Obviously we should be wearing face SPF year round, but once warm weather hits, the hustle to find a daily non-toxic face SPF gets REAL. So we’ve spent the past few months testing tinted face SPFs for you. In this post, we compare our 9 favorite non-toxic tinted face SPFs, and outline the pros and cons of each. We also include color swatches in video applications so you can get a clear idea of their pigmentation!

By: Lisa Fennessy and Nicolle Mackinnon

IN THIS POST:

• Things to note about our best tinted SPF for face picks
• How to choose what type of tinted SPF is right for you
• Things to keep in mind as you read our tinted moisturizer with SPF reviews
• A note about inclusivity in SPF shades/tints
• A note about SPF and sensitive skin
• Compared: 9 Non-Toxic Tinted Face Moisturizers with SPF
• TNK’s top picks for tinted face SPFs
• Common questions about nontoxic tinted SPF

There are so many great clean beauty tinted face SPFs available right now, including some new releases as of this year. We’ve got our hands on anything and everything we could find; we tested and retested; and we’re bringing you OUR TOP 9 PICKS, detailed out with pros and cons below.

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Things to note about our best tinted SPF for face picks

Not all tinted SPFs are created equal. In fact, they fall on a large spectrum that’s bookended with very tinted (doubling as a foundation) to not very tinted at all (basically instead of a white SPF, it’s a light tan SPF). And so much in between. 

In fact, we saw so much variation here, we’ve grouped them into three major categories and labeled each product as such to help you find the best tinted SPF for you. 

👉Tinted moisturizer with SPF: This is a product that performs primarily as a moisturizer, but also has the added benefit of being tinted and delivering SPF too. Most of the time you will not need to wear an additional moisturizer with it. 

👉Tinted SPF: This is a product that primarily functions as an SPF. This means you will layer it into your current skincare routine as an additional step. 

👉Foundation with SPF: This type of product primarily functions as a foundation—providing coverage for imperfections and working to even skin tone. This means you will layer it over your current skincare routine as an additional step. 

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How to choose what type of tinted SPF is right for you

Before choosing one that’s right for you, consider what you want out of your tinted face SPF:

• Do you want something you can layer seamlessly into your current skincare and makeup routine?
• Do you want something that will double as a foundation?
• Do you want maximum SPF?
• Something to swap for your moisturizer?

Deciding on this before you shop will help you really find a best-fit product. 

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Things to keep in mind as you read our tinted moisturizer with SPF reviews

• All of these are mineral sunscreen picks, meaning the active ingredient that blocks UVA and UVB is either zinc and / or titanium dioxide. We do not promote the use of chemical sunscreen barriers like oxybenzone, avobenzone and octinoxate…more here.

• This year we are also weighing in on how each of these formulas does with sensitive skin!

• It’s not unlikely for indie beauty brands to have variation from batch to batch. We’ve gotten fresh samples this year and are comparing them here. 

• All of these formulas say to reapply after 80 to 120 minutes. This is standard for sunscreen—and if you want to avoid a burn, follow that guidance. 

• Tinted SPFs can be tricky, IMO, because you sort of have to over apply in order to get good SPF coverage. So you run the risk of looking caked in moisturizer/foundation when you apply the amount you need to actually block harmful UVA/UVB rays.

• That being said, most of the tinted SPFs listed here are not good beach day or sport SPFs. All of these are everyday wear, meaning if you are going to be *face to the sun* on a boat or at the beach or out gardening all day long, you are going to need something stronger than what’s listed here.

• We narrowed down this study to TINTED face SPFs. Our review of non-tinted SPFs is here.

• Under each product, you will see an application video so you can get an idea of how each formula applies and see what it looks like going on.

• Confused on what to try first? Look for our “TNK TOP PICK” stamp to locate our faves.

RELATED: Looking for a non-SPF moisturizer? We’ve got you covered. Read our post on the best natural face moisturizers here and learn more about True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF here.

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A note about inclusivity in SPF shades/tints

Shade inclusivity is a true issue in tinted SPF. We even tried to encourage a well-known brand to create a line of tinted body SPFs, but they said there wasn’t a market for it (we disagree).

Since brands tend to cater to lighter skin colors, there are a couple brands we want to call out for creating tinted SPF shade ranges that are more inclusive. This means that they don’t just come in one tint or a small range of tints that do not fit a range of skin tones. Tinted SPFs from ILIA, Kosas and Saie are all standouts offering shades in a large (read: more than 10) range of colors. 

