Testing Popular Skin Tints: Which Gives The Most Natural Finish?

AD info | This post is not sponsored, though some products may have been sent to me to review. Gifted items will be marked with an *. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.

As much as I love wearing makeup, foundation has always been my least favourite step in my routine. I’ve tried loads of different formulas over the years and I still haven’t found anything that’s quite right for me. It’s tough to find a foundation that’s not only durable and long-lasting, but also natural-looking and comfortable to wear!

In recent years, I’ve steered clear of full-coverage foundations in favour of lighter base products like tinted moisturisers and BB creams. But even these can sometimes feel too heavy.

Skin tints are a step below tinted moisturisers on the coverage scale. These are meant to be sheerer and less moisturising, and will often contain ingredients you find in skincare (like squalane, aloe vera and vitamin C).

They’re suited to those who prefer a really minimal makeup look. Seriously, don’t expect lots of coverage! With skin tints, it’s all about evening out your skin tone rather than fully concealing redness or blemishes.

I’ve been searching for skin tints that give a really light, natural finish, and there have definitely been a few hits and misses along the way. Keep reading to find out which popular skin tints are worth the spend…

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30*

ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint is a makeup-skincare hybrid that’s chock full of nourishing ingredients. You’ll find skin-soothers like allantoin, aloe and bisabolol in here, as well as moisturisers like squalane and sodium hyaluronate. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that this contains physical UV filters too! This sets it apart from the other skin tints on the list which don’t have an SPF built in. Having said that, I still like to wear a lightweight sunscreen underneath for extra protection!

I’ve got the shade SKYE ST.5 which is described as ‘extra light with neutral undertones’, and I was surprised at just how just how pale this shade is. I always go for the lightest option but I usually find that it’s still too warm for me, with the ILIA skin tint I was slightly concerned that it would make me look a bit ghostly. Fortunately, the colour diffused as I rubbed it in. The texture is pretty runny so it’s not difficult to blend out.

Honestly, I have a love-hate relationship with this skin tint. Some days it feels really great on my skin and I like the finish, other days it feels too oily (I guess because of the squalane) and I end up looking super shiny. The product also separates a lot in the bottle so you end up with a very sedimenty serum when the time comes to apply it. Funnily enough, I’m not too put off by the smell (though I know a lot people are!).

Ultimately, I think this does look pretty skin-like, but it’s just a tad too dewy for me. If you have very dry skin and want a super light coverage base product that keeps your skin looking fresh all day, this’ll fit the bill.

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint is a makeup minimalist’s dream: it’s hydrating, natural-looking and super lightweight. Because the formula is so sheer, this is the skin tint I find to be most skin-like. It doesn’t offer much in the way of coverage – you’ll definitely need to go in with a concealer if you’re looking to conceal redness or blemishes – but it has just enough of a tint to even out and freshen up your complexion.

The consistency is super liquidy which makes it really easy to blend. I like to use my hands to do this because a sponge or brush absorbs a little too much of the product. The finish, once applied, is really lovely. It gives a healthy glow, without being overly dewy, and it doesn’t feel sticky or greasy either. Since the product is quite watery, it does feel pretty much weightless on the skin. Some people may be disappointed by the lack of coverage, but this is well suited to those who really don’t like the look or feel of foundation.

The shade selection is a tiny bit more limited than some of the others on this list. However, because this skin tint is so sheer, I don’t think it needs to be a perfect match. Unless you’ve chosen something that’s much lighter or darker than your usual shade, you don’t need to worry!

Maybelline Super Stay Up to 24H Skin Tint

As is to be expected from their Super Stay collection, Maybelline’s skin tint is designed to last all day. It’s sweat-proof, resistant to humidity and doesn’t really transfer either. This has the highest amount of coverage of all the skin tints on the list, and – in all honesty – it’s more reminiscent of a foundation than it is a skin tint. If you’re looking for something sheer and dewy, this probably isn’t going to tick those boxes.

