I swapped my favourite foundation for the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint everyone's raving about and here's my honest review...
THE PRODUCT:
Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, £20, available at glossier.com
THE HYPE:
Glossier's Perfecting Skin Tint was one of only four products originally launched with the brand in 2014. It's a big part of the brand's skin-first, makeup-second mantra, with lightweight coverage, dewy finish, and comfortable wear. It's designed to be 'just as easy as throwing on a moisturiser'. The base product was reformulated in 2018 with an updated pigment treatment (to prevent the shade changing during wear time), a new blend of oils and a more extensive shade range.
REVIEWER:
Samantha, Deputy Beauty Editor
BEAUTY BIO:
I'm an all-or-nothing kind of gal. I'll either wear full coverage foundation or zero foundation. I do prefer a dewy finish for my base products, but it needs to be long-wear as well because I'm terrible at topping up.
GLOSSIER PERFECTING SKIN TINT REVIEW:
This is my second time trying Skin Tint, but my first time trying the new formula. When I tried the original, I was a little underwhelmed and thought of it as a runny, low-coverage BB cream, so I was keen to test the improvements.
Having previously tried the 'medium' shade, I went for G9 as recommended. The packaging remained the same, with a very controlled dispenser that allows you to pump out a tiny bit at a time. This is a must, because the formula is still very runny, similar to a serum foundation.
While the shade looked like it might be too dark and a tad orangey on my hand, when I took it to my face it was a perfect match. I used a stippling brush to apply it, but you could easily just run it over your face with your fingers, as the formula blends so easily. When compared with the original formula, I do think the updated version provides better coverage. It evens out the skin tone and hides redness, and seems to adapt to your natural colouring, so that it just looks like your skin, only better.
It is a very light coverage, but does make my skin look fresher and healthier than what it does when I go completely bare-faced. It's like wearing an invisible veil of confidence. And I do think the updated formula is more buildable than the original, so you can get a bit more out of it than the previous.
It wore pretty well throughout the day and didn't oxidise or crease, and the shade held up. I also found it very comfortable and not like I was wearing makeup at all.
FINAL VERDICT:
I can probably deal with popping this on for my 'no makeup' days, because it really is just as easy as a moisturiser. It won't hide your dark circles or angry blemishes (they do have concealer for that), but it offers a nice 'blurring' effect to make my bare face look brighter and better.
Looking for an everyday skin saviour? Here's our edit of the best tinted moisturisers...
Best tinted moisturiser for concealing imperfections
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream, £32.50, It Cosmetics
Why we love it: The texture may be light, but the coverage is not messing around. Developed by plastic surgeons specifically focused on masking skin concerns in a really natural-looking way, it helps to conceal imperfections, and minimise the appearance of pores without looking too heavy or “done”.
Best tinted moisturiser that's oil-free
Sheer Tinted Oil-free SPF20, £6.73 for members, Beauty Pie
Why we love it: From a brand that offers premium formulas at a fraction of the cost (if you sign up for membership), this lightweight coverage is infused with sun protection and comes in five wearable shades. The result? Ultra-glowy skin that looks like...well, skin.
Best vegan tinted moisturiser
Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, £20, Glossier
Why we love it: This lightweight, dewy formula comes in 12 adaptable shades and perfects skin imperceptibly. Diamond Powder gives a brightening, soft-focus effect and minimises the appearance of pores, while glycerin moisturises skin.
Best oil-free tinted moisturiser for oily skin
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++( 50ml), £33, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: Ask any beauty buff to name their most coveted complexion products and, chances are, NARS will be high up on the list – especially when it comes to this guy. The oil-free formula provides a translucent veil of colour and gives a radiant, luminous finish in a spectrum of 12 versatile shades.
Offering advanced sun protection, it shields your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, while also reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots in as little as four weeks. In fact, it's so popular that over on Reddit, the most honest beauty forum, it has a 4.6 rating and nearly all 5-star rating on NARS' own website, with women hailing it the best thing they've ever put on their face.
It's hardly surprising why it was spotted backstage at all the fashion shows, then. NARS makeup artist Lucia Pieroni noted, "it gives that radiant, super gorgeous skin." We'll take 10 please...
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Best tinted moisturiser for shade range
Max Factor Miracle Touch Second Skin, £12.99, LookFantastic
Why we love it: This is technically termed a “hybrid foundation,” though its lightweight texture and skincare benefits (pre and probiotics) put it firmly in the realm of tinted moisturisers. The coverage is medium to buildable but the feel is much more breathable. And the shade range is good with 13 shades from fair to deep.
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Charlotte Tilbury tinted moisturiser
Unisex Healthy Glow, £35, Charlotte Tilbury
Why we love it: Though it's not the most lightweight tinted moisturiser in this edit and it doesn't contain SPF, this product does serve up the glowiest base and make you look like you're shining from within. It’s like a magic potion that adapts to your skin as you apply it - coming out white but actually morphing to your natural skin tone for a natural-looking finish.
