner’s guide explaining not just what to use, but why, and whether it is truly an essential step or just a brand trying to sell more products. I hope my decade of frustration can prevent others from the same fate.
My daily skincare routine used to consist of washing my face with facial soap before I went to bed. I figured that was enough; it’s soap made for the face (so not too harsh) and I’m cleaning the dirt off, so I should be good, right? Wrong. You don’t just want your skin to be clean, you want it to be healthy. I didn’t realize ‘clean’ and ‘healthy’ weren’t mutually inclusive until a couple years ago.
I have very fair skin that is “normal” (i.e. not too oily or too dry) and I suffer from mild but chronic acne. The products that work for me may not work for you, but the basic guidelines still remain the same. Just make sure to do your own research on certain products before buying and using them. Unlike many beauty gurus, I am not trying to sell you products and I received nothing nor will I receive anything for linking them to you. That means I am suggesting products I do genuinely believe to be good and am not just getting paid to promote.
Warning: This is a long post with a lot of reading. I promise it is worth it if you want to understand skincare. If you just want to know what to do, there is a TL;DR at the end.
Washing your face daily is important if you wear makeup. You want to go to bed with a clean, healthy face to prevent clogged pores overnight. Make sure your pillowcase is clean as well; changing it every two to four days is ideal. If you accidentally fall asleep with makeup or some other heavy cosmetic on, change your pillowcase before the next night regardless of the last time you changed it. (Yes, I have a ton of pillowcases. You’ll want to stock up.)
I wash my face twice a day if I’m wearing makeup: once before applying it and again before settling down for the night. (The steps for each change, look at the bottom of this post to see morning versus nightly routines). If you do not use cosmetics you may find you only need to wash your face once a day. Others wash their face every other day or even less. Do what is best for you. Allowing your face to regulate itself may in fact be the answer to your problems. For others (like me), your face may be abysmal at taking care of itself and thus you’re left to do the work for it. Thanks, face.
Here’s the optimal way to wash your face:
Remove makeup. Use an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup. I recommend this cleanser with jojoba oil. Use your fingers in gentle circular motions over your face until your makeup is loosened. Do not scrub your face with a towel or loofah. A cotton pad works best if you need to wipe more aggressively. If you don’t have any makeup on this step isn’t 100% necessary, but many people swear by double-cleansing so it doesn’t hurt if you’re feeling ambitious.
Cleanse. Removing makeup does not necessarily clean your skin, nor is oil-based cleanser the best way to rid your pores of dirt, so you need to clean your face again even if you did step one. I use this fermented grain cleanser. When looking for your own, make sure to avoid oil-based cleansers on this second step. Oil sits on top of your pores and doesn’t penetrate into them so it does not clean your skin fully. Water-based cleanser works best (meaning water should be the first, main ingredient).
Exfoliate. *Do not do this step every day*. Exfoliation should be once a week, no more than three. Exfoliating rids your face of dead skin cells, meaning if you’ve already exfoliated recently you’re just rubbing abrasives into your healthy skin... not ideal. Exfoliate on the last night of your most heavily cosmetic days, such as a Friday night if you work Mon-Fri or Sunday night if you wear more makeup on the weekends. Make sure whatever product you are using has been made for the face, as body exfoliators are too harsh. I really like Mary Kay’s Botanical Effects Scrub but it’s on the expensive side. A cheaper scrub I've been using recently is from St. Ives. Again, rub gently in circular motions, avoiding the eyes, then wash with water.
Tips:
When massaging cleanser into your skin, start from the middle of your face and rub outward in circular motions. This helps prevent wrinkles among other benefits (some people claim this alleviates puffiness and even makes your face look smaller).
Wash with cold or lukewarm water. Hot water dries out your skin.
Wash your hands often, and not just after bathroom visits. Everyone touches their face way more than they think they do. Keeping your hands clean will keep your face cleaner, too.
Warnings:
I repeat, do not exfoliate your face every day. You will ruin your skin.
Likewise, don’t ever scrub your face, especially not with abrasive items like loofahs. Even if you want to get rid of blackheads, little bumps, or acne, scrubbing your face will only irritate it more and exacerbate the problem.
