CC creams – or “colour correcting” creams – have long been unsung heroes in the kits of make-up artists and beauty editors thanks to their hybrid benefits. Designed primarily to even out skin tone, most formulas also offer skincare perks, like hydration and added SPF protection.
Celebrity make-up artist Maria Asadi is a big fan. “Unlike traditional foundation or tinted moisturiser, CC creams focus on neutralising discolouration such as redness, dullness or pigmentation, all while offering lightweight coverage,” she says.
But not all CC creams are created equal. Asadi notes that some formulas use “micro-encapsulated pigments”, which appear white when applied to skin but release colour as the product is blended. “These pigments adapt to the wearer’s skin tone, creating a more seamless match, though they usually suit a limited shade range,” she explains.
Other formulas use colour-correcting technology based on colour theory, adds Asadi: “Green tones help neutralise redness, while peach or orange counteracts dark circles or hyperpigmentation.”
Asadi says that CC creams can either replace foundation, keeping the finish “lightweight and fresh” or act as a base underneath it, depending on your desired finish. “Once blended, these corrective tones balance the complexion without leaving visible colour on the skin,” she concludes.
To help cut through the noise and find the formulas that truly deliver, I’ve been testing a range of CC creams over the past few weeks. From lightweight, barely-there finishes to more coverage-boosting options with added skincare benefits, I’ve put them all through their paces. Keep reading for my top picks.
Read more: Best BB creams 2026, tested by a beauty writer
The best CC creams for 2026 are:
- Best overall – E.l.f. camo CC cream SPF 30: £16, Elfcosmetics.co.uk
- Best for coverage – It Cosmetics your skin but better CC+ SPF 50: £24, Boots.com
- Best for dry skin – Clinique moisture surge CC cream SPF 30: £35, Boots.com
- Best for oily/combination skin – Dr. Jart+ cicapair soothing colour correcting treatment SPF 30: £24.65, Boots.com
- Best budget buy — Lumene color correcting cream: £14.90, Boots.com
How I tested
As a beauty director with 10 years of experience, some of these CC creams have long been staples in my make-up routine, while others are newer formulas I was keen to try. Each one was rated on coverage, finish and skincare benefits like hydration. They were applied over a layer of moisturiser and sunscreen, blending either with fingers or a brush depending on the texture. Wear was tested throughout the working day, on the Tube and even during workouts, with particular attention paid to how well they covered redness around my cheeks and nose, post-acne staining and dark circles.
Read more: Giorgio Armani has reformulated its luminous silk foundation – but is it as good?
E.l.f. camo CC cream SPF 30
Best: overall CC cream
Size: 30g
Product Type: Cream
Key ingredients: Zinc and titanium dioxide (mineral SPF filters), niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Features SPF 30 protection
- Easy to blend in
- Full coverage
- Moisturising
Take note
- Not a substitute for a dedicated sunscreen
- A little goes a very long way
A little goes a long way with this CC cream, which is available in 26 shades with a focus on cool, neutral and warm undertones. It’s excellent value for money: one pump is enough to cover my entire face and neck, dialling down redness on my cheeks and tucking away my dark circles and angry red spots. I often wear it in place of foundation and skip concealer.
While its colour-correcting benefits are impressive, this formula goes beyond make-up. It’s packed with skincare ingredients, including hydrating hyaluronic acid, oil-balancing niacinamide, moisturising vitamin B5 and SPF 30. My skin always looks smooth and even but not overly “done”, and it holds up through sweaty workouts without triggering breakouts.
Buy now £15, Amazon.co.uk
Lumene color correcting cream
Best: budget CC cream
Size: 30ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lingonberry seed oil
Why we love it
- Available in 20 shades
- Provides medium coverage
- Long-lasting on the skin
- Hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid and Arctic spring water
Take note
- Only SPF 20
I’ve gone through countless tubes of Lumene’s CC cream over the years and recommended it to so many friends looking for a medium-coverage foundation with colour-correcting properties. The only thing keeping it from claiming the best overall spot is its low SPF.
It comes close, though, thanks to how a single squeeze masks every area of redness and hyperpigmentation on my face, not to mention my dark circles. I’m always pleasantly surprised by how long it lasts; by the time I get in the lift at the end of the day, my make-up hasn’t budged. It leaves my complexion looking plump, hydrated, even and fresh.
Buy now £14.9, Boots.com
It Cosmetics your skin but better CC+ SPF 50
Best: full coverage CC cream
Size: 32ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Hydrolysed collagen, peptides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, SPF 50
Why we love it
- High-factor SPF protection
- Very full coverage
- Minimises redness — including appearance of acne — and dark circles
- Packed with nourishing skincare ingredients
Take note
- Might require setting powder on oily skin
If you like your foundation full coverage and want the same from your CC cream, this is the one to try. It’s the most high-coverage CC cream I’ve tested and a single pump goes a very long way in blanketing redness, dark circles and hyperpigmentation. It’s also hugely popular within the rosacea community, earning plenty of praise for disguising redness without aggravating sensitive skin. I’ve even spotted it in a handful of make-up artists’ kits backstage at London Fashion Week.
The texture is quite thick, so a light hand is key or you’ll be blending for a while. I find it works best applied with a dense, fluffy brush rather than fingers. It’s probably better suited to drier skin types and leaves behind a beautiful dewy glow, though it wears well throughout the day. If you prefer more of a matte finish, you may want to follow with a little setting powder or setting spray.
