With 68 million posts on TikTok alone, it’s fair to say that tinted sunscreen is having a moment. For those who aren’t already sold on its merits, a tinted sunscreen is essentially a lightweight makeup base that boasts dedicated SPF. In other words, it can be used in place of something like foundation and provide the daily UV protection that you need.
But here’s the rub: A tinted sunscreen that ticks every box is notoriously hard to come by. Poor shade ranges, oily textures and a low SPF (dermatologists recommend at least factor 30) have often let them down. It’s no wonder, then, that some brands have been spurred on to innovate. But which products are worth your money? Ahead, I tried nine popular tinted sunscreens so you don’t have to, and here are my unfiltered thoughts.
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Huez Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen, $42
I must admit that I’m not entirely sold on Fenty’s Hydravizor sunscreen due to the fragrance, which irritates my reactive skin. That said, I was keen to try the brand-new tinted version, available in 10 “flexible” shades. To my surprise, it’s not scented! I applied one pump with my fingers and used a brush to blend further as it’s so packed with pigment. The finish is very dewy so to turn it down a notch, I patted on some translucent powder. It lends medium coverage and that was enough for me; I decided not to go in with concealer afterwards. My only gripe (and I find this happens with Fenty foundation, too) is that it becomes a little darker on my skin throughout the day. It lasts very well, though. I battled morning rush hour on the tube and a day of drizzle, and my makeup was intact until the end of the day. I’m wearing shade two here.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector SPF 30, $54
This is a tinted moisturizer with added SPF 30, so to ensure my skin was adequately protected, I layered it on top of a dedicated sunscreen (Bondi Sands Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ Face, £9.99). At first pump, it looked considerably thicker than most other products on this list — almost like a foundation — so I used a brush to apply it. It glided on seamlessly and I was so impressed with the coverage that I even skipped concealer. The biggest endurance test was getting my hair done. Happily, it survived the backwash, a hot hairdryer, a sweaty train ride home and then drinks with friends. If you’re using it alone, make sure you’re applying enough: Again, at least two finger lengths worth for your face and neck. Disappointingly, the shade range is lacking for darker skin tones.
Supergoop! Glow Screen In Shade Dawn, $38
I’ve waxed lyrical about Supergoop!’s original Glow Screen thanks to its ability to blur my acne scars, smooth my skin texture and impart a healthy-looking sheen. It’s perfect in the summer, when I’ve accidentally caught the sun, but I’ve spent the past six months indoors, so currently it’s a bit too dark for my liking. Now, there’s an extended shade range. It consists of Sunset (a deep bronze), Golden Hour (a shimmery honey hue) and Dawn, which is pearlescent. Makeup artist Adeola Gboyega recently shade matched me to Dawn, and it provides just the right amount of dew without making my skin look oilier. The coverage seems to be far less than the OG, though, so I touched up my under eyes and a few red marks left behind by breakouts with concealer. I’m wearing a little blush here, too, as I wanted to see how it would perform with the rest of my makeup. After an hour or so, the pearly pigment settled into my skin and it was like I was wearing a very sheer foundation. The glow is unrivaled. In my friend’s car at 10 p.m. (8 hours after I’d applied it) I noticed that my skin was gleaming in her wing mirror. This tinted sunscreen is substantially hydrating, so much so, I skip moisturizer altogether when I use it.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Skin Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30, $14
e.l.f.’s Whoa Glow is widely believed to be a “dupe” for Supergoop!’s Glow Screen. It too delivers broad spectrum SPF 30 protection (so it defends against UVA and UVB rays), hydrating hyaluronic acid and pearlescent particles for a dewy sheen. I chose the shade Sunlight, which sits in between Sunbeam and Sunburst. The texture is very similar to Supergoop!’s and it takes a moment or two to absorb comfortably. Around 15 minutes after applying it, the pigment seemed to take on a more bronze hue as it settled into my skin. That’s not a bad thing at all; it looked more like a skin tint or a foundation and merged really nicely with my blush. Whoa Glow actually earned my skin the most compliments throughout the day, which affords it the winning position. I’ve found myself reaching for it the most since.
Lumene CC Colour Correcting Cream SPF 20, $19.99
Usually, I wouldn’t pick up a product that contains anything less than SPF 30 — the lowest sunscreen factor that most dermatologists recommend to adequately protect your skin from UV rays. Still, I wanted to see how this newbie would compare to arguably the most popular tinted color corrector with SPF: It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50. Plus, I like to apply a dedicated sunscreen before makeup. In other words, you can never wear enough SPF. I chose shade Fair, and the coverage — though not as substantial as It Cosmetics — was excellent. Just one squeeze tucked away every area of redness and skin staining left behind by breakouts. The finish isn’t dewy like the others on this list, nor is it too matte. It’s the most natural here and I love how my skin looks in this photo: so plump and moisturized. I’ve used it again and again since, but the low sunscreen factor means it stops short of claiming the top spot.
Heliocare 360 Pigment Solution Fluid, $40.08
I’m a big fan of Heliocare’s original 360 Gel Oil-Free SPF 50, £31, so I was keen to see how this version, which I believe contains more of a tint, would compare. A word of warning: It’s very runny. The texture is oilier than the OG (which sinks in fast) but once it absorbed, it dried down to a comfortable matte finish. Not only does it protect skin from UVA and infrared radiation, but it contains niacinamide to prevent pigmentation, too. I’ve been contending with a painful spot by my chin and to my surprise, this blurred the angry redness pretty well, though I did dab a little Lumene CC cream over the top to keep it hidden away throughout the day. On my light olive skin the shade was perfect but one review on Face The Future’s website points out that it leaves behind a beige cast on darker skin. A selection of deeper shades would propel this into pole position.
Nudestix Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30, $30
This is a wildcard considering it’s a blush. It has broad spectrum protection, but think of it as insurance for your cheeks: it should be used alongside a targeted sunscreen product (applied generously on your entire face and neck) rather than alone. It’s formulated without shimmer particles and the texture sits somewhere between a gel and a cream, which makes blending so quick and easy. A dab on each cheek imparted a sheer, believable wash of color. It’s available in five shades, and Pink Sunrise is replacing my trusty Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand Liquid Blush for summer.
RMS SuperNatural Radiance Serum SPF 30, $48
The bottle may be small but the formula inside is mighty. In fact, it earned an R29 Beauty Innovator Award last year. This is a mineral SPF that provides broad spectrum protection and medium to full coverage makeup-wise. The way that it airbrushes redness and spots is certainly impressive, but for $48, I want more in the tube. For this reason, you might be tempted to use it sparingly, but there lies the risk of under-applying and leaving skin vulnerable to UV. The shade range needs to be expanded, too. Currently, there are only three to choose from (I’m wearing Medium here.)
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, $48
There are two things I don’t like about this skin tint with SPF and two things I love. Firstly, it smells a little like plasticine. Secondly, it’s a tad too glowy (erring on sticky without translucent powder). On the positive side, it’s packed with skincare ingredients like oil-reducing niacinamide, moisturizing squalane and hydrating hyaluronic acid, as well as SPF 30, and it stays put until I see fit to take it off. A pipette-full of this tint goes a long way, but that defeats the purpose of SPF, which is meant to be applied liberally. On days when my skin is dry and dull, I tend to reach for this, but always after a generous application of dedicated sunscreen first.
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