Rant & Rave: Tinted Moisturizer

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Tinted Moisturizer

The shade ranges are often limited and tend to run warm (the latter is less of an issue for me but still an issue for many!). While I can appreciate lighter coverage, I only like it in real life on some occasions (being outdoors, running errands), but I generally reach for medium coverage or greater (the latter for photos).

— Christine

23 Comments

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Sarah Avatar

The only tinted moisturizer that I continue to love is the It Cosmetics CC Cream. It is absolutely too warm for me and most of the year I have to mix the fair & light shades, but it’s my absolute favorite formula. I still reach for both versions of the NARS tinted moisturizer too, but those are for my low key days when I’m just running out the door.

Rachel C. Avatar

I love tinted moisturizer, but it’s very limited for deeper shades. I usually wear Tinted moisturizer during the cooler months as my base or when I’m running errands on the weekend. I prefer sheer to medium coverage in general.

Deborah S. Avatar

I haven’t tried a lot of tinted moisturizers but my feeling is that they would not work for me. I am super fair and tinted moisturizers tend to be a one shade deal. I was using the Australia Gold 50 sunscreen in the tinted version as so many people were raving about it following a video from Angie at HotandFlashy on YT. The tint was just too dark for me to wear alone, (the tint also made the formula very, very matte which is not good on my already dry skin). I switched to the non-tinted version of the sunscreen and it works much better for me. So commercially prepared tinted moisturizers do not work for me but I do occasionally mix my own concoctions when a particular foundation is too drying I will mix a moisturizer or an oil with the foundation to make it work for me. I also have used the Dior cushion which is essentially a tinted moisturizer/skin care with very little coverage but it is pale enough that I can use it alone although because I do like more coverage I often use it as a prep step if I am using a foundation that needs help.

Lea Avatar

I’ve found there are a number of tinted moisturizers that work for very fair skin tones. My favorites are La Mer and Armani CC lumi and the Crema Nuda. The ReVive version is on my list to try as well; I’m a fan of that line so much. I’ve also used up a few sample jars of CdP The Foundation, which is skincare and color but light in coverage but the price point makes it unreasonable for most people. It really depends on your budget and the type of wear you’ll get out of a formula. I’m still working on determining which I prefer between Crema Nuda and CdP The Foundation.

Nancy T Avatar

Rave: I do love their nourishing aspect as well as higher SPF of a BB /CC cream for when I’ll be out and about during the summer. All 5-6 months of it here! Especially when it’s very hot and dry. But, I always add just a bit of foundation to it for slightly more coverage.

Rant: Shade selection is sorely LACKING. So is staying power. This stuff slides right off my face once the monsoonal humidity hits us. Powdering helps a little bit, but I’d love to see a long-wearing formula offered in a much wider plethora of tones and shades.

AB Avatar

I like the idea, but since I so rarely ever use moisturizer — only dead of winter do I need any — it’s not worth going through the cost and process to find one that works for me. Instead I mix in a little moisturizer into my foundation.

SUSAN NEVLING Avatar

I’ve tried many different samples but modt didnt provide any coverage, or were odd colors.
I do have Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer and love it. I use it in daytime snd summer with assistance of a little concealer at times
I also use a light dusting of LM translucent loose powder over it followed by a setting spray.

SUSAN NEVLING Avatar

I’ve tried many different samples but most didn’t provide any coverage or were odd colors.
I do have Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer and love it. I use it in daytime snd summer with assistance of a little concealer at times
I also use a light dusting of LM translucent loose powder over it followed by a setting spray.

bibi Avatar

Rant- Tinted Moisturizer is only for those with nearly perfect skin & no ‘issues’ to address other that a little evening of skin tone.

Rave- When I was young all I wore was tinted moisturizer because that was all I needed (and most foundations in the 80’s were these horrible heavy uncomfortable ugly mask-like messes.) Wish I wore sunblock instead. Nowadays with all the BB & CC creams you can get beautiful coverage, sunblock, and all sorts of skin benefits!

