CC cream is a marketing term coined in the wake of the marketing term Blemish Balm cream or Beauty Balm. "CC cream" is used by some brands to mean Color Control cream, or Color Correcting cream, and some brands claim to reduce the appearance of skin redness or sallowness or to improve uneven skin tone. Both BB creams are tinted moisturizers containing sun protection. There is no scientific definition for either term, nor is there quantifiable basis for difference between BB creams and CC creams: differences between the two vary from brand to brand. BB (Blemish Balm) cream was originally formulated in Germany and has in recent years gained popularity in Asia, especially South Korea, and is also gaining popularity in Europe and North America.
Coverage can vary greatly among the different brands, and differences are more often than not minimal when compared to BB creams. Some users apply them as primers rather than as a replacement for foundation. The first tinted moisturizer marketed as a CC cream appeared in 2010, the product of a Singapore-based brand Rachel K. Popular brands of CC creams include Chanel, Loreal, Olay, Clinique and Rachel K and Mary Kay Cosmetics.
CC Creams: The difference between BB and CC creams is subtle—CC generally stands for “color correcting” and the products are meant to address issues like redness or sallowness (usually with light-diffusing particles), whereas BB creams are like lighter foundation with a few skin care benefits thrown in. “CC cream is a color corrector and will be lighter on the skin [than a BB cream],” celeb makeup artist Nico Guilis told us. “They have more of a whipped, light, fluffy feel and finish—kind of the new and improved BB.
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