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5 Best Skin Tints To Try This Spring

By Sophie Joaman • May 17, 2024 • 6 mins read

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One of the best things about makeup is that you can truly have it all your way; no matter your style, lifestyle, or even your mood. And for those seeking subtle results from their makeup while still feeling their absolute best (that’s a given), adding a lightweight skin tint to your makeup collection might be the perfect choice.

If you’re looking to create a simple, effortless look, check out our guide on everyday makeup routine
to make your mornings quicker and more polished.

Skin tints, the not-too-distant relative of natural finish foundation and tinted moisturizer, are a must-try this spring, and for good reason. Not only are they super easy to apply and use for skin tint for daily wear, but they also give impeccable, flawless results for the ultimate skin goals.

Tempted to go for a dewy skin tint this spring? Then carry on reading to find out how to use them and which ones are worth spending on.

What Are Skin Tints?

Skin tints sit somewhere in between tinted moisturisers/BB Creams and foundations, but they are essentially their own thing. If we had to put a label on them, then they would belong under the foundation category. On the foundation spectrum, however, skin tints are the thinnest.

This means that while they offer coverage like foundation, that coverage is much more lightweight and offers a ‘skin-like’ finish—perfect if you want a minimal makeup look.

Are Skin Tints Better Than Foundation?

Whether skin tints are better than foundation and vice versa depends on your individual preference and skin needs. For those who prefer lighter to barely-there coverage, then skin tints can be a better alternative to foundation.

For example, a buildable coverage tint might be a better option for you if you are looking for a very slight coverage to even out skin tone and conceal areas of imperfections or counteract redness. If, on the other hand, you are looking for more coverage, then foundations are probably going to be a better choice for you.

Many people also don’t like the heavier feeling of foundation on the skin and would prefer something that feels much more lightweight. This is where skin tints might be more suitable for some. There’s no saying you have to only use one or the other, either.

You can have both and wear whichever one you feel like on any given day or occasion, and that is totally in keeping with the spirit of makeup. At the end of the day, you do you? So yes, in essence, skin tints might be better than foundation for some, and for others, foundation might be preferable. The choice is down to you!

The Best Way To Use Skin Tints

To get the best out of your skin tint, ensure you prep your skin thoroughly before applying. This will help you to lay the perfect tinted base for your makeup and allow the product to glide on smoothly. Once you have moisturized and primed your face, apply a small amount of the skin tint foundation and blend it with a brush or beauty blender to achieve even coverage, creating a fresh, radiant makeup look that enhances your natural glow.

Shop The 5 Skin Tints to Try This Spring

Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30

The Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30 combines sheer coverage makeup with powerful skincare benefits and sun protection in one clean formula.

This SPF skin tint features nourishing hyaluronic acid, squalane, and niacinamide that hydrate and improve skin texture while providing sheer to light coverage. The breathable, water-based formula delivers a glowing complexion tint that enhances your skin’s natural radiance without looking heavy or artificial.

Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint is renowned for its comfortable, ultra-lightweight formula that feels more like a second skin than it does makeup. Ideal if you are someone who finds that foundation feels heavy on their skin.

This tint gives you a soft-focus, blurred effect to hide any blemishes and smooth out the complexion for gorgeous results. Its sheer coverage puts you in control too, giving you the option to customise your look according to your preferences, making it an ideal choice for everyday skin tint. Especially when you simply want to enhance your natural beauty effortlessly.

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

Estée Lauder Futurist SkinTint Serum Foundation SPF 20

Estee Lauder’s Futurist Skin Tint Serum is called that for a reason—because the present and future of makeup is all about making our makeup work for us as individuals as well as a collective. This serum foundation combines skincare benefits with makeup, offering a multitasking product that enhances the skin and cares for it.

Infused with hydrating ingredients, this skin tint offers breathable coverage that evens out the skin tone and keeps you feeling comfortable throughout the day. It’s the perfect choice for anyone who wants to enhance their natural glow and give their skin that dewy boost day-to-day.

If you’re still deciding between a dewy look vs matte look, exploring the right finish can help you choose the best product for your routine.

Estée Lauder Futurist SkinTint Serum Foundation SPF 20

Fenty Beauty Ease Drop Blurring Skin Tint

Fenty Beauty Ease Drop Blurring Skin Tint perfects the skin’s appearance while giving you the natural look of your dreams. It blurs pores and imperfections, smoothing out the skin for a flawless finish. While the effect is low maintenance, this skin-tint is anything but. It is long-wearing, lightweight, and has a soft-focus effect to really enhance the skin and bring out your stunning features. Plus, you’ll be comfortable in your makeup all day long.

Fenty Beauty Ease Drop Blurring Skin Tint

YSL Beauty NU Bare Look Tint

Go Nude with YSL. Their Beauty NU Bare Look Tint is the epitome of effortless elegance, offering a barely-there makeup look with that touch of luxury. This sheer coverage enhances the skin’s natural radiance, leaving it looking healthy and luminous. The dewy finish that it gives off lasts throughout the day, without that heaviness or greasiness you sometimes get from makeup. Instead, your skin will look and feel hydrated.

YSL Beauty NU Bare Look Tint

We think this is a great skin tint if you are looking to refine and polish your look while exuding understated sophistication and confidence. After all, you are what makes you beautiful, your makeup is a tool to help you enhance that, and YSL understands the assignment! Skin tints are the ideal product for achieving a refined, natural look in your makeup. They are also perfect for those who prefer skin tint for daily wear, comfortable makeup all day long.

With something for everyone on this list, it’s hard to choose, but the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint stands out as an ideal option for day-to-day wear—because who doesn’t want to feel amazing every day? If you’re after a bit more coverage while keeping that lightweight feel, exploring a silicone based drugstore foundation could be the perfect next step.

Author Image

Sophie Joaman

Sophie Joaman is a freelance writer with a real love and focus wfor fashion, beauty, lifestyle and culture. With a Master's degree in Journalism and Media Communications, Sophie is ​​currently an ongoing contributing freelance writer for Cohorted Cult-sister website of beauty subscription box Cohorted. She was also a contributing writer during London Fashion Week and London Fashion Week: Men's from 2015-2018.

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