A multipurpose product that is becoming a staple among many women’s beauty cabinet is the tinted moisturiser.
This versatile product has varieties available for every skin type and also comes in a few shades to suit different skin tones. It brightens up your skin, makes it supple, maintains hydration levels, and evens out your complexion.
Applying makeup is not everybody’s forte. Even if you are makeup pro, there are many days when you want to have a super simple makeup routine and be out the door in a jiffy. For people who belong to the ‘less makeup application skilled’ and the ‘in a hurry’ category, tinted moisturisers can be your best friend. This multi-use product can provide your skin with the humectants and emollients it needs to stay nourished and hydrated all day long.
Additionally, it helps to make your skin look more even-toned and brighter as well. The dullness and tiredness can be taken away in a minute, literally, and you can save plenty of time in the mornings. Tinted moisturisers have many benefits these days as different formulations are being released by many brands to act as a wholesome beauty product.
So, by knowing what your skin type is and what problems need to be combated, you can choose the best-tinted moisturiser formula for your skin.
They are also a good substitute for your foundation for days when you want a natural look.
What is Tinted Moisturiser?
The answer is as simple as breaking up the two words – ‘tinted’ and ‘moisturiser’. It is a skin moisturising cream that offers some amount of colour or tint to your skin. It is a lightweight formula that serves a dual function.
Regular moisturisers are absorbed into the skin and do not provide you with any coverage. Whereas tinted moisturisers have a two-fold function. They are meant to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated, whilst also providing a faint amount of coverage to even out your skin tone.
Coverage
The tint in such moisturisers is provided by the minute percentage of titanium oxide present in it. Base makeup products like foundations and concealers provide light to full coverage. They either provide a plain base for the rest of your makeup or help you to cover up any imperfections.
However, where tinted moisturisers do not provide as much coverage as a foundation, they can help to make your skin look more even than it would with just a regular moisturiser.
Marks and other hyperpigmentation can appear fainter with the help of tinted moisturisers. More so, tinted moisturisers are great for everyday use or days when you simply want a fresh and natural look. Not only do they keep skin hydrated with the moisturising components, but they also help make it appear dewy and supple all day.
Some tinted moisturisers also contain SPF and can work as a substitute for your sunscreen. So in this case, the two-in-one function of a tinted moisturiser becomes three-in-one.
Many brands that sell base makeup have their own versions of tinted moisturisers. They are often available in different shades to suit different skin tones. Some formulations even contain ingredients so that the tint adapts to your skin tone.
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What is the difference between BB and CC Cream?
After tinted moisturisers entered the makeup and beauty world, they did compete fairly well with the standard foundations. But not too long after came the BB and CC creams. All three of these products serve similar purposes and personal preference plays a major role when it comes to choosing the best one for you.
BB Cream
The acronym BB stands for “Beauty Balm” and this beauty product started off as a big rage in Korea and other East Asian countries. The news of its advantages travelled to the Western world quickly with many brands developing their own versions of a BB cream. Currently, the market is flooded with a plethora of options in drugstore brands and high-end brands.
The purpose of the original BB cream was to offer an almost as close to a foundation coverage while offering ample protection from sun damage. It had a thicker formula too but this got dialled down a few notches in the makeup world in the West. The BB creams available today have a lightweight formula but are comparatively thicker than tinted moisturisers. In fact, they provide more coverage too and have additional benefits that can range from sun protection (SPF) to anti-ageing.
Also, BB creams help to maintain optimal skin health by priming the skin. Not only that but it protects it, and decently covers up some marks and darkness.
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CC Cream
CC stands for “Colour Correcting” or “Conceal and Correct”.
These creams are similar to BB creams but their main purpose is to camouflage redness and darkness. Manufacturers have achieved this because CC creams have more titanium oxide and, therefore, provide better coverage. Dull skin brightens up instantly with CC creams as the coverage provided makes the skin look more even-toned. More so, they provide the closest coverage to a foundation, depending on the brand you use.
CC creams usually have a whipped and fluffy consistency and less oily when compared to BB creams. Where BB creams provide a more natural, radiant look to the skin, CC creams present a more even-toned, brighter complexion in the end.
Which is the Best for Each Skin Type?
With many makeup brands foraying into producing and selling tinted creams, the choice you have has become vast.
The process of choosing the best product for your skin type might get a little confusing, but the benefits offered by different ones vary. In turn, this makes the final decision easier once you know what you are trying to gain from the tinted moisturiser, BB cream or CC cream.
Tinted Moisturisers
These suit almost every skin type – normal, dry, oily, and sensitive. This is due to the formula being lightweight. The coverage is as close to your skin as possible! Thus, making the ‘au naturel’ look the easiest to achieve with it. The tinted product suits skin that does not have any marks or blemishes as there is minimal tint in it.
BB Creams
BB creams are best for normal or dry skin type because they are a slightly heavier formula. A fair amount of marks, blemishes, and spots can be covered by layering the product on the skin. The skin looks naturally radiant and fresh all day. However, this might not suit people with an oily skin type as the extra shine can result in too much shine. Alas, if your skin is prone to blemishes and marks, a BB cream can help maintain the skin in a good condition.
CC Creams
CC creams, like tinted moisturisers, suit all skin types. Especially those that wish to cover any redness, darkness, shallowness or dullness in their skin. The coverage is the most among all the tinted cream products and the formula is lightweight too. Thus, making it suitable even for people with oily or combination skin.
The additional properties of any of these products such as SPF, anti-ageing etc. can also aid when choosing what best suits your skin.
Suggested Article: How to Choose the Right Sun Protection for You.
How to Apply Tinted Moisturiser
When it comes to applying a tinted moisturiser, there are two ways to approach it.
One way would be to consider it like any other moisturiser and use your fingers and hands to apply it. The other way would be to consider it as a base makeup product and use specific makeup tools.
The first step would be to pick a tinted moisturiser that is for the skin type and skin tone. It’s important that it also has the desired amount of coverage you are looking for (the coverage varies between brands). Since you are mostly going to be using it during the day, it is best to pick one with a decent amount of SPF in it. Once you find your match, the application is a fairly easy step.
Using your hands
If you prefer using your fingers, simply dot a pea-sized amount of the tinted moisturiser all over your face.
Gently massage the cream into the skin using your fingertips. Make sure to drag the cream outwards and towards the hairline. Let the moisturiser absorb into the skin for a few minutes.
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Makeup Tools
For makeup tools, either a flat foundation brush, a dense buffing brush, or sponge applicator work best. Start by taking some tinted moisturiser on the back of your hand. Then, start blending into the skin using the preferred or available makeup tool. Blend well around the hairline and drag the moisturiser onto your neck as well for a more even look.
Where a flat foundation brush will give a dewier look, a buffing brush will provide more coverage and offer an airbrushed finish. Also, you can add some concealer to specific spots or areas for extra coverage after applying the tinted moisturiser.
Tip: The moisturiser doesn’t necessarily need a powder to set it in place. However, if you are opting for a more matte finish, simply dab some to the oily areas of your face.
So, this is how we recommend you switch up your foundation for a tinted moisturiser! All, in aid of enhancing your skin without hiding it!