Many people claim that washing your face makes it worse: causing dryness, redness, oiliness, etc. While some may have good results by leaving their skin alone, I do not believe it is the universal answer. The most likely reason someone sees bad results is because they are not rebalancing their face to its natural levels. When you wash with cleansers, you are stripping your face of its oils and protections. Your skin may produce more to compensate (making your face oily)... ...or not (leaving it uncomfortably dry and unhealthy). How do you “balance” your face? With:
Toner. I thought this was pseudo-science nonsense for a long time, but it is actually an essential part of your skincare regime. A good toner shrinks your pores, restores your face’s natural pH level, and pre-moistens your skin so moisturizer will be absorbed more easily instead of sitting on top of your epidermis. Stay away from toners with alcohol as they will dry out your skin more than moisturizer can repair. I use Thayer’s Rose Petal Toner. Be wary of this product as it causes some people to break out. Remember, this isn’t a product you wash off-- it will stay on your skin, so if you have sensitive skin be on the look-out for any known irritants, drying agents, or allergies.
Treatment. Serums, essences, boosters, and ampoules. If you don’t have any problem areas, you can skip this step. However if you have redness, acne, dark spots, age spots, wrinkles, or any other number of things you want diminished, you can really benefit from this. I’m a fan of this Vitamin C Serum. Ampoules are concentrated serums made to target specific problems with more aggression and are short-term treatments. ‘Serum,’ ‘essence,’ and ‘booster’ are all kind of the same thing but are toted to have different properties and purposes (though they often don’t). If researching just one term doesn’t come up with anything you like, try the others.
Moisturizer. Good moisturizer maintains your face’s pH level and hydrates your skin, then keeps the moisture locked in throughout the day. If you are washing your face, you need to moisturize it. If you don’t, your skin will either remain desert-dry, or it will produce excess oils to compensate for all the cleansers that removed its natural oils. Because moisturizing is so important while at the same time so detrimental if you use the wrong product for your skin, I’m not linking to any specific product. Please research for your individual needs. A simple google search of, “Moisturizer for oily (or dry/ normal/ acne-prone/ sensitive/ etc) skin,” will produce results. Make sure to read reviews and ingredients. Some particularly good ingredients to look for are Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera, and Centella Asiatica. Avoid products with high pH levels (of 7+).
Sunscreen. This is a necessity in the morning. Prolonged exposure to sunlight (which happens even on overcast days) hastens the aging of your skin, causes sun damage that will eventually be visible dark spots, and increases your risk of skin cancer. If none of your cosmetics have sunscreen and you will be outside for more than 15 minutes that day, I highly recommend adding sunscreen after your moisturizer has settled. Try this SPF 46 sunscreen. It’s a bigger hit to your wallet but it’s worth it to avoid visible-later-in-life sun damage and a visible-right-now greasy face.
Tips:
Wait a minute or two in-between steps before applying the next product. This gives the product time to sink in and do its work before being diluted by other ingredients or possibly even being wiped away when you apply something else.
Don’t rub toners and treatments on like you do for cleansers. Pat them gently onto your skin.
Buy facial sunscreen instead of reaching for whatever sunscreen is in your cupboard. If you are going to be exposed to the sun for prolonged time or in a more intense way, heavier sunscreen may be necessary, but for day-to-day use, more sensitive facial sunscreen is better for the more sensitive skin on your face!
Investing in a hat that shades your whole face is another option to protect your skin from sun damage. Especially if you refuse to wear sunscreen. But wearing both can’t hurt either.
Warnings:
Beware of knock-off brands on Amazon or Ebay. Even if the product looks the same and costs the same, check reviews for red flags. Or just be safe and buy straight from the company’s online store instead of going through a middle-man. Knock-off brands can use alternative ingredients that cause break outs, skin damage, or allergic reactions. At the very least, they will be worse quality products.
Having a clean, balanced face does not guarantee a blemish-free face. If you’ve tried everything under the sun to no avail, you may need prescription drugs to combat your skin problems. Consult a dermatologist if possible. They can also offer expert advice on what products your skin needs so you won’t be guessing.
You might not have the time or desire to put on even a little makeup, and that is perfectly fine. Feel free to skip this category. If I’m not going to wear any I don’t usually wash my face in the morning unless it’s feeling particularly gross. If you are going to wear makeup, first wash your face with a water-based cleanser then apply toner and moisturizer before any other products. This ensures any sweat, dust, or other dirt from the bed is washed off and the makeup won’t dry out your skin. After you’ve done that, you can do one of the following depending on your needs.
