Yahoo Lifestyle The tinted moisturisers I'd buy over and over again for glowing skin
You'd be mistaken for thinking that tinted moisturisers are solely reserved for the summer. If you're like me, sweat and a shiny forehead manifests all year-round, so a tinted moisturiser is a staple in my beauty bag to provide me with easy coverage, without feeling like I'm melting in makeup.
Yes, these lightweight tints are handy for sun-soaked holidays, but know that a tinted moisturiser is just as useful on gloomy winter mornings where you want coverage and you want it quickly. Plus, get your hands on the perfect hue and you'll see why these glowing tints are so well loved. They offer buildable coverage and a heck load of radiance, giving 'your-skin-but-better' vibes.
That's right, as a devoted fan of the barely-there glow, my kit is stocked up with tinted moisturisers that not only help me on the complexion front but they are also packed with hydrating ingredients to keep my skin moisturised during the chilly season. So out go the full-coverage foundations and in come the delicate tinted moisturisers.
How we test
In a way, a tinted moisturiser is like an extension of your skincare routine, so it's important to find one that will look after your skin while providing delicate coverage. I've worked my way through many bottles – plus, I've hit up a few beauty colleagues to provide recs – to curate the winning edit.
The top players deliver stunning finishes (as every good tinted moisturiser should), last without turning patchy, contain skin-loving ingredients, and feel weightless on the skin. Bonus points go to the ones with SPF, too.
So, craving that luminous glow that only a tinted moisturiser can attain? Here are the 16 best formulas to trust now...
The best tinted moisturisers for a fresh-faced glow...
Halo Glow Liquid Filter
People went craaaazy when the Liquid Filter first launched (it took me four trips to Boots to get my hands on one). What's the attraction? The ‘filter in a bottle’ blurs the appearance of redness and uneven tone, while lending a glowy sheen that brightens and conceals in all the right places. Wear it alone or under foundation. In both cases, it will fast-track your way to a radiant complexion.
Unisex Healthy Glow
If your skin's struggling in the luminosity department – tbh, we're all struggling with that post-winter dullness – add this dewy base to your every day kit (oh and celebs love it too, like Tate Mcrae).
Perfectly named, the Unisex Healthy Glow comes in one shade that adapts to your skin tone, giving your complexion a natural and soft-focused glow. It’s the ultimate way to ace the no-makeup-makeup look – just await the influx of skin compliments.
£39.00 at charlottetilbury.com
Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30
Ilia's Skin Tint has enough coverage to diffuse rosy cheeks, but still creates that ‘my-skin-but-glowier’ illusion. Plus, the liquid formula blends seamlessly without a line or blotch in sight. Trust in it to deliver a dewy sheen on dry and dull skin types.
Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint
I’m a little bit obsessed with this skin tint (I think I’m now on my third bottle). It’s slightly higher in coverage than your average tinted moisturiser, but it still gives the illusion that you naturally have incredible skin. So, if you’re flying the flag high for the flawless yet barely-there look, here’s your go-to.
True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum
True Match is arguably one of the most popular high-street franchises around, and for good reason. I’ll forever love the foundation, but if I’m looking for something a little lighter, this serum iteration is my go-to.
It offers more coverage than most tinted moisturisers, but the overall finish looks beautifully natural. Refreshingly hydrating and undetectable to wear, this is a wise investment to see you through winter.
Baby Beam Dew Filter Glow Base
Ngl, I wasn't expecting much when I first tried Glow Hub's Glow Base – I think the bright green packaging put me off – but boy, I ATE my words. The illuminating cream is the perfect primer to use under makeup, or it can be used alone for a radiant and fresh-faced finish. The coverage is very minimal, but I'm in my less-is-more era, so I'm sorta obsessed.
Positive Light Tinted Moisturiser
I rate everything from Rare Beauty but this tinted moisturiser just hits differently. It's ideal for those who hate the feeling of makeup on their skin, as the delicate fluid is so light that you barely notice it. As for the finish? Think 'your skin but glowier'. It knocks back redness, although you'll need a concealer to cover a spot, and the vitamin E keeps skin plump 'n juicy.