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A note about SPF and sensitive skin

I (Nicolle, TNK’s sensitive skin tester) went through a whole thing about ingredients and sensitive skin in our untinted SPF post, so I won’t repeat that. BUT I will say that my general rule about applying a thick moisturizer or balm before my tinted SPF is still a go-to trick. It’s not foolproof, but it does help discourage the potentially drying/irritating effects of zinc oxide.

For each of our tinted SPF picks, I’ve added my experience, but my sensitivity might not be the same as your sensitivity, so take my notes with a grain of salt (or sand, since this IS an SPF post). Which leads me to one more PSA: If you have reactive skin (or dry skin or any kind of skin concern), spend some time detoxing your routine AND slowly adding things back in to try and isolate what might be contributing to your specific issues. It takes work, but it’s WORTH IT.

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Compared: 9 Non-Toxic Tinted Face Moisturizers with SPF

kinfield Sunglow SPF 30 | $28 

🚫Fragrance Free, ✅Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted (Not that we found on their site)

CLASSIFICATION: Tinted SPF 

kinfield describes this formula as having a “rosey gold finish,” which might work on some skin tones but for me it’s a little too…red. This formula also contains mica, which adds a shimmer / glow. I go back and forth here because I can get a really pretty glow if I apply lightly, but with a light application, I don’t think I’m getting the SPF coverage I want—and then when I apply more it’s too red-toned for me, too much shimmer and it tends to pill.  

​​The bulk of the formula is emollients, emulsifiers, bulking agents, binding agents and viscosity controlling agents. Listed last (meaning these are added in in the smallest percentages) are a couple of B Team heroes like aloe vera, glycerin and sunflower extract. This is neither a pro nor a con—it’s simply prioritizing function and price over hero ingredients. 

I like this best applied over my moisturizer. 

What we like: 

• The price 
• No white cast
• Dries matte
• Not greasy
• A pretty glow
• Everyday SPF

What we didn’t: 

• Skews red/pink
• The shimmer
• Can pill if overworked or too much applied 
• Only comes in one shade
• Does not provide any additional coverage (NOT a foundation, which can be a pro or a con)

Good for sensitive skin? This is Nicolle’s THIRD pick for sensitive skin. She found the tint did a little evening of her skin tone, but the real test is that it didn’t cause a breakout, just some slight redness and irritation around her nose.

RELATED: Compared: 10 best natural face moisturizers with SPF.

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ILIA Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 | $48

✅Fragrance Free, 🚫Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted 

CLASSIFICATION: Foundation with SPF 

We’ve reviewed this formula in detail, but in a nutshell, this is a very dewy (some would say greasy) SPF that triples as skincare, foundation and SPF. 

We like that this is higher in coverage with SPF 40. Also love the skin-benefiting ingredients like squalane to balance skin, hyaluronic acid to help plump and hydrate and niacinamides to smooth—however we really struggle with the finish. If we apply enough to get full UV protection, our skin is super dewy. If we apply less, we’re left wondering if we’re protected. 

Also, one of the few brands who is making their tinted SPF available in several shades. THIRTY to be exact so you are bound to find a shade that is right-fit for you. 

What we like: 

• Comes in 30 shades 
• Provides foundation coverage
• SPF 40 and could potentially work for a beach day
• Delivers skin benefiting ingredients
• No white cast
• Is a 3-in-1

What we didn’t: 

• The finish 
• Hard to layer over skincare and under makeup

Good for sensitive skin? Nicolle took this with her to Florida, thinking she could get away with no moisturizer underneath it for multiple beach days. Oh how wrong she was. Yes, it provided great SPF coverage overall, but her skin was left dry, tight, itchy and flaky, with some bigger blemishes popping up after using it every day. Basically, it’s a lovely product, but it’s drying and can cause some itchiness.

RELATED: Do you need a hair SPF? YES. Here’s our top pick.

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ILIA Beauty C Beyond Triple Serum SPF 40 | $64

TNK TOP PICK: Best tinted SPF.

✅Fragrance Free, 🚫Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted

CLASSIFICATION: Tinted SPF 

Um, HELLO. You want a seamless tinted SPF experience? Let’s talk. The C Beyond Triple Serum SPF 40 hits so many right notes. First of all, this is an oil-based serum like their Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 but thinner and less…goopy.  

Comes in three shades (Tone 1, Tone 2 and Tone 3). This applies thin and translucent so each shade will cover a wide range of skin tones. Lisa wears this in Tone 2 and it’s a good match; Nicolle is Tone 1, but feels like Tone 2 could work too. This formula goes on translucent and does not provide any coverage.

