Don’t think of these as makeup. Think of them as a really fast-hack for a more attractive you
Tinted moisturisers are severely underestimated by skincare consumers, especially men. Here is a product that “blends” your complexion, helping to neutralise inconsistencies like dark spots or redness. Lately, they’re also one of the best products you can use for defence against high-energy visible light (HEV light), which is the light emitted from our electronic devices, and that can cause oxidative stress to the skin.
The key ingredient in the best tinted moisturisers is iron oxide, which is proven to deflect most HEV rays. (Though it’s not in every tinted moisturiser.) “Iron oxide is pigmented, which is why it could not be added to a colourless or white product,” explains board-certified dermatologist Carly Roman, M.D., of Modern Dermatology in Seattle. “Iron oxide is great for those of us that are prone to pigmentation or melasma as blue light can worsen our pigmentation.”
It can be daunting to apply a tinted product like this to your skin—especially if you aren’t applying any makeup or concealer after the fact—but these soak uniformly into the skin, and won’t melt down your mug to stain your white shirt collars. And lately, brands are better at offering a wider variety of tones with their tinted products. “The formula may also contain bonus benefits that can treat blemishes or resulting redness,” says Roman.
Some tinted moisturisers also promise UV defence, doubling as mineral moisturisers. If so, they likely use titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as their sunscreen ingredient, but Roman only advises using ones with zinc oxide 10 percent or greater. “Tinted moisturisers also tend to rub in more easily around the beard [compared to regular white mineral sunscreens],” she adds.
You might see tinted moisturisers advertised as BB creams and CC creams, too, which stand for “Beauty Balm” and “Colour Correction” cream respectively. BB creams often provide more skincare benefits and foundational coverage, and are likely to have SPF defence; CC creams are most about soothing skin and balancing redness and patchiness; tinted moisturisers can fall anywhere in terms of their nourishing levels, they often have SPF defences, and provide the lightest blurring effect of the three. (Many men will probably be fine with tinted moisturisers, or CC cream at most.)
Since it can be hard to match your colour online, Roman says to pick a company with a good return or exchange policy. “But if possible, try to get colour matched in person.”
This story was first published on Robb Report USA
