If there’s one thing that’s not debatable in the beauty world right now, it’s that hydrated, dewy skin is in. No more matte foundations that are too heavy on the skin, and no concealer triangles under the eyes. What is the replacement? Skin tints that brighten your skin while leaving you feeling healthy, natural, and vibrant.
If there’s one beauty product I’d deem myself an expert on, it’s a good skin tint. I have perhaps the driest skin known to man, and my face hasn’t produced a drop of oil since 2008. I don’t like products that have a lot of coverage, no matter what my skin condition may be. Anything with a lot of coverage tends to emphasize my dryness, so I’ve turned to the world of skin tints as my base makeup of choice. And let me tell you, they’ve come a long way.
As everyone and their mother has hopped ship from the full-coverage days of yore and dove into the beauty that is a skin tint, just about every beauty brand you can name has released one—which means that it isn’t easy to decide which one is for you. Enter: My ultimate skin tint test for 2022.
I tried seven of the most well-known skin tints and analyzed them to find out what made each one different and which ones were best. The verdict is in: You’re about to find your new favorite complexion product.
Tower 28 SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen Foundation is a fragrance-free mineral sunscreen with light-medium buildable coverage and a natural finish that’s safe for sensitive skin. It’s also clean and reef-safe and is $30.
Sunscreens can be irritating for sensitive skin so I was very impressed by the claim that it is safe for sensitive skin. I loved the idea of using this for those summer days where it’s absolutely blazing hot but you just want a little something on your face, and this is exactly that for me. The coverage is light and dewy but somehow makes you look like you’re literally not wearing anything on your skin. Immediately, I thought this would be a great product to throw on in replacement of my regular sunscreen when I’m heading to the beach or pool and want to look slightly alive.
I applied this with my fingers right after my skincare, and it’s perfect for no-makeup days and days I have meetings and want to look a little alive on Zoom but don’t want to fuss. This will be my go-to product for summer, and one I’ll reach for every day. This is the best tinted sunscreen I have ever used.
Perfect for all occasionsYou want something simple and easy to protect your skin on those days when you are busy.
Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint is a clean, tinted mineral SPF 40 serum that has light coverage and a natural finish. This is definitely a cult-favorite product—I’ve seen it all over Instagram and TikTok for years, so I was super excited to give it a go for the first time.
I quickly learned how important it was to shake the product before using it. I also cleaned out the dropper and sucked in some of the freshly whipped serum to ensure it didn’t get oily or separated during application. It is a serum-like, liquid-y texture that glides on skin just like skincare. It’s the most expensive of the bunch at $48, which for a skin tint is hefty and is the reason I haven’t picked it up before.
I am obsessed with it. It gives me the appearance of healthy, even skin. It is also dewy without looking greasy. You can also wet. One of the biggest problems I have is that products look dewy and hydrating at first, but throughout the day, they end up looking super dry on my skin, but this one didn’t have that problem whatsoever. I felt that my skin looked the way it did when it was applied the first time, even after 12 hours.
It also provided a lot of coverage, which surprised me. I found it to be light-medium in coverage, which I thought was very flattering for day-today wear as well. This tint is the most versatile out of all the ones I tried. I chose it because it was the one I could reach for when my skin needed a little extra care. There’s a reason this product gets a ton of hype—it really is incredible.
Perfect for all occasions Anyone looking to keep their skin looking hydrated and nourished all day long?
I was shocked to see that Rare Beauty was going to release a tinted moisturizing cream. I texted our beauty editor within seconds. I haven’t tried a product from them that I haven’t liked yet, and Selena just would not do us wrong with a product launch. To no one’s surprise, this was absolutely amazing. It is light-coverage with a radiant finish, SPF 20 and costs $29 making it the most affordable of all the Sephora products.
Off the bat, I found this to be extremely similar to Mac’s Face and Body foundation. It’s very sheer upon application but could be built up and still look absolutely flawless. It’s the kind of tried-and-true tinted moisturizer that you know you can reach for and count on to make you look like you’re alive and got eight hours of sleep. I used it with no primer and it blurred my pores.
