Personally, I always favour a more natural makeup look. Don't get me wrong, back in the day I used to apply layers of matte foundation in order to cover up any blemishes or dark circles, but these days I'm all about letting my real skin shine through (and as someone with an oily complexion, it really does shine). Over the past few months, I've started to realise that I'm not the only one ditching foundation for lighter alternatives. From watching makeup tutorials on TikTok to speaking with friends in the beauty industry, everyone is favouring skin tints, tinted moisturisers and the like in order to embrace more dewy makeup looks. And it's not just consumers either—I've recently noticed a huge nunber of brands bringing out more lightweight base products, from Hourglass to YSL and Rose Inc.
Not only are we wanting more natural-looking alternatives to foundation, but we're also on the hunt for makeup products that benefit the skin too. I for one am very pleased to see more and more skincare-makeup hybrids taking the beauty world by storm, combining nourishing ingredients with sheer coverage. As someone who doesn't have much time in the mornings, I find hybrid products make getting ready so much easier, and I feel much better parting with my money when I know my makeup is doing two jobs in one.
After raving about foundation alternatives to my friends and family, I thought it was only right that I shared my favourite lightweight base products with you, so that you can try them out for yourself and see what all the fuss is about.
So, keep on scrolling for my top picks, and trust me when I say that at least one of these products will have you ditching the foundation.
Shop the Best Foundation Alternatives:
1. ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint
First up is this skin tint from ILIA. The clever serum contains a whole heap of nourishing ingredients, whilst also providing light coverage and a dewy finish. Not only that, but it comes in a whopping 30 different shades and is also free from silicones, oil, fragrance and chemical sunscreen.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 30
Skincare ingredients: Niacinamide, squalane and hyaluronic acid.
2. L'Oréal True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum
If you're looking for a more affordable foundation alternative, you can't go wrong with L'Oréal. This plumping serum will leave your skin feeling silky soft thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid, and I find that it provides a little more coverage than other tinted serums on the market, so it's great for those days you do want slightly heavier makeup.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 10
Skincare ingredients: 1% pure hyaluronic acid.
3. Kosas Tinted Face Oil
This tinted face oil from Kosas is really something special. It's super lightweight on the skin yet still offers medium coverage, and the formula has been designed to offer deep hydration thanks to the addition of multiple nourishing oils.
Formula: Oil
Number of shades available: 16
Skincare ingredients: Avocado oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil and camellia seed oil.
4. Beauty Pie Sheer Tinted Oil-Free SPF
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Beauty Pie's sheer, tinted SPF is great for applying over your moisturiser to provide a little bit of coverage whilst simultaneously helping protect the skin (it's worth noting that I would advise also using a higher SPF underneath this for adequate sun protection). It adds a gorgeous glow and makes everything look a whole lot smoother, all whilst soothing and hydrating your skin.
Formula: Cream
Number of shades available: 8
Skincare ingredients: Ecocert-certified squalane, jojoba esters and liquorice extract.
5. Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint
I've heard every beauty editor talk about this skin tint from Hourglass, and I'm desperate to give it a go myself. Not only is the packaging beautiful, but the lightweight formula is super hydrating and promises to leave your skin with a sheer, glowing finish.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 18
Skincare ingredients: Meadowfoam seed oil, hyaluronic acid, plant-based squalane and naturally derived rambutan blend.
6. Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
You've probably heard me rave about this product so many times, and for good reason. It's one of the most unique base products I've ever come across, with microencapsulated pigment spheres that burst on contact with your skin. The result? A truly luminous, hydrated complexion that is ready to take on the day.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 14
Skincare ingredients: Squalane, hyaluronic acid and peptides.
7. YSL Nu Bare Look Tint
This skincare-makeup hybrid from YSL is a buildable skin tint, which means that you can have full control over how much coverage you want. The formula is enriched with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin, and according to the reviews, it also adds a natural-looking glow.
Formula: Cream
Number of shades available: 20
Skincare ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
8. Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint
Glossier's skin tint is great if you want your natural skin to shine through. It offers super-sheer coverage and a dewy finish, and the formula contains glycerin to help lock in hydration.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 12
Skincare ingredients: Glycerin
9. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Natural Skin Perfector
I feel like Laura Mercier is famous for its tinted moisturisers, and this product really does make a great alternative to foundation. Expect sheer coverage and a dewy finish for that perfect natural-makeup look.
Formula: Cream
Number of shades available: 20
Skincare ingredients: Macadamia and kukui seed oils.
10. Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint
Summer Fridays is one of my favourite skincare brands, so when I saw that it was coming out with a skin tint, I practically screamed with excitement. With light coverage and a hydrating formula, I have no doubt that this will quickly become an everyday staple for me.
Formula: Serum
Number of shades available: 12
Skincare ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and squalane.
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