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BB cream has become a staple for beauty and skincare aficionados. Unlike foundation which tends to be on the heavier side, BB cream (or ‘beauty balms’) offers light-weight coverage while still moisturising and protecting your skin. Surprisingly, BB cream is becoming increasingly popular with men, as it provides discreet coverage and helps hide dark circles, uneven skin tones and pores.
Today, there’s an overwhelming variety of BB creams in the market. To help you narrow down the options, Japanese product review magazine Monoqlo has tested out 14 popular men’s BB creams and ranked the top ten with their seal of approval. The creams were chosen based on their coverage, texture/finish, staying power, ease of use and ingredients.
1. Kao Men's Biore One BB & UV Cream
This BB cream doubles as sunscreen with added SPF. Plus, it’s only ¥880. It scored high for its covering power, making dark circles and blemishes appear inconspicuous. It also has long-lasting staying power with good resistance against sweat. When wearing a face mask, there was only a little bit of noticeable colour transfer. ¥880
2. Mandom Gatsby The Designer Natural BB Cream Beige
With excellent coverage and a natural finish, this BB cream is almost as good as the Biore version. The only downside is the texture, which is slightly heavy. Also, it’s a tad pricey. ¥1,760
3. Storiiy The Future BB Cream
This BB cream is easy to apply, offers a smooth finish, and is easy to wash off. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a more hardworking BB cream, this might not be the best option as its coverage leans on the lighter side. ¥1,980
4. Isehan Luomo Natural BB Gel Natural Skin Colour Market
The Isehan Luomo BB cream offers amazing coverage and also includes SPF. However, its staying power is not as strong as some of the other creams out there. ¥1,600
5. Kose Cosmeport Magnifique BB Cream
Kose’s Cosmeport Magnifique BB cream has a wonderful finish and a colour tone that matches a wide range of skin tones. It also includes SPF. ¥1,650
6. Kokuryudo Leva BB Stick Beige
This BB cream comes in a little tube similar to a lipstick, more ideal to use as a touch up throughout the day. It has excellent resistance to rubbing and other external factors. ¥2,750
6. Lipps Boy Face Gel Natural Skin Colour
Tied for sixth place is the Lipps BB cream, which offers a bright, natural-looking finish. Unfortunately, it didn't score very high in terms of overall coverage and staying power. ¥2,420
8. Go Holdings Noll BB Cream
This BB cream is a bit on the orangey side, so it works better on darker or tanned complexions. While it has good coverage, it tends to leave a finish that's a bit too shiny. ¥1,711
9. Solia Ambique BB Cream
The Solia Ambique BB Cream has great coverage. Unfortunately, its heavier texture can seem as if the cream is painted on rather than blending seamlessly with your skin. ¥980
10. Holo Bell Sun Block Moisturizing BB Cream
This BB cream is excellent if you're looking for an option that's more like a moisturiser. It also contains brightening and anti-inflammatory ingredients to help reduce puffiness. Plus, it's also a sunscreen. ¥2,370
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