How cool girls in Korea use BB creams for glowy, natural skin

There was a time when BB creams, or blemish balms, were the must-have base—touted as the ultimate all-in-one product promising coverage, skincare, and glow in a single step. In the early 2010s, SPF-infused BB creams—originally used to protect and heal patients’ skin after treatments—became one of South Korea’s most popular beauty exports, with brands with dermatologic roots like Dr.Jart paving the way. This one-step makeup-skincare hybrid was such a hit that beauty conglomerates worldwide took notice, and we soon saw variations of BB creams from the likes of L’Oréal, Dior, and Clinique.

BB creams have always been about more than coverage. Recalling how her K-beauty brand came up with their version of BB cream, Glow co-founder Serine Lee explains, “Our initial development wasn’t about customisation but texture. BB creams are more skincare-based with less pigment. It is something you can use after skin treatments with your bare hands like skincare. This is where the ideation came from.”

As complexion trends evolved and new formats like skin tints and serum foundations took centre stage, BB creams quietly slipped out of the spotlight. But they never truly disappeared. Instead, they’ve evolved to suit how people use makeup today. Glow is perhaps best known for its Breathable Blemish Balm, which comes in just three shades: beige, brown, and white.

Unsurprisingly, when the product was first rolled out, it was met with mixed reviews, with many asking why there was only one skin-tone colour. But this was an intentional choice. Serine, who is also an influencer and musician (better known by her alias Kasper), reveals: “We were working with a limited budget, but we wanted it to be as inclusive as possible. We thought back to the roots of BB cream. In Korea, a lot of makeup artists use BB cream as a mixer. They would use foundation for coverage and application but mix it in with BB cream for longevity and hydration.”

How you use it is entirely up to your preference. Serine elaborates: “White shade can be used as a tone-up base, brightening the complexion before spot treating with concealer. The dark shade can double up as a contour shade when used in greater ratio, while the beige shade can be applied with your hands, working in small patches, for seamless coverage.”

She also recommends working with your skin type, tone, texture, and colour: mix your BB cream with whatever foundation you’re using. If it’s too dark for your skin tone, you can create a better shade match with the white BB, and if it’s too light, you can deepen it with the brown BB.

Whether used alone or as a hybrid base, BB creams reward good skin prep. “Even with our best-selling BB cream, a lot of what comes down to having glass skin is skincare. If your skin is parched and dry, there isn’t much that you do.” With proper hydration and a light touch, these formulas help skin look healthy and radiant all day.

Ahead, the BB creams worth adding back into your routine—proving that when it comes to glowy, radiant-looking skin, less really does more.

Glow Breathable Blemish Balm, $40

Sitting between a skin tint and a moisturiser, this breathable base comes in three shades, each formulated with a cocktail of 77 per cent skin-loving ingredients. Key highlights include soothing, antioxidant-rich camellia sinensis leaf water and vitamin E, which work to calm and hydrate the complexion while imparting a sheer veil of coverage that enhances skin over time. The brand recommends the beige shade #One for skin tones between foundation shades 21 and 23, mixing in #White if you’re lighter, and #Brown if your complexion runs deeper than a 23.

Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream, $60 

Infused with a hydrating blend of humectants, including sodium PCA and saccharide isomerate, this lightweight tinted gel cream provides a soft tint that evens out the complexion—perfect for no-makeup, makeup days. Available in 20 shades.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint, $72

This multitasking marvel ticks all the boxes: free from nasties, cruelty-free, and vegan. It offers natural sheer-to-light coverage with a silky, second-skin finish and a dermatologist-tested formula packed with eight skincare ingredients, including hyaluronic acid microspheres and nourishing oils. Bonus: the stick format makes it easy to apply on the go. Available in 16 shades.

SK-II GenOptics Airy UV Cream & CC Primer (SPF 50+ / PA++++), $98

While not technically a BB cream, this one-and-done formula from SK-II delivers the same lightweight texture and skincare-forward benefits you’d expect from one. Powered by skin-strengthening Pitera™, brightening niacinamide and soothing bisabolol, it offers a sheer, breathable finish with added radiance that’s said to last up to eight hours. Choose from the untinted Airy UV Cream, which leaves behind a luminous, K-idol-like glow; CC Primer Beige for natural, even coverage; or CC Primer Rosy to colour-correct and brighten the complexion—which also doubles up as an illuminator.