Last Updated on March 2, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
If you’ve just ventured into the world of beauty, you’ve probably come across a lot of acronyms and abbreviations. Things like BNIB or HE are casually being thrown around in blogs and forums like they’re self-explanatory – when they’re everything but.
Heck, I know I’ve been wrecking my brains for hours trying to figure out what these weird combination of letters mean (these were the days before I started my blog). I don’t want you to waste as much time. That’s why I’ve put together a list of common acronyms used in the beauty community.
Here’s what AHA, BIN, and other common beauty acronyms really mean:
AHA: Alpha hydroxy acid (a family of exfoliants)
B&B: Bath & body
BA: Beauty advisor
BB: Bobbi Brown
BB CREAM: Blemish balm cream
BC: Beauty consultant
BHA: Beta hydroxy acid (an exfoliant for oily, acne-prone skin)
BIN: Buy it now
BN: Brand new
BNIB: Brand new in box
BNNB: Brand new no box
BNWB: Brand new with box
BNWOB: Brand new without box
BOGO/BOGOF: Buy one get one free
CC: Cherry Culture
CCO: Cosmetics Company Outlet
CP: Custom purchase
CS: Coastal Scents
DDD: Dark darling diva
DC, DC’ED: Discontinued
DR: DermaRolling (a skincare procedure I’m not a fan of here. Click here to find out why)
DS: Drugstore
E/L: Eyeliner
E/S: Eyeshadow
EDP: Eau de parfum
EDT: Eau de toilette
EOTD: Eye of the day
EOTN: Eye of the night
FFF: Foxy fair female
FOTD: Face of the day
FOTN: Face of the night
GC: Gift certificate/gift card
GGG: Golden glam girl
GWP: Gift with purchase
HD: High-definition
HE: High-end
HG: Holy grail
ISO: In search of
LE: Limited edition
L/G: Lipgloss
L/L: Lipliner
LLL: Light lovely lady
LNIB: Like new in box
L/S: Lipstick
MAC: Makeup Art Cosmetics
MLBB: My lips but better
MMM: Medium marvelous mademoiselle
MMU: Mineral makeup
MSF: Mineralize Skin Finish
MUA: Makeup artist or Makeupalley.com
NIB: New in box
NOTD: Nail of the day
OBO: Or best offer
OCC: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
OTC: Over the counter
PL: Private label
PPP: Pale porcelain princess
PRO: Professional
RIS: Received in swap
SA: Sales associate/sales assistant
SIB: Still in box
SPF: Sun protection factor
SWAG: Stuff we all get
TCA: TriCholoro Acetic peel
TDF: To die for
TFSI: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
UDPP: Urban Decay Primer Potion
URFP: Ultra Resolution Finishing Powder
YLBB: Your lips but better
YLBW: Your lips but worst
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There you have it, a list of common beauty acronyms. I hope it makes your beauty life easier.
this is a good list, thanks 😀
Celeste, you’re welcome 🙂
I’ve always wondered what PPP and MMM mean in describing skin tone/color.
Hi Jenna,
PPP means Pale Porcelain Princess and MMM Medium Marvelous Mademoiselle. I’ll add them to the list, thanks 🙂
This is a great list! I don’t know most of the terms 🙂
.-= Dao´s last blog ..Skin MD Naturals Shielding Lotion Giveaway =-.
Oooooh, lovely list! This sure is fun to read…
How ’bout URFP (ultra resolution finishing powder)? The famous MUFE HD powder dupe… it’s from aromaleigh 🙂
Some derma acronyms are: DR (DermaRolling), TCA (TriCholoro Acetic peel)
.-= herroyalbleakness´s last blog ..4U2 Gemtone Quad Eye Palette =-.
For some reason I just don’t like reading these (and don’t quite get it) because instead of typing something all cap like GWP, it doesn’t really take that much longer typing the whole thing…and sometime it annoys me when I see “cuz” instead of because on people older than junior high age…
It’s never the less a helpful list though.
Thanks Dao, I’m glad you find it useful. 🙂
herroyalbleakness, I’m glad you enjoy it. And I didn’t know about those, thanks for sharing, I’ll add them to the list 🙂
Citrine, I use abbreviations sometimes cos it’s quicker but some people take it a bit too far and it’s annoying. Some acronyms are hard to understand and it’s rude to assume everyone knows what you’re talking about imo, so typing the whole thing is better. That’s why I wrote the list and hope it can help some people.
And I agree with you on the spelling thing, that annoys me big time. I have a thing for grammar and spelling and am always correcting everyone I know when they make a mistake. They hate me for it but I think that adults should be able to speak properly. Not to mention, that not writing properly is very disrespectable towards people whose mother tongue is not English as most of the time, they won’t understand.
I haven’t even seen most of these acronyms yet, lol. But a very useful post Gio, thanks!
.-= Dee´s last blog ..Love From Malaysia + Question. =-.
Dee, you’re welcome. I hope it’ll help you if you should ever come across those acronyms 🙂
Ha, it took me *ages* just to find out what HG stood for!
I think I should start calling myself an FFF… or maybe a PPP. See how long it takes people to figure that one out 😉
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Smashbox Eye Wish Palette swatches & looks =-.
This is good idea! Thanx for share!
.-= Anastacia´s last blog ..Compliment Colors =-.
Hi Gio! Really great post. I admit that I didn’t know many of these acronyms so you really helped me out here. I will have to read this post again and again for the next days to really keep in mind all of them 🙂
.-= Tavia´s last blog ..Review – Illamasqua Explode Sheer Lipgloss – from Dystopia Autumn/Winter 2009 Collection =-.
BA – Beauty Advisor 🙂
I love this list, I keep going back to it to memorize so I don’t get confused on other blogs. I wish someone had done this sooner. Thank you!
.-= Ashley´s last blog ..A November To Remember =-.
Rebecca, lol. That’s mean but funny too 🙂 It took me a whiel to figure out some of those too so I know how you feel 😉
Anastacia, glad you think so and you’re welcome 😉
Tavia, thanks. I’m glad this post helped you out 😉
Ashley, thanks, I’ve added that to the list. 🙂 And you’re very welcome, I’m glad this list helps you 😉
just what i needed! thanks x
kishmat-lola mussa you’re welcome, and I’m glad I could help. 🙂
Thanks so much! I’ve been trying to figure what CCO means for months now, I thought it had something to do with an outlet, but I wasn’t sure. I looked on Acronym Finder and also Makeup Alley’s list of abbreviations, neither were helpful. I’m so glad I found your blog today!
Sharon, you’re welcome. Some acronyms can be really hard to figure out. CCO puzzled me too at first. I’m glad you find this post helpful and hope you’ll come back often! 🙂
K in a little while im going to bath and bodys works… I would like to get some Skin cream and some shower gel… What are good fragrances? Are their products moisturizing? Thxs! ;*
Prettykitty, I’m afraid I can’t help you that. I never had a chance to try Bath & Body Works products cos they aren’t available here. I’d love to know what you got and how you like their products though. 🙂
Oh. Sure Id be glad to tell ya!
Thank you. 🙂