You will know by now that my preference is for lighter-coverage makeup bases, especially come spring. But I do understand that for oilier skins, these often come with more shine than is desirable, more glimmer than is flattering.
What is glowy for a husk like me can look plain old greasy on those with a more natural gleam. But one can still have a light, natural and hydrating skin tint with a more matte finish and feel, and there are some new ones I think you’ll like.
Lisa Eldridge’s Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint, £37, is fantastic. It’s suitable for all skin types (I have been wearing it for the past month), but its non-glittery, soft matte finish will be most welcome on combination skins. The colour match, on me, is exceptional (I wear T6, a neutral beige), because it’s one of the few sheer tints that doesn’t automatically lean yellow in undertone.
The cleverest bit is the texture. It’s light, very fluid and consequently never stifling on oily, active, perspiring or menopausal skin, but doesn’t become weighty if you add extra drops to build up the coverage to something more opaque.
I often think brand founders instinctively prioritise their own skin concerns when developing products, and so I admire the combination-skinned founders of Kosas for cheerfully admitting as much at our meeting last year. Their new BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream, £36, is emphatically not for me for all the reasons my oily-skinned friend won’t be without it. Straight from the pump, it has a deceptively creamy texture that on application feels almost watery. It can be smooshed on quickly and with little care (what my mother called “red traffic light makeup”) and finishes semi-matte, with zero grease, pearlescence or glitter.
Both the Lisa Eldridge and Kosas products are new and selling fast, but it would be remiss of me to ignore an established skin tint with a large and devoted following among oilier skin types. Personally, I’ve never been able to use Bare Minerals’ Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser SPF30, £33, but I can easily see its appeal. This is a light, gel-cream moisturiser that gives oily and combination types the same sheer, effortless glow that I get from something richer. Neither shiny nor totally matte, it glides on to give a very convincing, healthy-looking tint that blurs out fine lines and minor discoloration. This is an oldie but a goodie that’s still worthy of your attention.
