CREDIT: IMABEAUTYGEEK.COM
Marcelle was one of the first brands to introduce BB cream to Canada.

The cosmetic industry has been taken by storm by a new product that is supposed to revolutionize products and technology for the complexion. BB cream, also known as "blemish balm" in East and Southeast Asia, is more commonly referred to as the "beauty balm" in North America. This product is supposed to be a multifunctional complexion enhancer that can replace your serums, primers, moisturizers and even sunscreen. Now the real question is whether this product is just a fad and will eventually disappear in the North American market, or if it will become a core item of every cosmetic line.

BB cream was first invented in the 1960s by a German dermatologist by the name of Dr. Christine Schrammek for the main intent to cover up and heal skin that had just gone through laser surgery and procedures. It was later introduced to the Asian market around 1985. Since radiant, porcelain skin is very important in Asian society, BB cream was a huge hit and was endorsed by many celebrities, eventually dubbed the "secret of Korean actresses."

This is the first year BB creams launched in Canada. They became extremely popular and were very hard to keep on the shelves. However, there were two things missing in the Westernized BB cream, one of which really upset consumers. The BB creams lacked the whitening properties that the ones in Asia had, mainly because whitening (bleaching) creams are not as popular in North America and are hardly passed by government regulations. This is not what upset consumers, but the fact that these products did not have sun protection really diminished the hype of having an "all-in-one" complexion enhancer.

Even though some BB creams are lacking the sun protection factor, they still claim to have the multiple benefits, such as treating blemishes, sun spots and age spots; acting as an anti-inflammatory; and having anti-aging and soothing factors. These benefits are supposed to be achieved by the most common formulation of vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.

Now when you look at the cosmetic industry, it is completely saturated with BB creams all claiming to do similar things but having something slightly different from the other brands, which makes it extremely difficult to decipher which ones are best. First off, decide if a BB cream is right for you; they provide low to medium coverage, are lightweight, can be used as a base for foundation and claim to have healing properties. If this is something that appeals to you, some of the best ones are by Smashbox, Marcelle and Clinique. Give BB cream a try and see if you think it is really as great as it seems, or if its just another cosmetic fad!