In case you’ve missed it, skin tints have been experiencing a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few months. While I’ll always leave a place in my makeup bag for a mid-coverage foundation and brightening concealer, skin tints have also been making an appearance lately. In fact, my ultra-dewy base routine has expanded to include skin tints that are easy to use and comfortable enough to wear all day and that create a gorgeous “your skin but better” finish.
If that sounds like a tall order, I hear you. While skin tints have definitely worked wonders for my makeup, it’s also worth noting that they have the tendency to be hit or miss. Since they lean toward lightweight and light coverage, it’s fair to wonder whether these products can truly target the appearance of fine lines, skin texture, and hyperpigmentation. Finding a skin tint that does it all is nearly mythical.
Spoiler alert: There are more than a few that achieve all of the above. With the help of four Who What Wear beauty editors and thousands of product reviews across major retailers, I’ve rounded up 15 high-performing skin tints that are the definition of “if you know, you know.”
The Best Skin Tints at a Glance
- Best Overall: U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator
- Best With SPF: Ciele Tint & Protect Serum Foundation
- Best for Medium to Deep Skin Tones: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint
- Best for Light to Medium Skin Tones: Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
- Best for Combination Skin: Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream
Best Overall: U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator
U Beauty
The Super Tinted Hydrator
108 €
Pros: Leaves skin with a moisture shield and dewy, sheer finish
Cons: Offered at a luxury price point
Size: 1-ounce pump dispenser
Shades: 10
SPF: None
Senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider and Beauty Director Erin Jahns were more than happy to enthuse about this one. Not only does it instantly provide the perfect color match with boosted luminosity and moisture, but it also corrects uneven skin tone and texture with self-adjusting coverage. “I’m obsessed,” notes Schneider. For a flawless finish, allow the Super Tinted Hydrator to dry fully before layering additional products.
Customer Review: “The Super Hydrator is a total savior for my skin, especially in brutal Canadian winters! Love how cushy this makes my skin feel. I’d love to get a full size of this for sure. Also, just like some of their other products, this isn’t strongly scented, which my sensitive skin appreciates.”
Best for Concealing Blemishes: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint
Hourglass
Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation
49 €
Pros: Offers a skin-like, dewy finish while diffusing blemishes
Cons: Is not very buildable and offers little coverage
Size: 1.2-ounce tube
Shades: 18
SPF: None
Model and beauty mogul Hailey Bieber took to the internet recently with this Hourglass skin tint to demonstrate how to create the perfect “peachy girl summer” makeup look. It delivers moisture to the skin and provides a sheer veil of coverage for a radiant finish that lasts all day. The skin tint also works to diffuse blemishes to even the skin in addition to plumping and smoothing the complexion.
Customer Review: “If you are looking for a lighter coverage foundation look no further. It is really moisturizing as well. There have been days where I forgot to put a moisturizer on, but this does the trick. Hides what it needs to and gives you a glowy moisturized finish. My new favorite foundation!”
Best With SPF: Ciele Tint & Protect Serum Foundation
Ciele
Tint & Protect Serum Foundation
44€
Pros: Perfect natural finish, a little goes a long way, noncomedogenic
Cons: Has higher coverage than other options
Size: 1.28-ounce bottle with dropper
Shades: 13
SPF: 50
“I’ll be honest. I was a little skeptical of this tinted serum foundation before I actually got my hands on it,” says Schneider. “I don’t normally love tinted serums, as they tend to look a little greasy on my combination skin. Let me tell you—this Ciele option is a dream. It sinks effortlessly into my skin without leaving an oily residue, instantly fuses to my complexion, and offers just the right amount of coverage and glow. A little also goes a long way; I only need two drops for my entire face for a light wash of coverage. Hands down, this is my go-to for a dewy everyday look.”
Customer Review: “I’ve been using this for a week and I love it! I have dry skin so this has worked great. It doesn’t cling to dry patches, it has the right amount the glow where you don’t like sweaty. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments wearing this!”
Best for Medium to Deep Skin Tones: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint
Danessa Myricks
Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation
36€
Pros: Offered in 16 shades optimized to address redness and unevenness
Cons: Not ideal for use on oily skin types
Size: 1.58-ounce tube
Shades: 16
SPF: None
Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation is a favorite of mine. It’s a hydrating, skincare-infused skin tint that provides radiant coverage across 16 shades. Optimized to correct tone in all skin complexions, its formula combines ceramides and cactus extract to strengthen and protect the skin barrier.
Customer Review: “Based on first impressions, I absolutely love this skin tint. I find most skin tints that are hydrating tend to look greasy and sit on top of my skin, but this one genuinely gives me a lit-from-within glow and evened out my skin tone enough for it to look natural.”
Best for Light to Medium Skin Tones: Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
Chantecaille
Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
70 €
Pros: Infused with botanical actives that deliver hydration
Cons: Does not provide buildable coverage
Size: 1.2-ounce tube
Shades: 10
SPF: 15
Even though associate beauty editor Shawna Hudson rarely wears skin tints, she absolutely loves this Chantecaille find. Sometimes, your skin needs support to reach its full potential, and the Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer is able to provide great nourishment and coverage. Daily use leaves skin radiant and smooth with a formula that features hydrating botanical polysaccharide.
Customer Review: “I have been using this tinted moisturizer for many years. It is, by far, my favorite. The texture is not too greasy or thin. It provides good coverage without being too heavy and opaque. I use Glow which looks like it would be too dark for my fair skin, but it’s transparent enough to add a bit of color while still looking natural.”
Best for Combination Skin: Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream
Kosas
BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream
38 €
Pros: Pairs nicely with Kosas’s Dream Beam Sunscreen SPF 40 as a primer
Cons: Challenging to apply with a brush or Beautyblender due to thick formula
Size: 1-ounce pump dispenser
Shades: 24
SPF: None
For smooth, skincare-driven coverage every time, “Kosas BB is sooooo good,” Jahns gushes. The formula is powered by triple-hydration technology, copper peptides, and zinc oxide to support the skin barrier and visibly reduce redness. The skin tint is also clinically proven to increase hydration over 230% after four weeks, improving the appearance of bare skin.
Customer Review: “I have mature, oily skin. I was skeptical about this product. I bought it on the whim, and I love it. I use my fingers instead of a brush, a little goes along way. I only use one pump for my whole face. It doesn’t make my face oily and it lasts all day. It gives me such a beautiful, slight glow.”
Best for Oily Skin: Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen
Tower 28
SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen
32 €
Pros: Formulated without pore-clogging ingredients, safe for problem-prone or sensitive skin
Cons: Does not immediately soak into the skin and shifts beneath other products
Size: 1-ounce tube
Shades: 17
SPF: 30
Tower 28’s multipurpose product offers natural-looking, light-to-medium buildable coverage with 100% mineral SPF 30. Formulated with problem-prone and sensitive skin in mind, it features noncomedogenic ingredients like prickly pear extract for defense against blue light pollution and white sage extract to neutralize free radicals. It’s also nongreasy and nonoxidizing and doesn’t leave a white cast.
Customer Review: “I absolutely love this product! I’ve seen such an improvement in my skin since I started using it. I struggle with oily skin and hormonal acne, and this is hands down the best foundation I’ve found. I love the finish—it’s dewy but not overly shiny. It’s also super buildable but has great coverage, so I wear it for a night out as well as my day to day tinted sunscreen.”
By Maya Thomas