Now that majority of us are back in the office full-time (or if we’re lucky, an office/work from home hybrid arrangement), two necessary evils have re-entered into our lives: commuting and getting ready for the office. Forgoing the need to even brush our hair before the work day begins (hey, you’re home, no one’s judging) might have been freeing, but with the potential to bump into your superiors back in the office, it’s highly unlikely we’re going to rock up to the office without at least making ourselves look presentable and professional.
But if you’re the type to prioritise an extra hour of sleep over a 15-step makeup routine, don’t worry, you won’t need to sacrifice precious rest. All you’ll need are multi-tasking products that can do double the work in half the time. Our recommendation? To start using tinted moisturiser as your base makeup instead.
These add hydration and moisturisation while imparting sheer to medium coverage, which means that you can feel confident with an evened-out complexion without worrying about touching up on the go or makeup sliding off or looking patchy.
Here are some of our favourites.
This Rimmel skin tint is for those who want a pure vegan formula free from fragrance, mineral oils and animal-derived ingredients. It is also infused with antioxidant vitamins B5 and E and hydrating aloe vera.
Florence By Mills is a clean beauty brand by Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown. Her skin tint boasts a non-greasy texture made with a blend of meadowfoam seed oil and squalane to hydrate and jojoba oil to soothe and protect.
For those who need an extra boost of hydration, the Nabla tinted moisturiser employs hyaluronic acid microspheres to quench and plump parched skin.
Rare Beauty is another celebrity beauty label, this time by singer Selena Gomez. Built with SPF 20 coverage, the vitamin E-infused tinted moisturiser imparts a glowy, blurred complexion.
Saie’s tinted moisturiser is chocked full of nourishing skincare ingredients. Liquorice brightens, aloe vera protects with its antioxidant-rich properties while pansy flower extract soothes irritation. Finally, hyaluronic acid further hydrates while argan oil leaves a glass skin effect.
Part of Shiseido’s Synchro Skin line that boasts a technology that self-refreshes such that it always looks good, the tinted moisturiser also uses Activeforce tech to resist heat, humidity, sebum and motion.
A mineral and water-based formula made without any oils, the gel-like tinted moisturiser contains hyaluronic acid, olive extract and squalane to give long-lasting hydration and radiance.
The Smashbox tinted moisturiser is infused with a primer so you can save time by skipping a makeup step. Rose extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, goji berries, gold and peptides then bolster the glowy, vegan and oil-free coverage.
A well-loved classic from Laura Mercier, the tinted moisturiser gives a semi-matte, soft-effect look that blurs pores and fine lines. The oil-free hydrating formula also provides some sun protection while staying true to colour.
Made with titanium dioxide that shields you from sun damage with broad spectrum SPF15 coverage, the Chantecaille formula also contains antioxidant-rich thyme and butterfly bush extract that protects against pollution.
This article was originally published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.