There’s something to be said for changing up your skin care routine as you get older, but the best tinted moisturizers for mature skin are all-around great at any age. What sets them apart from the pack isn’t vague “anti-aging” claims that overpromise Botox-level results—it’s their effective active ingredients that moisturize and brighten, and their seamless tints that smooth out your complexion (some can even replace your trusty foundation).
“The ideal tinted moisturizer for mature skin combines skin care and makeup,” Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, a cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatologist at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of NY in New York, tells SELF. “It will hydrate without causing irritation while enhancing one’s natural beauty, evening the skin tone, and bringing a glow.” That’s quite the multitasking feat, but we’ve found a few products that check all of those boxes. Here, we spoke with derms to get their top picks and expert shopping advice.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
- Best Budget: CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Sheer Tint
- Most Longwearing: Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer
- Widest Shade Range: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
- Best for Dry Skin: Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35
- Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 50
- Best Lightweight Formula: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
- Best for a Dewy Finish: DRMTLGY Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46
- Best for a Matte Finish: MDSolarSciences Mineral Tinted Crème SPF 30
- Best for Buildable Coverage: Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Tinted Moisturizer
- Best for Improving Skin Tone and Texture: Isdin Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
- Best Sweat-Resistant: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Hydrating Skin Tint SPF 15
- Best for Travel: Attitude Solid Tinted Cream SPF 30 with Zinc Oxide
- Best Makeup-As-Skin Care: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Cream Bronzer
What happens to your skin as you age?
As you get older, your skin naturally loses collagen and produces less oil, Mina Amin, MD, FAAD, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist at California Dermatology Specialists in Los Angeles, California, tells SELF. As a result, your skin can look thinner, drier, duller, and less even. You might notice more fine lines and dark spots too.
Signs of aging can appear as early as your 20s, though it’s most common for them to pop up in your 30s, 40s, and 50s, Dr. Amin says. People with lighter skin tones or with a history of sun-bathing or using tanning beds may notice these changes at a younger age, Rosemarie Ingleton MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Ingleton Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF.
Menopause can affect your skin’s appearance too, Dr. Murphy-Rose says. The decrease in estrogen that comes with menopause reduces your skin’s collagen production and its ability to produce ceramides (lipids that help maintain a healthy skin barrier). When these hormonal changes occur, your skin is more likely to lose elasticity, feel drier, and be more sensitive.
What should you look for in a tinted moisturizer for mature skin?
In general, moisturizers for mature skin should hydrate and strengthen your skin, Dr. Amin says. For the former, look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, aloe, and colloidal oatmeal. Peptides, ceramides, and squalane can help tackle the latter, Dr. Murphy-Rose says. Tinted moisturizers that play nicely with aging skin should contain these ingredients too, but they’ll also apply evenly and smoothly, without settling into fine lines (which, according to Dr. Murphy-Rose, can make them look more prominent). If your skin has become more sensitive over time, she recommends avoiding products with fragrances or dyes, which can cause irritation.
Also, look for products with antioxidants like vitamin C, niacinamide, or vitamin E—they can help prevent damage and hyperpigmentation from free radicals while kickstarting skin barrier repair, Sumayah Jamal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of the Skin of Color Specialty Clinic at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City, tells SELF. Bonus points? Pick a tinted moisturizer with SPF to knock out one more step in your morning routine, she says.
Shop the best tinted moisturizers for mature skin
We consulted derms and SELF staffers, combed through previous SELF Healthy Beauty Award winners, and pored over online bestsellers to find the best aging skin-friendly tinted moisturizers. These products won’t just save you time getting ready—they’ll also give your skin a radiant boost.
Best Overall: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
Amazon
Pros
- SPF 30
- Very hydrating
- 20 available shades
Cons
- Lightweight formula might not provide the level of coverage you want
Dr. Jamal recommends BareMinerals’s top-selling Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer for its broad shade range, SPF content, and host of hydrating ingredients. It contains squalane, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, all of which will nourish your skin without leaving it feeling greasy. The coverage isn’t too heavy, either: It provides a sheer-to-light, buildable finish that’s slightly dewy—perfect for those no-makeup-makeup days.
