15 Best Drugstore Tinted Moisturizers (2018)

Updated 6 years ago

Tinted moisturizers are great for women who like natural makeup, on the go. If you're looking for something lightweight that provides just enough coverage without feeling as heavy as a regular foundation, look no further.

Tinted moisturizers are a great time saver. They moisturize, (some) have sun protection, and give you just enough coverage to even out any skin imperfections. With so many options on the market, finding the ones that are right for your skin type can be a bit of a challenge. We all love affordable makeup but sometimes they can be a hit or a miss. Therefore, we are here to help you select the best tinted moisturizer for your skin type at an affordable price point.

Reviews of The Top 15 Drugstore Tinted Moisturizers

Olay CC Cream, Total Effects Tone Correcting Moisturizer

Olay is famous for its affordable skin care products infused ingredients that play a role in reducing signs of aging. It provides a decent coverage and evens skin tone, it has 15 SPF in it for protection from the sun and it is perfect for dry skin. This moisturizer is a great everyday fix with other skin benefits at a surprisingly affordable price point. This might not be the one for people with very sensitive skin because a small fraction of people has complained about irritation, but the rest swear by this product. The product has a noticeable fragrance but overall the skin benefitting qualities are known to be very effective.

Physician’s Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer

Physician’s Formula keeps coming out with quality products at a drugstore price. Their shades range between only four shades. It does come with SPF 15 and the product comes in a 1.5-ounce tube. The product is claimed to be free of any hard chemicals. It is claimed to contain organic fruit water, jojoba oil, shea butter, avocado and sunflower oil to moisturize and nourish your skin. It might not be a holy grail for the oily people out there because it is said to be greasy. People with normal to dry skin, swear by this product mainly because of good quality ingredients at a comparatively low price point. It is a total bargain!

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

The price point is a bit up there for a drugstore tinted moisturizer, but bare minerals has nailed the quality. It comes with SPF 30 that is chemical-free, mineral based. Complexion Rescue is perfect for the ones with sensitive skin and is equally as good for other skin types. The shade range is good with 10 shades ranging from Opal(lightest) to Sienna(darkest). It does provide more coverage as compared to the other tinted moisturizers, but it is known to make your skin feel a bit tight after applying this. Nonetheless, it is a good option to consider since it is suitable for all skin types and all ages.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector

You must have guessed that Neutrogena has good complexion products that are in between skin care and makeup. This is an all-in-one moisturizer that helps even out the skin tone along with smoothing out the skin texture. It contains retinol which is known to help in reducing the appearance of fine lines. There is sunscreen in this product with broad spectrum SPF 20. The product is said to be waterproof and not greasy at all. The finish is luminous providing you with a healthy glow that doesn’t look cakey or oily. The product itself is a bit thick but it glides on your skin smoothly and applies very evenly giving you the perfect natural look.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer

With broad spectrum SPF 20, healthy skin enhancer has all kinds of good you need in a tinted moisturizer. All the shades have neutral tones, so it suits every undertone without looking ashy or orange. The product claims to have vitamin-rich retinol which is known to help in reducing fine lines. They have six shades which is quite decent shade range for a tinted moisturizer. The best thing about it is that it comes in a bottle that has a pump. Many of us out there love a well-packaged product and the pump helps in dispensing the right amount of product. The moisturizer will not clog up your pores, but it also does not help in making your pores look smaller. It is good for girls with oily skin since it is oil-free and is not greasy at all. Perfect for your everyday use.

Aveeno Positively Radiant

Aveeno has great skincare products keeping the quality intact and the price point low. Bottles with pumps that dispense the right amount of product are a blessing and Aveeno positively radiant comes with one. It has color correcting properties which help in evening out the skin tone along with texture. It has broad spectrum SPF 30 and is known to have skin care ingredients that might help improve the skin texture, tone, dullness and hyperpigmentation. The formula is known to contain soy complex and the finish is supposed to be luminous. The formula has a light shimmer that gives you a dewy look but can look too shiny if applied too much. Since the product is meant to be luminous and dewy it might not be ideal for people with oily skin but it is not greasy, so it does work.

Covergirl CG Smoothers

Another holy grail for oily skin types. This tinted moisturizer keeps the skin oil at the bay. It blends in the skin very seamlessly. It comes in three shades and has broad spectrum SPF 21 in it. It covers the wrinkles really well and is very lightweight. Blemishes do peek through due to light coverage. It gives a very healthy glow to your skin and the low price point is always a plus.

Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream

With broad spectrum SPF 35 in it, Supergoop daily correct CC cream is one solution for all. It replaces your sunscreen and your moisturizer along with your foundation. The product contains color correcting properties which makes it a good pick for people with hyperpigmentation or any kind of discoloration. The product is free from parabens, oxybenzone and fragrance. The formula is not greasy at all and it lasts all day long. In terms of coverage it is just enough to give you an even skin tone, it has more coverage than a typical tinted moisturizer but lesser than a foundation. It covers up your blemishes and lets your skin peek through.  The finish is very natural it gives a dewy healthy glow while not seeming cakey.

