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I’ve come to accept that my complexion routine is always in flux. Rather than force myself to settle for just one “favorite” foundation or tinted moisturizer, I allow my routine to ebb and flow based on what my skin needs—and right now, all it wants is a tinted gel-cream.
Vogue’s Favorite Tinted Gel Creams
- Best Lightweight: Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint, $70
- Best Overall: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer, $39
- Best Skin-Like Finish: U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator, $108
- Best for Oily Skin: Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer, $38
- Best Coverage: Chantecaille Future Skin Gel Foundation, $89
- Best Illuminating: Saie Glowy Super Gel, $28
- Best for Mature Skin: Jones Road What The Foundation, $46
Last year, I called in a bunch of tinted moisturizers to test and realized I received my exact shade of the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer. Though the formula has achieved cult-status since its 2015 launch, I had not yet tried it and was admittedly hesitant it would not work for me—someone with oily skin and post-acne scarring. I assumed it would appear too sheer and fail at veiling my discoloration; but boy was I wrong. I dotted Complexion Rescue onto my face and began blending with a brush. The results were impressive; I was shocked at how cooling it felt—almost like a cup of water, it essentially dissolved into my skin; imparting an even, hydrating glow perfect for daily wear.
Looking back, I’m not sure why I didn’t think the tinted gel-cream would work for me. It’s literally a tinted version of gel-cream face moisturizers—billed as a weightless hydrator perfect for warm temps, oily skin types, or skin care layering. All this to say, it s clear the BareMinerals tint was ahead of its time. The last 18 months saw a rise in these types of formulas; notably, U Beauty’s The Super Tinted Hydrator which launched in October 2023 and Kosas’s BB Burst which hit shelves in February 2024. But what marks the shift towards gel-creams now?
Celebrity makeup artist Glenn Brownell links it to the rise in skin-care sales; “I think people are backing away from traditional foundations because consumers want more benefits from everything they’re putting on their face,” he explains. “They want it to leave their skin better after they take it off at the end of the day.” Makeup artist Sean Harris agrees, emphasizing that the tinted gel-creams can even out the skin tone without looking heavy or settling into fine lines. “These formulas are very popular because when applied properly they can help to create a flawless complexion. Think radiant, beaming perfection.”
The “minimal makeup with maximum glow” that Harris describes is exactly the vibe I’ll be taking into spring and summer. At the end of the day, these formulas are effective for any skin type—from oily or dry to mature. In the journey to fresh, healthy, luminous skin, I know that the tinted gel-cream will take me—and you—far. Ahead, a look at the leading formulas to consider—from BareMinerals, U Beauty, Kosas, and more.
In This Story
Best Overall: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: A personal favorite, this O.G. tinted gel cream is excellent even 14 years after its initial debut. Its benefits arrive from a cocktail of hyaluronic acid, squalane, and mineral SPF 30 for a well-rounded formula that replenishes skin’s moisture levels and protects against UV rays.
- Key Ingredients: Titanium dioxide 6.2%, hyaluronic acid, squalene
- SPF: Yes, SPF 30
- Coverage: Medium
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 20
- Size: 1.18 oz / 35 mL
Best Skin-Like Finish: U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator
- Why We Love It: There are many reasons to like U Beauty’s The Super Tinted Hydrator—the brand’s first foray into complexion. If you’re a fan of its Super Hydrator, you’re destined to like this. It takes the moisturizing properties of the face cream, powered by the brand’s Siren Capsule Technology, alongside nourishing agents like purified oat extract, shea butter, and peptides—whipping them into a weightless tint that improves skin’s look and feel. I like to think of it as your skin, but dewier. “The glow is intense with this because, while water is the main ingredient, it also contains oil,” makeup artist Jenny Patinkin previously said of the formula.
- Key Ingredients: Peptides, shea butter, purified oat extract, pure mineral pigments, avocado, argan, and grapeseed oil
- SPF: No
- Coverage: Light
- Finish: Dewy
- Shades: 10
- Size: 1 oz
Best Lightweight: Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint
- Why We Love It: “Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint is the perfect barely-there skin tint,” says Harris. “It will deliver a glowing texture to the skin with minimal coverage. Prepare to glow!” One of Chanel s most-coveted foundations, this skincare-makeup hybrid is made up of 75% water. Pro makeup artist Robert Rumsey also named it one of his favorite foundations ever, explaining that its gel textured and pigmented micro-droplets provide optimal coverage and radiance.