Plus, since the formula includes mineral sunblock (and no synthetic fragrances), it’s a reliable pick for people with sensitive skin.
Other notable ingredients
Hydrating and smoothing lactic acid
Best Budget: CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Sheer Tint
Amazon
Pros
- Under $20
- SPF 30
- Blends well
Cons
- Limited shade range (three options available)
This 2020 Healthy Beauty Award–winner impressed our tester with its moisturizing ingredients, smooth texture (they noted it has basically no white cast, despite its mineral formula), and subtle (but long-lasting) coverage. “Feels as if it will last all day,” they wrote. “Loved the sheer tint, as it wasn’t too light or dark and could blend easily under makeup.”
CeraVe’s Hydrating Sunscreen uses ceramides and niacinamide to strengthen and address signs of sun damage. It also contains vitamin E, which has serious smoothing and reparative effects on the skin, in addition to its antioxidant properties.
Other notable ingredients
Hyaluronic acid
Best Longwearing: Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer
Amazon
Smashbox
Halo Healthy Glow All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer
Pros
- Very smooth finish
- Effects last all day
- 20 shade options
Cons
- SPF clocks in just under the derm-recommended amount
SELF’s commerce director traded in her $80 foundation for Smashbox’s Halo Healthy Glow All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer over a year ago and hasn’t looked back. “I love that when I’m getting ready in the morning, I can just squeeze a dab on each of my cheeks, forehead, and chin, and blend into my skin with a foundation brush for light, glowy coverage,” she says.
The hyaluronic acid and niacinamide-infused formula is made to last all day, and our commerce director says it doesn’t pill, crease, or settle into fine lines.
Other notable ingredients
Vitamin E, watermelon extract (a good source of antioxidants)
Widest Shade Range: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
Amazon
Pros
- 30 shade options
- SPF 40
- Very lightweight consistency
Cons
- Takes a little while to blend, according to one SELF editor
Niacinamide is the star ingredient in this liquid skin tint, which is why Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University, previously recommended it to SELF. We’ve already mentioned that niacinamide can help with hyperpigmentation, but it may help improve redness, fine lines, and dehydration too.
And then there’s Ilia’s impressive shade range, clocking in at 30 options from extra light to extra deep, with various undertones to choose from—another reason why Dr. Garshick swears by it.
Other notable ingredients
Squalane, hyaluronic acid
Best for Dry Skin: Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35
Sephora
Pros
- Richly hydrating formula
- 14 shade options
- SPF 35
Cons
- Very light coverage—won’t conceal breakouts
We gave Saie’s Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer a Healthy Beauty Award back in 2021 for its ultra-smoothing, BB cream-style effect on our tester’s skin. “While it didn’t cover up my chin pimple, it did make my whole face look dewy and even goddess-like,” they wrote. “Plus, it has this incredible blur effect that I haven’t been able to achieve prior. Where are my pores? Did they disappear into the Saie universe?”
Given its blend of moisturizing ingredients, the Slip Tint is an especially good pick for people with dry skin. It uses hyaluronic acid and glycerin, plus rich, plant-derived oils like grapeseed and jojoba.
Other notable ingredients
Vitamin E, soothing aloe vera
Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 50
Amazon
Pros
- Made with sensitive skin in mind
- Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation
- SPF 50
Cons
- Limited shade range (four options available)
Multiple dermatologists have previously recommended La Roche Posay’s lightweight tinted sunscreen to SELF. It’s made without common irritants like fragrance and it uses a mineral sunblock to protect your skin from UV rays, which is the better pick for people with sensitive skin. We also like it for folks with oily skin, given its quick-absorbing formula and matte finish—if you find that most face products make your skin feel slick, give this one a try.
Other notable ingredients
Vitamin E
Best Lightweight Formula: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Sephora
Pros
- Very smooth finish
- 16 shade options
- SPF 30
Cons
- Some Sephora reviewers noticed prominent yellow undertones