Dear Lucky: Is BB cream a fad or actually a good product?

A: Dear Leigh,

A fad does not mean a product isn’t good—and in the case of BB creams, some of them are fantastic. I think people love a BB cream because it is essentially foundation, but it is not called foundation. “Foundation” and “base” have got to be among the ugliest words, and beauty products are supposed to make you feel pretty. “BB cream” at the very least sounds intriguing and cool.

The BB idea is, treatment ingredients and often sunscreen, along with “some coverage.” The “some coverage” part varies as widely as the amount of coverage you get with … foundation. In either case, there is simply some trial and error that has to be endured; you do have to try the individual formula. The shades tend to be a little more universal—“medium” covers a wide range of skin tones. This one comes in a super-high-tech, non-flesh-tone (another hated foundation aspect, the depressing flesh tones) tube; it is made with SPF15 and youthifying skincare ingredients and blends like a sort of serumy tinted moisturizer.