Unless you’re living under a rock that shields you from all things beauty (what a nightmare), you’ve likely heard about tinted moisturizer. Hybrid products that meld your favorite aspects of skin care products with the best that makeup has to offer, a category that includes tints, BB creams and CC creams, are massively popular. And it’s easy to see why; they work overtime and manage to do as much as any single product can possibly do. Tinted moisturizer, in particular, has to be one of our favorite skin care and makeup hybrids to hit the scene, and it’s a perfect pick for those with mature skin. If we piqued your interest, keep reading to learn all about our best drugstore tinted moisturizer, including how to add it to your own makeup routine.
WHAT IS TINTED MOISTURIZER?
If you’re wondering what’s missing from your beauty regimen, we think we have it figured out: tinted moisturizer. The right tinted moisturizer can provide light coverage while also hydrating skin and leaving a glowing finish. It’s exactly what it sounds like: Facial moisturizer that also has a slight skin tint with makeup pigments (like a foundation or a BB cream). So, you get the benefits of both makeup and moisturizer in just one product. Pretty cool, right? Even cooler: You can get those benefits without spending a lot—with a drugstore tinted moisturizer.
ARE BB CREAM AND TINTED MOISTURIZER THE SAME?
We’ve compared BB cream and tinted moisturizer a few times already, which may have you wondering if BB cream and tinted moisturizer are the same. The answer is a resounding no. A BB cream, also known as a beauty balm or a blemish balm, is a liquid makeup product that acts as an all-in-one essential, priming the skin, providing coverage, and offering a wide array of skin care benefits like hydration, sun protection, and shine control.
Tinted moisturizers, on the other hand, can provide some of the same benefits, but their primary role is to hydrate while offering just a touch of coverage. Tinted moisturizers also typically have lighter formulas than BB creams—you can think of a BB cream as falling in-between tinted moisturizer and foundation in terms of coverage.
CAN YOU USE TINTED MOISTURIZER INSTEAD OF FOUNDATION?
When it comes down to the topic of using tinted moisturizer instead of foundation, it really depends on what you’re going for with your makeup look. If you’re interested in covering up dark spots, age spots, or hyperpigmentation, foundation may be necessary to provide the level of coverage you’re looking for. On the flip side, tinted moisturizer is a smart choice if you want to provide your skin with instant hydration while adding a touch of pigment for dewy and glowing skin. So, to answer your question, yes you can use tinted moisturizer instead of foundation, you just have to be realistic with your expectations. Don’t expect your skin tint to provide full-coverage and you should be okay.
IS TINTED MOISTURIZER BAD FOR YOUR SKIN?
Okay, listen up: The truth is, tinted moisturizer isn’t bad for your skin, but using it the wrong way could be. One of the biggest mistakes you can make with tinted moisturizer is to allow it to replace the rest of your skin care routine. Think of tinted moisturizer as providing an extra dose of nourishment—not as something to stand in for your regular moisturizer.
Things can also go haywire if you don’t use the best tinted moisturizer formula for your skin type. Like any makeup or skin care product, if you use a formula that doesn’t match your complexion, breakouts or excess oils can become a factor. If you have oily skin, look for an oil-free tinted moisturizer. If you have dry skin, look for one with extra nourishing ingredients in the formula. The key to using a tinted moisturizer effectively is to read your labels to ensure it fits your needs.
