From the beauty closet

Skin Cheat

9 years ago by

Skin Cheat

Foundation can work wonders, but sometimes it feels and looks so much better to use something a little lighter on the face…

Tinted moisturizers give you that little bit of coverage to even out skin tone and you don’t need to worry so much about blending (or weird streaks / patches of makeup). It rubs in so nicely on the face and allows it to breathe during the day. And — voila! — you still look like you got a great night’s sleep (even though you were watching reruns of SATC until the early hours…).

There are so many options, too! Laura Mercier has their Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer that will make you glow and Origins VitaZing has one that adapts to your skin color (so it’s basically magic, right?). We’ve also noticed that Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer has a huge shade range and it’s SPF 30

Would you make the switch from foundation to tinted moisturizer?

40 comments

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  • great tips

    giveaway on my blog!

    http://hashtagliz.com

  • haha! i thought i was the only one watching those reruns! :)

    http://littleaesthete.com

  • Tinted moisturizers (Nars especially) are hard to beat. With my Surratt concealer stick and Nars, (or 3Lab BB creme) I’m good to go! Healthy, natural looking skin can’t be beat!

  • I use both of them, as the case may be. For all face coverage I use tinted moisturizer (Bobbi Brown) which is really lightly, so don’t have the feeling of a masquerade. For everyday I turn to a little more compact foundation fluid for T-Zone only.

  • I actually prefer tinted moisturizers to foundation. They are all around more practical for me. :] // ? itsCarmen.com ?

  • So happy you’ve discovered that no foundation is the best foundation! It’s the most flattering look for everyone- including those of us with skin conditions. I realise not everyone is comfortable with seeing themselves completely “face-naked” (as I call it); or that people are not at ease seeing others face-naked. For me, though, seeing the skin of myself and others- even if it means it reveals our late nights, hormonal imbalances (pimples, rashes, dark bags under our eyes), and some wonky health choices- is beautiful.

    Plus, I always have this phobia that I’d rather look like myself during the day- flaws and all- so that when I wash my face clean, go to the beach, swim and run, or (God forbid) land in hospital, people won’t go, “what? Who is that? She looks completely different!” And I always find it bizarre when I see friends on their wedding day, and they look completely unlike themselves- all air brushed makeup and contoured and shaded… And next day, they don’t look like that ever again without all that “perfecting” foundation.

    Since it was released, all I’ve ever used is a dot of Nars Illuminator Liquid in Orgasm applied lightly with fingertips over my whole face after deeply moisturising it with a firm massage. So cheap and effective for such a miniscule amount squeezed out. Then apply a strong coloured long staying lipstick and that’s it. If I have a particularity angry “period pimple” on my forehead or nose, I’ll dot on a pinhead amount of Two Faced Absolutely Flawless Concealer (the only one that doesn’t aggravate pimples and matches my skin texture and colour, while being so tiny easy to carry and apply).

  • Interesting tip you have there. I was just thinking of using a liquid illuminator to perk up the complexion.

  • J’ai mit mon fond de teint de côté. Je laisse ma peau à nue désormais. Je n’ai pas la peau parfaite, mais je trouve qu’elle se porte mieux sans le fond de teint. Si je sors, je mets que le Radiant Creamy Concealer de Nars sous les yeux et je suis transformée et avec si peu. Bien sûr avec du mascara, mes sourcils et un rouge à lèvres de mon choix.

  • No, i wouldnt. I think buying tinted moisturiser is such a waste of money. You can always make your own if you need very little coverage. Cost and worth are not the same thing. I hope our generation learns this without having to buy a product for everything. We shouldn’t be taught to own a moisturiser, a foundation and a tinted moisturiser. Too much stuff !!!

  • Excellent point. It took me long enough to find my Holy Grail moisturizer, SPF and foundation…I’m not about to throw another product in the mix when I can just modify what I’ve already got!

  • I use tinted moisturizer and BB creams a lot- there is less scope for a mistake as in- I put my make up when its still dark outside and then on the train I realise that OMG, I look like a reallty bad version of Katie Price!
    Ana
    http://www.champagnegirlsabouttown.co.uk

  • teinter n’est pas tromper ;)

    http://www.therocamadour.fr/

  • Love this post! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect BB cream this week. I popped into Sephora to try out a couple of different brands. I loved the Smashbox Camera Ready BB cream, Stila Stay All Day Illuminating Beauty Balm and the Cover FX BB Gel Mattifying Anti-blemish Treatment.

    I’ve also tried MAC’s Prep + Prime BB with SPF 35 and loved the way it looked and felt. Now, I can’t make up my mind though!

    Thanks for the reccos…dying to try the Origins one.

  • Estee Lauder Daywear BB – is one of the most perfect tinted moisturizers EVER! It’s light, blends perfectly with both cream & powder make-up, and is almost invisible with a very mild and lovely scent. And it also has 35 SPF which is very hard to beat (and is a must for my very sensitive, sun-intolerant skin)
    Unfortunately though it only comes in 2 shades unlike the one from NARS.

