Yes, You Still Need SPF This Fall. Here Are My Top Tinted Picks For Deep Skin Tones.

This mineral SPF 50 quickly became my everyday go-to because of its lightweight, non-comedogenic formula. It doesn’t have quite as large of a shade range as I’d like, so I find I have to do a little mixing for my perfect match. Because I’m golden-red, I opt for golden undertones with this one.

The formula does make my skin appear more even, but doesn’t cover my more prominent dark spots, so I use Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer because it offers excellent coverage without being too heavy, and finish it off with Ami Colé’s Skin Melt Talc-free Loose Setting Powder. And if I want to add color to my cheeks, I add YSL’s Make Me Blush 24H Buildable Powder Blush to the mix because it controls oil and gives a glow-from-within look with beautiful color.

After trying Merit’s “The Uniform,” I didn’t think an SPF could top my list this year. However, after trying this one from Live Tinted, I now have two that are neck and neck. With SPF 50, not only does the mineral-based formula give my skin breathable, impactful protection. The color match is like magic. It melts into my skin like I’m wearing nothing, but still manages to cover my hyperpigmentation without the need for me to add concealer to spots, almost like a full-coverage foundation. 

I tried this one with a couple of different powders to see what we could manage to keep me oil-free throughout the day. I found that for shine-free matte finish, the ONE/SIZE  Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder was the best fit. However, for a more luminescent glow with staying power, Hourglass’ Vanish Airbrush Pressed Powder did its job.

I’d never considered a powder SPF before trying this one, but now the silver tube is a mainstay in my purse. When the brand says this multilevel broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protector works for every skin tone, they mean it. I swipe this on and there’s no cast, and additionally, there’s no unwanted dryness or a draw of attention to any fine lines on my skin.

This one is on the pricey side. But if you don’t like the feel of traditional SPF, this could be a great option to try. I flex between using this solo and on top of my liquid SPF if I’m not in the mood for a full powder down with a makeup-like finish.

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EltaMD is a longtime, highly touted SPF brand. However, before the release of their deep-tinted options, I wasn’t a big fan because there would be a subtle reminiscence of a ghost-like finish. The tinted formula not only melts into the skin sans a white cast, it’s infused with niacinamide, which can help soothe everything from redness to pesky hormonal breakouts. 

I did have some pilling with this when I first started using it. The trick to avoiding this nuisance – let your skin care ingredients completely dry down. I’d give serums at least 10 minutes to absorb. My other critique: they could go deeper for people beyond my skin tone. This can make me a little oily if I don’t prime, so I either use REFY Blur and Hydrate Oil-Control Face Primer or Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Mattifying Water Powder Serum. 

For the full glam crew who wants to do better about wearing SPF daily, I’ve found this formula to stack up against 90 percent humidity and the sweat that can come along with it. The only drawback here is that it’s recommended we wear at least 30 SPF daily. So, I’ve found a workaround: an SPF primer. The tricky part of using an SPF primer with foundation is that they can pill. 

My favorites that pair well with this formula are U Beauty’s Multimodal Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 25, Naked Sundays 100% Mineral Primer Sunscreen SPF 50+ Lotion with Collagen, and Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection SPF 50. Yup, I tested each one. None of these causes flashbacks in photos, and there’s no annoying pilling. With MAC formulas, I tend to go less is more with powder because they’re pro-grade, so I use Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting Edit (you can only snag this during the holiday season, but the palette lasts forever) for finishing powder and blush because the powder is so fine it never looks or feels cakey on top of fuller coverage formulas.

Hourglass already had a beloved (and highly rated on TikTok) skin tint, but it didn’t have SPF. The shade range of this foundation impressed me, in addition to the texture of the 12-hour wear formula. During the winter months, this is ideal for my combo skin because I tend to be drier on my cheeks and forehead. 

However, for mature or dry skin types, this could be a year-round formula. For combo skin types, a primer that grips under this is really important. I’ve fallen in love with Dolce & Gabbana Bergamot Glow Primer. It’s ultra-hydrating, but grips my makeup and makes it last all day. Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Primer is a great (and more affordable) option too, with ultra-hydrating properties. 

For the fragrance-sensitive, this two-in-one mineral sunscreen foundation with broad spectrum SPF 30 is formulated for sensitive and problem-prone skin. So if you’ve ever had a breakout from SPF and that completely turned you off from using one – this one is worth trying. This tinted SPF is light on coverage, so if you have hyperpigmentation or any darkness you’d like to cover up, you’ll need a concealer with this one. I used Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating and De-puffing Concealer, and the lightweight texture of the formula and coverage were a perfect match for the weight of this formula. 

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I saw mixed reviews about this for tinted moisturizer everywhere, from Sephora to TikTok. Most reviews said this didn’t offer enough coverage and was oily. This product was a little oily for me because I have combo skin, but I thought this would be great for mature and dry skin. During my wear test, I had to have a primer and a mattifying powder. ONE/SIZE  Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder was the perfect pairing.

With this foundation, you won’t need to pair it with an SPF-infused primer, as it already has enough built-in protection. This foundation goes on like butter and covers every hyperpigmentation spot on my face without the need for multiple layers of coverage. I wear a hydrating primer underneath this foundation that still has grip, but doesn’t help a matte finish draw attention to every little crease or hormonal pimple on my face. Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Mattifying Water Powder Serum does both and even helps diffuse my skin before I even apply any foundation. As I age, I skip the setting powder with foundations and only use Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting Palette because it makes me look airbrushed and keeps my makeup in place without making me feel like I'm overdone. 

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