BB cream

Here at POPSUGAR Beauty, we're starting to see some of our favourite brands roll out CC creams to compete in the already BB-crazed market — and this one is a huge competitor. Smashbox's global lead artist, Lori Taylor, visited Australia from the States to tell beauty media all about their new all-in-one — Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($54.95) — and it was really interesting to see the product used by a professional.

We're all guilty of rubbing makeup between our hands and then onto our faces and while that's totally fine (if you have super clean hands), Lori worked her magic with this cream and a foundation brush. Lesson: BB cream and now its sister product CC cream, can be treated like a foundation and layered for a more full-coverage finish. Keep reading.

The year 2012 was all about the beauty/blemish balm — BB cream — and now, we're going porcelain skin crazy for CC cream. A little while back we explained the difference between BB and CC cream, and one of the first cabs off the rank with an Aussie release is L'Oréal Paris. Their Nude Magique BB Cream was a huge hit internationally, and in keeping in-line with the winning formula, the L'Oréal Paris Anti-Redness CC Cream ($26.95) is just as good. To see my review, keep reading.

Move over, France and Japan, and let Korea be on your beauty radar. The average Korean woman has easily over 10 products in her daily skincare routine, and the country's philosophy of good skin dates back to the Dongui Bogam, a Korean medical text from the 1600s. And in recent years, Korea is responsible for the eyelash extension and BB cream crazes that have become international sensations. Here are some other hot beauty trends coming from Korea's flourishing beauty counters.

Confusing? Why yes. By now you probably know (and worship at the lid) of BB cream, but that cover-all blemish balm is about to get a sibling — CC cream. It stands for colour control or colour correct, and so far, Chanel has launched one in the US, along with Olay. The product has all the same benefits as a BB cream — restorative, good coverage, hydrating, pore minimising — but with a greater focus on concealing pigmentation, redness, fine lines and wrinkles.

CC cream is more nourishing for the skin due to ingredients including white and green tea extracts and macadamia nut oil, and it is supposed to last longer after application and cause less breakouts (a common side effect when using BB cream). The jury is still out as to whether Chanel will launch their CC cream in Australia but if they do, it is looking like 2014. In the meantime, you might like to try Rachel K Cosmetics.