10 Best CC Creams for Dark Skin in 2022 (Makeup Artist-Reviewed)

First off, what exactly is CC cream? CC cream, or "color-correcting cream", works to even out your complexion and minimize the appearance of blemishes such as dark spots or hyperpigmentation. It usually has an airy consistency that won't make your skin feel heavy.

CC cream is quite similar to the more widely-known BB cream ("blemish balm" or "beauty balm"), which is like a primer, light foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen all rolled into one. However, CC cream provides you with more coverage and often contains color-correcting pigments to help illuminate your skin tone or correct redness.

So if you're searching for a cosmetic product that can cover your red spots and brighten your complexion, CC cream is a great choice. 

Having trouble choosing a CC cream matches your dark skin? Take a look at our list of favorites! We've ranked them based on factors such as their moisturizing properties, sun protection, and reviewer satisfaction. So scroll down and see if one of them works for you.

*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Natalya Lowe unless explicitly stated so.

When choosing CC cream for dark skin, it's important that the shade matches your skin tone and the formula tackles all the problems that your skin might encounter. In this buying guide, we will give you helpful information on what to look for in CC cream to make sure it works for you. 

When picking the right shade for your skin tone, make sure the CC cream's undertone is similar to your own. If the CC cream's undertone is different from yours, it can cause your complexion to look unnatural or unbalanced. 

For instance, those with cool undertones might look orange with a warm CC cream, and CC cream with a cool hue might make people with warm undertones look pinkish. To determine your skin's undertone, check the veins on your wrist. A warm undertone will show greenish veins, whilst veins in a cool undertone will appear bluish. 

Pick a CC cream with a bluish or pinkish undertone if you have a cool undertone. And if you have a warm undertone, make sure your CC cream has a yellow or gold tint. 

Many CC creams are formulated with color-correcting pigments to help even out your complexion. Green pigments help camouflage redness, hyperpigmentation, and blemishes like pimples. 

Yellow pigments neutralize blue tones in your skin such as dark circles under your eyes, while pink and orange pigments work to brighten a tired complexion. Some products are also infused with white pigments that blend in to match your skin tone and to give you a balanced, radiant complexion. 

CC creams come in three levels of coverage, including light, medium, and full. For a natural, soft look, pick CC cream with light to medium coverage. It doesn't make the skin feel heavy and is less likely to block your pores. 

However, a light- or medium-coverage CC cream might not be able to conceal all of your blemishes. In this case, make sure it has a buildable formula that allows you to add multiple layers until your complexion looks perfect. 

On another note, a full-coverage CC cream might give your skin a heavy feeling, but it does a great job of hiding all blemishes. The effect is long-lasting, too! The downside is that it's easy for this to look caked on if you're not experienced with applying it.

Most CC creams are available in one of two finishes: dewy or matte. If you have oily skin, CC cream with a mattifying effect is a great choice. It doesn't reflect light and gives your skin a smooth, shine-free, and even look. 

However, it might give those with dry skin a cakey look with more pronounced fine lines or wrinkles. Instead of choosing a matte finish, go for a CC cream with a dewy finish if you have dry skin. It will make your skin look moisturized with a nice glow. 

Compared to other skin tones, dark skin is highly prone to hyperpigmentation, and gets oily easily, too. So it's important that your CC cream contains nourishing ingredients that can tackle problems that those with dark skin usually encounter. 

Excessive sun exposure or skin inflammation can increase the production of melanin, thus leading to hyperpigmentation and age spots. And since dark skin has a high melanin content, it tends to get hyperpigmentation and blemishes much more easily than other skin tones. 

To prevent and minimize the appearance of blemishes and hyperpigmentation, choose a formula that contains antioxidant-rich ingredients like green tea extract, aloe vera, rosehip oil, and caffeine. These can help even out your complexion and blur blemishes. 

Vitamin C, niacinamide, willow bark extract, and mulberry extract are some great ingredients usually found in CC creams. They can slow down the rate of melanin production, thus preventing hyperpigmentation and skin imperfections. Collagen and peptides also help improve your skin's elasticity and fight wrinkles and fine lines. 

Dark skin does not retain moisture as well as other skin tones and tends to show signs of dryness more visibly. To minimize moisture loss, look for moisturizers such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, glycerin and panthenol. They can help repair your skin's protective barrier and lock in moisture to keep your skin hydrated for longer. 

Oils and plant-based butters like jojoba oil and coconut oil are rich in fatty acids, which help restore the function of the skin's barrier and prevent skin from getting dried easily. They help soften skin, too! 

As mentioned above, people with dark skin often struggle with hyperpigmentation. And one of the primary causes of this problem is sun exposure. 

To protect your skin from sun damage, get yourself a CC cream formulated with broad-spectrum SPF! Also, make sure that your sunscreen has an SPF number of 30 or higher as suggested by dermatologists. 

In addition to checking our buying guide for accuracy, Natalya took the time to answer some commonly asked questions about CC creams for dark skin.

"Using your fingers has always been a huge plus when applying makeup. The warmth of your fingers allows for a beautiful blend, pressing the products into the skin. Otherwise, using a kabuki brush to evenly apply to the whole face including blending down the neck is the fastest way," Natalya points out.

"Any round, fluffy brush will evenly distribute the product on the main areas of that face. Then going over with a beauty blender will press the product into the skin and make sure everything looks smooth and give you that 'no makeup makeup' look. A CC cream should be natural looking on the skin, so applying just one pump should give you the coverage you are looking for," Natalya says.

Natalya thinks that "Most CC creams live up to their hype and expectations. CC creams provide a light coverage that can protect your skin but not necessarily make your skin better. This product is created to be a lightweight option that will not feel heavy on the skin and provide SPF and beneficial ingredients."

She adds, "When picking out products for your skin, you want to keep in mind what your expectations are, whether that be a tinted moisturizer, CC cream, BB cream, or regular foundation. Depending on what coverage and what you are getting ready for, you need to choose the best option for your skin. When your skin needs a break from makeup, give a CC cream or BB cream a shot to give you that coverage that gives off a natural glowy look."

Applying CC cream is just the first step to any beauty routine. To get that perfect makeup look, check out our product guides for some suggestions! 

Author: Thuy Nguyen