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1 min read
Serum skin tints are everywhere right now – here’s why you need one in your make-up bag…
Whether you’ve always been a tinted moisturiser fan or you’re finding that your full-coverage foundation has recently fallen out of favour, you might have noticed there’s a new complexion kid on the block: the serum skin tint.
Whether it’s billed as ‘serum-infused’, ‘skin tint’ or ‘coverage drops’, there are many guises these new formulas fall under but one thing remains the same: they’re all brilliant for giving you a barely-there, natural-looking skin finish together with the added bonus of skincare benefits.
So, if you’re wondering what a serum skin tint is and whether you need to invest in one, you’ve come to the right place. Keep scrolling for your need-to-know on this new range of sheer foundations, plus our pick of the very best formulas.
What is a serum skin tint?
Let’s start with the basics. There are many names for what we’re labelling a ‘serum skin tint’. From ‘sheer skin tints’ to ‘skincare complexion drops’ – they all pretty much fall into the same category, and that’s a lightweight face base that’s loaded with sheer, buildable coverage and skincare ingredients. Think of them as your tinted moisturiser 2.0. If your tinted moisturiser is your Ponds Cold Cream, these are your Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair. They’re essentially supercharged skin bases that allow you to have the effect of a dewy, radiant-boosting foundation with all the skincare benefits of a skin serum. What’s not to like?
Who would benefit from a serum skin tint?
Well, it depends on the look you’re going for but we’re the answer is still likely yes. Serum skin tints are amazing at giving you a barely-there make-up look, while offering the confidence that coverage affords. The formulas are often loaded with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin E or glycerin, meaning they are particularly good for dry, dehydrated or ageing skin types.
Shop the best serum skin tints
Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer
Enriched with hyaluronic acid and 100% mineral SPF 35, this game-changing base promises flexible, sheer and true-match colour coverage. Aloe vera helps to moisturise while pansy flower extract helps soothe irritation and eczema-prone skin – a must-try for sensitive skin types.
Shop Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer at Cult Beauty, £27
Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint
This dreamy skin tint is loaded with ingredients like niacinamide, squalane, glycerin and centella asiatica leaf extract to feel ultra-hydrating and soothing on the skin, all while adding a touch of colour.
Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint
This beautiful serum skin tint offers light, dewy coverage together with active levels of skincare ingredients. Non-nano zinc oxide also provides weightless mineral protection from UVA, UVB, UVC and blue light with no white cast. Impressive.
Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
Combining moisturising skincare ingredients such as squalane and hyaluronic acid with make-up, this unique encapsulated skin tint nourishes the skin while micro-balls of sheer pigment burst on contact with your skin to provide a luminous finish.
Shop Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum at SpaceNK, £36
Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint
Crafted with plant-derived squalane plus a blend of grapeseed, avocado, mandarin, jojoba and olive oils, this hydrating skin tint works to boost moisture levels while providing SPF30. It also leaves your complexion with a gorgeously glossy finish.
Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops
Formulated with tsubaki oil, ginseng extract and pomegranate extract, this gorgeous oil-to-serum foundation is brimming with skincare actives plus sheer coverage for your best skin yet.
Shop Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops at Cult Beauty, £62
Iconic London Super Smoother Blurring Skin Tint
This gorgeous skin tint is a great option if you’re worried about too much shine. It leaves skin with a satin-matte finish while blurring pores and imperfections. It’s also loaded with plant derived amino acids for softer, smoother skin. Win win.
Jones Road What The Foundation
The brainchild of Bobbi Brown, this nourishing tinted balm is perfect for those who want a hint of colour with a fresh, serum-like finish. Packed with jojoba oil, it’s a great one for dry and dehydrated skin as it leaves your complexion with a really nourishing finish. Dream.
Main image: Getty
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