As summer approaches, many of us start hunting for lighter coverage makeup that doesn’t feel heavy. I want to warn any long-time readers of mine that this post may be redundant for you. This post is an updated version of reviews I published in 2022, with the addition of only one new product. If you have dry skin and prefer to avoid extremely dewy finishes (like me), finding the right skin tint or tinted moisturizer can be challenging. In this post, I’ll discuss two skin tints (light coverage, minimal hydration) and three tinted moisturizers (light to medium coverage, hydrating) that give me a more natural look, feel light on my skin, and don’t go overboard with the amount of shine. For shade reference, my best foundation matches are NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Tahoe and Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Foundation in 4W4 Hazel.
One quick tip before we get started. You absolutely don’t need to buy a skin tint or a tinted moisturizer if you already have a foundation. You can mix some of your everyday moisturizer into your foundation to sheer it out. You can also apply less foundation than you typically do and sheer it out that way. Some foundations don’t spread as easily as others, and that’s when mixing in a moisturizer or serum can help.
This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **). I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site. Learn more here.
- Mac Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation, $44 – Jump to Review
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup SPF 19, $52 – Jump to Review
- Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25, $41 – Jump to Review
- Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen, $32 – Jump to Review
- Urban Decay Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator, $35 – Jump to Review
**MAC Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation, $44
MAC Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation falls between a skin tint and tinted moisturizer. It offers sheer to light coverage, which suits those seeking a natural look but may not provide enough hydration for dry skin. That is why it is in between. The coverage gives me the feeling of a skin tint, but it isn’t hydrating enough for me to feel like it’s a tinted moisturizer. It feels lightweight but has a slightly tacky texture; using a glowy setting powder (E.g., Hourglass Veil Translucent Loose Powder or NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder) can help with that. While it evens out skin tone and hides minor imperfections, I personally want more coverage, especially for darker spots. However, the Face and Body Foundation blends well into the skin without emphasizing pores or fine lines, maintaining a natural, skin-like appearance, and doesn’t accentuate eczema texture. Just be cautious not to build it up too much, as it can start to look more like makeup. I also find that building it up leads to a less transfer-resistant finish. I do wish there were a better shade match for me in this range. I am showing you shade C5 today, but this looks better on me when I mix shades C5 and C8. I didn’t like the undertones of C6 and C7.
MAC Face and Body Foundation – Relevant Blog Posts
- Foundation Round-Up (Dry, 40+ Skin)
- 50% off MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Foundation On March 31, 2022 (Ulta 21 days of Beauty Sale)
- (2022 Version) Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)
 | $ SalePrice $ 44.00 RegularPrice |
| MAC – Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation | |
**Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup SPF 19 ($52, $31.20 on sale right now)
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup SPF 19 (Octinoxate 2.0%, Titanium Dioxide 2.3%) offers sheer to light coverage with a matte finish, so I consider it a skin tint. It has a subtle healthy radiance, making it more skin-like (than a higher coverage product) but not as undetectable as Mac Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation. While it smooths over pores and texture nicely, its matte appearance can lack the natural glow of the other products I’m discussing today. I don’t need to set this formula, and blush and bronzer still blend easily. The lightweight, liquid formula can be messy, and the packaging sometimes dispenses drops even if I’m not squeezing the bottle. It’s best applied with fingers for the most coverage, as sponges absorb too much product. Brush application is a happy medium if you don’t like to use your fingers. Unlike the original Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup, this formula isn’t transfer-resistant. The brand only claims that it is sweat and humidity-resistant, with a shorter 12-hour wear time (compared to 24 hours for Double Wear). Overall, while it performs well, it does not live up to the expectations set by the Double Wear name.
