Skin tints are having a moment this summer. Sitting somewhere between a foundation and a moisturiser, they boast the best features of both. Think subtle coverage, hydration and the ability to imbue your skin with a natural-looking glow. If you’re an R29 regular, you’ll know that we’re always on the hunt for a skin tint that is lightweight and breathable — especially during the warmer months when heavier products can feel uncomfortable, often causing breakouts and exacerbating shine. So when the new Beauty Pie Luminous Mineral Skin Tint (which retails for £40 but is discounted to £16.50 for members) started to take over our TikTok feeds, we knew we had to investigate.
We had high hopes for this Beauty Pie skin tint, for a number of reasons. Firstly, we’re long-established fans of the brand, especially its Youthbomb Collagen Peptide Cream and Radiance Concentrate Serum. We also spotted a handful of buzzy, promising ingredients such as hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening vitamin C and moisturising squalane — all important building blocks for glowy, healthy-looking skin. The tint comes with SPF 40 broad-spectrum protection, which guards the skin against UVA and UVB exposure. The launch has certainly ignited curiosity among beauty enthusiasts: Some popular shades are out of stock until 15th July.
As skin tint obsessives, our team of editors were keen to road test the product to gauge how it stacks up as a summer beauty essential. Read ahead to see how well it delivered on the “your skin, but better” promise.
Alicia Lansom, Associate Editor
Shades: Fair (Neutral Undertone) and Light (Yellow Undertone)
“It can be a nightmare navigating makeup shade ranges in the summer because your skin can change weekly based on how much sun exposure you’ve had. That’s why I opted to try this skin tint in two shades (Fair and Light) to find the best match. As a sunburn-prone person, I don’t trust makeup sunscreens as my sole coverage. I started my makeup routine with a regular SPF 50 base and then applied a mix of the Fair and Light shades on top. The consistency was super silky and felt nourishing on the skin from the first application.
“While I started off with a beauty sponge, I quickly switched to fingers as it felt like the balmy texture would work best smoothed out rather than patted in. The effect was very glowy and I felt like it was true ‘summer makeup’ in the hydrated finish it gave my skin. My only disappointment was that I was hoping for a bit more coverage, as it did little to cover two red spots around my chin. I applied powder on top of those areas and around my eyes and nose to stop it sliding off throughout the day, which worked pretty well. Adding a liquid blush to the cheeks turned up the glow even more and gave a dewy look in the sunlight.”
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L’Oréal Blackett, Unbothered UK Editor
Shades: Medium/ Deep (Red Undertone) and Deep (Neutral Undertone)
“I’ve always supported the concept of a skin tint that contains SPF. The promise of low-maintenance makeup that leaves me looking fresh, glowy and protects me from sun damage is something I can get behind. But in my experience, they can be hit and miss for my skin tone and I often end up looking grey (SPF can be tricky as it is without having to find a shade to match). As a result, I tend to keep my foundations and my SPF separate.
“Regardless, I’ve kept hope alive for the perfect everyday skin tint and I am happy to confirm that Beauty Pie’s offering is a winner. The colour match and coverage are *chef’s kiss* and even out my complexion without being too heavy. I wasn’t sure how much to apply to ensure I had adequate sun protection so I was very liberal with it — and there’s absolutely no white cast. I have oily skin and it’s worth noting that this is definitely a product for those who like a dewy finish — my forehead shine is blinding!
“Still, I love the radiant result of this tint. I wasn’t sure there were enough shades for darker skin tones but on application the pigment is sheer enough to match the variations in deep skin tones. I have the Medium/Deep and Deep shades on hand for my varying summer and winter complexion. The true test for this product will be over an extended period of time but so far I am impressed.”
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Jacqueline Kilikita, Deputy Beauty Director
Shade: Light (Yellow Undertone)
“Where was this tinted sunscreen when I was putting them through their paces a few months ago? If I’d had it then, it would have earned the top spot for glow (the dewiness is unrivalled) and a personal colour match. I have light olive skin with a yellow undertone and everything either looks too orange or too pink on me. The shade Light is perfect. One quick squeeze was enough to cover my entire face; actually, I could’ve got away with using far less because the coverage is impressive. I’d say it’s on par with a handful of higher end skin tints, like Lisa Eldridge, Laura Mercier and Fenty.
I have skin staining left behind by acne and this tucked the redness away really well. I even opted to skip concealer on my under-eyes because I felt as though I didn’t really need it. As my skin tends to get quite oily throughout the day, I did set it with a dab of translucent powder to dial down the incredible gleam. Happily, I can confirm that it survived the London heatwave on the Central line (arguably the hottest of them all). I applied this with a brush but for the most natural effect, I’d use it like a moisturiser and blend it in with my fingers. What I would say is that it’s unlikely you’ll apply enough to get the recommended amount of SPF. Think of it as insurance for your skin and use it after a generous layer of dedicated sunscreen. I really like Beauty Pie Featherlight UVA/UVB SPF50 Sunscreen & Primer, which is £15 for members.”