This tinted moisturizer is radiant. However, my skin is so dry that it left me with a natural, skin-like finish. Throughout the day, it definitely turned a bit more matte on me, but on someone with normal to oily skin, I’d imagine it would stay looking radiant all day. This is a product I can see becoming a cult-favorite.
Perfect for all occasions Someone who needs a reliable tinted moisturizer that they can use on a daily basis
I purchased this product the very day it was released and have loved it since. It provides light to medium coverage and a natural look. It also has blurring and smoothing properties that last all day. It has been a big hit since its launch.
Of every skin tint I’ve ever used, this is by far the most blurring. It makes my pores and imperfections disappear, and it lasts all day. It makes it look like there’s a filter on my skin and has a bit more coverage that makes me reach for it on days that I have a zit I want to cover.
This product is more matte than I prefer because my skin is so dry. I find that if I use something luminous underneath it, such as the Saie Glowy Super Gel (like the one I used here), it blurs my skin and doesn’t make it look dry at night. I’ve worn this for full, 90-degree summer days, and it’s survived sweat, rain, and the elements and still looked good at the end of the day. This is something I’ll always have in my arsenal, especially come summer.
Perfect for all occasions Anyone who wishes to blurr their skin and cover any blemishes effortlessly
If I’m being honest, many moons ago, I saw this on my mom’s vanity, and after stealing a blob, I adamantly decided it wasn’t for me. But after putting it to the test with new maturity and a fresh set of eyes, I don’t know what I was thinking because this product is absolutely amazing.
Contrary to the other tints, Kosas’ Tinted Face Oil has medium coverage (as opposed to light) and a satin finish. It is easy to see the difference in coverage when you apply it. I am a light-coverage gal and this is the best coverage I can manage on my skin. But as far as medium coverage products go, this might be my favorite one I’ve ever tried.
Since this is an oil, it’s a super unique, liquid-y texture and needs to be shaken up really well before using it. It is very fluid and can seem sheer. However, it provides medium coverage using a very small amount of product. It felt very dewy upon application. It became less intense over the day, but not so much that it made me feel dry.
I reached out to this product last week when I was going out for the evening. I was impressed by how my skin looked afterward. At $42, it definitely isn’t cheap, but since it can definitely be substituted for a regular foundation, I feel like it isn’t a deal breaker. This is going to be my holy grail product and I would recommend it to anyone.
Perfect for all occasions You want your skin to have good coverage
After admiring The Lip Bar for years, I was thrilled to finally see it at Target. This product is newer and was available at Target for $18.
It is priced between a drugstore and a high-end product but it performed as well as those that cost twice as much. It provides a sheer, buildable coverage with hyaluronic acids to keep your skin plump and hydrated all day. It claims to hydrate your skin all day with just one tint of pigment.
The Lip Bar is founded and owned by women of color and is known for having a shade range that’s designed for women of color. The store’s lightest shade seemed too dark for me, but it blended seamlessly with my skin.
It gave my skin a beautiful, hydrated finish that was beyond my expectations. It feels like a true tinted moisturizer, and I immediately compared it to the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer I’ve been using for years, but that’s over double the price. It requires absolutely no effort to look good, and while it doesn’t blur the skin like some of the other tints do, the moisturizing effects were enough to keep me coming back to it.
Perfect for all occasions Anyone who desires a tinted moisturizer
This was the only product I could see on my TikTok in winter. I set out on a wild goose chase to find it, but it was gone everywhere. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a product I was more attracted to after seeing how good it looked on people.
This product is simply stunning. It is a super-hydrating tint that evens out skin and keeps it hydrated. However, it did cause some irritation. My skin tends to not like L’Oreal products, so it might just be a me thing, but if that wasn’t the case, I’d be using this constantly.
I loved how bright and radiant my skin looked all day. It made me look brighter and more alive than other products. It wasn’t overly dewy but didn’t dry out throughout the day, so I could see this working on any skin type.
Perfect for all occasions Anyone who’s looking for a tint that will make them look brighter and healthier
Source: The Every Girl
