The 11 Best Tinted Sunscreens

This Peter Thomas Roth sunscreen and skin tint hybrid blends seamlessly with the skin. It’s perfect for hot summer days when breathable and lightweight products are all you can handle. Its universal shade blends beautifully against olive skin tones while neutralizing rosacea-prone cheeks. It’s great for those with dry skin, since it includes a 30% hyaluronic acid complex and ceramides. With an SPF of 45, this tinted sunscreen is the next-gen tinted iteration of the brand’s coveted Water Drench SPF 45 original. pointed out titanium dioxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide as the mineral-based ingredients that a tinted sunscreen will usually feature. Formulated with titanium dioxide and iron oxide, it makes for the perfect no-makeup, makeup base. “These ingredients protect from not just UV light, but also from visible and infrared light that can still cause aging and photodamage,” says Omer Ibrahim, MD, FAAD.

Dr. Ibrahim recommends folks with melasma concerns or rosacea reach for tinted sunscreens, since “melasma is a condition that is exacerbated by sun, heat, and visible slash blue light” and “tinted sunscreens with their ingredients defend against all these factors.” MDSolarSciences Mineral Tinted Crème with SPF 30 was specifically formulated to cater to sensitive skin, eczema-, and rosacea-prone skin, as well as melasma-prone skin, employing a primitive solar defense cocktail of micronized zinc oxide and pomegranate extract. This tinted sunscreen has a velvet finish that isn’t greasy or thick, leaving a warm tint that the skin will absorb rather quickly.  If you’re looking to swap your foundation for a tinted sunscreen that will give the skin soft matte focus, then this is the one for you. 

Celebrated by makeup artists for its superior cosmetic performance, this tinted sunscreen by Supergoop! is a hybrid chemical and mineral sunscreen formula that won’t crease into the natural crevices of the face and can help keep excess oiliness at bay. Ectoin and zinc oxide to protect the skin barrier from blue light and environmental stressors. Once your skin absorbs this formula, natural coverage is accompanied by a dewy finish.

This broad-spectrum tinted sunscreen only comes in four medium-coverage shades, but because of the encapsulated iron-oxide color pigments that star in this formula, each shade has the ability to neutralize into your individualistic skin tone and warmth or coolness. Plus, along with iron oxide (an ingredient that Dr. Ibrahim says is one of the best protectants against melasma)  and its water-resistant nature, silver ear mushroom extract serves as a moisture-retaining source and a defense against premature skin aging.

To soothe easily irritated skin and acne-prone skin types, the EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 is a dermatologist’s top pick. This tinted sunscreen calms blemishes and inflamed skin without exacerbating the appearance of pre-existing blemishes. Its inclusion of micronized zinc oxide protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays, but what sets this tinted sunscreen apart, is the fact that it targets skin discoloration and treats existing blemishes with 5% niacinamide; the Vitamin B3 hyperpigmentation holygrail.

Nothing quite beats the discovery of a rich tinted sunscreen formula that spreads evenly without much effort on your part. This tinted sunscreen is our blendable superhero that moisturizes, protects the skin from the sun, and omits our use of foundation simultaneously. It might be too dark for fair skin tones though, so if you have warm or deep skin, expect a golden tone that won’t budge or transfer for several hours and if you have fair skin, it might leave an orangey finish on the skin. The all-mineral formula is reef-safe and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, fueling the complexion with antioxidants, zinc oxide, and subtle cushiony coverage. 

Meet the product that made me a tinted sunscreen convert (and gave my skin a reflective glow all by itself). It’s never paid off to be lazy with skincare until now, because while its consistency features a barely-there tint that first might cause you to question its coverage capabilities, this tinted sunscreen and primer duo also delivers the properties of a hydrating serum set to plump and reduce the appearance of sunpots and pores. You’ll feel confident stepping out of the house and into the sun with this product alone because it really does set up the complexion for soft-focus success.

Suntegrity’s tinted sunscreen offering made the Environmental Working Group Organization’s 2022 Sunscreen Guide for Best Daily Use and Best Recreational Sunscreen roster for a reason. It uses non-nano zinc oxide and antioxidants such as pomegranate, cucumber, and green tea to protect the barrier from free radicals. This formula doesn’t pill, but soothes the skin and locks in natural and sheer BB-cream level coverage.

The CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen with a sheer tint and sun protection factor of 30 checks off the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide mineral filter ingredient pre-requisites and is also oil-free (ahem, acne-prone skin), and contains ceramides for a lusciously creamy application experience and fully moisturized finish. Sensitive skin types, this tinted sunscreen has the National Eczema Association seal of approval and will have the skin barrier looking its bronzed best without the risk of sudden breakouts.

You may have seen Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40 and its needle nose applicator tip all over your TikTok after Hailey Bieber popularized the product, and that was before the brand debuted the sunlit shade for warm skin tones this April. Whether you select the original peach-pink hue or the newly released soft golden shade, sun-protective coverage, and a glowing base backed by soothing allantoin and moisturizing peptides and ceramides are bound to set you up with cloud skin, all year round.

This ISDIN tinted sunscreen is meant to stop premature photoaging right in its tracks, support collagen production, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. With its thin textured tint that lasts for hours, this product is one of the reasons why tinted sunscreens rank superior, actively improving sun-inflicted skin concerns with a hint of makeup for coverage and extensive duality. The shade is versatile in tone and features a true matte finish too.