Olay Total Effects CC Cream Daily Moisturizer + Touch of Foundation

CC creams are meant to color correct as well as cover. Olay Total Effects CC cream has got it all for you. It provides a sheer coverage just enough to give you an even look. The formula is not greasy at all and it hydrates your skin. It has anti-aging skin benefits. This product unlike most of the other creams do no have SPF. The formula has a mild fragrance and it comes in a bottle with a pump.  The skin benefits are known to be surprisingly effective and the users have noticed visible changes by using this product. It does not contain oil and does not feel greasy on oily skin at all.

Boots No7 Dual Action Tinted Moisturizer

A great odor-less tinted moisturizer perfect for summers. It gives a decent coverage and does not feel greasy at all. It has an SPF of 15 to help you with sunny days. The coverage is good enough to cover your dark circles but light enough to let your skin peek through the layer of product. This product evens out your skin tone remarkably well and it works for mature skin as well. You get 1.69 oz for a good price. The product works great for normal to oily skin, but people have seemed to notice the product being patchy on dry skin.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint

Neutrogena has a product out there for every skin type with an affordable price. Hydro Boost is the perfect fix for dry skin containing hyaluronic acid which is meant to hydrate your skin. The product offers moisture and is said to plump your skin. The coverage is very sheer which makes it ideal for everyday use. The bottle comes with a doe foot applicator which makes the product easier to apply directly to your face. The product lasts all day long and is not greasy at all which makes it suitable for oily skin too.

Neutrogena SkinClearing Complexion Perfector

This product is perfect for girls having acne problems. When it comes to that you have to be very selective regarding what you put on your face. When it comes to makeup certain products can look too cakey and can even have an impact on your acne. Tinted moisturizers are perfect for those people who deal with acne. SkinClearing Complexion Perfector not just provide moisture along with sheer coverage but it also helps in clearing up your acne or breakouts. It contains Salicylic acid which is known to be very helpful with breakouts and acne. This product does not have any SPF, so it cannot be used as a replacement for both sunscreen and a moisturizer. The coverage is very sheer even for tinted moisturizers standards but the skin benefits for acne prone skin are very effective

W3LL PEOPLE Bio Tint Moisturising Foundation

This plant-based formula with active phytonutrients and pure zinc protects, brightens and hydrates your skin along with improving the overall quality of your skin. This product is free of parabens, talc, mineral oils and many other substances that might have a harmful effect. The product has a broad spectrum of SPF 30 and can be substituted in place of a sunscreen. The product is perfect for all skin types and the formula allows it to be good for sensitive skin too. It gives a very sheer coverage and overall a healthy dewy finish.

Jolie Mineral Sheer Tint

It is a mineral-based sheer tint that can be used as a sunscreen with SPF 20 or an antioxidant lotion. The formula is oil-free and is enriched with vitamins A & E, potent oxidants, Ginkgo Biloba along with Ginseng. The product is very comfortable on the skin and glides on smoothly during application. This sheer tint is water resistance. Even if you have an oily skin, this product will work for you. It gives you a very healthy glow from within. There are however parabens in this product but overall it is a bargain considering what the product does and the skin benefiting ingredients make it as good as any similar high-end product at a jaw-dropping price point.

Cetaphil Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer

This affordable moisturizer helps to reduce redness and also plays a role in preventing sunburn since it has SPF 20 in it. The product is good for people with dry skin. The tinted formula is mineral based, and it evens out the skin tone. This product does not contain any fragrance and the coverage is decent enough to skip foundation. The formula does not irritate sensitive skin type, it is hypoallergenic and does not clog pores. There are some issues regarding the pump but overall the formula is great for dry and sensitive skin. The formula is a bit greasy, so it is not ideal for oily skin. Even though this product is not meant to be makeup, but the tint is saturated enough to wear on its own if it goes with your skin color which might be the only downfall of this product.

How to pick a tinted moisturizer for your skin tone?

To pick a complexion product, you should know your skin tone and your undertone to avoid looking ashy or too orange. When it comes to tinted moisturizers there isn’t usually a wide range of shades, which means each shade is very forgiving and can work for a lot of different skin tones! Brands typically launch with 4-6 shades for light, medium and dark skin tones. Since the coverage is light-medium, if you know your general skin tone category, go with your best judgement. Just make sure not to go for a completely different skin category which can either make you look orange (if darker than your skin) or seem ashy (if lighter than your skin). 

Conclusion

When it comes to cosmetics or skin care, knowing your skin can help a lot in choosing products that might suit you best. What might work for someone else might not work for you, because their skin concerns are completely different. Tinted moisturizers are great for everyday use and for people who are just starting to wear makeup. When it comes to affordable choices, choosing the best out of a sea of similar products can be a bit of a challenge which requires a lot of trial and error. Know your skin and treat your skin gently. Many affordable options work just as well or better than the high-end options.