CC Cream is a skincare product sold by a brand called Perbelle that claims to be a moisturizer, make up base and foundation all-in-one. It also has a SPF rating of 43.
But do 3-in-1 skincare creams really work or is this just a marketing claim? Does Perbelle CC Cream contain research-backed ingredients? What about harmful additive ingredients? And how do real users compare it to other skincare creams?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in Perbelle CC Cream based on medical research to give our take on whether the product is likely to improve skin quality or if it's a waste of money.
We'll share a real user review including a product demonstration and comparison, and explain why Amazon isn't the best place to buy CC Cream.
Active Ingredient Review
Perbelle CC Cream only has one active ingredient: titanium dioxide.
This is the ingredient that provides the SPF rating, as it’s a physical sunscreen ingredient and one of the most effective and safe ones. A medical review of titanium dioxide found that it was a highly effective UV barrier and that it was non-toxic. Titanium dioxide does not penetrate the skin when applied topically.
We consider this to be a much superior sunscreen ingredient than chemical sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone, which is extremely common and may be damaging to both human health and aquatic life according to a medical review published in the Chemosphere journal.
Inactive Ingredient Review
Perbelle CC Cream contains a large number of inactive ingredients, including several we consider effective for improving skin.
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most well-studied skincare ingredients, and is proven in medical research to not only reduce visible wrinkles but to increase skin hydration.
Niacinamide is another effective ingredient. A medical review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that this ingredient helped protect skin from UV rays, and also helped improve skin barrier function, which can prevent degradation of the skin.
An ingredient we would consider potentially effective is Amorphophallus konjac root extract, which has been shown in a clinical trial to reduce skin dryness and irritation when consumed orally. This doesn’t necessarily prove that the same effects will occur when it’s applied topically.
Unfortunately this cream also contains a wide range of ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Triethanolamine is a potentially toxic chemical compound that’s used as a pH balancer in cosmetics. Animal studies have shown it to cause liver damage when applied topically, because this ingredient appears to be absorbed by the skin into the bloodstream.
Fragrance is another questionable inactive ingredient. As documented in our review of another cream called B Tight, there is legitimate medical evidence that fragrance compounds pose serious risks to human health, and we recommend avoiding all skincare products containing fragrance.
Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate is another ingredient we strongly recommend avoiding. The common term for this ingredient is octinoxate and it’s a chemical sunscreen ingredient. We find it questionable that Perbelle lists this as an inactive ingredient, when most brands list it as an active ingredient.
An extensive medical review published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found that octinoxate may be damaging not only to humans but also to natural ecosystems. Since it’s used as a sunscreen ingredient, a significant amount ends up in oceans.
Overall we cannot recommend this cream due to the inclusion of a significant number of inactive ingredients that we consider questionable, and that we recommend avoiding. This is one of the cosmetics reviews on Illuminate Health with the highest number of questionable inactive ingredients, so we consider this to be a low-quality product overall.
We do believe Perbelle CC Cream will be an effective sunscreen, given that it contains both physical and chemical sunscreen ingredients, but we recommend using physical sunscreen only as we consider it healthier and better for the environment.
Perbelle CC Cream Real User Review
One of the reviews of Perbelle CC Cream on YouTube that appears unsponsored is published by a channel called “Christie @ Fifty.” The creator does a side-by-side comparison of the Perbelle cream with the current foundation she uses:
Is Perbelle CC Cream Available on Amazon?
At the time of writing this article, Perbelle CC Cream does not appear to be available on Amazon. There are a number of products called “CC Cream” and even a product called “Perebella,” but the official manufacturer does not appear to be retailing on Amazon.
We strongly recommend that consumers avoid buying cosmetics from non-authorized retailers. The risk of counterfeit products is higher, and there may be less legal recourse if the product causes harm.
While we don’t recommend Perbelle CC Cream overall, for consumers set on purchasing it we recommend purchasing from the official website only: https://perbellecosmetics.com/shop/perbelle-cosmetics-skin-tone-adjusting-cc-cream/
Questionable Claims on Perbelle Website
Perbelle claims on the product page of their website that their product is “skin tone adjusting,” which means that it can match various skin tones and blend in seamlessly. There is no citation or proof of this claim and we find it to be questionable.
It seems logical that people with varying skin tones would have varying experiences with this cream. Someone with very pale skin may experience different effects from someone with very dark skin.
We have not come across any medical research suggesting that there is a skincare technology or ingredient that proves to be “shade adjusting,” so we consider this to be an unproven marketing claim and would suggest that Perbelle removes it from their website until they can provide legitimate scientific proof.
The brand also claims that hyaluronic acid “absorbs moisture 100-1000 times heavier than it’s own weight” complete with a spelling error (this should say “its” not “it’s”). There is no citation or proof of this claim.
While hyaluronic acid is proven to bind and retain water in skin, we disagree with the 100-1000x claim.
Our Skincare Recommendations
There are skincare products that contain ingredients proven in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality generally.
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top skin cream pick because of its effective and clean formulation. It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging. We consider this to be the most powerful topical skincare ingredient. Most importantly, this serum is entirely free of questionable additives like preservatives or fragrance.
Interested consumers can check out Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum at this link.
Hydraglow is our top moisturizer pick. It features bakuchiol as an active ingredient which was described in a 2014 clinical trial as "clinically proven to have anti-aging effects."
In the above-linked trial, topical bakuchiol reduced wrinkles, improved skin elasticity and firmness, and reduced photodamage (damage from UV rays). There are no questionable additive ingredients in this product.
Interested consumers can purchase Hydraglow at the secure checkout below:
The only oral supplement we recommend for skin quality improvement is Bulletproof Collagen Powder. Oral collagen supplementation was shown in a medical review published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology to improve visible signs of skin aging as well as improve skin elasticity and skin hydration. The only ingredient in Bulletproof collagen is collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed animals. We recommend a dose of 10 grams per day.
Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Powder at this link.
