17 Tinted Sunscreens That Look Amazing on Dark Skin
No matter the shade of your complexion, SPF is a must. And if you love a no-fuss routine that prioritizes skincare while offering complexion coverage, there’s no better way to achieve your “no makeup” makeup look than a tinted sunscreen. Even though we know that dark skin needs sun protection too, most cosmetics companies have yet to master the art of creating quality tinted sunscreen for dark skin.
If your skin is a deeper shade than an oat milk latte (heavy on the oat milk), chances are you’ve struggled to find a tinted SPF moisturizer that doesn’t leave your skin looking chalky and discolored. Lucky for you, the search is over. We’ve rounded up 17 of the best tinted sunscreens on the market so you can enjoy an effortless glow all year-round without sacrificing sun protection—or needing to deal with a ghostly white cast on your complexion.
1. Best Buildable Coverage:
LANCÔME Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation SPF 23
Whether you’re going for a no-makeup look or want to look baked to perfection, this buildable SPF foundation is the way to go. It’s also super lightweight and the oil-free formula contains hyaluronic acid and moringa seed so your skin feels hydrated but never greasy.
2. Best Water-Resistant:
UNSUN COSMETICS SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Sunscreen
This tinted sunscreen was formulated to cover a range of skin tones from olive to dark chocolate without leaving behind an unflattering chalky residue. It works great as a primer under makeup, but you can also wear it alone to minimize pores and moisturize your skin. Even better, this reef-safe formula is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
3. Best Dewy Finish:
MILK MAKEUP Sunshine Skin Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 30
There are so many reasons to rave about this weightless skin tint. To start, it’s a silicone-free, coral reef-safe SPF 30 with 14 sheer shades that actually look amazing on a wide range of skin tones. Plus, the pen-like, glass-rolling packaging delivers a mess-free application you’ll love.
4. Best Shade Range:
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
Finally, a skin tint that offers more than one shade for very deep skin tones! There’s something for almost everybody in this do-it-all mineral sunscreen. It’s formulated with plant-based squalane, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for the perfect blend of skincare and makeup. Pro tip: After you apply this formula, give it about one minute to adjust to its true color.
5. Best Perfecting:
LAURA MERCIER Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Protector SPF 30
Blur imperfections while maintaining a lightweight, natural look with this dewy skin tint. It has beautiful deep shades that are sheer enough to blend with a range of skin tones, and it's also full of hydrating macadamia and kukui seed for 24-hour hydration. It also contains the unsung hero glycerin to help soften fine lines.
6. Best for Sensitive Skin:
ABSOLUTE JOI Daily Hydrating Moisturizing Cream with SPF 40
This moisturizing, dermatologist-founded SPF 40 moisturizer is on our list because it was made with dark skin at the forefront—rather than an afterthought. It comes in shades Mocha and Café Au Lait, and the formula features sustainably produced squalane and hyaluronic acid to hydrate without irritating sensitive skin. Best of all, it leaves no white cast in sight.
7. Best Firming:
BEAUTYCOUNTER Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer
We can’t get enough of this tinted SPF 20 that delivers the instant glow-boost of sheer coverage paired with long-term results. Over time, it’s clinically proven to increase skin’s firmness and elasticity—plus it comes in beautiful, melanin-friendly deep and dark shades.
8. Best Hydrating:
BAREMINERALS Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
For those with dry skin seeking a hydrating solution, look no further. This lightweight gel-cream formula is proven to boost skin’s hydration by 215% in just one week with hyaluronic acid, so you’re blurring imperfections while also treating your skin. Plus, the sheer to light coverage comes in 20 flexible shades.
9. Best With Vitamin C:
NARS COSMETICS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
This tinted moisturizer will give you the best of both worlds: You get the instant gratification of buildable coverage while also smoothing your complexion over time with vitamin C. And don’t just take our word for it—this formula is clinically proven to even skin tone and brighten your complexion in just four weeks.
10. Best Multitasker:
HONEST BEAUTY CCC Clean Corrective with Vitamin C Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
This award-winning mineral sunscreen moisturizes, protects, and perfects skin in just one step. It features nine flexible shades that offer blue light protection, conceal blemishes, and are packed with vitamin C to even out skin tone over time. Your new fave? Pretty much.
11. Best Coverage:
IT COSMETICS CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
Bring on the sun protection! This complexion-perfecting CC cream protects you with SPF 50 while it works to color correct as a medium- to full-coverage foundation. It’s also infused with an anti-aging cocktail of collagen, peptides, vitamins, and antioxidants to help reduce wrinkles and scarring.
12. Best Long-Lasting:
SMASHBOX Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25
Unlike many tinted moisturizers, this SPF withstands the test of time with a hydrating, lightweight formula that lasts for up to 24 hours. It’s infused with a primer for comfortable, all-day wear, and it’s oil-free and sweat-resistant while still giving you a natural, dewy finish.
13. Best Splurge:
LA MER Radiant SkinTint Broad Spectrum SPF 30
If you like to spoil and pamper your skin with luxury skincare, reach for this lightweight formula. It delivers a sheer veil of color that instantly makes your skin appear brighter and healthier. Plus, it has lime tea concentrate to help fight against environmental aggressors. While we wish the deepest shade was darker, we do appreciate that it has a range of options for brown skin tones that make it a worthwhile option.
14. Best for Acne-Prone Skin:
MORPHE Glowstunner Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
Treating acne is best left to your dermatologists, but for those with acne-prone skin, this non-comedogenic tinted moisturizer is a safe choice. It has skin-perfecting ingredients like hyaluronic acid, AHAs, and antioxidants to improve your skin over time while instantly offering sheer, buildable coverage.
15. Best Matte:
TARTE COSMETICS BB Tinted Treatment Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
We know that not everybody is on the hunt for a dewy glow, so oily-skin Ipsters, this one’s for you. The medium, buildable coverage applies with a natural matte finish that minimizes the appearance of fine lines and pores. Bonus: This baby is vegan, non-comedogenic, and feels like air on your skin.
16. Best for Medium Skin Tones:
CHANTECAILLE Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
Now,this tinted moisturizer could admittedly have a much broader shade range, but if your skin tone lands in the medium-bronze range, you might enjoy this non-chemical SPF. It’s formulated with titanium dioxide and is rich in antioxidants to protect your skin.
17. Best Foundation:
BOBBI BROWN COSMETICS Long Wear Fluid Powder Foundation SPF 20
OK, if we’re really being honest, this is more of a foundation with SPF than a tinted sunscreen, but this liquid to powder formula has exactly what you’re looking for: sun protection and complexion coverage. It’s long-lasting and the matte formula is a savior to oily skin. Looking for more of the best foundations for dark skin? We’ve got you covered.
Ready to discover the best tinted sunscreens and even more beauty products? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get your first IPSY Glam Bag. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.
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