Bobbi Brown tinted moisturiser
BOBBI BROWN Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer SPF15, £32, Net-A-Porter
Why we love it: Available in six tones, the Bobbi Brown 'Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer' is formulated with SPF15, making it easy to add sun protection to your daily skincare routine. It's infused with nourishing ingredients, making it perfect for mature skin, and it feels weightless all day.
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Best glow-giving tinted moisturiser
Morphe Glowstunner Hydrating Tinted Moisturiser, £18, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: The ultimate mutli-tasker, Glowstunner has been expertly formulated with clean, skin-nourishing ingredients like lactic acid, allantoin, hyaluronic acid and vitamin e for a hydrated, health glow plus the tined moisturiser offers a SPF30 broad spectrum high protection.
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Best tinted moisturiser for pollution protection
Kevyn Aucoin Stripped Nude Skin Tint, £36, LookFantastic
Why we love it: This is a barely there texture that gives a good amount of pigment, a natural finish and a dose of dewy glow. It’s infused with antioxidant-packed Butterfly Bush Flower extract to protect against pollution and hyaluronic acid to boost moisture and comes in nine shades from light to dark.
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Best tinted moisturiser for sheer coverage
Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint, £50, FeelUnique
Why we love it: Like its name suggests, this is a water-like consistency with a little bit of tint. It’s perfect for sheer, minimal coverage that evens out your complexion but lets your skin shine through. Because the coverage is so delicate, the colour is much more forgiving which means you can go for a warmer shade if you want. It provides a little splash of sunshine without any tidelines.
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Best tinted moisturiser for enhancing your natural skin
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, £35, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: This enhances skin without completely hiding it, so it will whizz away red patches and soften the appearance of spots without obliterating them completely. The colour range is great with 20 shades and carefully chosen undertones and it gives a healthy, illuminated effect.
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Best tinted moisturiser with natural ingredients
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, £24, Boots
Why we love it: Available in a shed load of shades, this gives parched skin a boost of hydration. The result is a dewy and glowing complexion, with a hint of coverage.
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Best tinted moisturiser for dry skin
Ciaté London Dewy Skin Glass Glow Tint, £26, Feel Unique
Why we love it: This pretty, semi-sheer skin tint gives a super glowy finish and comes in 10 inclusive shades. It's perfect for off-duty days when you don't want tonnes of coverage and boosts skin with rehydrating Hyaluronic Acid, moisture-boosting Yuzu Extract and brightening Dragon Fruit extract and Vitamin C.
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Best tinted moisturiser with SPF
Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint, £39, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: This triple threat incorporates a skin tint with a face oil and an SPF 30. It's just been re-released after the brand listened to customers, improved the glass roller-ball application (it's still there, its just even more seamless), they've extended the shade range and they've switched up the packaging so it's more environmentally friendly, with a refill option available. The tint itself offers a lightweight wash of skin-balancing coverage whilst still allowing your freckles to shine through.
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Best luxury tinted moisturiser
Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser, £72, Space NK
Why we love it: On the pricier end of the scale, yes, but a drop of this lotion-like tinted moisturiser goes a long way. Plus it's choc full of antioxidants and SPF to protect the skin whilst providing tone-evening coverage. Perfect for holidays, as it won't slip off in the heat.
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Best tinted moisturiser for hydration
Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint, £55, Cult Beauty
Why we love it: If your dry skin tends to drink up your tinted moisturiser before the day is out, this is the hydrating formula for you. The finish is radiant and dewy, with a moderate to full coverage that hides anything that needs hiding. Use your fingers to apply for a seamless result.
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Best tinted moisturiser for an energy boost
Origins Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer, £32, LookFantastic
Why we love it: If you're lucky or young enough to have good skin, don't cover it up with a blanket of foundation. Instead, let it shine through with a little help from this energizing cream. Evens skin tone without hiding it. A proper slap-it-on-and-go product.
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Clarins tinted moisturiser
Clarins HydraQuench Tinted Moisturiser SPF15 50ml, £30, Boots
Why we love it: With a natural, satin-looking finish, this new and improved Clarins tinted moisturiser boast a hyaluronic acid complex and katafray bark extract work together to leave your skin soft, supple and smooth.
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Tom Ford tinted moisturiser
Tom Ford Glow Tinted Moisturizer, £31.20, Feel Unique
Why we love it: With broad spectrum SPF to protect from the harmful effects of the sun and nourishing antioxidants to replenish skin from the damage of environmental stressors, this weightless and vegan tinted moisturiser evens skin tone and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It's infused with hyaluronic acid and jojoba oils for nourishing hydration.
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