What makes this special is, alongside SPF 40, it delivers encapsulated vitamin C (maintaining potency and stability), and niacinamide to help brighten skin instantly and overtime. ILIA says the vitamin C is added in at 10%, which is really good considering some formulas add their vitamin C in at 1% or even less and still call it a “vitamin C treatment.” 

And one last thing, this applies like a face oil so if you like face oils, you will love this. (And if you haven’t used a face oil, you will still love this, lol). That being said, you may or may not need your daily moisturizer. See what works best for you. 

What we like: 

• SPF 40
• Skin benefiting ingredients like…
• Encapsulated vitamin C
• Applies translucent 
• Disappears into skin
• Moisturizing 
• Dewy finish
• Does not dry out skin
• Easy to apply
• Comes in multiple shades
• Airtight packaging 
• No white cast
• Everyday SPF 
• Seamless experience 
• Leaves skin feeling soft 

What we didn’t: 

• For 1 oz., the price is a little steep (comparatively speaking) 
• Some people might not like the oil-like finish 
• Does not provide foundation coverage (which could be a pro or a con)
• Potentially can pill, depending on what you put on before it (ILIA gives some notes on how to prevent that in their FAQs here)

Good for sensitive skin? This is Nicolle’s SECOND pick for sensitive skin. It’s a great, dewy finish that doesn’t dry out her skin, doesn’t cause itchiness or redness and doesn’t contribute to blemishes. Win-win-win.

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Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream with SPF | $39

✅Fragrance Free, 🚫Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted

CLASSIFICATION: Foundation with SPF 

Substitute this for your light-coverage cc cream or foundation and call it a day. Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular CC Cream provides minimal to light coverage, SPF 30 and works to treat the signs of aging, all in one. 

This formula stands out because with the addition of stem cells (like apple fruit cell culture extract, grape fruit cell extract, and lemon leaf cell extract), antioxidants and vitamin C, it’s designed to reduce the appearance of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles. 

This has the consistency and texture of a foundation. Lisa is applying it here in the video in the shade Warm Glow, which works for her, but she thinks she could have gone a shade darker. Nicolle’s shade is Beach Glow, a good fit for her light, neutral skintone. 

Also, this formula is synthetic fragrance free but with the addition of mandarin oil and petitgrain oil, it does have an orange-y scent to it. Some people say it smells like Fruit Loops and we tend to agree.

What we like: 

• Provides minimal to light coverage
• Comes in 7 shades 
• Delivers skin supporting ingredients
• Lightweight
• Price / size 
• Accessibility (available in most Targets)
• Moisturizing
• Dries down matte
• Leaves skin feeling soft 
• No white cast
• Does not pill
• Everyday wear

What we didn’t: 

• We can’t wear this too close to our eyes or it stings
• Ranks low on Nicolle’s list of good-for-sensitive-skin 

Good for sensitive skin? Nicolle used this religiously when it first came out (like 10 years ago?!), and didn’t think anything of her reaction to it because she hadn’t figured out her personal sensitivities yet and was getting blemishes everywhere, all the time. Now that she’s wised up, this falls near the end of her list for tinted SPFs for sensitive skin. It’s drying on her, causes itchiness and redness and she can’t wait to take it off at the end of the day. 

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Suntegrity Impeccable Skin – Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | $55

✅Fragrance Free, ✅Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅ USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, ✅Third Party Vetted

CLASSIFICATION: Foundation with SPF 

Suntegrity is an OG when it comes to tinted SPFs. We chose their Impeccable Skin SPF 30 to include here as opposed to their original 5-in-1 formula. 

Impeccable Skin comes in 6 shades, but they skew very light with the darkest shade being very medium toned. Lisa matched up with the shade Tan, which is the second to darkest shade. Considering her Irish roots, this does not seem like a very inclusive range to us. Nicolle can use Buff or Sand, but the whole range is a little too warm for her neutral skintone. 

On that same note, Suntegrity says this formula delivers medium coverage, but it is definitely more light coverage than medium. We also wouldn’t call it buildable because even though you could technically get it to build, with only 6 shades, the chances of you getting a shade that matches your skin tone exactly are slim. So building an off color would just look…off. 

Love that Impeccable Skin Is formulated with vitamin C + E and peptides to help “reduce the signs of aging.” Easy to apply. Looks good. Feels good on skin. We prefer this layered over our moisturizer rather than as a swap for our moisturizer. 