  • I prefer tinted moisturizers to foundation, as you said they are easy to use and do not require much effort to make them blend. I was using the Laura Mercier oil free and like it but needed a little more coverage for Winter so I am using the Nars radiant and I love it. I love the SPF 30 as well.

  • In the summer I swear by Laura Mercier, it makes my face glow!
    xo
    styleontheside.com

  • Does anyone have a suggestion for something sort of in between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation? I love the lightness and blend-ability of my NARS tinted moisturizer, but I feel like I need slightly more coverage.

  • Try Chantecaille’s Future Skin foundation (which, funnily enough, I found via this blog!). It’s lightweight and sheer but buildable. It’s not cheap but considering how much money I’ve wasted through the years on foundations that weren’t right for me, it’s worth it. It’s the first one I’ve ever owned that I’ve used up and needed to buy again. Their concealer is pretty remarkable too.

  • Oui! I’d recommend Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or Hourglass Illusion Skin Tint. Both have a range of shade matches, SPF, and fall in between foundation and tinted moisturizer. Vitalumiere Aqua is sheer and leaves skin very even, while Illusion gives it a glow. Both are light yet buildable.

  • J’ai adopte le tinted moisturizer Laura Mercier depuis longtemps qui donne un teint naturel et parfait.

  • Pour ma part, je suis complètement passé à coté du boom des BB crèmes : moins efficaces qu’un fond de teint et avec ma peau ultra grasse y en a pas une qui me file pas de bouton

  • Lisa Walker November, 21 2014, 12:38 / Reply

    I only use Color Science. They pre-date Bare Essentials (Bare Essentials purchased the co. ages ago) and were the first mineral powder on the market. It’s so light and clean no one ever thinks I wear makeup. And great for working in the kitchen. Just because I’m a chef doesn’t mean I can’t look as good as I would as a dinner guest!

    And please, can someone say something about Shu Uemera??? They no longer sell in the US and I miss them like crazy!

  • You can still order Shu online http://www.shuuemura-usa.com.

  • Hello, moi aussi j’adore les crèmes teintées/ fond de teint light, surtout en automne d’ailleurs! C’est le moment de l’année où je recherche le plus un teint léger sans oublier le glow pour apporter un peu de lumière dans la grisaille parisienne qui commence à s’installer…bonne journée!

  • I think both is actually useful if used sparingly. I tend to use tinted moisturizer more during the summer, and my go to for years was Hydra sparkling by Givenchy and then same Hydra sparkle BB. But since I use Vitalumiere aqua by Chanel (I think it’s shown on the photo above) that happens to be really light coverage and very moisturizing I sometimes use that all year round when I need to add color to my skin. My usual motivation in using any of it is to add a bit of color and freshness to my skin, because I normally don’t have many other issues. But if I wake up not looking gray and washed up, I’ll just add a bit of touche eclat to under eyes circle and a touch of cream blush and go.
    Also almost any liquid foundation can be turned into tinted moisturizer by mixing it with your regular daily moisturizer. So you can actually stick to your favorite shade.

  • I’ve been using Clarins Ecran (a tinted sun block) for years. In my younger years (I’m in my late 40’s now) I used foundation – go figure, I definitely had better skin when I was younger! Now I only use foundation for big occasions, but generally my skin looks better, breathes better, and I don’t have to cover it up, so a tinted moisturizer, or sunblock work just fine. I think if you eat well, take care of the health of your skin in general, you don’t need to cover it with foundation. Just a little bit of product works.

  • Les BB crèmes ont été une révélation pour moi. Je n’ai jamais trop aimé le fond de teint – compliqué à poser, jamais la bonne couleur, impression de plâtre sur le visage. Par contre, les BB crèmes sont un vrai plaisir: je prends la couleur claire, en hiver je mets une crème hydratante dessous, en été elle se suffit à elle-même, ça s’étale facilement, surtout si on prend soin de la laisser réchauffer 1 minute dans sa main, c’est superficiel de ne pas faire de démarcation, la crème se fond littéralement dans la peau, un petit coup de poudre matissante, et tout est ok pour la journée. Un vrai miracle

  • Oh my…I LOVE the Nars tinted moisturiser. After years of off-on bad skin I was introduced to the skincare brand Liz Earle by my oh-so-metrosexual man and that combined with the Nars tinted moisturiser is now all I need for my make up (day or night). My mumma bear is so proud I’ve finally listened and ditched the foundation…my skin has never been happier! Bisous.

  • What a miracle tinted moisturizer is. I had bad skin when I was a teenager and am still prone to break outs, but thanks to Arcona, my skin has been amazing. I always feared using foundation that my skin would break out, but I found an alternative that works well for me. I use Arcona’s tinted sunscreen and then Urban Decay BB cream on top and Voila!
    I do want to try Laura Mercier’s tinter moisturizer and see how that one is too. :)

  • I switched from foundation to tinted moisturizer for the summer and haven’t gone back! My skin looks much brighter. I wear the MK CC cream.