This foundation is currently in the last call section of the Estee Lauder website for $31.20. I’m not sure if it’s being discontinued or if they’re just clearing out extra inventory.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer – Relevant Blog Posts
- Foundation Round-Up (Dry, 40+ Skin)
- (2022 Version) Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)
 | $ SalePrice $ 52.00 RegularPrice |
| Estée Lauder Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Foundation SPF 19, 5W2 Rich Caramel | |
**Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25, $41
The Smashbox brand doesn’t get enough love. The first time I tried Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25 (Octinoxate 6.7%, Titanium Dioxide 3.1%, Zinc Oxide 1.3%), I loved how it made my skin look radiant without being too shiny. It offers more coverage than expected, leaning closer to medium compared to MAC Face and Body and Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer. It does have a little more coverage than Tower 28 SunnyDays and Urban Decay Tinted Hydrator, but not by much. The dewy finish looks best when applied with fingers. Brushes and sponges work, too, but using a brush made it look shinier (no idea why). While it provides a skin-like finish, it can emphasize texture, especially eczema patches. As the name states, this is a tinted moisturizer. It feels genuinely moisturizing (to me) but can be tacky, so setting it with a light amount of powder helps without losing too much glow. Blending bronzer or blush over it is possible, but it slightly disturbs coverage, so I do set it with powder to prevent that. Of all the products here, the Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer is my favorite option for lighter coverage and a more natural complexion.
If you’re interested in this one, it’s currently on sale for $30.75 on the Smashbox website (Smashbox website 25% off sale ends 6/16/2025 at 11:59pm ET).
Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer – Relevant Blog Posts
- Foundation Round-Up (Dry, 40+ Skin)
- Makeup Fails and Just OKs (NARS, bareMinerals, Armani, Urban Decay, and Covergirl)
- (2022 Version) Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)
 | $ 41.00 SalePrice $ 41.00 RegularPrice |
| Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 25 in Medium Tan at Nordstrom, Size 1.4 Oz | |
Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen, $32
The Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen (Zinc oxide, 12.6%, Butyloctyl Salicylate) is different from the rest of the featured base products. According to the brand, it serves as both a foundation and a sunscreen, and the amount used determines which function it is serving. If you apply a quarter-sized amount (source, not affiliated) to your face, it can serve as your sunscreen. If you use it in a smaller amount, it can serve as a light to medium coverage foundation. I typically hear 1/4 tsp as the recommended amount of product to apply (to your face) to get the full SPF rating of a product. Do with this information what you will, but you’ll have to apply this product heavily to get the full SPF 30. That is also true of any product with SPF (like the Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer and Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer above), so that is something to always keep in mind. The Tower 28 SunnyDays can be very shiny, so for my preferences, I set it with powder. It still has more glow than I personally like, so it’s not my favorite complexion product. However, it looks nice, doesn’t cling to my eczema issues, and doesn’t irritate my eyes (some sunscreens do). Tower 28 SunnyDays has a light coverage that is slightly buildable. I used it as a sunscreen and didn’t feel like I was getting the coverage I would have from a foundation-type product. It was easy to apply with my fingers, and it gave me a nice pulled-together look without looking heavy. I consider the Tower 28 SunnyDays to be a tinted moisturizer. It has decent coverage and is lightly hydrating for me personally.
Urban Decay Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator, $35
Back in 2022, the Urban Decay Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator was my least favorite tinted moisturizer, even ranking below MAC Face and Body. That changed slightly in 2023 when I discovered that setting it with the NARS Soft Matte Advanced Perfecting Powder did some heavy lifting for this formula. It still has its quirks for me, but as a hydrating tinted moisturizer, it’s still worth looking into for those with dry skin. While the brand suggests using fingers for application, I found it worked best with a beauty blender. Something about the way this sits on my skin makes it look like I applied too much product, even though I didn’t. However, the beauty blender takes away some of the heaviness and gives a lighter look. The Urban Decay Hydromaniac offers a dewy finish that remains tacky unless set and transfers easily, even with powder. Although it provides medium coverage that evens out the skin, it did settle into pores and lines before I found a powder that it got along with. The shade 60 Medium Deep is very orange, but dries down to a better shade. However, I did end up getting shade 55 Medium Deep, and that works better (although it’s a little red). Lastly, if you are looking for something lightweight, it does feel heavier compared to the Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer, so it might not be the best option. I can see how this doesn’t sound like a great product to check out. However, I already wear a heavy oil-based moisturizer and use hydrating serums, so this could work better on someone who uses lighter skincare.
