It’s been a buzz word in the world of beauty for a few years now, but do you know exactly what a BB cream is?

A BB cream is a one-stop-shop for hydrated, perfected skin best described as a fusion of moisturiser, sun protection and makeup.  Many of the best BB creams will be packed with anti-ageing, anti-dullness, hydrating, soothing and evening ingredients, and will protect the skin with an SPF sunscreen. The key difference to your usual skincare is that the formulas are also infused with innovative colour pigments that perfect the skin and provide natural-looking coverage.

BB creams were big news this year, and almost every skincare or makeup brand that you can think of produced their own version of the cult product, from the high street to the high end. With the harsher climes of winter edging their way nearer, it’s time to supercharge your skincare regime – and a brilliant way to do this is with a nourishing, protective and skin perfecting BB cream.

Check out our round-up of the best of BB below, and see whether one of the hit formulas appeals to you…

The Luxurious One: Dior Hydra Life BB Creme
Velvety soft and very luxurious, this BB cream marries the excellent of Dior skincare with the couture touch of Dior makeup. It moisturises, blurs imperfections, corrects the skintone,  protects and adds a touch of colour for a fresh-looking complexion every day. A subtle finish that looks like your skin, but better!

The French Pharmacy Option: La Roche-Posay Hydreane BB Creme SPF20
Perfect for sensitive skin, this BB creme brightens, smooths and hydrates the skin in one step with the added benefit of calming La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water. The mineral pigments in this BB cream provide a flawless finish and a natural glow thanks to their anti-dull complex.

The One For Men: Lab Series BB Tinted Moisturiser SPF35 
The Lab Series BB Tinted Moisturiser is everything you need from a moisturiser: pore minimising, line smoothing, hydrating, calming and firming; with the added bonus of colour adapting pigments for a uniform and perfected complexion. The finish  is sheer and completely natural, and has essential sun protection.

The Anti-Ageing One: Stila Stay All Day 10 in 1 HD Beauty Balm
A balm in every sense of this word, this soothing formula is packed full of protective emollients and innovative plumping microspheres which hide imperfections, wrinkles and pores, while antioxidant and botanical ingredients tighten and smooth the skin. Use as either a primer or a light coverage foundation for true radiance.

The High Coverage One:   Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm SPF20
Available in four shades, this BB cream is more akin to foundation in coverage and finish than the rest of the offerings. A complex of anti-ageing minerals, light-diffusing pigments, protective vitamins A & E, botanical extracts and a broad-spectrum SPF of 20 make this a powerful formula that still packs a pigmentation punch.