  • Totally agree that foundation can be too heavy – feeling and looking. I stopped wearing foundation awhile ago when I discovered Dr. Haushka Tinted Moisturizer and mixed it with their Rose Day cream and bronzer. Then came the BB creams with SPF and I switched to a mix of Dr. Haushka bronzer and Smashbox Camera Ready Cream with SPF and Dark Spot Correcting. People tell me I glow! I will also say that Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – Radiance Bronze is fantastic, and over a layer of Trader Joe’s aerosol coconut oil, offers me excellent coverage too!

    XO,
    Monica
    http://bellebrut.com

  • I made the switch some time ago, swapping my favourite Armani LSF (Luminous Silk Foundation) for their Face Fabric Second Skin foundation, and then later to the Nars Pure Radiant Sheer TM. I have since managed to take it a step further and go for months sans foundation! After 20 years or so of TM and foundations I can’t believe I am able to get away with just concealer (my dark eye circles haven’t got the ‘sans makeup memo’), I credit it mostly to the wonder that is Sunday Riley’s Juno oil (as well as her ‘Good Genes’, A M A Z I N G ! )

    xx

    Brigadeiro’s Blog
    @brigadeirochoc

  • Fait depuis un bail… Est-ce d’avoir quitté Paris ou un taff salarié dans une boîte de luxe, en tout cas, plus eu l’envie de mettre autant de couche par jour sans pour autant sortir avec toutes mes imperfections (bref, un juste milieu entre le “parfait” et le “laisser aller”)… par contre après avoir essayer pas mal de marques dont Chanel, j’ai fini avec ma marque de crème de jour La Roche Posay…suite d’ailleurs à l’influence de la vendeuse Chanel qui me parlait de la “synergie” avec laquelle ils envisageaient leurs produits…me suis dit que ça devait être la même chose pour tous.

  • I haven’t actually touched a tinted moisturizer since a nasty Nivea one I tried in my teens, way back when. It was horrible, heavy, and orange-looking – but to be fair, I think tinted moisturizers were quite “new” on the market at that time.

    For the same reason, I’ve also hated foundation – basically anything to cover the face that came in a liquid form scared me. So I used Kanebo’s compact powder for years, until I realized I looked dry, oily, cakey, and like a doll, all at the same time. But you know – anything to get rid of the redness of those persistent pimples.

    Fast forward until the year 2014… the discovery of oil pulling! I haven’t had a breakout since I started. And because of my skin clearing up, I’ve finally gone on the hunt for something lighter than a full coverage compact powder. Instead of buying an entire (possibly expensive, possibly horrible) product, I’ve gone on eBay as well as emailed different companies to ask for samples of their products. Best thing I ever did. The more successful results have come with Chanel’s Vitalumiere Aqua and Ellis Faas’s Skin Veil. The latter one being a perfect color match, light coverage, the whole looking like “your own skin but better” deal.

  • Tinted moisturizer is the closest I get to foundation… My favorite is laura mercier’s oil free formula.

  • I need sunscreen every day. I am that fair skinned. So I usually skip foundation or tinted moisturizer. And don’t tell me anything about combination products. I need at least spf 50 or more to be comfortable. I sometimes dot concealer under my eyes, but usually I like the no make up thing.

  • Jane with the noisy terrier November, 24 2014, 11:11 / Reply

    For casual, every day/weekends, I love a tinted moisturizer or a BB or CC cream. Despite exfolliants and sunscreen, I still have uneven skin tone and pigmentation so I like to even things out a bit. Love the NARS tinted moisturizer, Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream is genius, and I’ve just discovered the Armani CC cream which has a nice velvety matte texture. I apply them with either fingers or a Real Techniques Expert Face brush to buff it into my skin for a “your skin but better” look. NARS highlighting concealing is pretty genius as well. And Tarte’s Poreless and Primed powder applied very lightly with a big fluffy eye shadow brush along my nose and under my eyes keeps everything smooth and in place. The best thing for natural looking foundation/makeup is a setting spray. It takes away any powdery texture and just makes everything look seamless.

  • Pour ma part, je suis un peu anti-fond de teint ou crème teintée … je trouve que ça étouffe la peau, et je fini même pas me demander si au fils du temps, ce n’est pas ça qui abîme plus la peau qu’autre chose ?
    Je met de la crème hydratante avec un SPF 15, et un peu de blush rosé sur les joues.
    Pour le teint, la meilleure recette reste de beaucoup boire de l’eau, de bien dormir et de ne pas manger trop gras !

  • The NARS tinted moisturizer and CHANEL Vitalumiere Aqua are my two go-tos! I also love the GIVENCHY Mr Light concealer pen… light, natural-looking coverage that blends beautifully.

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