Beauty Bible Summer Sun Special: Tinted Moisturisers
Let's get one thing straight: 'Tinted moisturiser' is a bit of a misnomer. We tried loads of these, and mostly they left our skin feeling really dry, definitely not an option for taking the place of your regular day cream.
What they do, generally, is offer a viable alternative to foundation in summer: generally sheerer, lighter, and with some welcome EXTRA moisture. (Another reason they should never be thought of as a replacement for your regular face cream or SPF is that there's no way you want to apply these from chin to hairline; instead, use them for evening out skintone as required.)
But these were our top choices: they not only moisturise well (though you'll still need a 'base' moisturiser), but give a really good glow.
Avène Hydrating Skin Tone Perfector SPF30/£16.50 for 40 ml - for dry to very dry sensitive skin, this new tinted moisturiser from a leading French pharmacy brand ticks every box: truly moisturising, delicious colour, blemish-blurring and good value.
Crème de la Mer, The Reparative Skin Tint SPF30/£65 for 40 ml - in five shades from Very Fair to Tan, this investment product lasts for ages and can’t be faulted for flawless, light, even coverage with a ‘ten-hours-sleep’ glow.
bareMinerals SPF30 Natural Sunscreen/£25 for 4g - in three shades, this is something different (recommended to us by dermatologist Prof Nick Lowe): it features a genius buffing brush dispenser and is perfect for topping up your SPF moisturiser/foundation, like the ones above. (Every hour or two, NB, if you are out and about in the sun).
Pur CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF40/£25 for 44 g – a natural choice, this, for 'greener' beauties: a CC cream ('complexion cream') – which means it's great for evening out skintone, and offers a good SPF. (Though do remember the caveat about not applying it all over; just where your complexion could do with some extra help.
Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream SPF30 Hydrating Colour Corrector/£28 for 40 ml - another CC cream, one of the first we ever tried and still a favourite, with a lusciously moisturising texture that's actually (and slightly surprisingly) oil-free.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20/£34 for 40 ml – a longstanding love of ours which impressed us yet again with its richness and blend ability. Antioxidant-powered, it also offers one of the biggest shade ranges of any tinted moisturiser we know, with its choice of 15 tones.