What we like: 

• Comes in 6 shades 
• Provides light to light-medium coverage 
• Feels good on skin
• Delivers skin-benefiting ingredients
• Satin finish 
• Not greasy
• No white cast
• Does not pill
• Everyday wear
• Leaves skin feeling soft
• Oil free (can be a pro or a con)
• Comes in sample sizes 
• No smell 

What we didn’t: 

• Multiple shades that skew very light
• Leaves skin feeling tacky (could be a pro or a con)

Good for sensitive skin? Something about this is too heavy for Nicolle’s skin. It falls in the middle of her recs, with some redness, small blemishes and irritation popping up after she uses it.

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Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25 | $42

TNK TOP PICK: Best foundation with SPF.

✅Fragrance Free, ✅Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted

CLASSIFICATION: Foundation with SPF 

With great coverage, protection and efficacy, Kosas Reveal Skin-Improving Foundation hits all the tinted SPF foundation marks. 

This pumps out like a liquid foundation and is thicker in consistency than most of the formulas we tried. It’s also the only true foundation on this list. Love that it leaves skin looking healthy and fresh while drying down to a matte finish. Easy to blend and easy to build, you can layer this for more coverage where needed.

Apply skincare (including moisturizer) as usual and then layer this for the most seamless look. Lisa is wearing the shade Light Medium Neutral here but she could go a little darker. Nicolle tried three shades and both Light+ Neutral Warm and Light+ Cool worked for her. 

Also, love that this formula offers skin-benefiting ingredients via a blend of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, squalane, vitamin B5, arnica + caffeine to hydrate, brighten, soothe, plump + protect. This is the best foundation + SPF we’ve tried.  

What we like: 

• Comes in 28 shades 
• Behaves most like a foundation providing…
• Medium coverage that is… 
• Buildable
• Seamless experience 
• Skin supporting ingredients
• Not drying
• Lightweight
• Natural-looking
• Radiant finish without being shiny 
• No white cast
• Glass packaging
• Everyday SPF

What we didn’t: 

• Can collect on pores if skin is not hydrated enough 
• Choosing a shade can be challenging—enlist the help of Kosas to determine which one is right for you

Good for sensitive skin? This is also Nicolle’s top pick for foundation with SPF! It’s not as irritating as the ILIA version and with a good moisturizer underneath, it doesn’t cause irritation or itchiness. Nicolle still wouldn’t wear it every day, but it’s great for summer days.

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Saie Slip Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Tinted Moisturizer | $35

TNK TOP PICK: Best tinted moisturizer with SPF.

✅Fragrance Free, ✅Gluten Free, 🚫Vegan (Beeswax), ✅Cruelty Free, ✅ Reef Safe, 🚫 USA Made (Made in the US, Canada, and Italy.), ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫Third Party Vetted 

CLASSIFICATION: Moisturizer with SPF 

This is a tinted moisturizer, not a foundation. With that in mind, this formula has a moussy, creamy texture that goes on super smooth. It provides very light coverage (think CC cream, not foundation) and it looks super natural. Like you can’t even tell you have anything on but your skin is just…better, softer, more moisturized, protected. 

Lisa tried this in the shade FOUR and it was a good match. 

Love the addition of hyaluronic acid to hydrate, licorice root extract to brighten and pansy flower to fight free radicals. TOP PICK! This is the best all-around tinted SPF moisturizer we’ve tried. 

What we like: 

• Comes in 14 shades 
• Provides light coverage 
• Doubles as a moisturizer
• Delivers skin-benefiting ingredients
• Looks invisible / flawless on skin
• Lightweight
• Does not look cakey
• No white cast
• Non-drying
• SPF 35
• Everyday SPF 
• Airtight packaging 
• Leaves skin feeling soft
• Satin finish
• Price
• Accessible (available at Sephora) 

What we didn’t: 

• This formula separated a bit on us at first 

Good for sensitive skin? Nicolle didn’t try this one, as she’s allergic to beeswax (hi, sensitive skin!).

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Tulip Dew Sunscreen Serum SPF 50 | $65

✅Fragrance Free, 🚫Gluten Free , ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅ Reef Safe, ✅USA Made, ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, 🚫 Third Party Vetted 

CLASSIFICATION: Tinted SPF 

A serum + 50 SPF?! Okay, here’s the skinny. We got tripped up by the words “SPF Serum” and had high hopes that this would be more like a gel serum than a traditional SPF, but it’s not. It’s not a serum that disappears into your skin. It’s a lightweight liquid SPF. It goes on dewy, but then doublebacks, drying down matte with a really nice finish. 

Love that this offers SPF 50 (!!). This is NOT a swap for your moisturizer, so layer it over your typical skincare routine for major protection with very little, if any, disturbance to your regular routine. (Be sure to give it a min to dry down before applying makeup.) 

