The 15 Best Tinted Moisturizers With Sunscreen That Smooth and Protect Skin
A tinted moisturizer with SPF is basically the Swiss army knife of makeup-skin-care hybrids. These multitasking products are exactly what their name suggests: moisturizers with a hint of color and oftentimes sheer coverage added in. While we always encourage our readers to apply a traditional sunscreen daily — and not rely on makeup products with added SPF as their main source of protection — look at a tinted moisturizer laced with SPF as the icing on your skin-care cake.
"I am personally obsessed with tinted SPF because they pack a super powerful punch of light coverage (so they can often take the place of makeup), giving the skin a flawless look while also protecting against UVA/UVB rays and blue light," explains New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein, MD.
Many of these skin tints are also packed with nourishing ingredients that you'd find in non-colored face creams and serums — like hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing aloe, and moisturizing glycerin — making them ideal choices for dry skin types. These lighter-weight bases are a solid, year-round alternative to a foundation when you need to even out your complexion or conceal a dark spot. Some even offer the coverage level of a heavier foundation, but without the goopy, cakey feeling that can be miserable on a particularly humid day.
Below, we asked dermatologists and makeup artists to share their favorite tinted moisturizers with broad spectrum SPF (of at least 30 — no SPF 15 or SPF 20 to be found here) and they totally delivered. We've compiled their recommendations into a one-stop shop for finding a lightweight face base that practically guarantees a healthy glow.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- Courtesy of brand1/15
Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
With 30 shades in the entire range, and dark shades easily categorized into neutral, cool, and golden undertones — we totally understand how Best of Beauty winner, Ilia's Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, quickly became an instant favorite among Allure editors and readers.
This incredible tinted sunscreen will give you a natural, radiant glow, thanks to a blend of hydrating ingredients, such as squalane, niacinamide (which also provides a brightening boost), and hyaluronic acid.
- Courtesy of brand2/15
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
The IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ is a tinted moisturizer that wears many hats. It's a color-correcting cream, full-coverage foundation, skin-care treatment, and a physical sunscreen all wrapped up in one. Robyn Gmyrek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, considers it her favorite tinted moisturizer. "I use it myself," says Dr. Gmyrek.
This Allure Readers' Choice Award winner has an impressive list of hydrating ingredients, including dimethicone, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and avocado oils — alongside vitamin C for antioxidant protection. Dr. Gmyrek also notes that retinol and peptides in the formula help with collagen production and smooth fine lines over time. Not to mention the SPF 50, which speaks for itself.
- 3/15
Tula Radiant Skin Brightening Serum SPF 30
For glowy and protected skin, Tula's Radiant Skin Brightening Serum has you covered. This lightweight formula comes in 30 shades and contains collagen and hyaluronic acid, ensuring skin is plump, smooth, and hydrated with every use.
- Courtesy of brand4/15
Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation
We love Tower 28 face products in general around here, so it's no surprise that the brand makes a tinted moisturizer with SPF that's worth writing home about. Did we mention it's fragrance-free and is the first tinted sunscreen foundation to receive the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance? Sensitive skin types, rejoice.
Tower 28's Sunny Days Tinted Moisturizer can be worn on its own, but makeup artist and content creator Ehlie Luna prefers to use it as a layer in her base routine. "I like to layer it over my regular SPF," says Luna. "It's also beautiful as a step before foundation — this way you use less full-coverage product and get the extra protection." Either way, it's the ultimate no-makeup makeup product in our books.
.png)
- Courtesy of brand5/15
Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer
Dr. Gmyrek also recommends Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer, which checks all the boxes you could want for a tinted moisturizer with SPF. It's got a comfortable, dewy-finish, and 100-percent mineral base, and is laced with hydrating ingredients like argan oil and hyaluronic acid. There's also licorice root extract in the formula to brighten the skin by reducing unwanted pigmentation. All in all, you're getting both short- and long-term complexion-clearing benefits.
- Courtesy of brand6/15
Supergoop CC Screen 100% Mineral CC Cream SPF 50
Supergoop, the brand with one of the best SPF-packed rosters in the game, also makes a fantastic tinted moisturizer with SPF. The brand's CC Screen 100% Mineral CC Cream SPF 50 comes in 15 shades, so you won't get stuck with the pesky white cast that many mineral sunscreens tend to leave behind. The noncomedogenic formula is ideal for sensitive skin, and it pairs beautifully with your regular SPF if you want full sun protection with just a hint of tint.
