I have dry skin, and this is the only tinted moisturizer I wear all winter

January 30, 2020 at 06:45PM by CWC

As a beauty editor, I hate to play favorites with my products. Usually, as soon as I fall head-over-heels in love with “the one,” something newer and better comes onto the market and swiftly replaces it in my routine. But two years ago, I found the best tinted moisturizer for dry skin that I’ve ever used, and it’s been a mainstay in my winter regimen ever since.

Beauty Counter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer ($45) is, in my opinion, a perfect product. It offers sheer coverage that will even out your skin tone without making it look cake-y or packed on, giving skin a natural yet luminous finish. It’s packed with vitamin C, which offers brightening benefits beneath the surface, plus sodium hyaluronate (a sister ingredient of hyaluronic acid, a moisturizing superstar) to promote firmer, smoother skin. And what’s better, it also offers SPF 20 (though you should still be putting another layer of sunscreen on underneath, since dermatologists recommend wearing at least an SPF 30 every day). The product has earned itself 4.6 out of five stars out of more than 2,000 reviews on the brand’s website, and I completely agree with that raving assessment.

Since I have such dry skin, my biggest pet peeve is when a foundation makes my skin feel even drier, but this tinted moisturizer does exactly the opposite. No matter how freezing it is outside, my skin never pills or flakes with this baby on… even in instances like today when it’s 22 degrees. I don’t love the look or feel of a heavy foundation, so this product toes the line of being light enough to feel like you’re wearing nothing (so, your skin looks like skin), but with a texture that’s thick enough that it won’t droop down your face. The shade range does, admittedly, leave something to be desired, with just five options that range from “very fair” to “deep.” Depending on the season, I wear a No. 3, a No. 4, or some combination of the two.

After two years of wearing this product, I’ve managed to get its application down pat. I prime my skin with my moisturizer du jour (currently, it’s Sobel Skin RX Bio Hyaluronic Moisturizing Cream, $75, which my pores slurp up), then put two pumps of Beautycounter on the back of my hand to let it warm up, since foundation that’s closer to your skin temperature is easier to blend. I dab one spot each on my forehead, chin, and both cheeks, then blend with a damp Beautyblender ($20). And the label isn’t lying: “Dew skin” really is the final result… all winter long.

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More of a full-coverage person? These are the best hydrating foundations on the market. And to give your thirsty skin a little extra love, derms say to look for these 3 dry skin-fighting ingredients in your moisturizer. 

Author Zoe Weiner | Well and Good
Selected by CWC