Sheer Tinted Oil-Free SPF20
Members price: £12.50
Ah, my trusty Beauty Pie tinted moisturiser – the product that made me fall in love with skin tints. Usually, I opt for the dewiest base I can get my hands on, but I love that this oil-free formula cuts back midday shine while still giving an envious glow. It blends well, lasts an impressive amount of time for a tinted moisturiser, and it has SPF20. Goals.
Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer
Saie has captured our attention with its fresh-faced formulas – and this dewy tint is the best of the lot. With an uber-light gel consistency, it blurs areas of redness with ease but never clings to dry patches (a win if you fear cake face). With a stunning illuminating finish and a breathable formula to brag about, it’s one I’d highly recommend for vacays to a sunny spot.
Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
Nars’ Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is an all-time fave and one I've been loyal to for almost five years (yes, that's a true love affair). With a solid range of shades to choose from, it's a trusted beauty hero that you can't go wrong with.
Anthelios UVMune 400 Hydrating Suncream
This is about as minimal coverage as you’re going to get, possibly because the real focus is on the high-factor SPF. It offers some major sun defence (another factor 50 winner here) but also helps soften the appearance of pigmentation and redness. Simply apply with your fingers as you would a moisturiser, and it’ll sink in for a seamless finish.
Strobe Dewy Skin Tinted Moisturiser
This mega-dewy formula will lend your skin a radiance hit like no other, but is subtle enough that it won't conjure the strobe of a 2016 cheekbone. Use it as a primer for a lit-within-finish or wear it alone to serve up the glowiest skin of your life. Sorted.
Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
You probably know at least one radiant-skinned friend that swears by IT Cosmetic's CC+ Cream. Turns out, it’s phenomenally popular for good reason: it instantly absorbs just like a premium day cream, but leaves behind a high-coverage pigment that’ll have even the most loyal of foundation-wearers converted. If you’re nervous about stripping back your coverage, go for this one.
What's more, there's also a matte version for oilier skin and an illuminating version for a little added glow.
£29.20 at www.lookfantastic.com
Tinted Moisturiser Oil Free Natural Skin Perfector
Those with over-enthusiastic pores rave about the oil-free version of Laura Mercier's cult skin tint, and for good reason. Still the best choice for balancing shine, it's easily buildable to a mid-high coverage, yet still manages to keep you grease-free until lunchtime.
£42.00 at www.lookfantastic.com
Hollywood Flawless Filter
If there was a Hollywood Walk of Fame for makeup products, Tilbury's Flawless Filter would be handed a big pink star without question. Arguably one of the most well-known cosmetic products around, the Flawless Filter is used by celebs, editors and beauty buffs to achieve a radiant and unified complexion. And although it's seen as more of a radiant primer or lightweight tint as opposed to a tinted moisturiser, the formula still keeps the skin feeling hydrated and supple for as long as you wear it.
£39.00 at charlottetilbury.com
HydraTint Moisturising Tinted Serum
When I heard that this was described as 'magic in a bottle' the beauty journo in me needed to investigate. After testing for myself, I can confirm that some serious bippity-boppity-boo went into this formula. I reach for it nearly every day, simply needing my fingers to blend the product in.
It's the perfect combo between skincare and makeup, offering a natural veil of coverage to the skin while keeping it hydrated too. As for the finish? It's super glowy but without resorting to tell-tale shimmers or glitter. It simply makes your skin look like skin, but better.
£23.00 at sculptedbyaimee.co.uk
What is a tinted moisturiser?
These lightweight hydrators offer similar benefits as your favourite daytime moisturiser, but with a subtle tint to unify your complexion. Much like BB creams, tinted moisturisers are the perfect medium for the days when you want a wash of colour while still allowing freckles to peep through.
Tinted moisturisers tend to bridge the gap between makeup and skincare. The top ones on the market offer the best of all worlds: skin-conditioning ingredients, lasting hydration, and a veil of tone-unifying coverage. You’ll often find hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid in the formula, and, in some cases, even your SPF is covered.
How to apply tinted moisturiser
Tinted moisturisers are beautifully lightweight in nature, meaning they don’t need to be meticulously blended to achieve a streak-free finish. Choose a hydrating formula and it will effortlessly glide over your skin with just your fingers doing all the hard work.
The warmth from your fingertips will melt the cream into your skin for a delicate sheen that looks undetectable. If you’re looking for a hint more coverage, opt for a brush or beauty sponge to concentrate the product on areas of redness or scarring.
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