Quite literally the base of any make-up look, whether you favour minimal maquillage or a full face of glam, finding the right foundation for you can be tricky. To help, the OK! beauty team has been putting a few of this season’s most talked about skin tints and lightweight foundation formulas to the test, to see how they fare in summer. "Skin tints are the sheerest base you can get, providing just a hint of colour to give you a healthy glow," explains make-up artist Jesse Walker .
"They’re great for your summer make-up bag as they feel super lightweight and can be applied with your fingers in seconds, which is what you need when you’re somewhere hot and humid". Tints also come packed with skincare ingredients and offer extra benefits like SPF, meaning they easily earn the space in your carry-on. Sounds like they’re only for those with perfect skin? Not at all, says Jesse.
"If you want a bit more coverage then simply use them with your favourite concealer and pick a formula that’s buildable so you can up the coverage a little but still benefit from the light feel." They’re not just for young skin either, as Jesse explains. "We sometimes think we need to go heavier as we get older but all ages can benefit from the radiance of a glow-packed base - and the less heavy the product the less chance of it sitting in fine lines.
" Looking for a new face base for summer? Here are the ones our beauty editors love...
Fenty Beauty Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation, £34 from Sephora Beauty editor Laura Mulley says: “Fenty’s first ever foundation, Pro Filt’R , made headlines when it first launched for its vast, inclusive shade range and long-lasting finish, staying put even through brand founder Rihanna’s stage performances. Soft’Lit delivers both of these benefits but with a touch more radiance. It’s perfect if you need your face base to look flawless all day long.
” e.l.f.
Soft Glam Satin Foundation, £8 from e.l.f.
Laura says: “Matte foundations have come a long way in recent years; no longer cakey and drying, the good ones nowadays give a shine-free finish while still keeping skin looking like skin. This one is a good example , with medium coverage and a smoothing, blurring effect. A great option for oily or combination skin.
” Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation, £66 from Face The Feature Editorial commercial content director Michelle Darlow says: “I’ve seen a big shift in my hormonal skin in the past few months, with it feeling extremely dull and dry. I’ve been on the hunt for a moisturising foundation that would diminish the look of lines and wrinkles while also hydrating, and this – a favourite with skin experts – delivered the results I was after. Overall I saw a huge improvement in my skin’s health.
” Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation, £49 from LookFantastic Laura says: “Want a foundation that’s neither dewy nor matte? This, with an eggshell finish, is the perfect middle ground. Formulated with some of Shiseido’s high-end skincare ingredients, it has a runny texture that blends beautifully, giving a real ‘your skin but better’ finish. It’s expensive at full price but you can really tell that it’s a luxe formula; I think it’s worth the money, but you’ll often find it reduced at retailers such as Boots or Sephora .
” Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream, £34 from Cult Beauty Shopping assistant Grace says: “I usually opt for a sheer face base such as a skin tint or tinted moisturiser instead of a high- coverage foundation, and as soon as I tried this I knew it was going to become my new summer staple. Featuring copper peptides and squalane, this hydrating formula provides a glowy, natural-looking base that feels just like skincare.” Lumene Invisible Illumination Vegan Collagen Serum In Foundation, £39.
90 from LookFantastic Laura says: “I knew from the moment I swiped this onto my face that it was going to be a new favourite. It blends quickly and invisibly into the skin, gives a really lovely, natural glow, and has a moisturising sensation that lasts all day without ever going patchy. A great choice for all skin types except perhaps oily or acne-prone.
You can read my full review of it here. ” Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick, £35 from Sephora Head of shopping Zoe Cripps says: “I used to exclusively wear thick foundations to cover persistent breakouts, but this year my skin has finally decided to play fair so I’ve discovered the beauty of a balm-type foundation. It glides on in seconds, gives a good amount of coverage without looking cakey and evens out blotches.
If you love the brand’s Hollywood Flawless Filter , you’ll love this.” Read our full review here. Maybelline Super Stay up to 24H Skin Tint Foundation + Vitamin C, £13.
99 from LookFantastic Beauty editor Jo Hoare says: "The light nature of skin tints can mean you sacrifice longevity but not with this one. Resisting sweat and humidity, it’s at the fuller end of coverage for a skin tint and has impressive staying power that stands up to a long working day or a big night out, but still gives that natural barely there look. The added vitamin C ups the brightening effect for a boosted healthy glow.
Ultra Violette Daydream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil, £38 from Cult Beauty Jo says: "Providing broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, this is the tint for a day at the beach. In addition to the serious SPF benefits it’s also created with skincare ingredients including mega-hydrator Pentavitin (a plant based ingredient that can can bind moisture to the skin for up to 72 hours). Easily buildable, and doubling up as a primer it’s also ideal for those of a sensitive skin nature as it contains no alcohol, fragrance or oil.
" Best skin tint for light feel, light price NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Luminous Tinted Skin Serum, £13 from Boots Jo says: "If you want to experiment with a skin tint for holiday and know you’re unlikely to wear it back home then this delivers incredible luminosity and hydration all for less than the price of a couple of sundowners. Infused with Tremella mushroom, known for its antioxidant and skin tone evening benefits, it’s dewy without being greasy and leaves skin both looking and feeling healthy and fresh." Sculpted by Aimee Connolly HydraTint, £23 from Sculpted by Aimee Jo says: "A skincare/make-up hybrid with 90% skincare ingredients (including peptides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin) plus SPF20.
This leaves skin feeling nourished and moisturised and with a satin-effect veil of coverage that evens out skin tone and minimises imperfections. If you want a quick solution to a dull, tired-looking complexion or you’re suffering from dehydrated skin then this is your best option.".
