CC Creams Are the Secret to Flawless Skin in Under 5 Minutes (2024)

This drugstore color-correcting cream from GH Seal star Olay clinched the top spot as the best hydrator in our Lab tests. We found that it boosted skin's moisture levels by 36% over six hours and reduced the look of brown spots and pores after four weeks, making it a great choice if you have dry skin. Just be mindful, while the shades blend into a variety of skin tones, there is a limited shade range.

"My complexion was glowing," a tester commented. "I actually felt like my skin looked more natural and like I didn't even have any foundation on." Another reviewer uses it in place of any other makeup and finds that "it is by far the best" as it is " just enough foundation for a slight color but looks completely natural."

One note: We recommend wearing SPF 30+ daily, so you'll want to layer another face sunscreen with SPF 30 above or under this product to stay fully protected.

Neutrogena's budget-friendly CC cream is specifically formulated for acne-prone skin. The CC cream leaves a matte finish to dull down greasy complexions. It also contains niacinamide, which can help reduce inflammation and acne. It doesn't contain SPF, so be sure to apply a separate sunscreen on top.

“My skin loves this CC cream,” says one GH editor. “It blurs my imperfections and doesn’t cause breakouts.” Another reviewer commented that she loves that a little goes a long way with this formula. "It’s extremely buildable and blends super well with my skin," she says.

IT Cosmetics original CC cream has a cult following, so it's no surprise this matte CC Cream formulation is a GH editor favorite. The non-greasy formula gives you a flawless matte finish, making it ideal for people with oily or combination skin.

It's rich without feeling heavy on your skin, so you don't need to use a ton of product for full coverage. One reviewer raves, "I have very oily skin, and this keeps my skin looking great and fights oil all day!" Another shares that she has repurchased many times and it’s the only thing that works with her oily/acne-prone skin. "If your skin is on the normal to dry side, I don’t know if you’d love it because it is very mattifying," she adds.

The perfect option for those with dry skin, Yensa's rich formula received the highest score for hydration in our GH Beauty Lab testing. It also proved to leave skin smooth, provide lasting coverage and absorb quickly. The only downside? The applicator may be a little messy.

"To say I'm obsessed is an understatement," one tester says. "It blends so nicely and looks incredible on my skin. It doesn't cling to dry patches and doesn't emphasize my under eye wrinkles at all." Another likes how "it provided all day full coverage without the heavy feel of a foundation."

IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow was rated highly among our testers, giving feedback they were highly satisfied with it. It had top scores for leaving skin feeling hydrated and smooth. It works well on combination skin with one self-proclaimed combination skin tester who said, "It gives a nice healthy finish and doesn't leave an oily mess on my skin." We also found it evened out skin tone well.

While it is a pricier option, this is Watson's go-to choice for CC creams because it's made of 90% skincare and 10% foundation. "I also like that it's formulated with a clear sunscreen so there isn’t any white, ashy cast or flashback left on the skin," she says. This medium coverage CC cream claims to brighten skin and improve its texture with ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and green tea extract. It's available in 22 shades and has a soft glow without making skin look oily.

If you want less shine than a dewy CC cream but want more radiance than a matte finish, this Jason Wu CC Cream is the perfect in-between with its satin finish. One tester commented they liked that it wasn't glowy on their skin, but it didn't exaggerate wrinkles and lines.

In GH Beauty Lab testing, it had perfect scores for spreading and blending easily without feeling tacky. It's perfect for someone looking for natural coverage to enhance their skin rather than hide dark spots and blemishes. One thing to note: we found the coverage wasn't as long-lasting as others.

One of Los Angeles makeup artist Shadi Malek's favorite formulas, she says this best-selling IT Cosmetics CC cream delivers a full-coverage finish, boosted with powerful SPF 50 and antioxidants.

"It’s definitely a heavier CC cream but I love the shade range," she says. "I’d wear it in more dry climates rather than humid!" The hydrating cream is ideal for those with mature or dry skin. "It wears well on my mature 58-year-old face without settling into wrinkles or exaggerating pores," says one reviewer.

GH Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek calls this “a beast with coverage” and many testers echoed that saying it thoroughly covers red, brown and liver spots, veins and redness around the nose and made their skin look smooth. "It covered up every spot with one brush stroke," she marveled. "My skin tone was as even as it gets and the coverage lasted all day."

You’ll want to watch out for how much you apply, though, as GH Beauty Lab testers found it can look and feel heavy if too much is applied. We advise starting small and layering more on as necessary since a little goes a long way.

For those who spend a lot of time outside in the sun, Supergoop!'s CC cream is for you as this formula offers a high level of protection against both UVA and UVB rays. "I wear it to the beach or pool so I can get a little color correction without having a full face of makeup," says GH Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzhan. "It enhances my natural glow, and with the SPF level, I don’t have to worry about layering face sunscreen as well."

