13 Tinted Moisturizers for Subtle Coverage and a Dewy Complexion

• Pros: Coverage lasts for hours, won’t look oily
• Cons: Contains fragrance, which some may find irritating

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: If you have acne, choosing your makeup can feel like Russian Roulette: Will this be the thing that makes me break out?! Fatima Fahs, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Michigan and the founder of Dermy Doc Box, tells SELF that she often recommends Bare Minerals’s tinted moisturizer to her clients who struggle with blemishes. Its hero ingredient is squalane, which has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the swelling and redness that comes along with pimples.

• SPF ingredient: titanium dioxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: hydrating hyaluronic acid and glycerin, oil-absorbing silica
• Non-comedogenic | Oil-free | Available in 20 shades

• Pros: Blurring effect, natural-looking finish, helps fade discoloration
• Cons: Some reviewers don’t like the scent.

Best for Brightening: This 2021 SELF Healthy Beauty Award winner had one tester asking: “Where are my pores? Did they disappear into the Saie universe?” This tinted moisturizer provides a dewy sheen of light coverage, but doesn’t fully camouflage blemishes (in our tester’s case, a chin pimple). Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University, also points out that it’s made with licorice root extract to brighten your skin tone—plus, it comes in a variety of shades to help you find a solid match.

• SPF ingredient: zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: hyaluronic acid, hydrating grape seed oil, soothing aloe vera, anti-inflammatory jojoba oil
• Non-comedogenic | Fragrance-free | Available in 14 shades

• Pros: Comes in a lot of shades, dewy finish
• Cons: Strong smell, doesn’t absorb right away

Largest Shade Range: Dr. Garshick recommends Ilia’s Serum Skin Tint because it’s full of niacinamide—a do-it-all ingredient that can help control oil, boost hydration, calm redness, and brighten dark spots—as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane. She also likes that “it comes in so many shades, making it easier to find one that matches your skin tone,” adding that it’s great for all skin types because it’s free from pore-clogging oils and potentially irritating fragrances.

Pro tip: One SELF editor says it can take a bit for this to sink into the skin and leaves a slight white cast due to its mineral SPF, so you’re better off applying a thin layer. That said, it gave her skin a glow that was “not quite ‘glazed doughnut’-level dewiness, but still very on-trend.”

• SPF ingredient: zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: soothing allantoin and bisabolol, aloe vera
• Fragrance-free | Oil-free | Available in 30 shades

• Pros: Won’t pill, doesn’t look oily, melts into skin
• Cons: Only comes in one shade

With some tinted moisturizers, you run the risk of looking cakey if you try to build them up enough to get the benefits of wearing sunscreen. But this sheer cream still looks natural because it’s lightweight and absorbs easily into the skin, Dr. Garshick says. One SELF editor agrees, saying it blends well without pilling and doesn’t look oily (even after hours of wear).

• SPF ingredients: zinc oxide (mineral), octinoxate (chemical)
• Other notable ingredients: hydrating hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E
• Fragrance-free | Oil-free | Available in one shade

• Pros: Blends in easily, natural-looking finish, comes in lots of shades
• Cons: Contains fragrance, which some may find irritating

“Hanging out one sweaty summer day, I asked my friend: ‘Why does your face look so good?’ She sent me a link to this bad boy and my life—or at least my skin—has been forever changed,” says one SELF editor, who’s now traded her expensive designer foundation for this Smashbox tube. “This tinted moisturizer smoothes out any discoloration or unevenness in my complexion.” It also has hyaluronic acid to plump skin and niacinamide to boost moisture and soothe inflammation.

• SPF ingredients: octinoxate (chemical), titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: smoothing dimethicone, plumping peptides, goji berry extracts (antioxidants)
• Oil-free | Available in 20 shades

• Pros: Dewy finish, buildable coverage, protects skin from damage
• Cons: Contains pore-clogging ingredients

Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer is the OG—she’s credited with launching the first one ever in 1996—and nearly three decades later, it’s still one of the best. One SELF editor says it made her skin look “really glassy while still providing a good amount of coverage.” The formula is infused with tamarind seed extracts and vitamins C and E, which have antioxidant properties that help protect your skin from sun and pollution damage. Have oily skin? Dr. Garshick recommends you try the matte-finish, oil-free version.

