Finding the perfect tinted moisturizer that looks natural, provides sun protection, and has a non-toxic formula is no easy task. After trying quite a few, I’ve narrowed it down to my top picks for every type of look. All of these are clean (or as close as possible), so you don’t have to worry about questionable ingredients.
I own and love a lot of tinted moisturizers and what I wear just depends on my mood and what type of finish I want that day. If you’re wondering “what is the best tinted moisturizer”, I’ve got you covered with recommendations for each finish below.
The Best Clean Tinted Moisturizers
Best Tinted Moisturizer without SPF: Olive Rose Tinted Moisturizer
If you want a tinted moisturizer that looks and feels like almost nothing is on your skin, Olive Rose Serum Hydroxytyrosol Skin Tint is the one. It evens out my complexion just enough while still letting my skin show through. It’s lightweight, hydrating, blends in effortlessly, and contains hyaluronic acid. It’s similar to ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint (review of the ILIA Skin Tint here), which gives a similar sheer, natural look and contains SPF, but the scent of the ILIA one is just unbearable – it smells like dog food. Olive Rose smells amazing (fresh and natural) and makes my skin look great the day of and over time.
The only con to this one is that it doesn’t have a true SPF. While it includes antioxidants like hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, which offer some natural protective properties, it doesn’t have ingredients like zinc oxide that provide broad-spectrum sun protection. So you’ll need to layer an SPF underneath this one. I also have to note that the Luminous Silk Natural Glow Foundation by Armani Beauty is a great alternative with a bit more coverage (and a much better pump). Not as clean, but I love the finish.
You can see before & afters in my Olive Rose Skin Tint blog post.
- Coverage: Sheer
- Best For: No-makeup makeup look
- EWG Score: Not available yet since this is such a new product. I feel great about the safety, though, after my experience with Oliveda.
- Price: $59.95
Best Tinted Moisturizer with SPF: Barefaced Tinted SPF Moisturizer
If you like a barely-there feel with a subtle glow, Barefaced Tinted SPF might be your perfect match. This is another tinted moisturizer with hyaluronic acid that offers sheer coverage to evens out your skin tone just enough (think your skin on its best day) with a dewy finish that never feels greasy. It uses non-nano zinc oxide for mineral sun protection (SPF 40!) without chemical filters, and the formula is packed with skincare ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for hydration and a smoother skin texture over time.
I always get asked about my makeup when I wear this because it makes my skin look flawless. It blends in super easily – I wear shade Light.
Barefaced is serious about clean beauty standards, so if you’re ingredient-conscious but still want something that looks and feels amazing, this one’s worth trying.
- Coverage: Sheer
- Best For: Lightweight feel, dewy finish, SPF layering
- EWG Score: Not currently rated, but formulated without any EWG-flagged ingredients
- Price: $48
Honorable Mentions:
- Skinny Confidential Caffeinated Sunscreen (contains caffeine, which helps lift and tighten the skin while blocking the sun’s rays). Use code TERILYN15 for 15% off.
- Crunchi Sunlight Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 (it’s the cleanest of the bunch, but it goes on a little heavier than Barefaced, which I didn’t love, but it does make my skin look good). If you are a Crunchi fan, you’ve got to check out my full Crunchi makeup review.
Best Tinted Moisturizer for Oily Skin: DIME Beauty Tinted Glow Wonderscreen SPF 30
DIME Beauty’s Wonderscreen is a more affordable, clean sunscreen if you want an alternative to Crunchi’s Sunlight Tinted Moisturizer. It has SPF 30 with 19% zinc oxide, providing broad-spectrum sun protection without a white cast. The sheer tint blends in easily and gives a nice glow without looking too shiny.
However, I personally found it to be a bit greasier compared to Crunchi, which is why I reach for Crunchi more often. At $44 for 1.7 oz, it also offers a lot more product for the price compared to Crunchi’s $52 for a lesser amount. Read my full review of DIME here.
- Coverage: Sheer to Light
- Best For: Budget-conscious shoppers who want a safe option
- EWG Score: No rating for this product yet, but the rest of the DIME products on EWG are EWG Verified, so I feel great about this choice.
- Price: $44
Honorable Mention:
- EltaMD UV Restore Facial Sunscreen Tinted SPF 40 (I do think it’s better for oily skin, but it’s not non-toxic).
Tinted Moisturizers I tried and Didn’t Like
- Saie’s Tinted Moisturizer – I was surprised not to love their tinted moisturizer because I can’t say enough amazing things about their liquid blush, which earned its spot in my blog post on the best liquid blushes. I don’t love the finish, so it was a no from me.
- ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint – Like I mentioned above, the scent of the ILIA tinted moisturizer is just unbearable to me. In my opinion, it’s strong, but if you don’t mind, it gives a similar sheer, natural look to the Olive Rose Skin Tint and contains SPF.
Final Thoughts — My TOP pick
Picking the right tinted moisturizer depends on your skin type and what kind of look you’re going for. But if you aren’t sure what you want and you’re overwhelmed by options, just get Skinny Confidential Caffeinated Sunscreen. It’s my top choice for an all-around great tinted moisturizer with SPF with a natural finish, and a clean formula.
Let me know… what’s your favorite tinted moisturizer?
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