9 Skin Tints For When You Just Want To Avoid Being Told You Look Tired

Pre-kid, it was a rare day for me to leave the house without makeup and dressed up. A year-and-a-half into motherhood, though, I have no issue leaving the house bare-faced, wearing looks similar to Adam Sandler's red carpet attire. And while I have no problem being seen without makeup daily, it has led to an unfortunate occurrence. Namely, going makeup-free has led to a significant uptick in "well-meaning" comments on how tired I look.

Now, first and foremost, let's all just agree that even from the most well-intentioned of people, this commentary sucks. *Of course* I'm tired; I live at the whim of a toddler. But, for the days that I'd prefer to leave the house and not be confused for a member of The Walking Dead, I've found a handful of products that take roughly three seconds to apply and help me look instantly more awake. Specifically, I've discovered the wonder of skin tints.

These not-quite-a-foundation makeup products provide just a bit of coverage to your skin so that your complexion looks completely natural, albeit a bit more evened and brightened. And I'm sharing nine of my favorite discoveries so far.

Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops

When my skin is dry and dull, nothing helps to get it glowing like this skin tint from celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman. And that's due in no small part to the formula, which is part makeup and part skincare. The drops are made with ingredients like ginseng extract and Tsubaki oil, both of which work to hydrate and brighten your skin. While the coverage is light, I find that it's glowy enough to make up for any redness or blemishes that may peek through.

Typology Tinted Serum

The French are known for their effortless beauty, so it's hardly a surprise that this French brand has perfected a skin tint that looks natural and takes mere seconds to put on. The tinted serum from Typology is super light and has a completely natural finish. Packed with skincare ingredients, you can easily apply it with your fingers, a brush, or a sponge to even out your complexion.

Ciele Tint and Protect Serum Foundation

While I try to wear sunscreen every single day, I truly need a one-and-done product some mornings. For those days, this tinted serum from Ciele fits the bill — it comes with mineral SPF 50+ and packs an impressive amount of coverage for how light it feels on the skin. I find that blending a few drops in with my fingers makes my skin look instantly revitalized, and nothing beats having sun protection built into that.

Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint

Whether because of its many celebrity endorsements or just my algorithm, I felt like this skin tint was all over TikTok for much of last year. And while I’m not (always) one to give in to the hype, I could understand what all the fuss was about for this Hourglass option after just one try. While pricey, the formula is the actual embodiment of “your skin but better.” It looks completely undetectable once applied, neither too matte nor too dewy. Instead, it’s a natural finish you can achieve in seconds for a more evened complexion.

Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer

Years ago, beauty brand Kosas had a tinted oil that I was obsessed with. Although they discontinued that particular product, the brand just recently released a new BB-tinted moisturizer in its place. I feel like “juicy” is the buzzword of the moment for beauty brands, but it’s absolutely fitting here — this ultra-hydrating tint will leave your skin glowing in the best way. If your complexion is looking particularly dull and tired, this is just the ticket.

Summer Friday Sheer Skin Tint

Summer Fridays has quickly become a go-to brand for effortless, easy beauty products. Their viral lip balm and skin tint are a perfect combo, offering sheer coverage with hydrating, barely-there formulas. While the Summer Fridays Skin Tint won’t cover up any major skin blemishes, it will give you just a bit of glow to help wake up your face.

Milani Hydrating Skin Tint

You can pick up this dewy option on your next CVS run! The Milani Glow Skin Tint offers another juicy formula that gives just a bit of coverage but tons of glow. It's super blendable, too, so you can easily apply it with your fingers when running out the door.

Covergirl Microdroplet Foundation

The first of its kind, this drugstore option boasts a skincare-meets-makeup formula that includes bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative. The microdroplet pigment capsules disperse and give you sheer coverage with a filter-like effect. While easy to apply, you'll want to use a brush for this one to really blend out the pigment.

Saie Slip Tint

Saie Slip Tint is an ultra-creamy formula that blends easily with your fingers, giving light coverage that will easily even out your skin. To make that even better, the formula comes with mineral SPF 35, so you’ll be getting sun protection along with your makeup.