Genevieve Avatar

I don’t do tinted moisturiser because the shades are always way, way too dark and too yellow for me. I like my moisturiser to be what it’s meant to be.
Besides, that’s what you have BB creme or foundation for.
I would say that the shade range is pretty poor and if you are going to produce this kind of product then you need to address the shade range beyond fair, light, medium and dark.
I guess that brands don’t really invest any money into this kind of product.

Silvia Avatar

I do like them I like a cover as light and natural as possible. Don’t mind if my freckles show through or even minor little things including laughing lines and between the brows wrinkles I just want to even skin tone a bit. I guess the way I use foundations over Cera Vé moisturizer then the smallest amount of foundation the results are almost like putting in a tinted one.
Some young girl was looking in Target the Simple skin care and Cera Vé and she told me I had great skin! Awww is nice to hear it at just turning old 55! Lol! Hers was spotless! Young 20-25 years old I assume.

kjh Avatar

Well, now that I read the actual name of it, not really sure it IS a TM. Believe most people use it as a sunscreen. All zinc…and being highly allergic to chem sunscreens, almost all TMs and cushions are left out. I’m also one of those folks on which everything (all Fenty, all KVD, ad nauseam, e.g.) look yellow. Not too warm, too yellow. It took 2 years to find a foundation color match with physical or no sunscreen. But Paula’s resist s-ldwd is a total HG for me. The tint only blurs a bit. I will add KGD, the Ordinary, mufe HD, cover Fx drops, if i want more coverage. If an add-in drop breaks it down, bye! Play with my few HGs, or die!

Claire Renee Avatar

I did try a couple several years back: Too Faced & Laura Mercier. Both too dark. The closest I came to success was MAC’s BB cream with spf 35. MAC had a decent selection of shades from quite fair to deep & I actually did not need the lightest shade for a change. I haven’t used it for a couple years and prefer to just use regular foundation sparingly over my sunscreen as I cannot stand heavy foundation or foundation applied all over my face. It makes me feel like I’m suffocating if I have heavy foundation or even light application all over.

Lisa Avatar

I like the idea of it. Slap it on, go on about your day.. but I need more coverage than that. Something about tinted moisturizers tend to make me go greasy fast. No thanks.

Celesta Avatar

I really love the coverage and the finish of tinted moisturizers, but even the lightest shades are usually too dark and yellow for my skin. I really love the Lancome Skin Feels Good Nourishing Foundation (which really is a tinted moisturizer with a watery gel consistency, despite having foundation in its name) but the Cool Porcelain shade is, again, too warm and dark, however, I can make it work because it’s such a sheer product.

Karen Avatar

I couldn’t live without it. It is the background to my every day makeup routine. I have mature, dry to normal, slightly on the cool side skin tone, and a tinted moisturizer evens out my skin tone, which is all I need it to do. It is important to me that I never look like I am wearing anything mask like plus I enjoy the feel of tinted moisturizers on my skin. I have found plenty in the higher end realm that has appropriate shades but I feel the ones I have tried from the drugstore do run a bit too warm.

Karen Avatar

I love tinted moisturizers! They are about all I wear on an everyday basis. I do not like the feel or look of heavy mask like foundation on my face. Usually all I need is something to even skin tone.
I do have cool undertones and have not found any drugstore versions that work. I’ve been much luckier finding good shade matches in the higher end lines, not happy with the cost but am with the products.

Z. Avatar

I feel like I only have a rant because I’ve never found one to work for me. All are too dark (I’m about an NW10, perhaps a bit lighter), and all seem to cater to drier skin types whereas I am quite oily.

I wish I could find one that was both fair enough and had good lasting power!

joy Avatar

rave: gets me out the door quickly and more even toned. my current favorites are it cosmetics anti-aging armour spf 50, which has a surprising amount of coverage and coola rossilliance spf 30

rant: shade selection can be very hit or miss.

Georgina Avatar

Love tinted moisturisers – it’s all I wear on a daily basis. I only use a foundation for evening events. I have been using the NARS tinted moisturiser and the It cosmetics CC cream for years. I tend to use the NARS more in the winter and the It cosmetics more in summer. I also love the fact that they have SPF 30 and 50 respectively. That’s enough for me when I go to work and I don’t tend to put a sunscreen underneath unless I know I’m going to be out after work in the sun.

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