Combining skin care ingredients with a light, fluid foundation formula, tinted serums are the new face of makeup. How do they work? Who are they for and, most importantly, how do you find the right shade? Discover our practical guide to answer all your questions.
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Everything You Need To Know About Tinted Serums
Summary
- What Is a Tinted Serum?
- Who is It for?
- How To Apply It and Make It Part of Your Beauty Routine?
- Which Makeup Remover Should I Use To Remove It?
- Mistakes Not To Make
- Why Is It Better for the Skin Than a Classic Foundation?
- How To Find the Right Shade?
Published July 15, 2021,
updated on December 13, 2023,
by
Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
5 min read
What Is a Tinted Serum?
Halfway between skincare and makeup, the serum foundation is a hybrid formula that not only evens out the complexion by camouflaging imperfections and correcting irregularities, but also, and above all, reveals the natural radiance of the epidermis, all while offering the nourishing and moisturizing properties of a serum. With light but adjustable coverage, its finish perfectly envelops the skin without smothering it for a natural and luminous result.
Composed of 99% natural ingredients, the tinted serum is enriched with cosmetic active ingredients such as vitamin C for complexion radiance, olive squalane and aloe vera to moisturize the skin. In addition, this 2-in-1 product excludes perfume, nanoparticles and silicones that are often used in traditional foundations and that can promote the appearance of imperfections. Plus, its very fine texture and moisturizing formula won't clog pores.
Who is It for?
While complexion serums are easily adapted to all skin types, oily skin may sometimes find them too rich because of the moisturizing ingredients they contain. For the others, there are no restrictions. Best of all, at Typology, the different shades cover all skin tones, from light to dark!
How To Apply It and Make It Part of Your Beauty Routine?
Applying a tinted serum isn't complicated. You just need to know where it fits into your beauty routine.
What you need to understand is that even though its name can be confusing, it does not replace the use of a classic serum! It is not a substitute for a moisturizer either because its galenic is different.
To summarize, it is applied in the same way as a foundation or a BB-cream just after cleansing your skin and applying your serum and moisturizer. Simply take a few drops of tinted serum (depending on coverage preferences) and work the material from the inside of the face outwards, not forgetting the neck, either with your fingers, a brush or a Beauty Blender.
Which Makeup Remover Should I Use To Remove It?
Removing a tinted serum is pretty easy, just use a plant-based makeup remover oil. Remember to apply it in small circular motions so that you can clean the pores thoroughly. If your skin is not sensitive, you can also opt for a makeup remover balm or micellar water with reusable cotton discs, which are very effective for removing tinted serum.
Mistakes Not To Make
Because the formula of tinted serums acts in two steps, it sometimes happens that we are tempted to make some mistakes during the application. Here they are:
Not moisturizing the skin beforehand: Even though the serums are formulated with olive squalane and aloe vera, they can't substitute for a serum and moisturizer.
Not removing makeup: Whatever makeup product you use on your skin, you must remove it before going to sleep to allow your pores to breathe and your cells to renew themselves.
Don't wait for the formula to dry to see the final result: Upon application, the tinted serum may appear lighter or darker. In reality, it matches your skin tone once it dries.
Why Is It Better for the Skin Than a Classic Foundation?
The great thing about tinted serums is that they offer a two-step action. Enriched with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients similar to those in a serum, they first deliver their healing properties to nourish the hydrolipidic barrier and then, in a second step, perfect the complexion. Traditional foundations, on the other hand, don't have all the same properties: they simply serve to even out the complexion or cover imperfections, which is not ideal when you want to achieve radiance.
How To Find the Right Shade?
Choosing the right shade of foundation or tinted serum is never easy. Based on the FITZPATRICK phototype classification, which groups six different skin types according to skin tone and reaction to sun exposure, the serum line is available in six shades as follows
Type I : Very fair skin with freckles that never tan in the sun but with a systematic risk of sunburn.
Type II: Fair skin that reddens in the sun but sometimes acquires a light tan and frequently gets sunburned.
Type III: Fair to medium skin that sometimes reddens and gradually tans (light tanning).
Type IV: Matte skin that tans well (dark tan) with occasional sunburns during intense exposure.
Type V: Brown/mixed skin that tans easily (very dark tan) with rare sunburns.
Type VI: Black skin that darkens in the sun with very infrequent sunburns.
In addition, due to the light coverage of the product, the same shade can actually be adapted to different skin tones.
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