So Long, Cakey Makeup: This Product Is Sunscreen, Foundation, and Skincare In One

They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, and for me, that’s low-maintenance skin. I was lucky enough to sidestep the teenage acne so many people struggle with, and I never had any real issues. That is, until I moved to New York City two years ago, and my skin promptly had a meltdown. 

You can probably thank my trusty (and three years expired) tinted sunscreen, the famously glorious NYC air quality, and whatever was in the water in my first basement apartment. But in any case, my skin these days needs much more coddling than it did when I was a teen. It’s insanely sensitive, I’m suddenly allergic to fragrances, and I can’t seem to fully escape the breakouts that beset me during My Time In The Basement™. When I started looking for foundations that would help even out my newly acne-scarred skin, I continued to run into issues. 

Some foundations caused raised rashes that took days to fade away. Others were accompanied by a breakout after one day of use. Still, others covered up the freckles that have been a defining feature of mine since childhood. I struggled to get my shade exactly right and I hated the way everything looked and felt on my skin. Then I found ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint.

The Basics

ILIA sits squarely between the realms of cosmetics and skincare and uses both natural and synthetic ingredients to create products that are safe, gentle, and highly effective in nourishing and protecting your skin. They’re meant to help your skin look its best, whether you’re actively wearing ILIA products or going bare-faced. 

The brand’s Skin Tint has long been a standout, due to its versatility for people of different skin types. Those with sensitive skin like that it’s fragrance-free, non-pore-clogging, and includes non-irritating mineral SPF 40. It works for those with dry skin because it contains hyaluronic acid and squalane that hydrate the skin and seal in moisture. And it’s great for those with aging skin for all the reasons above, as well as its dewy finish. Further, it’s been shown to actually help improve your skin’s appearance over time, from fine lines and wrinkles to blemishes and uneven skin tone.

I certainly fall into category 1 (sensitive skin) and occasionally into category 2 (dry skin) as well as unlisted category 4 (bad about wearing sunscreen — I know, I know, 45-year-old me will curse my name) so I decided to give it a try. 

Finding Your Shade

The Skin Tint comes in 30 colors, and ILIA’s site gives customers two shade-matching options right on the product page: You can either take a quiz in which you select the photograph that looks closest to your own skin color or send the ILIA team up to five photos of yourself and they’ll tell you your shade within one business day. I opted for the team to match me because I’m extremely indecisive.

My ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint Review

As the name suggests, this is a liquid product, and it’s not exactly a foundation, but rather a sheer product that enhances your skin, rather than hiding it. It’s lightweight and buildable, so you can control how much coverage you get. I apply about 6-8 drops to my cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead, which for me is the right amount. The tint blends seamlessly into my face for a super smooth finish that looks, well, like skin. The product doesn’t entirely hide flaws like discoloration or broken skin, but it helps soften them, and I love that it doesn’t erase my freckles. 

I also really like the way it feels on my face. It’s not heavy on my skin, and instead feels like a layer of moisture that’s protecting and actively calming throughout the day. It stays in place under blush like ILIA’s Multi-Stick, and while it comes off easily when I wash my face, it doesn’t do so in daily life. When I rubbed a pillowcase against different areas of my face, only a trace amount came away, and I’ve worn it out in the rain for a solid 40 minutes without any running. It doesn’t settle into the smile lines around my mouth and eyes either — granted, they’re 25-year-old lines, but I was impressed nonetheless.

Some reviews on the product page mention the earthy, organic smell of the skin tint, which dissipates after application and seems to get less strong with continued use. To me, it signals that there are no added fragrances, which I personally love since I’m so sensitive to them these days. I’ll sometimes dust a little setting powder (like ILIA’s Soft Focus Finishing Powder) across my forehead, but otherwise, I love the Tint’s dewiness, which would be really nice for those with dry or mature skin. 

This is a product I love and wear almost every day. Considering the positive effects it’s had on my skin, and how long it lasts, I think the $48 price point is entirely worth it. This is a product I see myself buying again and again.

The Best ILIA Products