I Tried 8 Best-Selling Skin Tints on My Dry Skin—These Are My Thoughts

Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Tint

Shade Range: 6 | Size: 1.0 fl. oz.

When I first applied Ami Colé’s Skin-Enhancing Tint ($32), my sister commented that “it just looks like skin.” The barely there formula has a buttery-smooth application that made my skin glow—but wasn't shiny or greasy. I was most excited to give it a try because it was formulated with deeper skin tones in mind, which can be all too rare in this industry.

Before starting her own brand, Ami Colé’s founder Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye worked in Glossier product development, so she’s no stranger to no-makeup makeup. All it took was a few drops to get a natural-looking, but noticeably dewier, finish. Though I’d usually reach for my Beautyblender, I applied this with my fingers and found this to be a blendable, buildable base that’s light on its feet and just pigmented enough.

Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Tint $32.00

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Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

Shade Range: 12 | Size: 1 fl. oz.

Glossier is an OG in the minimalist makeup category, so I had high hopes for the brand's Perfecting Skin Tint ($26). My only gripe was that it was too lightweight for me in the coverage category, which is to be expected since it’s a sheer tint. When I put it to the test, my hyperpigmentation scars were still visible, but it left behind a slight tint and dewy cast.

I applied two lines of product across my cheeks and one across my forehead and blended it in with my fingers, as all #GlossierGirls do. I expected to build on it, but just one layer left me with a subtle, selfie-friendly blur. I didn’t feel that my pores were immediately minimized as promised, but the tint subtly evened out my complexion.

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint $26.00

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Huda Beauty GloWish Multidew Skin Tint

Shade Range: 13 | Size: 1.35 fl. oz.

The brand's first foray into minimal makeup, Huda Beauty's GloWish Multidew Skin Tint ($37) lives up to its luminous name—and has a more impactful payoff than some of its competitors. This is no surprise, as the brand’s founder and namesake is the self-proclaimed queen of caked-on beauty, but the lightweight finish marks a clear departure from Huda Kattan’s signature look. This tint offers a blemish-blurring finish and skin-friendly ingredients, but the ultra-glowy finish gives it extra oomph.

The formula is packed with red pepper extract as well as Damascus rose oil, which promises to ease the appearance of dark spots. I didn’t notice this after a couple of uses, but I’d imagine this is a gradual win. In a YouTube tutorial, Kattan described the product as in between full glam and a bare face, and I think that description is right on the nose. Instead of smoothing it in with my fingers, I used the Airbrush Finish Skin Tint Brush ($31), and the result looked like I had a sun-kissed glow and had been very vigilant with my nightly skincare routine. But be forewarned: It’s buildable, so a little goes a very long way. 

Huda Beauty GloWish Multidew Skin Tint $37.00

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Saie Slip Tint

Shade Range: 10 | Size: 1 fl. oz.

If the intersection of makeup and skincare had an address, it would be wherever you find Saie's Slip Tint ($36). It has an understated pigment plus all of the ingredients you’d see in a skincare enthusiast’s daily lineup, such as hyaluronic acid, argan oil, licorice, and SPF 35. The result is a little bit of coverage, a dose of UV protection, and enough lasting hydration to allow you to skip your serum for the day.

Though it’s ultra-hydrating, this skin tint feels more oil-leaning than moisture-rich. This wasn't a concern for me as my dry skin drank it right up, but if you have oily skin, I can imagine that this might be a drawback. Also, I can’t quite trace which ingredient causes the product’s noticeable scent, but once it’s on, it’s difficult to ignore. Nonetheless, this formula's multitasking DNA gives it more pros than cons—in fact, this do-it-all tint would be an ideal desert island product.

Saie Slip Tint Broad Spectrum Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 35 $36.00

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Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

Shade Range: 10 | Size: 1.9 fl. oz.

There’s a reason why the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer ($46) was ranked best in show in our roundup last year. The tried-and-true oil-free formula packs a pigmented punch without weighing you down with a greasy cast. It’s the perfect balance between full-on foundation and a bare face, except the bare face is impressively clear and even. As I blended it in with my fingers, I was most impressed with how effortlessly it mixed with my undertones.

My skin had a dewy finish, but it wasn’t a flat shine: There was dimension to the glow, and that’s what made it look so natural—a five-star take on the "your skin but better" philosophy. The tint doubles as a sunscreen, which is both efficient and impressive, but at 30, the SPF is a little lower on the scale if you prefer to opt for stronger sun protection.  That being said, complexion products shouldn't be the only line of defense against UV rays anyway, so this isn't a make-or-break detail.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer $46.00

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Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint with SPF 40

Shade Range: 30 | Size: 1 fl. oz.

Ilia's Super Serum Skin Tint ($48) is a serum and skin tint that moonlights as a high-powered SPF (at 40, it’s the strongest SPF on this list): It literally contains multitudes. Based on effectiveness alone, this product ranks high. As a skincare fanatic, I was sold when I saw the ingredient list: Each drop is packed with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and plant-based squalene. Since it has such a hydrating formula, the serum needs a bit of time to dry down, especially if you're building on it. But once it settles, it leaves an all-over glow.

There’s a long list of pros, but there are still a couple of cons. For one, the applicator can get drippy. Though the dropper turns up the volume on the skincare feel, for a pigmented product this might create some unwelcome messes. Also, though it’s fragrance-free, the serum definitely leaves behind a scent. It doesn’t linger, but if you’re easily put off by smells, this might not be a great first impression.

The most fun part of the process was selecting a shade, as the brand has significantly experienced its shade range in recent years. Now, there are a whopping 30 hues to pick from—more than any other offering on this list.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint with SPF 40 $48.00

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Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint

Shade Range: 25 | Size: 1.08 fl. oz.

As a card-carrying member of the Navy, I would trust Rihanna with my life. So naturally, I had high hopes for Fenty Beauty's Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint ($35). Though it checked all my boxes in the blemish-blurring and buildability departments, it didn't provide the hydration boost I was hoping for. I don't fault the product for that, though: Unlike some of its competitors, it's made to layer with your skincare routine—not enhance it. This is more makeup-makeup, so I wore it on top of my moisturizer and sunscreen.

To keep things as natural as possible, I applied one even layer. On problem areas, like around my jawline and under my nose, I built it up as needed and blended it all in with my fingers. The formula includes glycerin, but the tint alone didn't necessarily leave me with an instant glow. However, it did gently blur my pores and camouflage the whitehead that had popped up under my nose.

Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint $35.00

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Kosas Tinted Face Oil

Shade Range: 16 | Size: 1 fl. oz.

Kosas calls its Tinted Face Oil ($42) the "sweatpants of foundation," and TBH, the brand is totally right: It's comfortable to wear and easy to put on. But if this is the tint equivalent of sweats, it would be the most luxe pair in your dresser. The product's high-end ingredient list makes it a clear cut above other tints. Red raspberry oil tackles blemishes, rosehip seed oil boosts radiance, and meadowfoam oil leaves you feeling supple and smooth.

The serum-like consistency leaves a finish that's dewy, but not greasy; hydrating, but not wet-looking. Since it's a step below foundation on the coverage scale, you shouldn't expect it to totally blur blemishes or transform your complexion. The formula is a lightweight, skin-enhancing tint for those who want to correct instead of just cover.

Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation $42.00

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