(Makeup)

Skin Tints Are The Linen Dresses Of Summer Makeup

Ditch the sweaty full-coverage foundation.

July 25, 2023

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As heat waves continue to break records this summer, wearing makeup seems futile. Carving out time in the morning to apply foundation, concealer, blush, and the works is essentially a waste of time (and makeup) when all of it is going to melt, smudge, or oxidize by the time you make it to your destination. However, it’s completely understandable why you want to still try to do a makeup look in high summer. Maybe you’re dealing with a bad hormonal breakout and want to conceal the zits living rent-free on your chin. Or maybe the act of applying makeup helps ground you for the day ahead. Whatever reason, swapping your current foundation for one of the best skin tints on the market will help minimize this common summer makeup struggle.

These lightweight formulas typically rival your favorite moisturizer or serum, packed with the active ingredients to soften, plump, and illuminate the skin. Paired with light, often buildable coverage, skin tints truly deliver a your-skin-but-better look that wears well throughout the day because they keep your complexion hydrated. Even better: They are next to effortless to apply. Simply add a few drops to the back of your hand, then dab it on your face and massage it in with your fingertips for a seamless finish.

Sold on ditching your full-coverage foundation for the rest of the summer? Ahead, TZR has rounded up the best skin tints for natural, heat-friendly makeup looks.

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation

$36

As a professional makeup artist, Danessa Myricks knows the important role skin prep plays in creating a smooth canvas for foundation, concealer, and the like. So naturally, when she combined an uber-hydrating serum with lightweight coverage, the result is this radiance-boosting skin tint that comes in 16 shades that address redness and uneven tone.

Bobbi Brown

Vitamin Enriched Hydrating Skin Tint SPF 15

$45

With an ingredient list that reads like a multivitamin for your skin, this moisturizing, protecting, and barrier-boosting tint offers buildable second-skin coverage that’s designed to withstand heat and sweat. Bonus: All 18 shades are infused with SPF 15 for added reinforcement against UV/UVB rays.

Beautyblender

12-Hour Always on Radiant Skin Tint

$29

A few taps of Beautyblender’s skin tint with the brand’s trademark makeup sponge is all it takes to achieve a glowy, even base. The formula is stacked with a bevy of tried-and-true skin care ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and beta glucan to illuminate, plump, and soothe.

Maybelline

Super Stay 24H Skin Tint + Vitamin C

$18

Whether you’re a skin care minimalist or maximalist, the appeal of a multitasking product is universal. Because hey, who doesn’t want to simplify their morning routine as much as possible? You can do just that with Maybelline’s vitamin C serum-infused tint, which works to brighten and even skin tone over time. As for the coverage, it’s lightweight yet buildable and promises to stay crease- and smudge-free for up to 24 hours.

Hourglass

Veil Hydrating Skin Tint

$49

Veil is an accurate way to describe Hourglass’ tint of the same name. It balances concerns like redness and discoloration while letting your natural skin shine through.

Too Faced

Born This Way Healthy Glow SPF 30 Skin Tint Foundation

$42

For days when fans of Too Faced’s Born This Way foundation want more subdued base makeup, there’s the radiant-finish SPF 30 skin tint version of the cult-favorite product. Formulated with 75% skin care ingredients, the serum delivers light coverage that lasts for up to 34 hours.

Yves Saint Laurent

Nu Bare Look Tint

$44

A true hybrid product, this water-cream tint offers extreme hydration with featherweight, buildable coverage that doesn’t smear or smudge as the day progresses. Choose from 20 shades that complement an array of skin undertones.

Summer Fridays

Sheer Skin Tint

$42

For a true your-skin-but-better look, reach for Summer Fridays’ Sheer Skin Tint. Stacked with squalane, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and tiger grass, the serum-like product hydrates and minimizes redness while the subtle coverage further difusses any imperfections.

Kosas

Glow I.V. Vitamin-Infused Skin Illuminating Enhancer

$38

For a true no-makeup makeup look, opt for an unorthodox skin enhancer such as Kosas’ Glow I.V. While you can mix it with your favorite foundation, concealer, or moisturizer, you can used the tinted product on its own to add a dewy glow to specific areas of your face.

Westman Atelier

Vital Skincare Dewy Foundation Drops

$68

Base makeup truly doesn’t get easier than Westman Atelier’s Complexion Drops. While you can apply the oil-like tint with a brush or a sponge, it effortlessly melts into skin when you use your fingertips. The coverage is light to medium and doubles as a skin care treatment – the formula is packed with actives such as tsubaki oil, ginseng, and pomegranate extract to smooth, firm, and boost radiance.