Tinted moisturisers are a mainstay in many morning makeup and skincare routines, offering a simplified way to approach your makeup base (or forgo one at all). We're always eager to deploy products into our routine that can combine several of our daily skincare and makeup steps into one (whether it be colour correction, an extra dose of SPF, primer or foundation). Tinted moisturisers can come in all shapes and sizes, offering promises of a no-fuss, your-skin-but-better complexion. But while the range and diversity of choice excites us, it can also feel overwhelming. Where on earth do we start? What even is a BB Cream? And how is it different from a CC cream? It's enough to make us want to avoid the category altogether, better to not risk our money and skin health on something we don't yet understand.

But we're here to help you take the stress out of making the right choice for your skin. Whether you have a sensitive, dry or oily complexion. Whether your spend limit is big or small. No matter if you're prioritising broad-spectrum protection or a perfectly glowy complexion – we've got you covered, and have rounded up our favourite tinted moisturisers and skin tints for every category, concern and budget. Take a look below at our picks of the best products on the market right now. You can thank us later.

 

Best for: Sensitive skin

Irritants in makeup products can be hard to avoid, but if you have sensitive skin, we know that finding something that works for you is at the top of your priority list. Our favourite tinted moisturisers that forgo the nasties are MECCA COSMETICA In A Good Light Face Tint with SPF 30, CHANTECAILLE Just Skin and MILK MAKEUP Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30. These products will sooth and nourish your sensitive skin, while giving you that extra bit of coverage for your day-to-day.

Best for: Oily or acne-prone skin

Oily skin and foundation can find it hard to be friends. It's only natural that we end up opting for lighter, skincare-adjacent tinted moisturisers over the heavy foundation, in order to let our skin breath throughout the day (and to avoid those nasty breakouts). Some of our favourite oily-skin friendly tinted moisturisers are LAURA MERCIER Tinted Moisturiser Natural Skin Perfector, BAREMINERALS Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 and CLINIQUE Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator. All three offer gentle hydration for stripped-back skin, with bareMinerals and Clinique offering the added bonus of an SPF.

Best for: Redness

Colour correction and calming treatments coalesce in the form of ERBORIAN CC Red Correct, MEDIK8 Calmwise Colour Correct and DR. JART+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment. These products offer the function of covering and correcting redness and rosacea on the skin, while also working to soothe and relieve inflammation throughout the day.

 

Best for: Dry skin

As we head into the winter months it's important that we place focus in our skincare and makeup routines on hydrating and nourishing our skin barrier. Our go-to tinted moisturisers this winter are: SAIE Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser, CHANEL Super Active Complete Correction CC Cream and BY TERRY Moisturising CC Cream. Each act as a salve for dehydrated skin, while also offering subtle colour correction.

Best for: Glowy finish

If you're looking for that perfectly dewy 'glazed donut' finish from your tinted moisturiser, our picks are KOSAS Tinted Face Oil, NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser and WESTMAN ATELIER Vital Skincare Complexion Drops. Kosas and Westman Atelier offer a lightweight, radiant finish that will give you a your your-skin-but-better feel, while Nars offers a glowy solution with a little more coverage.

Best for: Sun protection

While it's tempting to put sun protection on the back burner during the colder months, it's important to remember that harmful UVA and UVB rays are just as prevalent and require an SPF during the winter months – especially in Australia. If you're looking for an extra boost of SPF in your skincare, look to ULTRA VIOLETTE Dream Screen Tinted Veil SPF50, SUPERGOOP! CC Screen SPF 50 and RATIONALE The Tinted Serum SPF50+.

Best for: When you're on a budget

We know that buying an expensive skin care product isn't always within budget, and if you're looking for an option that doesn't require a splurge, our picks are MAYBELLINE New York Dream BB Fresh Cream, NEUTROGENA Radiant Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 30 and L'OREAL Paris Skin Paradise Tinted Water Cream. Each offer a hydrating formula and radiant finish, without asking you to break the bank.