Best Tinted Moisturizers for Oily Skin

Cut down on grease and boost your glow with this skin care-makeup hybrid.

Face coverage makeup can be notoriously difficult for oily skin. We’re all too familiar with a new foundation clogging up our pores, or melting with sweat and leaving your face a greasy mess. Luckily, it can also work to your advantage with the right product! Certain tinted moisturizers can help keep your skin soothed and properly moisturized for a smooth makeup canvas, while providing oil control. Here’s what exactly you should look for in a tinted moisturizer for oily skin!

What is tinted moisturizer?

Tinted moisturizer is similar to liquid foundation, as both of these products are intended for full face coverage, and evening out your complexion. However, a tinted moisturizer usually has more multitasking features. It’s essentially a moisturizer that doubles as a foundation, usually with light to medium coverage. To sum it up, they generally provide less coverage than foundations, BB cream and CC cream. In other words, it’s a skin care and makeup hybrid! It helps you achieve a smooth even skin tone and primes your face for makeup application, while keeping dry skin moisturized and happy.

But that’s not to say that a tinted moisturizer can’t be used for oily skin too. In fact, it can be the perfect product for keeping your skin properly moisturized, so it isn’t producing excess sebum on its own to compensate for dried out skin. Plus, it’s a perfect lightweight option for the summertime, when your pores are especially oily or sweaty. Another bonus is that tinted moisturizers are super low-maintenance and easy to apply, and ideal for creating that natural, no-makeup makeup look.

How to shop for a tinted moisturizer for oily skin

Just like there are different foundation formulas for different skin types, the same will apply for tinted moisturizers! There might not be as many offerings for tinted moisturizers as conventional foundations on the market. But that also means it’ll be easier for you when shopping around! In addition, here are some factors you may want to consider when shopping for a tinted moisturizer for oily skin:

1. Non-comedogenic oils for oily skin

Some ingredients are notorious for their ability to easily clog up pores, no matter how clean they might be! We’re talking about ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter, which you should stay away from for a product that you’re keeping on your face all day long. Another alternative to going completely oil-free is simply selecting a lightweight formula that boasts skin-friendly oils such as jojoba oil, argan oil, castor seed oil, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, and almond oil. 

2. Pore-purifying ingredients

We’re not saying that makeup can replace your normal acne treatment regimen. But there are certain tinted moisturizer formulas there that we’re specifically formulating for keeping your pores as clear as possible with wear! Look for ingredients like purifying salicylic acid, anti-inflammatory rosewater, hydrating hyaluronic acid, oil-absorbing rice powder, and green tea for sebum control.

3. Coverage level

Are you looking for a super-sheer, lightweight product that provides natural coverage over enlarged pores and fine lines? Or maybe a more medium coverage option that can be built up as needed to conceal acne scars and redness? These factors are worth taking into account when searching for the perfect tinted moisturizer for your skin type.

4. Finish

Tinted moisturizers come with a range of different finishes, and don’t always come dewy as you might think. They come in matte, semi-matte, satin, dewy, etc. For extra oily skin types, you’ll probably lean towards a more matte finish that provides more shine control. But that’s not to say that you can rock a dewy glow too! We’re always up for glow, not grease when it comes to our complexions. Experiment with what works best for you!

5. Sun protection

It’s common for tinted moisturizer to also come with an SPF rating and provide broad spectrum rating. Just make sure you applying it thoroughly over your face as you would a normal sunscreen, or you won’t be getting full protection!

6. Natural ingredients

For a product you’re wearing on a daily basis over your entire face, we recommend searching for a tinted moisturizer that relies on natural plant extracts, oils, and pigments in order to truly nourish your skin. Plus, some ingredients might have anti-aging properties too!

The best tinted moisturizers for dry skin

Bamboo Blur Tinted Moisturizer from 100% Pure
This tinted moisturizer provides medium coverage with a matte finish. It should be your go-to if your skin is on the severely oily side! It features oil-absorbing bamboo silica to minimize that your shiny T-zone, and creates the perfect soft-focused and diffused look. Plus, it includes a blend of antioxidant-rich ingredients including goji berry, pomegranate seed oil, and white tea. For oily skin, you can apply it straight to your face after cleansing!

Everyday Coverage Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 from Marie Veronique
A healthy mineral sunscreen that also doubles as a tinted moisturizer. This formula provides a non-greasy texture and demi-matte finish. It comes with sheer to light coverage, and lessens the appearance of redness so it’s perfect for when you’re still weathering through a bad breakout. It contains a blend of skin-friendly oils such as jojoba oil, apricot oil, sunflower seed oil, and even antioxidant-rich sea buckthorn oil. We’re impressed!

Tinted Moisturizer with Sunscreen from Mukti
Here’s another luxurious, mattifying formula that’s compatible with oily skin, thanks to its use of non-comedogenic ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, and sunflower oil. Green tea infuses skin with antioxidants while helping to lower excess sebum production. Plus, get broad spectrum protection from mineral zinc oxide to prevent damage to skin.

As you can see, tinted moisturizer can work for even oily skin or acne-prone skin types. Even if you’re all about that full coverage glam look, it can be useful to have a tinted moisturizer on hand for busy days when your skin needs a little extra love!