The best tinted sunscreen you can buy

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The best tinted sunscreen you can buy

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best tinted sunscreen

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  • Tinted sunscreen can double as base makeup and eliminate the more annoying aspects of wearing sunscreen - white cast, chalkiness, and pilling.
  • Our top pick, the SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, is a sheer fluid in a universal tint that evens out skin tone while protecting from harmful rays.

Tinted sunscreen is one of the main staples in my beauty routine. Most days I can't be bothered with heavier foundation. It takes too long to apply, feels weird on my face, and settles in fine lines. A tinted sunscreen gives me just enough coverage to even out my complexion while remaining mostly undetectable on my face.

Plus, it protects the skin from harmful UV rays, taking several skincare and makeup steps and combining them in one bottle. It's the perfect low-maintenance, money-saving addition to your lifestyle. Many tinted sunscreens are so subtle they don't really read as "makeup" and can therefore be worn by everyone, regardless of beauty philosophy.

As an added bonus, tinted sunscreens help eradicate the white cast you get from certain sunscreen formulas. They're especially useful for darker skin tones, though I think just about everyone can benefit from trying one. Here, I've rounded up a few of my personal favorites.

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Here are the best tinted sunscreens you can buy:

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

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The best tinted sunscreen overall

The best tinted sunscreen overall
Why you’ll love it: The SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 is a sheer, lightweight sunscreen with a universal tint that blurs imperfections without disrupting makeup.

My personal favorite tinted sunscreen is the SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50. It’s the only physical SPF that never seems to disturb the makeup I apply on top or pill up as I rub it in. The formula is smooth, sheer, and lightweight.

The compact, slim packaging has a nozzle on top that deposits the perfect amount of product and is spill-proof for travel. I’ve taken it on my flights without a problem. The formula is water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, so it’s a great pick for beach days, too.

While it only comes in one universal shade, it’s pretty sheer and neutral. On my pale skin it blends out into a nice skin-tone evening finish but doesn’t have much discernible coverage. This isn’t a moisturizer, so make sure you hydrate before you apply.

This product has a 5-star rating on Dermstore, based on 279 reviews and has been featured by New Beauty and the website Beauty and Wellbeing.

Pros: Lightweight, neutral tint, SPF 50, physical sunscreen

Cons: Only one shade

Buy SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 at Dermstore for $34

The best glowy tinted sunscreen

The best glowy tinted sunscreen
Why you’ll love it: Drunk Elephant’s Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 gives skin a bronze glow alongside quality sun protection.

Beach bunnies will love the Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 from ingredient-conscious brand Drunk Elephant. On my fair complexion, it delivers a bronze glow thanks to the pigment and mica particles in the formula. Darker skin tones might find it comfortably blends in without oxidizing or appearing ashy.

Packed with zinc oxide, Astaxanthin-Rich Algae Extract, and sunflower sprout extract, it prevents from sun damage and free radicals. The product is formulated without any of the ingredients Drunk Elephant terms "the Suspicious 6,” which includes “essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrance/dyes, and SLS.”

The Cut specifically recommends this sunscreen for the breakout prone, since some sunscreens can cause skin aggravation. It has also been featured by New Beauty and The Skincare Edit. The non-tinted version is a top pick on The Strategist.

Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense has a 3.6 Sephora rating based on 319 reviews. One fan writes, “I personally love this stuff and it has helped me to incorporate spf into my facial routine. My skin is olive and it doesn’t leave a white cast to it. It provides a bit of glowiness as well.”

Pros: No white cast, gives a glow, Clean at Sephora label

Cons: May be dark on lighter skin tones

Buy the Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 at Sephora for $36
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The best tinted sunscreen with multiple shades

The best tinted sunscreen with multiple shades
Why you’ll love it: The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer comes in 15 shades, so you can find your perfect match.

Most tinted sunscreens have a “universal” tint. Granted, most are sheer enough that the color sort of blends away as you apply, but it’s true that no one skin tone shade will work for everyone. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer comes in 15 shades, each with SPF 20 for added sun protection.

While it doesn’t quite hit the recommended amount of daily SPF (recommends suggest going no lower than 30), it would be a great pick to layer over another sunscreen for added protection, or to use in a pinch. Plus, the lightweight, moisturizing coverage can’t be beat.

I find this sunscreen to be slightly higher coverage than most of my other top picks but it wears just as comfortably as more sheer options. I reach for this when I’m doing more glamorous makeup or dealing with a bad skin day. The shade Nude perfectly matches my skin tone.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer has a 4.4 Sephora rating based on 4,585 reviews. It’s been featured by Rank and Style, The Cut, and Glamour.

Pros: 15 shades, hydrating, light coverage

Cons: Not enough dark shades, expensive

Buy the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer at Sephora for $46

The best tinted sunscreen for sensitive skin

The best tinted sunscreen for sensitive skin
Why you’ll love it: The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer gives lightweight, luminous coverage and hydrating suitable for sensitive skin.

The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer is a great pick for sensitive skin, thanks to hyaluronic acid and vitamin E in the formula. It’s similar to the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, but with a more luminous finish and SPF 30.

This is a truly hydrating pick that sits nicely on the skin and gives you a glowy, but not glittery, finish. The coverage is very light and natural. I have the second lightest shade, Fair. It comes out of the tube looking a little bit orange but blends out beautifully. Overall there are five shades that range from Ivory to Rich.

Reviewers are fans of the light, natural look and feel combined with adequate sun protection. One Sephora shopper writes, “I love this for an everyday tint. It is very moisturizing, so it might not be for the most oily skin types. I have dry to combo skin, and I felt very moisturized the whole day. I typically wear shade fair-to-light neutral, and light matched me perfectly.”

Pros: Hydrating, luminous finish, SPF 30

Cons: Only six shades, small bottle

Buy the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer at Sephora for $28
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The best powder tinted sunscreen

The best powder tinted sunscreen
Why you’ll love it: The Colorscience Sunforgettable Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Brush comes in a twist-up brush that lets you re-up on sun protection throughout the day.

I’m diligent about wearing sunscreen but reapplying every two hours is … not a thing, unless I’m at the beach. I never understand how I’m supposed to do that without screwing up my makeup. But the brand Colorscience offers a unique solution.

The Sunforgettable Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Brush is a powder tinted sunscreen. It comes in portable twist-up brush that makes for easy, spill-proof transportation and comes in four shades: Fair, Medium, Tan, and Deep. A few swipes deliver a tiny bit of added coverage with an impressive amount of sun protection.

The portable packaging and unique powder formula make it easy to reapply SPF on-the-go, even on top of other makeup. It’s water- and sweat-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so you can use it poolside as well. The brush is made of antimicrobial bristles. Some reviewers find the brush difficult to use, especially at first, but most note they got the hang of it after awhile.

One Amazon shopper writes, “I have been using this sunscreen for years. It does not run or bleed and stays on through long runs and even tennis tournaments. Never go outside without it and recommend it to everyone. Has never broken me out and I have cystic acne and am allergic to all kinds of makeup and skin care products.”

The product has also been recommended by Bustle, Refinery 29, and Allure.

Pros: Portable, easy to reapply, gives light coverage

Cons: Brush takes some trial-and-error, pricey

Buy Colorscience Sunforgettable Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Brush at Dermstore for $65
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