Urban Decay Hydromaniac – Relevant Blog Posts
- Foundation Round-Up (Dry, 40+ Skin)
- Urban Decay HydroManiac Tinted Moisturizer and NARS Soft Matte Advanced Perfecting Powder (Better Together)
- Makeup Fails and Just OKs (NARS, bareMinerals, Armani, Urban Decay, and Covergirl)
As you can see, each product offers something that suits different preferences. The MAC Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation provides sheer coverage for a natural look, but may lack hydration for some people. Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup offers a smoothing, matte finish but may not meet the expectations set by the original Double Wear line. The Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer stands out with its radiant finish (that isn’t over the top for me) and good coverage. The Tower 28 SunnyDays serves as both a tinted sunscreen and light foundation, though it is a bit shiny for me. Lastly, the Urban Decay Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator has improved (since 2022) with the right setting powder, providing good coverage and a radiant finish. Obviously, choosing the right product depends on your specific needs, so feel free to ask questions in the comments. I can steer you in the right direction if you are having trouble deciding on a product. I can also talk you out of a product if you need that type of help 😉.
If you’d like to check out more of my content, here are some places to start.
- Blush Index
- Brands A-Z
- Bronzer & Highlighter Index
- Brush Index
- Concealer Ranking
- Eyeshadow Index
- Foundation Round-Up
- Lipstick Index
- Powder Round-Up
Disclaimer: I purchased all products featured with my own money. This site receives a minimal commission from participating in the WordAds program and using affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
Nikki From HR 
Hi Nikki,
Thanks for the reviews.
It was my understanding that you disliked Octinoxate, which two of these tinted moisturizers contain. Did something happen to make you change your mind about this sunscreen? Curious if there is new information.
Bobbie
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You’re welcome, Bobbie 🙂
There is no new information about the sunscreen. I couldn’t figure out if octinoxate was irritating my sensitive skin, and I’m honestly still not sure. I am avoiding that ingredient in new purchases, but since other people can still use octinoxate, I wanted to share what I know about these formulas. Thanks for the question.
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Thank you for the reminder about being able to sheer out a foundation with a moisturizer. This is one of the reasons I used to avoid buying skin tints, but there have been times I’ve gotten caught up in the hype looking for something skin-like and forgetting I could just try this method instead.
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You’re welcome 🙂. It’s an easy thing to forget because we often think about the easiest way to get things done. Or maybe that’s just me being a little lazy 😆. I also think there is a lot of talk about needing various types of the same product. Like 1 foundation for special occasions, 1 for everyday, 1 for summer, etc. When if you have a good medium to full coverage foundation you can apply it in different ways to get more mileage out of it. I know you are aware of this, just thinking outloud lol.
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Yes, sometimes I go for the easier makeup item instead of thinking about how to make it work. For example, me wanting the YSL Burning Desire quad even though I can get a similar look with the Divine Rose palette + a light pink matte shade. I think once I found a tint and liked it, I got caught up in trying to find additional ones I liked and didn’t remember why I didn’t have many in the first place. And similar to my phase of buying color correctors but then resorting back to full coverage concealers to hide everything. lol. I spend a lot of time analyzing why I want something, and yet still forget the simple things sometimes.
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I understand lol. I feel like I’ve been doing better at using multiple palettes or bringing in single shades when I’m using a palette and it doesn’t have exactly what I wanted that day. But I definitely have to remind myself. I try to keep everything close together so it is easy to grab a different item if I need it, but that isn’t always an option depending on how large my collection is at the time 🤭.
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