Tinted moisturizer or light foundation for oily skin?

[Shaylynn]

My acne has been clearing up, and I'm sick of using a full-coverage foundation. I have tried Physician's Formula Natural Wear tinted moisturizer, but that was kind of a nightmare. I tried Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer, which was alright for me, but the wrong color. I've looked at Neutrogena Healthy Skin Glow Sheers (something like that... super long name!), and Hard Candy's Sheer Envy tinted moisturizer. I also came across Almay's Nearly Naked foundation too, how does that work for oily skin? Any information on these products (or any other tinted moisturizer/light foundation) is very welcome! 

 

[jadamiranda]

I am using Omorovicza Complexion Brightener tinted moisturizer with spf 15.  I loved the texture.  It is also packed with natural ingredients which I really like. 

 

[Andi]

I have very oily skin, and from the reviews I´ve read I´ve felt like there aren´t many great options for us oily skinned girls out there. Most tinted moisturizers are just too moisturizing because they seem to be targeted for people with dry skin.

Here´s what I´ve tried and what worked for me

1.) MAC´s Studio Moisture Tint (I think that´s what it´s called). It has decent coverage for a tinted moisturizer and goes on semi-matte. It has SPF20, but unfortunately no UVA protection - which is a big no-no in my book (so I follow it up with Physician´s Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 powder, which is awesome for oily skin btw!!!)

2.) Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF 42 PA+++

This seems to be somewhat of a cult favorite as a summer foundation for oily skinned girls. I have worn it every single day since I got it!!! Apart from it´s superb sun protection it leaves a semi-matte finish and it´s water resistant (and it passed that test on a recent cruise to Mexico when it felt like my face was sweating off!) - and it stays on my skin about as long as my previous favorite Estee Lauder Doublewear.

The coverage can be anywhere from light to heavy because it´s so buildable and still manages to look natural.

The shade selection is limited though (as is the selection for the MAC product though, but if you only want light coverage the shades tend to be more "forgiving")

 

[Dragonfly]

From Beauty Brains:

http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/05/18/what-beauty-companies-dont-want-you-to-know-about-foundations-and-tinted-moisturizers/

What Beauty Companies Don't Want You To Know About Foundations and Tinted Moisturizers.

Emily asks: I`ve read in so many magazines that have said tinted moisturizers are better than foundation on the skin. What exactly is the difference between tinted moisturizers and liquid foundation apart from the fact that tinted moisturizers is lighter? I`ve also heard from some friends that tinted moisturizers are bad for your skin. So are tinted moisturizers good or bad?

The Right Brain responds:

Elizabeth Arden makes both kinds of products so let`s look at the ingredients in their Sheer Lights Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer and Bare Perfection Flawless Finish Foundation as an example. We won`t reprint all of the ingredients here but you can find Ëœem on Drugstore.com.

Both products contain sunscreens as active ingredients. They both use water as a solvent and they both contain mixtures of humectants (chemicals that bind water to skin) and emollients (oily chemicals that smooth skin and create a moisture barrier). Since these are emulsion-type products they both use surfactants that keep the water and oil soluble ingredients mixed together in a creamy base. Of course they both contain preservatives and ingredients to control the thickness and pH. And, since both are designed to give your skin a bit of color, they contain pigments. Specifically they both use iron oxides and titanium dioxide.

They sound pretty similar, don`t they? They are similar, but not identical. How are they different? Well, the amount of color they contain will vary and so will the consistency of the products. And the moisturizer version appears to have more humectants so we`d guess it will bind water to your skin better. But overall, they both are basically delivery vehicles for skin tinting pigments.

Given the similarities, it’s hard to imagine why one product would be “bad†for you and the other wouldn’t. Now, if you have very dry skin, you may prefer the moisturizing version. And likewise if your skin is oily, you might want to use the lighter version. But this isn’t a case of “good†versus “bad.†It’s more about finding what you like. (This reminds me of the question we had about the religious implications of using make up.)

The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:

Tinted moisturizers and foundations may look and feel different, but ultimately they function the same way. In case you didn’t realize, the beauty industry often takes similar products and makes them sound very different. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as they’re honest about the products’ benefits. You’ll have to experiment with different products to cut through all this hype and and find the one that’s right for you.