It seems intuitive to dust off our lightweight, glowy makeup formulas when the temps start to rise. And the onset of skin tints—airy, barely there formulas spiked with skin-care benefits—make getting glowy, summer-ready skin easier than ever. Over the last few years, countless brands have launched their own iterations of these super-sheer foundation alternatives. To get the best version of your natural skin, we rounded up 16 skin-enhancing formulas we love.
What’s the difference between a skin tint and foundation?
It’s all in the coverage. Foundations tend to be thicker and opaque in order to offer fuller coverage, and require more time to prep the skin, blend in and set. Foundations go the extra mile to cover blemishes and imperfections, but their heavier formulas may also clog pores when mixed with sweat and pollution—two unfortunate hallmarks of summer. By contrast, skin tints are lightweight, with almost universally sheer-to-light coverage. (Though skin tints are buildable and offer some customization, your natural complexion will almost always shine through.) Because they’re designed to look as natural as your own skin, tints are formulated with skincare at the forefront—their ingredient lists will read similarly to your favorite serums and moisturizers. They require no skin prep, blend in effortlessly and the most you’ll need to cover peskier, more stubborn blemishes is a bit of concealer.
What ingredients should I look for in a skin tint?
Like other skin-care products, it depends on your skin type, and you should avoid using a skin tint if its ingredient list has any that caused irritations in the past. To get a bright, hydrated and naturally glowy complexion, hyaluronic acid, squalane and vitamin C are always a safe bet. For sensitive skin types, look for products without fragrances and alcohols. And it’s always a good idea to consider a skin tint that also boasts SPF protection for an extra layer of protection.
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Available in 30 shades, this SPF-boosted, noncomedogenic tint instantly evens skin tone and adds radiance in a smooth, non-sticky formula.
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Formulated with skin-loving ingredients like sunflower, almond and Tsubaki oils, this nourishing tint protects the skin while adding a buildable, believable wash of color.
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Redness-reducing tiger grass takes center stage in this versatile, second-skin tint that delivers your-skin-but-better coverage—exactly what we’d expect from the California-cool skin-care brand.
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Packed with SPF 20, this creamy tint delivers a light wash of tone-evening coverage that can be layered without pilling or cakiness. (It’s also gone viral on TikTok for creating a “red-carpet glow” when paired with Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter.)
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Offering sheer, buildable coverage, mineral SPF 35 protection and good-for-skin ingredients like hyaluronic acid and licorice root extract, this clean-girl favorite is sure to be a summer sellout.
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For a dewy, skin-but-better finish, look no further than this hyaluronic acid–infused option. Available in a range of 20 shades, this inclusive formula offers a skin-perfecting option for most tones.
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Picture-perfect “pigment spheres” are suspended in a hyaluronic acid–infused formula in this social media sensation. Not only is the cocktail freshly combined on the skin when blended, but each application delivers a supermodel-off-duty type of radiance.
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Giving slightly more coverage than other skin tints, this California-born, blurring option also includes vitamins C and E, plus antioxidants, to keep skin protected all summer long.
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This is the skin tint that started it all for many of us back in 2015. One of Glossier’s OG launches, it imparts a filter-like blur to skin that is hard to find with any other product. It’s really sheer—if you’re looking to cover acne, this may not be the pick for you—but for your-skin-but-better makeup that softens skin and evens out tone, you should give it a try.
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The brand describes their award-winning skin tint as “light coverage, potent skin care, and mineral SPF.” Between its brightening formula and serum-like texture, it leaves an all-over glow that perfects almost every skin-care concern—think dryness, blemishes, redness, wrinkles and uneven tone—and it only looks better the longer you wear it.
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To address redness and uneven skin while smoothing out rough texture, grab this second-skin serum. With collagen, peptides and antioxidant-rich cactus extract, its supercharged formula is famously soothing and hydrating.
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Formulated with hibiscus, pumpkin seed and baobab seed extract, Ami Cole’s skin tint is so lightweight it truly feels like you’re wearing nothing at all. It’s also remarkably hydrating and and buildable, so you can customize the coverage you need without any caking.
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With non-nano zinc oxide, prickly pear extract and white sage extract, Tower 28’s skin tint plus SPF will keep your skin protected from UV damage, blue light pollution and free radicals while delivering skin-perfecting glow. Its formula contains no irritants, fragrances, essential oils or alcohol, making it a great choice for sensitive and problematic skin types. Plus, it has a seal of approval from the National Eczema Association.
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As the name suggests, this skin tint is loaded with vitamins D and E, plus hyaluronic acid, cactus flower and shea butter for a skin-nourishing formula. It’s also long-lasting, sweat-proof, humidity resistant and has SPF 15. According to the brand, it’s designed to prevent fading, creasing and settling as its worn.
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For those who aren’t a fan of dewy, luminous finishes, this one’s for you. Fenty Beauty’s skin tint delivers a true natural finish. It settles into skin almost like a powder—sans any creasing or dryness—that blurs and smooths uneven texture, enlarged pores, redness and other skin issues.
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The French have perfected the skin-illuminating no-makeup, makeup look, so it’s not surprising that France-born Typology’s Tinted Serum delivers a gorgeous natural glow. With vitamin C, squalane and aloe vera, it provides deep, long-lasting hydration while instantly evening out skin tone.