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Kristine Romano, Associate Editor, Photo & Design
Shades: Light/Medium (Neutral Undertone) and Medium (Neutral Undertone)
“I love a skin tint — especially in the summer when I want my makeup to be as light as possible — and this one didn’t disappoint. I’ll admit: when I first swatched these shades on my face, neither looked like a perfect match. That said, by some kind of magic, both blended near seamlessly into my skin and adapted to my skin tone. I think Light/Medium is an ever so slightly better match for everyday but I can definitely see myself using Medium when I’m tanned or when I just want to look a touch more bronzed.
“As for the product, it applies with ease and a little bit goes a long way. It gives a very natural, luminous glow which, for my combination skin, meant I needed to set it with a powder to keep it looking glowy, not oily. While it did really well to even out my complexion and cover any redness, it is very natural-looking — to the point where I found it doesn’t look like I’m wearing much at all. And though I personally love that, I think I’ll pair it with a concealer on days when I want better coverage.”
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Venus Wong, Senior Writer
Shade: Light/Medium (Neutral Undertone)
“I don’t like wearing foundation and often skip it entirely in the summer months. I just need a little bit of something to even out my skin tone without my makeup looking cakey, and Beauty Pie’s new skin tint is just the ticket. I really like the serum-like texture. The formula spreads out easily with just the tip of my fingers without any pilling, unlike some tinted moisturisers I’ve used in the past. It has the perfect amount of buildable coverage for me; just a thin layer camouflaged old blemish scars and bits of discolouration on my face.
“I will say that it’s not the easiest product to determine the perfect shade match: Each shade comes with just one undertone, which makes the range feel incomplete (for example, there is only one Medium/Deep and it’s for people with red undertones; no neutral or cool-tone options). The brand does claim the shades are ‘stretchable’ and that was true in my case. The Light/Medium shade adapted well to my cool undertones, even though it was branded as a neutral.
“The product carries the word ‘luminous’ in the name and that’s exactly how I would describe the results. My skin looked hydrated and extra supple due to the combination of hyaluronic acid (which draws moisture from the environment and into the skin) and squalane (which forms a protective barrier over the skin). A few friends I saw over the course of the week even commented on how glowy and happy my skin looked. It’s lightweight enough that I don’t feel like something is coating my skin yet the staying power is impressive: Only the tiniest amount of product rubs off on my hands whenever I accidentally touch my face. While it’s great that the product comes with SPF, it definitely feels more like a makeup product than a proper sunscreen. I still use my everyday sunscreen underneath (Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun) for that extra layer of shielding against UV rays.”
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Kelly Washington, Senior Social Editor
Shade: Light/Medium (Neutral Undertone)
“I’m a bit suspicious of skin tints with SPF, just because it sounds too good to be true. They sound ideal for hot, balmy days when you want your skin to breathe but you also want protection and light coverage. I’m a huge fan of the Heliocare 360° Foundation Coverage collection so I was keen to try Beauty Pie’s version.
“My first impressions were positive: The tint had great coverage and it spread evenly. I applied it with my fingers, as I would sunscreen (it feels strange to apply sunscreen with a brush IMO), and I was impressed. Although it did leave me a little shiny, it’s nothing a setting powder can’t fix.
“Aside from the shine, I love the finish and it stayed on all day during a heatwave. The tube is the perfect size to pop in your bag when you’re on the move, too. There was definitely some confusion about shade ranges, though, as I’m pretty sure most of our team picked the same shade. I give it a 7.5/10.”
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Humeara Mohamed, SEO Writer
Shades: Light/Medium (Neutral Undertone) and Medium (Neutral Undertone)
“I really, really wanted to love this. Generally, I’m a skin tint convert — nay, obsessive — opting for lightweight formulas over hefty ones, so long as they provide enough coverage to blur my acne scars. Unfortunately, this one didn’t make it into my makeup bag.
“First of all, I was so disappointed by the shade range, as there are only eight. Three of us were sat on the same table when these landed on our desks and we all reached for the Light/Medium shade, which is absolutely mad to me. I wondered how three women of different skin tones and races could all use the same shade. Sadly, I found every colour skewed a little too yellow or orange for me.
“Shades aside, the product is deliciously lightweight and works great as an added layer of sun defence. It also makes a great primer but would I use this alone? Probably not. I needed a good dose of concealer to get the coverage to my desired level. I didn’t feel like this really blurred or covered anything like I was hoping it would. It’s also worth noting that this formula is super dewy and hydrating. It makes your skin look healthy and alive, though I did find myself reaching for a powder afterwards.”
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