It’s heavier than many other skin tints, dries down quicker and is harder to blend. Using a damp sponge does make application slightly easier – it also sheers out the product for a softer finish – but overall I think the skin tint is pretty noticeable on the skin. My skin often gets quite dry and I feel like it really highlighted those dry areas, especially since the final finish is quite matte.

This has the same dropper applicator as the L’Oreal skin tint (see below) which can be a bit of a pain to use. I also think the shade range is a bit odd. It starts at 02 and, despite being the palest shade, I still think this is going to be too warm for fair skin tones. Overall, I’m not sure this is one I’d repurchase.

L’Oreal True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Skin Serum

Despite being light and liquidy, the L’Oreal True Match Tinted Serum actually offers a surprising amount of coverage. Like the Maybelline skin tint, this leans towards being a foundation rather than a skin tint. However, it’s not quite as full coverage as the Maybelline one… and it’s definitely easier to blend.

Disappointingly, this only comes in nine shades and I do think there is quite a big jump between them. The lightest shade, 0.5 – 2 just about works for me but I would have gone for a lighter shade (if there was one!).

Though this contains hyaluronic acid, this isn’t actually as hydrating or dewy as many other skin tints on the list. It can sometimes feel a little tight on the skin (possibly because of the alcohol). If I’ve got a hydrating moisturiser and sunscreen underneath this is usually fine, but you might want to steer clear of this if you have extremely dry, sensitive skin.

Again, the dropper applicator isn’t particularly helpful. I’ve seen lots of people actually swapping this out for a pump because it’s so messy and non-functional. You mostly end up swiping the dropper across your face which is obviously not the most hygienic. It would be great if they change this!

Iconic London Super Smoother Blurring Skin Tint

If you’re looking for a skin tint that’s lightweight but still provides a decent amount of coverage, give this Iconic London one a try. It’s meant to give a ‘second-skin finish’ that lasts up to 12 hours. This obviously isn’t quite as long as the Maybelline skin tint, but I usually don’t need my base to last more than 12 hours anyway!

This has a similar level of coverage to the L’Oreal True Match skin serum and, with a soft matte finish, it looks sort of similar on the skin as well. However, since it doesn’t contain alcohol, I think the Iconic London skin tint is slightly more hydrating. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling as tight and dry at least!

The shade range for this product is pretty good and I like that it contains ingredients like green tea, vitamin E and collagen amino acids to keep the skin feeling plump and healthy. This isn’t as glowy as other skin tints but, if you prefer a more dewy finish, you can always use a nourishing moisturiser, sunscreen or primer underneath. It’s sheer enough to let the glow shine through.

Typology Tinted Serum

Typology’s Tinted Serum is criminally underrated – it’s one of my fave skin tint formulas I’ve tried! Like the ILIA Skin Tint, this contains a bunch of well-known (and well-loved) skincare ingredients, such as squalane, aloe vera and vitamin C. It’s as hydrating as the ILIA one but way less dewy, which I feel makes the finish look a bit more natural.

While I like the formula, the shade range isn’t great – currently there’s only six to choose from. Coverage-wise, it’s fairly light, so it’s not going to look super obvious if the shade is slightly off, but it would be great to have more options.

I like this skin tint because it does offer a bit more coverage than the Glossier and ILIA ones, but it’s still not as full coverage as a traditional foundation. It’s enough to even out a bit of redness and it can be built up pretty easily without looking heavy or cakey. It also doesn’t settle into fine lines or pores which is always a win!

Some people aren’t a fan of the dropper but so far I’ve not had any issues with it. It’s definitely less messy than the L’Oreal and Maybelline applicators, and giving the bottle a good shake tends to loosen up the product a bit anyway.

Swatches and comparison

As you can see in the pictures above, the Glossier and ILIA skin tints are definitely much runnier than the others. All of these skin tints (except the Glossier one) are in the lightest shade, but they all run quite warm apart from the ILIA one.

Though it’s been discontinued, I’ve also included a swatch of the NYX Luminous Tinted Face Serum as it’s the only cool-toned skin tint I’ve found!

Have you tried any of these skin tints? If so, which is your favourite?