As far as skin-benefiting ingredients go, this formula features 28 Dutch plant & botanical extracts and is enriched with vitamin B3 (niacinamide), C, D & E, and squalane to improve uneven skin tone and texture. Plus it also has a very very fine (barely there) mica added for a subtle glow. 

What we like: 

• 50 SPF
• Fits practically seamlessly into our skincare / makeup routine
• Dries matte
• Is not drying
• Delivers skin benefiting ingredients
• For almost 2 oz., the price is pretty decent
• No white cast 
• Air-tight packaging
• Everyday SPF

What we didn’t like:

• Only comes in one shade
• Very lightly tinted—Lisa has olive skin and she can really see it before rubbing it in
• Does not provide any additional coverage (it’s NOT a foundation, which can be a pro or a con)

Good for sensitive skin? We can’t speak to this, as Nicolle didn’t try it. But we like the ingredient list for sensitive skin.

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LASPA Naturals SPF 20 Tinted Matte Sunscreen | $35

TNK TOP PICK: Best for sensitive skin.

✅Fragrance Free, ✅Gluten Free, ✅Vegan, ✅Cruelty Free, ✅Reef Safe, 🚫USA Made (made in Canada), ✅Mineral Based, ✅Broad Spectrum, ✅Third Party Vetted (Health Canada Approved (NPN))

CLASSIFICATION: Tinted moisturizer with SPF 

LASPA Naturals has several SPFs available. We put their Tinted Matte Sunscreen SPF 20 to the test. This comes in 5 shades. The packaging is a little misleading because it describes this formula as a “Fluid Matte Foundation,” but it’s not a foundation. This is for sure more of a tinted moisturizer. It wears very sheer to the point where Lisa had a different shade on each side of her face and couldn’t see the difference. 

Overall the LASPA experience was a little basic for us. As far as shades go, Lisa was in between shades so she got both Golden and Bronze. Golden was very yellow and Bronze was a peachy white. The texture fell flat, with a stiff setup coming out of the tube that was a little hard to get out. Nicolle got the lightest shade, Light, and found it provided basically no color at all—but that means no white-cast either!

A couple things we did like about this formula is the stripped down ingredient deck that values function over form. And we also like how this formula feels after it’s applied: moisturized and plump. Lastly for 1.7 fl oz, this is a pretty good price (comparatively speaking) too. 

What we like: 

• Comes in 5 shades 
• Feels good on skin
• No white cast
• Leaves skin looking radiant
• Price
• Nicolle’s top pick for sensitive skin

What we didn’t: 

• This separated a bit at first
• A little hard to get out of the tube 
• No major skin benefiting actives
• Does not provide coverage (NOT a foundation, which can be a pro or a con)
• Feels a little basic
• Got this product in May and it expires in October

Good for sensitive skin? Yeah, this is a little basic, but it was also the LEAST irritating to Nicolle’s sensitive skin. No redness, dryness, flakiness, blemishes or itchiness here. Still not sold on the shades, but it’s a great pick for a lighter skin tone (Nicolle is shade LIGHT), and sensitive skin.

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Additional non-toxic tinted face moisturizers with SPF that we considered for this list

• Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30: A tried and true fave. We ❤️ this formula for its ingredients and is the most organic formula we’ve found. We didn’t get a 2022 sample but if we do, we will detail it out above.
• Kinship Self Reflect Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 32: We got lots of questions about this SPF, but with the inclusion of phenoxyethanol, we skipped it.
• l💛ve Sun b☀️dy: This brand is currently reformulating, so we will try and add in later.
• Marie Veronique Everyday Coverage Tinted Sunscreen: This one is really finicky when it comes to application, and it only comes in three shades, so we chose not to include it.
• Supergoop: We got A LOT of requests to review some of the popular sunscreens from this line, but many of them contain chemical sun blockers, not mineral ones. And the mineral options from Supergoop don’t generally contain the skin-boosting ingredients that the ones we reviewed do. So, we skipped this line all together.
• Tower28: 10 shades, but uses phenoxyethanol, so we skipped this formula.
• UNSUN: With only two shades, we eliminated this one from testing.
• W3LL PEOPLE Bio Tint Moisturizer SPF: We’ve tried this a few times (with multiple reformulations) and never loved the consistency—it’s too thick and tacky for us.

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TNK’s top picks for tinted face SPFs

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Common questions about nontoxic tinted SPF

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RELATED: Quarterly Faves: Summer 2022

What are you using these days?

TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.