Buy now £32, Boots.com
Clinique moisture surge CC cream SPF 30
Best: oily/combination skin CC cream
Size: 40ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: SPF 30, squalane, glycerin
Why we love it
- Oil-free
- Fragrance-free
- Hydrating and moisturising
- Lends a dewy glow
- Features SPF 30 protection
Take note
- Only available in three shades
Clinique’s moisture surge range is famous for lightweight hydration (I love the pink gel moisturiser), so I expected the moisture surge CC Cream to blend nicely on my dry cheeks. I used “light medium”, which instantly brightened my complexion, thanks in part to the subtle dew it leaves – healthy-looking without shine. Blended with a brush, it disappears into the skin in seconds, making application effortless.
Up close, it gives a slightly airbrushed effect, softening large pores and hiding redness on the cheeks. It wears as well as a medium-coverage foundation, feeling comfortable all day. The only downside is the very limited shade range – just “light”, “light medium” and “medium”.
Buy now £28, Amazon.co.uk
Dr. Jart+ cicapair soothing colour correcting treatment SPF 30
Best: dry skin CC cream
Size: 30ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Centella asiatica (cica), allantoin, zinc oxide (mineral SPF filter)
Why we love it
- Green neutralises redness
- Adapts to skin tone when blended
- Can be worn underneath foundation or as a substitute for foundation
Take note
- Product needs to be warmed up between hands
- The pot takes up lots of room inside a make-up bag
When it launched, this went viral for feeling like make-up magic. The cream is mint green in the pot but transforms to beige on the skin, helping to quell redness. I use it as a first layer under foundation, as it can leave a slightly ghostly cast if worn alone, so it’s not ideal for deeper skin tones.
That said, it’s brilliant at reducing redness and softening post-acne marks. I wish it came in a tube rather than a clunky pot, and you have to warm it between your fingers like a moisturiser, which can be messy. If you’re willing to put in the effort, it’s perfect for oily skin, as it dries down matte, as well as sensitive or reactive skin thanks to soothing cica and allantoin.
Buy now £29, Boots.com
Suqqu skincare cream tint
Best: luxury CC cream
Size: 40g
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Glycerin, titanium dioxide (mineral SPF filter)
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Highly moisturising
- Lends skin a glow
- Easy to blend
Take note
- Only available in six shades
Celebrity make-up artist Val Garland put me on to Suqqu’s skincare cream tint, a lightweight tint that evens out skin tone while lending a beautiful illuminating effect. It glides on seamlessly, whether you apply it with fingers or a brush, and though it feels comfortable on the skin, it’s one of the longest-lasting in my opinion.
What’s more, it boasts SPF 38 protection via a mineral filter, boosting sunscreen underneath. I love the subtle dew it gives my dry cheeks – thanks to a handful of nourishing oils, which make it excellent for drier skin types.
Buy now £48, Selfridges.com
Bubble secret agent color correcting balm redness fix
Best: for reducing redness on-the-go CC cream
Size: 15ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Alpha arbutin, allantoin, niacinamide, bakuchiol
Why we love it
- Tiny but mighty product that blankets redness
- Leaves behind a dewy glow
- Absorbs quickly and easily
- Can be used to quell redness on-the-go
Take note
- Only 15ml of product
The tube is tiny but the product inside is mighty. Like Dr. Jart+’s cicapair, it starts out a surprising green hue, but as soon as it’s blended, it sinks in and becomes undetectable. I loved the satin-like finish — a perfect balance between matte and dewy – leaving my skin looking freshly moisturised and healthy. That’s thanks to the skincare ingredients, including brightening alpha arbutin, moisturising allantoin and niacinamide, which helps reduce oil production and shine.
Most impressive was how just a couple of squeezes covered my entire face, concealing a brewing red spot and broken capillaries around my nose. The tube is small but it slips easily into pockets or the tiniest of bags, ready for quick touch-ups.
Buy now £13, Boots.com
Erborian CC red correct
Best: redness and rosacea CC cream
Size: 40ml
Product type: Cream
Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, panthenol, glycerin
Why we love it
- Applies green, melts into beige
- Makes skin glow thanks to mica
- Neutralises persistent redness
- Packed with moisturising ingredients
Take note
- Only SPF 25
- Not suitable for all skin tones
For stubborn, visible redness, Erborian’s CC red correct is a standout. This green cream transforms to beige on contact, though it needs a little extra blending to avoid looking white.
Encapsulated green pigments, wrapped in moisturising ingredients like glycerin and centella asiatica, help it work effectively while soothing irritation. I like to wear it with a darker concealer in a few places, as it can be slightly pale on me, but it feels comfortable on the skin, and I’ve found the shade settles and adapts nicely throughout the day.
Buy now £38, Boots.com
Your questions about CC creams answered
What is the best CC cream?
e.l.f.’s camo CC cream takes the top spot for coverage – reducing redness and minimising hyperpigmentation – as well as value for money and staying power. Lumene’s colour correcting cream and Bubble’s colour correcting balm redness fix share second place, performing well for coverage, wear and how they feel on. I’ve used all three in rotation and will continue to use them down to the last drop, especially as I scale back heavy foundation and concealer for warmer months.
How the best CC creams were tested
To give a clear, fair picture of how each formula performs, I put every CC cream through the same set of tests. From coverage and finish to longevity and overall value, here’s exactly how I evaluated the best CC creams:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Jacqueline Kilikita is a leading beauty expert having directed the coverage across leading newspapers. When it comes to make-up and hair, Jacqueline has the ability to unpack complex ingredients, decode marketing jargon and highlight the products that really work.
To stay hydrated and glowing, read our review of the best foundations for mature skin