Reviewers also rave about the formula and glowy finish. "Love the slight glow and fresh dewey look with coverage that doesn't feel heavy," says one. "Plus, it hides all my red spots." A few reviewers did note that it can get cakey if you over apply.

The Thrive Causemetics CC Cream offers a good range of 28 shades for light and dark skin tones alike. Not sure which shade you are? Many reviewers say the brand's customer service was super-helpful when it came to picking a shade — or exchanging the wrong one. They also love how well it covers imperfections and smooths their skin tone and texture.

"It blurs my imperfections, leaving my complexion looking clear, fresh and dewy! Though it's not a full coverage foundation it gives me the perfect veil of coverage," one reviewer says. Some customers did find the cream to be too heavy on their skin.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab experts tested 26 CC creams in the Lab and on 113 consumer testers, taking over 4,000 Lab measurements to find the top performers. Lab scientists pre-screen each product with a six-hour moisturization test using the Corneometer device and begin clinical testing by taking images of consumer testers' skin before and after CC cream application with the Lab's Visia Complexion Analyzer to evaluate cosmetic performance (how well each product evens and matches skin tone).

After four weeks of use, testers return for another round of images to assess the creams' anti-aging benefits (reduction of brown spots and fine lines and improvement in skin tone, pores and texture) as well as changes in skin firmness, as measured by the Cutometer machine. Meanwhile, each CC cream is used by at-home testers across the country who give honest feedback on product performance, including application, texture and look and feel on skin.

GH Beauty Lab scientists recommend considering the following factors to find the ideal CC cream for your skin and needs:

✔️ Coverage and finish: Just like traditional foundations, CC creams can offer sheer to full coverage. They also have different finishes, including matte, natural and radiant. Look for one that matches your skin type and preferences.

✔️ Shade: Some CC creams have numerous shades to choose from, but others may have just a few. If you often find yourself struggling to find the perfect color match with traditional foundations, go for CC creams with a large range of shades. If skin redness is your primary concern, some CC creams come in one sheer green shade, which acts to neutralize the red color.

✔️ Skincare ingredients: Look for ingredients that target your specific skin concerns. For example, Watson says if you have dry skin, you should look for hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. "If you have oily skin, you should look for a CC cream with oil-absorbing ingredients like clay or tea tree extract to combat blemishes," she advises. If you are trying to brighten your complexion or minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles, you should seek out ingredients like niacinamide.

✔️ Sun protection: "The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a daily moisturizer or sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF value of at least 30," Wnek says. If a CC cream doesn't meet this standard, you should apply a separate sunscreen that does before your CC cream. But note that Wnek says that many people do not apply enough CC cream to meet the SPF value on the packaging, so to be safe, she suggests wearing a separate sunscreen under your CC cream anyway.

Choosing between BB cream ("BB" stands for "beauty balm") and CC cream depends on your specific needs. Both serve as a foundation, sunscreen and moisturizer and often include other skincare benefits. However, BB creams typically have a thicker, more emollient consistency, which is great for locking in moisture. In addition, BB creams only offer sheer to medium coverage.

On the other hand, CC creams offer sheer up to full coverage, and better conceal blemishes and correct uneven skin tone. If you have dry skin and don't need a lot of coverage, you may want to try a BB cream. If you need more coverage and color correction, CC cream may be the product for you.

"CC creams are a type of makeup that combines anti-aging and hydrating properties in their formula, unlike traditional foundations that focus only on pigment and coverage," says Wizemann. "They provide a sheer and natural-looking coverage that is easy to blend, making them an all-in-one application."

She does points out that foundations are meant to be applied after your skincare regimen for more coverage, so if someone is looking strictly for a full coverage makeup product, foundation is a great option. "Some CC creams also contain SPF, but relying solely on makeup products for sunscreen protection is not recommended."

This guide was most recently updated by Dori Price. A contributing beauty editor at Good Housekeeping, she has over 15 years of experience researching and writing makeup stories, combining her knowledge with the expertise of top industry professionals including makeup artists and cosmetic chemists.

Dori worked alongside GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann, who led some of the testing for this article, analyzing and distilling the data from her last cross-category test of CC creams. Sabina has touched, researched, tested and evaluated thousands of beauty products for almost a decade. She has carried out various studies from sunscreens to eye creams to CC creams and more.

Danusia Wnek, a senior chemist in the Beauty Lab, oversaw the Beauty Lab's CC cream testing. She has a B.S. in chemistry from St. John’s University, an M.S. in pharmaceutical sciences with concentration in cosmetic science from the University of Cincinnati and 10 years of experience in the personal care industry. Since joining GH in 2014, she has been developing and overseeing the testing of skincare and makeup products including eye creams, self-tanners, moisturizing creams and more.

Jamie Kim originally wrote this guide. She is a freelance writer and consumer product expert with over 17 years of experience. She regularly contributes her product expertise to Good Housekeeping as well as other major publications.