• SPF ingredients: avobenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, oxybenzone (all chemical)
• Other notable ingredients: moisturizing macadamia and kukui seed oils, oil-absorbing silica
• Available in 20 shades

• Pros: Semi-matte finish, water-resistant SPF up to 40 minutes
• Cons: Only comes in one shade

Dr. Rodney recommends this tinted sunscreen that doubles as a moisturizer with hydrating ingredients like panthenol (a.k.a. vitamin B5) and glycerin. “It also has peptides and antioxidants for protection and repairing damage, and it’s tinted to give that dewy, no-makeup appearance,” she says. The formula absorbs into the skin easily and leaves a soft, non-greasy finish that works well as a base for makeup or on its own, according to Amazon shoppers.

• SPF ingredient: zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: oil-absorbing silica, protective vitamin C, soothing bisabolol
• Non-comedogenic | Oil-free | Available in one shade

• Pros: Made for sensitive skin, coverage lasts for hours
• Cons: Some reviewers say it takes a while to absorb into skin

This stunner won a 2022 Healthy Beauty Award, proving to one tester that a non-greasy, non-cakey, buildable tinted sunscreen could, in fact, exist. The SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen Foundation “provides medium coverage that lasts all day, which is important in the summer when you’re at risk of sweating off your makeup every time you step outside. This is one of the few times I’ve actually finished a foundation, and I immediately ordered another one!” they said. Like all of Tower 28’s products, this one is designed for sensitive skin and has soothing ingredients like aloe vera and centella asiatica.

• SPF ingredient: zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: prickly pear and white sage extracts (antioxidants)
• Non-comedogenic | Fragrance-free | Oil-free | Available in 17 shades

• Pros: Buildable coverage, minimizes pores
• Cons: Contains comedogenic ingredients and fragrance that might irritate sensitive skin

“Foundation” may be in its name, but this option from Covergirl has a barely-there look and lightweight feel (but if you’re looking to hide acne or dark spots, one SELF editor says you can totally apply a few layers to get enough coverage). “It’s my go-to, and I’ve never had issues with it irritating my skin or clashing with my other products,” she says. Bonus: That drugstore price!

• SPF ingredients: None
• Other notable ingredients: soothing allantoin, niacinamide, and aloe vera; moisturizing sunflower seed oils
• Available in 14 shades

• Pros: Natural-looking finish, long-lasting coverage
• Cons: Contains vitamin E, which isn’t recommended for acne-prone skin

Selena Gomez wasn’t playing around when she dreamt up Rare Beauty. Every launch seems to be a hit—and this tinted moisturizer is no exception. “A lot of foundation-type products look patchy and dry on my skin by the end of the day, but this actually stayed put and kept its natural finish without leaning powdery or shiny,” one SELF editor says.

• SPF ingredients: homosalate (chemical), titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: skin-softening vitamin E, gardenia, lotus, and water lily extracts (antioxidants)
• Available in 24 shades

• Pros: No white cast, caters to deeper skin tones
• Cons: Some reviewers dislike the smell.

“I love what this brand is doing to highlight the beauty in richer skin tones by making shade number one the deepest option,” Dr. Fahs says. According to her, this tint doubles as a mineral sunscreen (if you apply enough) that doesn’t leave behind the dreaded white cast. One Ulta shopper wrote that their only regret was not buying a backup bottle after trying this—because now, they can’t go without it.

• SPF ingredient: zinc oxide (mineral)
• Other notable ingredients: moisturizing hyaluronic acid and seabuckthorn oil
• Non-comedogenic | Fragrance-free | Available in 10 shades