- Courtesy of brand7/15
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
Makeup artist Geneva Fong loves the luminous finish that the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 delivers. "It lasts almost the whole day and the coverage is good enough to help cover up hyperpigmentation," she says. Her tips for application? "I like to stipple it on with a stippling brush and apply powder on the areas that are most likely to get shiny first.
- Courtesy of brand8/15
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector SPF 30
Folks in ultra-humid environments (you know, the ones where your makeup slides off of your face the minute you step outside): The iconic Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector SPF 30 is the product for you. Fong loves this for a sheer finish on hot and sweaty days. "The SPF 30 is ideal since it will last for a few hours without disturbing the formula, and the shade range is also great for a tinted moisturizer," she says, referencing the 20 shades the complexion corrector comes in.
- Courtesy of brand9/15
Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer SPF 30 Sunscreen
Tarte's wide range of face products and formulations can be a blessing and curse at the same time — while there are lots to choose from, an abundance of choices can be intimidating sometimes. But don't worry, that's where Allure editors come in handy — we'll do the digging for you.
If thoughts of wearing a dewy tinted moisturizer give you going-to-class-after-middle-school-gym flashbacks, Tarte's BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer SPF 30 Sunscreen might be your buried treasure. This long-wear tinted moisturizer can be worn under foundation as a primer or all on its own. It hydrates with lipoamino acids and protects your skin from UV damage, while the matte finish alleviates any fears you have about walking around shining like a disco ball.
- Courtesy of brand10/15
Maybelline New York Dream BB Fresh Cream
Maybelline New York Dream BB Fresh Cream promises to be an eight-in-one product, which is exactly what we want to hear from our tinted moisturizers with SPF. This BB cream is lightweight and easy to apply (no brushes necessary, if that's your style) and immediately brightens and smooths skin for a natural finish. And for just $9, this tinted moisturizer with SPF is a steal.
- Courtesy of brand11/15
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Gel Moisturizer
A tinted sunscreen serves the purpose of makeup with moisturizing benefits. BareMinerals did exactly that with its Complexion Rescue Tinted Gel Moisturizer. All 20 shades of the oil-free hydrating gel cream conceal blemishes and discoloration while giving buildable sheer-to-minimum coverage. On the skin-care side, there's squalane and glycerin in the formula to deeply hydrate skin as it tints.
- Courtesy of brand12/15
Milk Makeup Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30 Sunscreen
Milk Makeup's Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30 Sunscreen is a silicone-free moisturizer that's full of hydrating ingredients, like grapeseed, avocado, and olive oils. The blend nourishes and hydrates skin, giving you a dewy finish with buildable coverage. Not to mention, the unique roll-on applicator lends a soothing, cooling burst to wake up a sleepy complexion.
- Courtesy of brand13/15
W3ll People Bio Tint SPF 30 Tinted Moisturizer
Don't let the minimalist packaging fool you — W3ll People's Bio Tinted SPF 30 Tinted Moisturizer really packs a punch. This tinted moisturizer hydrates with raspberry seed and broccoli seed oils, protects from the sun with zinc oxide, delivers light-to-medium, natural-looking coverage, and is considered vegan and cruelty-free. Plus, it comes in 14 shades with a rich variety of undertones, so you've got a great shot at finding your perfect shade. That's a pretty impressive resumé for a $30 tinted moisturizer.
- 14/15
Thrive Causemetics Buildable Blur CC Cream SPF 35
Thrive Causemetics's Buildable Blur CC Cream SPF 35 works as a skin perfector, boosting protection from the sun. But it's the product's wide shade range, particularly for a CC cream, that makes this tint special. Not only are there 18 shades to suit fair to deep skin tones, but the colors are broken out into cool and warm options, too.
"I love Thrive's Buildable Blur CC Cream because it is a full-coverage foundation," explains makeup artist Kerrin Johnson. "But with an impressive SPF 35, you can happily use this every day throughout summer [editor's note: or any time of the year], with full confidence that your skin is well-protected."
- Courtesy of brand15/15
Neutrogena Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30
Infused with vitamins A, E, and C, Neutrogena's Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF brightens while it hydrates. It goes on smoothly with a sheer, lightweight finish and just a hint of shimmer, so you can head out the door everyday with a luminous glow. The moisturizer also contains squalane to help it glide onto skin without settling into your pores.