- Key Ingredients: 75% water, pigmented micro-droplets, tamarind seed extract
- SPF: No
- Coverage: Light-to-medium
- Finish: Skin-like
- Shades: 8
- Size: 1.0 oz
Best Buildable: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation
- Why We Love It: “The Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint is extremely comfortable on the skin for everyday wear,” says Della. “It is buildable, breathable, and hydrating while also visibly plumping the skin.” Because of this, the pro reaches for this when she s creating a fresh, clean glam look. Not to mention, it’s made from 94% naturally-derived ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and meadowfoam seed oil to improve skin s moisture and softness.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, meadowfoam seed oil, squalane, rambutan blend, shea butter extract
- SPF: No
- Coverage: Light
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 18
- Size: 1.2 oz / 35 mL
Best for Mature Skin: Jones Road What The Foundation
- Why We Love It: To be fair, Jones Road describes this as a “tinted moisture balm” but I’d liken to formula’s lightweight feel and hydrating properties to that of the other gel creams on this list. Providing ample nourishment via hyaluronic acid, glycerin, jojoba, castor seed, and ginger root oil, this has all the properties of a moisturizer—delivering buildable light-to-medium coverage without settling into fine lines, making it an excellent choice for mature skin. “It’s a one-and-done product because you also don’t need to use a moisturizer beneath it,” Brown previously told Vogue. “Applying with a brush will create the most coverage while using your fingers will result in a more lightweight finish.”
- Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, jojoba seed oil, glycerin, castor seed oil, ginger root oil
- SPF: No
- Coverage: Light-to-medium
- Finish: Skin-like
- Shades: 12
- Size: 35.0 g / 1.14 oz
Best for Oily Skin: Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: “Kosas BB burst Is everything I could dream of in a complexion product,” Brownell says. “The squalene, glycerin, and peptides offer enough hydration that you can get away with skipping moisturizer, and there’s also a bit of silica in it which helps to control shine if you’re on the oily side.” To best apply, he recommends blending with a firm, dense brush like Merit s Brush No.1 for “newborn-child skin.”
- Key Ingredients: Copper peptides, zinc, saccharide isomerate, sodium PCA, squalene
- SPF:
- Coverage:
- Finish:
- Shades:
- Size:
Best Coverage: Chantecaille Future Skin Gel Foundation
- Why We Love It: Chantecaille’s Future Skin pairs all the benefits of a face cream and foundation. Housed in a luxe glass jar is an oil-free, lightweight gel composed of 60% water, green tea, aloe, arnica, botanical oils and extracts to provide exceptional hydration, whist reflective circular pigments even skin tone with medium-to-full coverage. Pro makeup artist Renee Sanganoo is a fan, sharing that this “feels so luxurious and smooth on the skin.”
- Key Ingredients: Aloe, arnica, green tea, rice bran extract, camellia extract, matricaria flower extract, glycerin
- SPF: No
- Coverage: Medium-to-full
- Finish: Skin-like
- Shades: 15
- Size: 1.0 oz
Best Clean: Iris&Romeo Best Skin Days SPF30 Whipped Tinted Moisturizer
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- Why We Love It: Packed with a handful of nourishing skin-care ingredients, and mineral non-nano zinc oxide for SPF 30 protection? Iris&Romeo’s Best Skin Days tint has crowd appeal. Best for a glowing, skin-like finish when UV protection is necessary (reminder to wear sunscreen daily), this delivers light to medium coverage whilst the included hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C replenish skin’s moisture levels and improve skin tone.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin C, Bulgarian rose damascena, non-nano mineral zinc oxide, vitamin E
- SPF: Yes, SPF 30
- Coverage: Light-to-medium
- Finish: Natural
- Shades: 12
- Size: 1.2 oz / 35 g
Best Illuminating: Saie Glowy Super Gel
- Why We Love It: Depending on the look you’re after (or general makeup philosophy), the tint you wear might be less about coverage and more about glow. If that sounds like you, Saie’s Glowy Super Gel to the rescue. It’s the kind of product found in the beauty bags of all your favorite celebrities and tastemakers—Vogue editors included—because of its uniqueness. A rather-cooling, weightless, melt-into-skin gel is packed with glycerin, squalane, and botanicals oils to keep skin hydrated—leaving a radiant glow in the process.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, squalane, papaya seed oil, rosehip oil
- SPF: N
- Coverage: Light
- Finish: Radiant, bronzed
- Shades: 4
- Size: 30 mL / 1 oz
Everything you need to know:
What is a tinted gel cream?
“Gel-creams and tinted moisturizers even out the skin tone without looking heavy or settling into fine lines,” says Harris. “These formulas are very popular because when applied properly they can help to create a flawless complexion. Think radiant, beaming perfection.” Della agrees, citing them as perfect daily alternatives to full-coverage foundations. “Though the coverage is lighter they can often be found with SPF/ UV protection and hydrating benefits,” she says.
How to Apply a Tinted Gel Cream
The secret to applying a tinted gel cream or moisturizer is to apply in thin layers to gently build coverage—preferably, right after your favorite face cream. “Using your fingers helps sheer the foundation allowing for a skin-like finish. Build to desired coverage and add concealer if and where needed,” says Harris. If you do prefer brush application, Della recommends a flat synthetic foundation brush; we like Chanel’s Foundation Brush N°100 and Westman Atelier’s Foundation Brush.
Meet The Experts
- Glenn Brownell is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Delilah Belle Hamlin, Awkwafina, and Tommy Dorfman.
- Dom Della is a celebrity makeup artist who often works with Justine Skye, Paris Hilton, and Saweetie.
- Sean Harris is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lori Harvey, Lala Anthony, and Laura Harrier.
- Renee Sanganoo is a pro makeup artist who works with celebrities such as Justine Skye and Karrueche Tran.
