Don’t you hate it when there’s a sheen of grease across your face by noon? It seems like foundation and sunscreen just make it worse.
How can you stop the shine? Try the best tinted moisturizer for oily skin.
Tinted moisturizers feature hydration, sheer coverage, and anti-aging ingredients. Many have sunscreen. They are similar to a BB cream because they blur blemishes but are lightweight compared to a foundation. Check out our top picks below:
| The Best Tinted Moisturizers for Oily Skin | Why We Love Them |
|---|---|
| Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer, SPF 20 |
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| NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++ |
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| COVERGIRL Clean Matte BB Cream |
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| Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Sheer Face Tint with Retinol & Broad Spectrum SPF 20 |
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| theBalm BalmShelter Silky-Smooth Tinted Moisturizer |
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| bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30 |
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| Garnier Skin Skinactive BB Cream Oil-Free Face Moisturizer |
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| Jergens Natural Glow SPF 20 Face Moisturizer |
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How to reduce oiliness
Whether you’re dealing with a greasy T-zone or all-over shine, here are a few tips to make it better.
- Wash your face with a gentle foaming cleanser and lukewarm water at least twice a day. There’s no need to scrub – use a chemical exfoliant instead to unclog pores. Products with salicylic acid remove dead skin and excess oil, thereby preventing acne (1).
- Next, use tinted moisturizer in the morning for a boost without layering on lots of products. Non-comedogenic moisturizers that are oil-free won’t clog pores.
- After removing your makeup at night, put on regular moisturizer. Trying to dry out the skin by skipping the face cream will lead to excess oil production to compensate.
- Remember the sunscreen because it prevents sunburn and long-term damage like wrinkles and skin cancer. Many tinted moisturizers have broad-spectrum protection.
- Try not to touch your face unless your hands are clean. Use setting powder and blotting papers to take care of excess oil if necessary.
Best Tinted Moisturizers for Oily Skin in 2024
Now, here are the reviews you’ve been waiting for. We hope they help you find a perfect match for your needs.
Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20
We’ve been known to skip sunscreen in the morning simply because it makes our eyes sting. That only happens with chemical sunscreen filters, however. If you use a tinted moisturizer with a mineral sunscreen like this one, there shouldn’t be any problem.
Tarte’s moisturizer has buildable coverage. It blends easily from sheer to medium. Plus, it’s available in several shades that don’t leave a white cast on dark skin tones.
Although it’s marketed for all skin types, you can see that it’s oil-free. That’s ideal for oily skin. The mineral sunscreen and Amazonian clay ensure that the skin doesn’t get greasy, either.
The formula includes anti-aging benefits from vitamins, fruit extracts, ginseng, and chamomile.
Users say a small amount is enough to enhance the complexion for a no-makeup day. It’s very natural-looking and lightweight even after layering it for better coverage.
Pros:
- Buildable sheer to medium coverage, feels lightweight
- Mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast
- Available in several shades
- Helps minimize shine with Amazonian Clay and minerals
- Anti-aging benefits from ginseng, vitamins, and fruit extracts
Cons:
- None
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++
Makeup doesn’t have to be powdery or drying to manage oily skin. This moisturizer earned a big thumbs-up during clinical trials. Nearly everyone who used it agreed that it gave them a more radiant, even-toned complexion and felt lightweight and comfortable. Part of the magic comes from exotic ingredients like French Polynesian kopara and seawater.
It has just enough coverage to minimize blemishes and dark circles. In fact, using it regularly can help diminish hyperpigmentation over time.
What’s more, it’s available in a wide variety of shades that also accommodate undertones. It’s one of the few tinted moisturizers that match pretty much every skin tone.
Did you notice that the sunscreen rating is a little different? It says SPF 30, which is what the Skin Cancer Foundation always recommends. But there’s also a PA+++ after that. If you’ve used Korean or Japanese sunscreens, you already recognize this system. SPF actually only rates protection against UVB which causes sunburn. UVA rays, however, are what cause photo-aging and raise the risk of skin cancer. The more plusses you see after the PA, the better the defense the sunscreen provides against UVA.
Pros:
- One of the best-rated tinted moisturizers on the market
- Available in a wide variety of shades and undertones
- Provides sheer coverage and gradually diminishes the appearance of hyperpigmentation over time
- Strong defense against sunburn and photo-aging
Cons:
- When contemplating the price, consider the fact that it replaces three products: moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup
COVERGIRL Clean Matte BB Cream
What’s the best drugstore tinted moisturizer for oily skin? You can’t beat Covergirl’s Clean Matte for the price. Not only is it oil-free and water-based, but it’s breathable and easy to blend. It actually provides better coverage (up to medium) than some higher-priced products.
Users say it dries quickly on the skin and it mattifies the surface to minimize shine. It helps maintain a natural, fresh finish throughout the day. There’s a pretty good range of colors available, too.
The only downside is the lack of sunscreen. Otherwise, this is a paraben-free and cruelty-free product with an affordable price tag.
