‘It acts like a second moisturiser but gives great coverage’
I’ve tested more bases in 2025 than I can count, from foundations to skin tints and CC creams promising glow, coverage or both, but the product I keep reaching for is one I didn’t expect to steal the top spot.
In a year where my skin has swung between winter dryness and combination and blemish-prone, Lumene’s CC Colour Correcting Cream has become the one product that makes my face look better instantly, without needing much else. Plus, it’s not even pricey. At £14.90 for 30ml, it’s on the cheaper end of the bases with skincare bonuses that I’ve tried.
But what sold me wasn’t heavy coverage or how long it lasted, though it’s impressive for both coverage and long wear, but how natural it looks once it’s on. The texture sits somewhere between a tinted moisturiser and a lightweight foundation, evening out redness and dullness while still letting skin look like skin. It smooths, softens and subtly blurs without clinging to dry patches– something so many bases still get wrong when temperatures drop.
Instant plump’ winter moisturiser that tackles sagging and dryness is £10 for 24 hours
This week, for example, my skin has been peeling around my nose, largely because of how many times I have to wipe it in this freezing weather, and many normal foundations would make the flaking appear worse. Lumene’s CC cream acts like a second moisturiser, smoothing over the dry patches and actually improving them.
Part of that magic comes down to the formula. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients, including Nordic lingonberry and arctic spring water, which help keep skin comfortable throughout the day rather than matte and flat by lunchtime. There’s also SPF20 built in, which means it ticks another box for everyday wear without me having to layer multiple products underneath. I would apply more SPF in the summer, of course, but on dark winter days, it covers me.
I apply it with a foundation brush most mornings, sometimes with a damp sponge if I want a little extra coverage, and it always melts in seamlessly. The shade range is also impressive. I’m usually cautious with CC creams, as they often just have three ‘light, medium or dark’ tones, but this has a strong 20-shade line-up, including shades to suit warm and cool undertones. My perfect match is 2 medium.
What really earns it best-of-2025 status is how reliable it’s been. I don’t need to prep my skin perfectly or load on moisturiser beforehand, and it still behaves. It doesn’t slide, cake or break apart by the end of the day, and it makes my skin look good even on bad skin days. The only downside is that some shades are prone to selling out, so if you can’t find your match, I also recommend taking a look at it Cosmetics CC+ Cream, now £23.40. It’s slightly thicker and more creamy in texture, but it does a brilliant job at covering redness.