BB Cream. Essentially a very minimal foundation but, unlike foundation, BB Cream often comes with a host of other skin benefits such as sunscreen, color treatment, or special extracts. I use this MISSHA BB cream with sun protection and soothing extracts.
CC Cream. Stands for color correction cream. An alternative to BB Cream, though often a lighter product with less fancy skincare benefits. CC Cream may not cover every blemish to make your face look flawless, but it can cancel out redness or yellowing. Use this if you only want to even out your skin tone and don’t have any obvious bumps to cover. I don’t use CC Cream but based on my research, my best suggestion is this one from bareMinerals.
Foundation. If one of the creams is still not enough coverage for you, you can apply a layer of foundation over it or use foundation in its place. If you are putting foundation on top of a cream, remember that you won’t need as much product so be on the cautious side and use very little at first. You can always add more if it’s needed. I use this foundation from Colourpop; it comes in a huge variety of shades and is pretty cheap. However, the bottle is small. If you use a lot of foundation this is not ideal for you.
Concealer. If you’re still seeing acne, dark spots, or other skin blemishes, apply concealer to only those areas to cover them up better. Make sure to blend it out. I don’t think this is concealer but this is what I use and love: L’Oreal True Match Powder. Sometimes this is the only product I use because it works great, however since it is a powder it is very drying. Most people I know prefer liquid concealers. My friend swears by this concealer from Burt’s Bees, though it doesn’t offer a lot of shades.
Tips:
As you can tell, I’m not “brand loyal” and I don’t think anyone should be. Don’t assume because one brand’s toner works for you that their moisturizer is the best for you, too. Don’t be afraid to shop around, do your own research, and pay attention to ingredients, not the name on the container.
Long, scary-looking chemical names do not necessarily mean unnatural or harsh ingredients. Do not be scared off from a product just because the ingredient list isn’t five colloquial English words. If you’re concerned, a quick google search usually brings up an ingredient’s cosmetic purpose and whether it is known to cause problems.
Everyone has different skin types and thus their skins have different needs. Don’t assume the “miracle cure” your friend is raving about will solve all of your problems, too. Keep this in mind especially for people giving one-size-fits-all advice. “Stop using skincare products and your skin will take care of itself.” “The only thing people need is moisturizer after showers.” And so on. Unless they’re your dermatologist, they don’t know you or your skin. Ignore ignorance and focus on what you’ve seen and felt to work best on your skin.
Use alcohol-free toner to shrink pores and prep face for moisturizer.
Find the best moisturizer for your skin type and always use it after washing your face with anything more than water.
Apply facial sunscreen if none of your cosmetics have SPF properties. Don’t use sunscreen not specified for the face as it is greasy, heavy, and clogs pores.
If you want, apply BB Cream or CC Cream to cover blemishes and even-out the tone of your face. You can skip this step.
If you want or need more coverage, use a light foundation on top of or in place of a cream. You can skip this step.
Use concealer after cream or foundation to better cover problem areas that still stand out. You can skip this step.
Nightly Routine:
Wash off the day’s makeup or surface dirt with oil-based cleanser.
Clean face with water-based cleanser.
Exfoliate once a week.
Use alcohol-free toner to shrink pores and prep face for moisturizer.
If necessary, use a treatment to target specific problems with your skin. You can skip this step.
Find the best moisturizer for your skin type and always use it after washing your face with anything more than water.
Tips:
Mix up your routine by wearing the occasional mask after cleansing. I didn’t go into masks here because they aren’t necessary, but... they are fun, so if you have them, use them!
If you want to do as little as possible and/or buy the least amount of products (I don’t blame you), the fundamentals of skincare are cleansing, toning, and moisturizing before you go to bed. Three products, three steps, once a day. Hopefully that’s doable for you!
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As I said above, I’m not getting any money or benefits from this research and product advertising. If you’ve found this guide helpful please consider donating a few dollars as my family and I are in a tight spot financially. Here’s a link to my ko-fi. No worries if you can’t or don’t want to.
I hope this guide helped you understand skincare better. Feel free to send me questions, though I cannot guarantee I’ll be able to help. I’m also open to requests for other guides, or comments with your thoughts on this one. Thank you for reading.
