The 8 Best Tinted Moisturizers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, which our tester noted goes on silky smooth and doesn't have that tight feeling of full-coverage foundation. We also love its 30 SPF. For a more affordable option, consider L'Oréal's Skin Paradise Tinted Moisturizer, which our tester noted melted into her complexion with skin-mimicking pigments to blur imperfections.

How We Tested

Byrdie editors searched high and low to track down the best tinted moisturizers before selecting 17 to try out in The Lab, our Manhattan product-testing facility. Each formula was put to the test to see if it actually fit the bill of a moisturizer-makeup hybrid.

After applying, blending, and wearing them for hours, the products were awarded a score from one to five for moisturization, coverage, and feel (including texture, consistency, and wear). With price and shade range in mind, the tinted moisturizers with the highest scores in all categories were chosen for this roundup.

Other Options We Tested

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Our tester said ILIA's lightweight, easy-to-spread Super Serum offers a convincingly skin-like finish. We can appreciate this product's dedicated following, but it wasn't our favorite for this roundup mostly because it's just not moisturizing enough to be billed as a moisturizer. And while it might be a decent foundation alternative, the price is a little high for this category.

Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Tint SPF 20

We loved the lightweight texture and skin-like finish of Shiseido's Synchro Skin. Our tester said it blurred her imperfections without feeling too heavy and offered a subtle mattifying effect. Although it wasn't exceptionally moisturizing, it didn't dry out her skin either. We don't have many complaints beyond the steep price, but it just wasn't our top choice in the end.

Clinique Moisture Surge SheerTint Hydrator SPF 25

Our tester said this product is lightweight and moisturizing. It offers sheer, buildable coverage and a subtle glow. While we wouldn't necessarily recommend skipping your regular moisturizer, we appreciate the extra dose of hydration. It blurred our tester's imperfections, but since it's so sheer, it didn't make a huge difference in the appearance of her skin.

What to Look For in a Tinted Moisturizer

Coverage level

When it comes to tinted moisturizers, it’s important to remember that they won’t provide the same amount of coverage as your foundation and are less likely to mask any prominent blemishes or imperfections. How much coverage they do offer will vary from product to product, though it generally ranges from sheer to medium. That said, keep your own needs in mind when shopping around—someone looking to address uneven tone will have better luck with medium coverage, while someone looking to simply enhance their natural complexion may prefer sheer. 

SPF protection

We all know the importance of applying (and reapplying) your SPF every single day. That said, Henney recommends looking for tinted moisturizers that have built-in SPF. The more the merrier, but look for products that contain SPF of at least 30 in order skip an extra step in your morning routine. Anything lower, and you’ll still need to apply your regular daily SPF underneath.

Creamy texture

The beauty of tinted moisturizers is that they’re super hydrating, but much like coverage, the texture of the formula will vary from product to product. Henney recommends looking for a product with a creamy formula that truly feels like a moisturizer. “This way, you can melt it into your skin with your fingers for hassle-free application,” she says. Just look for one with a semi-matte or matte finish if you’re on the oilier side.

What Is Byrdie Verified?

Did you notice the Byrdie Verified seal of approval at the top of this story? This seal means that our team has researched and tested every product on this list using a unique methodology that’s designed to focus on what our readers really want to know—and to deliver insights that you can’t find anywhere else. Occasionally, beauty brands and PR agencies will send us samples for coverage consideration, but our thoughts and opinions are fully our own. If you visit links within our content, we may receive commissions from your purchases, but we never receive any compensation or consideration for the content of our recommendations. In short, the Byrdie Verified seal stands for product recommendations you can trust.

Why Trust Byrdie

Theresa Holland is a freelance commerce writer and product tester specializing in cosmetics. For this story, she compiled notes from our lab testers, expert insights, and ingredients research to provide the most useful, accurate product recommendations to our readers. A big fan of hybrid formulas that simplify her beauty routine, she has tried several products on this list, including BareMinerals, Laura Mercier, Smashbox, Ilia, and Clinique. Theresa covers makeup and skincare at Byrdie.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough tinted moisturizers from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.