Most Tinted Moisturizers Are a No-Go for Oily Skin—These 11 Are the Exception

Woman wearing tinted moisturizer

(Image credit: @spiritedpursuit)

Tinted moisturizers were never really my thing in the past. Even now, I consider myself a full-coverage-foundation kind of gal, but I've been open to trying new things. I've mostly steered clear of tinted moisturizers because my skin can be finicky. It suffers from dehydration but can still get oily on the surface, which is a problem if your skin is also sensitive and acne-prone (like mine). Now that I've finally found a skincare routine that works for me and keeps my skin clear, I want to start experimenting with tinted moisturizers for lighter coverage.

Although my acne has improved a lot, the issue of oily skin still seems to be a problem for me. That's why I reached out to board-certified dermatologist Lauren Penzi, MD, for advice on the matter. She provided some great tips for those with a similar skin type who are looking for a good tinted moisturizer for oily skin. Keep scrolling for plenty of helpful advice.

1. Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint ($36)

2. Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 ($42)

3. Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation ($32)

4. BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($39)

5. Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 ($49)

6. Laura Mercier Natural Skin Perfector SPF 20 ($54)

7. Milani Glow Hydrating Skin Tint ($13)

8. Pacifica Kind Tint Tinted Serum ($11)

9. Honest Beauty CCC Clean Corrective With Vitamin C Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($27)

10. Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream ($11)

11. The Lip Bar Just a Tint 3-in-1 Tinted Skin Conditioner ($17)

What to Look for in a Tinted Moisturizer

To start, if you have oily skin, Penzi advises avoiding occlusive ingredients in moisturizers that can clog your pores, such as paraffin, mineral oil, lanolin, and petroleum. She also notes that a few other tweaks might be necessary to optimize your skincare routine for your skin type. "Avoid alcohol-based products that may seem to temporarily help but, in the long run, make the skin oilier as it tries to compensate for the sebum that is lost by producing more oil," she says.

Board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, also has a few tips on what to look for. "Those with oily skin should choose light moisturizers, whether using a tinted or non-tinted product," she says. "The best ingredients include humectants like hyaluronic acid, aloe, and glycerin, which bring moisture to the skin without clogging pores. Avoid rich butters, oils, and petrolatum. Some lotions designed for oily and acne-prone skin contain salicylic acid to keep pores cleaner, while applied mattifying ingredients can be a huge plus for oily skin."

For derm-recommended tinted moisturizers and a few of my own favorites for oily skin, keep reading below.

Best Overall: Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint

2. Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

3. Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation

4. BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

5. Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

6. Laura Mercier Natural Skin Perfector SPF 20

7. Milani Glow Hydrating Skin Tint

8. Pacifica Kind Tint Tined Serum

9. Honest Beauty CCC Clean Corrective With Vitamin C Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

10. Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream

11. The Lip Bar Just a Tint 3-in-1 Tinted Skin Conditioner

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

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Associate Beauty Editor

Shawna Hudson is a beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and travel writer with over 10 years of experience. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a degree in journalism and has written for other publications such as Bustle, The Zoe Report, Byrdie, Elite Daily, and more. She is currently a beauty writer at Who What Wear and hopes to continue feeding her (completely out-of-control) beauty obsession as long as she can. Stay up to date on her latest finds on Instagram @shawnasimonee.