Like many people, I bought (and was sold) the wrong make-up shade countless times throughout my youth and adolescence. Products were either too chalky, too orange or masked every pore and bump, creating the effect of an animated mask. Because of this, I avoided foundation for a long time, choosing to dot concealer and hope for the best, and while it was a perfectly good make-shift alternative, it didn’t ever imbue my skin with the plump, dewy, luminous glow I was chasing. 

Now, years later, I have a small but curated list of products that lift my sallow, yellow-undertoned skin from the dull baseline it likes to something that looks bright and lit from within. There’s the “sunkissed” orange blusher I won’t be without, creamy, moisturising balms to highlight and a supremely hydrating skin tint – the Bare Look Skin Tint from YSL beauty brand Nu. 

One of the most anticipated launches of 2022, Nu is a make-up line designed to promote comfort and confidence in natural skin textures and conditions. A make-up-skincare hybrid, the brand has a capsule range of complexion-based products to create the appearance of healthy, real skin. A firm fan of the Blotting Lotion – a skin mattifier infused with salicylic acid to reduce the appearance of pores and excess shine – it was the Bare Look Skin Tint that impressed me tenfold. 

Able to be worn as a lightweight tinted moisturiser or built into a light-medium coverage foundation, this tint is made with hyaluronic acid and marshmallow extract (from the Yves Saint Laurent Ourika community gardens in Marrakech) to glide onto the skin. If you have dry skin, like me, it doesn’t sit in fine lines or clump around areas of dehydrated skin. Instead, it feels like a smooth, cooling veil of hydration – transforming into seamless, touchable colour on the skin. 

Available in 20 shades, it’s a lighter, more natural-looking base than a traditional foundation that looks after the skin without masking its natural texture. Dewy to the touch, the hyaluronic acid helps to create healthy bounce, fullness and a natural glow. For higher coverage, I swear by the SUQQU The Cream Foundation. 

Main image: Morgan Fargo