The Lightest Shade: Tinted Moisturizers and B.B. Creams For Very Fair Skin
Summer is the season to wear lighter makeup that doesn't cake up in those hot temperatures. Full coverage foundations do not fair well when it is above 70 degrees, and it certainly isn't attractive or comfortable to walk around with foundation dripping off of your face, but luckily the makeup world has blessed us with tinted moisturizers and B.B creams to get through the heat.
Now as someone with dry skin, I appreciate these kinds of products all year long, but the one issue that I find with them is that typically brands put out very limited shade ranges in these lighter face bases, which makes it hard to get a color that matches my pale complexion. And if you are like me and are as pale as a piece of white paper, you understand this struggle, but struggle no more! I have found some products that work for us missing melanin. Though while some are better than others shade-wise, with a little bronzer and blush, you can definitely make most of these work.
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Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain
SPF 20, 1.7 oz
Probably the most well-known and most popular tinted moisturizer on the internet: Laura Mercier. Of course I was excited to try this stuff out because if the internet raves about something, it must be good, right? Maybe, not always, but the internet was certainly on to something with this one. On those days when I do not want wear a ton of makeup or when I am trying to heal my face after a bad breakout or a dryness overload, I turn to this guy. It hydrates my skin and feels wonderful on my face all day long. In terms of coverage, it is more of a sheer to light, and I usually have to go in with concealer afterwards to cover up any problem areas.
Now while it feels lightweight and great on my face all day long, it doesn't necessarily stay looking perfect all day. I find that it breaks up in my t-zone pretty badly, but since I typically wear this stuff on days when I am not going out, that isn't a deal breaker for me. On another sad note, I need to use a mixer with this moisturizer because it just isn't light enough for my skin tone, however once I use a drop of a white mixer (I use LA Girl's ) then it fits me well. I just wish brands would realize that porcelain is supposed to be white, so if they are going to name products that, they should be much more pale than they are.
Boscia BB Cream in Light
SPF 27, 1.75 oz
If you have been following along with my blog, you probably could have guessed that this would be popping up here. This tinted moisturizer is an all time favorite of mine and one that I never want to let go of, but sadly I can't find it on Sephora's website anymore. However, if you are looking for a medium to almost full coverage BB cream- yes, BB cream - then I suggest you get to scoping the internet to find it.
This cream gives me more coverage than some of my foundations and I feel better about using it on my face. It has a nice natural almost matte finish, and it lasts on me for a really long time before it starts to break up. I do have to mention though that since it is a fuller coverage BB Cream, it does feel a bit heavier on the face, but that isn't something I mind so much since it just feels like a heavy moisturizer, so like a comfortable heavy (if that is even a thing). The only real issue I have with it is how it blends. It is color adapting so it adjusts to you skin tone as you rub it in, and the only way I can get it to blend out is to use my fingers and it ends up taking a bit longer to get everything evenly blended and looking like my skin tone. The cream looks dark before applied, but I promise it can adjust to even the lightest of complexions.
Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer in Fair
SPF 30, 1 oz
OK, so before I get anyone wondering why I have a primer on here, just let me say that the name is a bit deceiving. This BB cream can be used as both a primer and a regular BB cream, and I have to say, it gives a decent amount of coverage for something that can work as a primer. I find that if I use this as a primer, I can use a lighter coverage foundation and achieve a flawless looking face. And I feel better about laying products on my face when I now the primer base is actually good for my skin.
In general, of all of the products I am mentioning, I think this one has the most benefits. Not only can it be used in more than one way, but it also blurs and smooths pores, brightens my face, hydrates my skin, and actually makes my makeup last all day long. I honestly don't know why people don't talk about this more because I think that it is amazing. And, if I haven't sold you on it yet, I find that my face texture and appearance gets better over time when I use this everyday. Also, the shade fair is absolutely perfect for fair skinned people, and it is the lightest BB cream I have so it is by far my favorite. Highly, highly recommend!
Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer in Ivory
SPF 2o, 1.7 oz
We have finally made it to the last tinted moisturizer/BB cream/whatever you want to call it, and unfortunately it is my least favorite. I actually dislike it so much that I just threw it out. Sorry Tarte, I love you, but this product was a pass for me. For starters, this is not pale friendly, but that is not to say that color is what makes me dislike it so much because if a product itself is good I will make it work, but this one is not worth any extra effort.
Heavy, cakey, goopy...if those adjectives don't turn you off to a face product then I don't know what will. This stuff is thick, yet somehow it provides very light coverage. I feel it sitting on my face all day long - if I for some reason leave it on for more than a few hours - and it looks cakey no matter what I do. It also barely hydrates my skin and in turn breaks me out. I don't know exactly why it breaks me out, but I always have a new breakout or two the day after using it, which was the final straw for me. I do no recommend this one at all, especially if you are fair or even more fair than I am.
So those are all of the tinted moisturizers in my makeup collection. What are some of your thoughts, or what other BB creams have you tried that you enjoy? Let me know in the comments section down below!