Celeb Makeup Artists Reveal the Best CC Creams for Even, Glowing Skin All Day

Buy from Ulta, $11

This one made both Sotomayor and Badro’s lists for best CC cream for mature skin— and for good reason. “It’s a rarely seen full-coverage CC cream,” says Sotomayor. But thanks to its lightweight formula, it’s still easy to toss on and go. Packed with niacinamide and vitamin E to treat skin arghs while it blurs imperfections, it perfects as you wear it like any good CC cream. Why Badro loves it? “It contains hyaluronic acid, which helps to hydrate and plump while minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.” And, despite it’s professional-level quality, she adds, “it’s only $21!”

Buy from Ulta, $15

Offered in an incredible range of 30 colors, this budget-friendly pick has quite the following. Sotomayor calls it one of the best values on the market, explaining, “it comes in warm, neutral and cool shades and covers fast. The airtight packaging protects the formula, and while this is a full-coverage CC cream, you can also apply a light amount for a sheerer finish.” As for the texture, he says, it’s “rich and creamy.”

Related: The Secret To Looking Younger: Chose Makeup, Clothing and Jewelry Colors Based On Your Skin Undertone

Buy from Sephora, $32

Another favorite of Sotomayor’s, this clean formula has been getting quite a bit of buzz.  “I like that this is a mineral-based sunscreen, and it comes in an easy-to-dispense tube, so it’s neat to work with,” he says. And it’s also packed with prickly pear and white sage extracts to help protect delicate skin. What’s more: “It has a full shade range with yellow, pink and neutral undertones that make the product look more natural,” he insists. 

Buy from Walmart, $8

The amount of shade choices of this low-cost buy is enough to grab our attention — it comes in 34 shades! But add to the fact that it contains complexion-balancing niacinamide and contains no oil, fragrance, parabens, sulfates or phthalates, you’ve got yourself a real winner. Fans rave about the beautiful natural finish on the skin, the way it minimizes pores and the fact that it stays on all day.

Buy from Nordstrom, $44

“I recently used this on a film to protect the actors’ skin,” says Sotomayor. “The cast was shooting outdoors a lot, so I knew I needed to protect them from sunburn and also have a simple formula that could be reapplied after lunch for UV protection and for color correction.” This one did the job with 100% mineral broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection. In fact, that’s why Badro points out it makes it especially good for physical sunscreen lovers everywhere. 

Buy from Amazon, $19

This medium-coverage formula gets attention for being packed with nourishing, soothing Nordic lingonberry and ultra-hydrating Arctic spring water, making it a great choice for anyone battling parched, irritated skin. Formulated for all skin types, it goes on easily and evenly. Unfortunately, it only comes in two shades (light and medium), but since it’s super sheer, that covers a wider range than you think. Still, we’d urge the brand to consider expanding the selection.

Buy from Amazon, $18

Meet the CC cream that takes its name seriously. This little potion contains pigments in non-skin-tone colors to counterbalance any unwanted hues in your complexion. It contains yellow to correct blue spots and add warmth, green to address redness and pink to brighten. Think of this as less of a true tinted moisturizer and more of a social media filter in real life that simply blurs away trouble spots and offers SPF 30 to boot.  

Related: 3 Color-Correcting Makeup Primers That Will Nix Dull Skin, Redness, and Dark Circles

Buy from Revolution Beauty, $10

This formula doubles as a magic trick: It goes on white, then releases micro-encapsulated pigments as you rub it in that adapt to your skin tone. But the fun doesn’t stop there. It also ups your radiance with a hydrating formula packed with vitamin E — all while giving skin an incredibly natural finish. 

Buy from Ulta, $9

Badro looks for this formula because it’s free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and talc, which makes it a great choice for sensitive types. It also offers incredible natural skin helpers including coconut, kelp and ginseng to help increase your radiance from the inside out. And the hydrating formula makes for one glowy finish that’s hard to resist. 

Buy from Walmart, $17

If you’re a shopper on the darker side of the skin-tone spectrum who’s had trouble shade-matching in the past, you may want to hug the women-of-color creators of this best CC cream for mature skin. They’ve got you covered with a gorgeous array of dark shades (and for the rest of the skin-tone continuum, too!). Plus, with a mousse-like texture and moisturizing rose water, hyaluronic acid, Irish sea moss extract and cucumber extract, this stuff glides on like a dream. But with a low SPF of 11, we wouldn’t think of this as our SPF for the day — just a boost to it. 

Buy from Chanel, $70

Sure, it’s an investment, but Sotomayor insists this formula from Chanel is worth every cent. “It  has a high level of protection at SPF 50 and built-in priming, vitamin C and medium coverage, making it an excellent choice for vacation or if you don’t want a lot of steps!” he exclaims. The luxurious feel on your skin and breathtaking finish also help elevate this from a crowded market. 

Buy from Sephora, $48

If you hate the feeling of makeup on your skin, you’ve got to try ILIA’s version of a CC cream that wears like a serum thanks to its wealth of plant-based squalane and hyaluronic acid. Why Sotomayor loves it: “It has a mineral-based SPF 40 and a dewy finish that makes it look like you just got out of the shower. It’s so refreshing to wear, so I love it for clients — and for me to help me wake up in the morning!” 

Related: Collagen Serum Is Kate Middleton’s Secret to Glowing Skin

Buy from Sephora, $44

Badro adores that this CC cream is versatile. While it can be worn on its own for a touch of perfecting help, she says the oil-free formula can double as a primer, so “it can even be worn under foundation if you’re looking for more coverage.” And because it’s allergy-tested, non-acnegenic and free of lots of potential irritants including fragrance, alcohol, talc and gluten, it won’t stress your skin out while you wear it. It doesn’t come in the widest range of colors (only three shades), but because they’re sheer, more people can wear it than you think. 

Buy from Amazon, $23

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This is one hard-working CC cream. In fact, it offers seven benefits: it hydrates, rejuvenates, brightens, evens tone, blurs pores, firms, smooths and offers a touch of protection against the sun! The magic comes down to the vitamins and antioxidants stuffed inside that make this stuff work like a skin treatment but wear like a tinted moisturizer. And the lightweight texture means it disappears into your skin almost on contact.