These are best skin tints according to 7 beauty editors

When it comes to finding the best foundation – there are many things to consider. Do you want HD coverage that’ll blur over skin texture and last all day long? Maybe you’re after a hydrating serum-like formula that’ll boost your skin’s radiance and leave a glow throughout the day? Or perhaps you’re after something lightweight and almost undetectable, that aims to give your skin a little somethin’ somethin’ while still looking super natural-looking?

Well, if the latter sounds like something you’re after – you’ve come to the right place. Skin tints are the lightweight little sister to your favourite foundation – promising subtle, soft-focus coverage while still letting your natural skin shine through.

Perfect for warmer weather, skin tints are hardworking yet low-maintenance. Below, 7 beauty journalists reveal their favourite summer skin tints – perfect for replacing your foundation throughout the warmer months.

1/ Perdita Nouril, WH’s beauty editor

a woman with dark hair

‘The problem I usually have with skin tints is that the coverage is never really on point. Pores reappear by midday and dullness makes a comeback quicker than a noughties pop band. But trust makeup legend Lisa Eldridge to nail a formula that not only feels and looks like its second skin but also seals the deal on long-lasting coverage and a super-radiant glow. Packed with hydrating squalene and glycerin, the latter is a humectant and moisture-preserver often used in face creams to keep skin soft and hydrated, so you needn’t worry about dryness. There are skin-nourishing oils in there too, and while I was worried these would make my skin look greasy halfway through the day, six hours in and my skin still looks fresh and dewy with not a patch of excess shine in sight.’

Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint

Ј37.00

2/ Chloe Burcham, freelance beauty editor

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‘When I don’t want to look as though I’m wearing much make-up, I’ll reach for this sheer fluid from Sculpted By Aimee. It still manages to boost and brighten my skin, imparting a glow that helps to fake a well-rested and healthy complexion – without adding too much coverage or a visible veil that sits on top of your skin.’

HydraTint – Moisturising Tinted Serum

Ј23.00

3/ Jacqueline Kilikita, deputy beauty director at Refinery29

Jacqueline Kilikita

‘Last month, I went on a mission to try as many skin tints as I could, and Kosas BB Tinted Gel Cream came up trumps. I’ve received so many compliments on my skin since using it; it blurs the red skin staining left behind by breakouts, minimises the appearance of my large pores and stays put all day – but looks as though I’m wearing hardly anything at all. Blush applies beautifully over the top and it doesn’t oxidise (turn a dubious orange tinge) through the day, unlike others. One pump is ample for the entire face and neck. My shade is 15, in case you were wondering.’

BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream

Ј34.00

4/ Keeks Reid, contributing beauty director at Cosmopolitan UK

‘L’Oreal Lumi Glotion is the easiest way to give my skin a super light glow. It’s got even less coverage than Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter – it’s almost just a luminosity that screams “I drink enough water and do pilates!!!” I pair it day-to-day with some corrector and concealer under my eyes because I in fact do drink enough water. I use deep glow and the shades really do stretch because the pigment is so sheer.’

L’Oreal Paris Paradise Lumi Glotion 904 Deep Glow

Ј11.99

5/ Lucy Partington, freelance beauty editor

‘I probably shouldn’t admit how surprised I was when Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint turned out to be really good, but here we are. Lightweight and silky smooth (but not heavy on the silicones) to apply, it really does give that coveted your-skin-but-better look. I love that it feels hydrating, that it blends seamlessly with minimal effort and that it works to help disguise the redness that I’m prone to. Plus, it gives good glow and is available in a range of 12 flexible shades, ranging from fair to deep. 10/10 would recommend.’

Sheer Skin Tint

Ј42.00

6/ Madeleine Spencer, beauty editor at ES Magazine

‘The Kevyn Aucoin Stripped Nude Skin Tint is most lightweight base I’ve ever tried, this evens out and adds a little juiciness to skin, despite not feeling tacky or gloopy at all. Also worth noting that the packaging is a dream to travel with (light, won’t smash, never leaks), so get this if you’re always on the go.’

Stripped Nude Skin Tint

Ј36.00

7/ Humeara Mohamed, freelance beauty journalist

‘I used the same skin tint for years, religiously, until it was discontinued. Since then, in a bid to fill this The Ordinary Serum Foundation-shaped hole in my heart, I’ve tried dozens – nay, more! – of skin tints, but none of them ever came close, until now. The Dream Screen Tinted Veil by Ultra Violette evens skin tone beautifully, even if you have marks and redness like me. It’s not a full coverage formula – you’ll need a concealer for stubborn marks – but I love how lightweight, breathable and hard-working it is nevertheless. It’s buildable but never greasy, coming in a deliciously silky formula. It protects with SPF 50 too, though I would never rely on a skin tint alone for sun protection, and it comes in a pretty good range of shades. I wear it daily for a glowing, your-skin-but-better finish. Finally, a new fave – let’s just hope it doesn’t get discontinued any time soon…’

Daydream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil

Ј38.00

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