Pros:
- Mattifies the skin for a natural finish throughout the day
- Up to medium coverage available in a decent range of shades
- Cruelty-free, paraben-free, oil-free, and affordable
Cons:
- None
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Sheer Face Tint with Retinol & Broad Spectrum SPF 20
What about the best tinted moisturizer for mature skin? We recommend Neutrogena’s Sheer Face Tint with retinol and sunscreen. Each time you wear it, it works behind the scenes to smooth fine lines and reduce dark spots. It may also help treat acne.
On the surface, however, it gives just enough coverage to blur blemishes and enhance the complexion. The result is a luminous, younger-looking face.
Choose from six shades. All of them are oil-free and non-comedogenic with little to no fragrance. The sunscreen is a blend of chemical and mineral filters. (And it’s essential because of the retinol).
Users say it doesn’t crease on oily skin. Moreover, it doesn’t emphasize dry patches on combination skin.
Pros:
- Available in six shades that are oil-free and non-comedogenic
- With a blend of mineral and chemical sunscreen filters
- Has retinol to smooth lines and fade dark spots – may also help clear up acne
Cons:
- The label lists parabens, a preservative commonly used in formulas with retinol
theBalm BalmShelter Silky-Smooth Tinted Moisturizer
This tinted moisturizer has an unusual amount of sunscreen – SPF 18. We don’t know how they arrived at that conclusion, but perhaps it’s more accurate than the average. Most of us don’t wear enough tinted moisturizer, for example, to withstand a day at the beach. We’d need a standalone sunscreen for that purpose.
Anyway, the brand recommends wearing this moisturizer at anytime of the day, even for sleeping. When they say it’s “weightless and silky”, they aren’t exaggerating. Those with combination skin take note: it’s moisturizing enough for dry spots but never greasy. It simply makes the skin look more supple.
Users say the shades and undertones are flattering and buildable similar to foundation. The finish looks almost dewy.
Pros:
- Easy to match tones and undertones, buildable coverage
- Silky texture that sets to an almost dewy finish
- Leaves the skin silky but never oily
- Has sunscreen
Cons:
- None
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30
This brand of tinted moisturizer is available in at least ten shades with buildable sheer to medium coverage. What makes it stand out is how well it moisturizes oily skin without making it shiny.
The lightweight texture absorbs quickly, delivering mineral electrolytes and marine botanicals straight to the skin cells. These keep the moisture levels balanced.
The formula is non-acnegenic and dermatologist-tested. It has no parabens or unnecessary additives including no artificial fragrance.
Reviewers say it evens out skin tone, doesn’t get greasy, and doesn’t wear off like powder foundation. It’s just enough hydration to keep the skin comfortable.
Pros:
- Available in ten shades that are buildable from sheer to medium coverage
- Lightweight for keeping oily skin hydrated and comfortable
- Non-acnegenic and tested by dermatologists; no parabens and no artificial fragrance
- Long-lasting, no need for touchups
Cons:
- None
Garnier Skin Skinactive BB Cream Oil-Free Face Moisturizer
Garnier makes more than one type of tinted moisturizer/BB cream so be careful to choose the one that’s oil-free. It contains mineral perlite to absorb excess oil, plus it has SPF 20 sunscreen. The antioxidants from wild berry are a nice bonus for keeping the skin healthy.
It’s designed to control shine while providing lightweight coverage. It makes large pores less noticeable, too.
Those with oily skin shouldn’t need an additional moisturizer underneath. Using an extra face cream can cause excess oiliness. Instead, think of this as a shortcut to starting your day. In one step, you’ve applied moisturizer, makeup, and sunscreen. Dust with a little powder and you’ll extend its performance.
Pros:
- Drugstore tinted moisturizer/BB cream with sunscreen and antioxidants
- Controls shine with perlite, an oil-absorbing mineral
- Lightweight coverage that blurs large pores and blemishes
- Timesaver three-in-one with moisturizer, makeup, and sunscreen
Cons:
- Some users may need to apply powder to help it resist transferring and enhance its mattifying ability
Jergens Natural Glow SPF 20 Face Moisturizer
This moisturizer isn’t tinted – but it will color your skin. It’s a self-tanning product that gradually deepens skin color as if you’d spent time in the sunshine. The sun-kissed bronze reaches maximum potency after a week of daily applications. At that point, you may decide you don’t need makeup at all.
Furthermore, it’s a moisturizer with sunscreen. The sunscreen is essential because the self-tanning ingredient can make the skin more sensitive to sunburn.
Thankfully, the moisturizer has a pleasant fragrance. Even after the DHA (tanning ingredient) starts working, it doesn’t have a strong odor.
Choose from fair to medium or medium to tan options.
Pros:
- Moisturizer with sunscreen and self-tanning ingredients
- Daily applications develop a beautiful bronze within a week
- Pleasant scent without a strong sunless tanning odor
- Available for light to medium to tan skin tones
Cons:
- No instant tint or coverage to camouflage blemishes
Conclusion
Get yourself a tinted moisturizer and you may never go back to using foundation. It’s convenient and perfect for oily skin as it’s breathable and lightweight.
We hope you discovered your new favorite makeup here today. If so, we’d love to hear about your experience with it. Feel free to leave us a comment below.
Source:
1. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-skin accessed July 5, 2021