Supergoop's new SPF skin tint is here — and we tried it

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While I love playing with makeup, most days I choose to go bare-faced (with the exception of sunscreen, of course) due to time constraints (and dirty makeup brushes, to be perfectly honest). Recently, however, my skin has developed rosacea and thus, a slightly bumpy texture, enlarged pores and redness that ranges from a minimally flushed hue to full-on fire engine red depending on how I’ve treated my skin that week.

My rosacea has become a gateway to applying a liquid or powder foundation daily, specifically on flared-up areas like the center of my face and around my nose. But, with my temperamental skin, I find myself missing the times where I don’t have to deal with all the quirks that come along with foundation (like blending it, setting it and living with the heavy, caked-on feeling of it throughout the day). Thankfully, all of my problems were answered when Supergoop sent me their newest sunscreen formula: the Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50.

Below, I’ll share my experience using the product, including its ingredients, who it’s best for and how to apply.

SKIP AHEAD How I tried Supergoop’s SPF tint | My experience with the Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50 | Who is Supergoop’s SPF tint best for?

What is Supergoop’s Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50?

Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50

Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50

Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50 $ at Sephora

The Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50 is a fragrance-free, $44 skin tint with sun protection and buildable coverage. It’s available in 14 shades and three undertone categories including neutral, cool and warm. The formula is a chemical-mineral hybrid that simultaneously absorbs and reflects the sun’s rays. When it comes to application, it has the blendability of a chemical sunscreen, but with the gentle properties of a mineral sunscreen.

In the short-term, since it’s tinted, it works to even out complexions, but it also improves skin health overtime by offering SPF 50 to preclude sun-related damage and skin cancer. Aside from sunscreen, this skin tint also has ectoin in its formula. (Ectoin is a naturally occurring amino acid that binds to water, stabilizes the skin’s moisture barrier and minimizes transdermal water loss, says Dr. Michele Green, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist.)

It also has hyaluronic acid, a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin, as well as bentonite clay, which Green says can help “absorb excess oil from the skin’s surface.” The bentonite clay can also help calm inflamed acne breakouts, making it great for those with acne- or oily-prone skin types.

How I tried the Supergoop SPF tint

The brand sent me two shades of the skin tint  to test ahead of the launch: 24N and 22W. I prefer the  22W since I have a medium, olive complexion and it matched me well. During the summer when I’m a bit darker, I’ll opt for one shade darker.

I’ve been wearing it daily in different scenarios and conditions: on its own, layered underneath cream makeup products, with just a setting powder, with just a setting spray, for a full day, for a half day and so on. Sunscreens can be finicky especially when worn with other products — they can cause pilling, a white cast and dryness — so I was determined to see how it fared under a slew of circumstances.

For background, my skin is insanely dry, moreso recently because I’m on a twice-a-week tretinoin routine. Even when I’m not using retinoids I’m prone to dry patches on my chin, the occasional hormonal breakout and the aforementioned rosacea that’s been the bane of my existence for the last several months. Despite my job as a beauty writer, my skin is sensitive (read: it doesn’t like trying new products), so I know I’ve landed on a good formula if I don’t end up with angry, irritated skin. I prefer my complexion products to have a glowy, slightly dewy finish to offset said dryness, but I loathe that sticky, tacky finish most foundations and skin tints leave behind. You could call me picky when it comes to sunscreen.

Still, I’m extremely consistent with my sunscreen routine; not a day goes by where I don’t protect my skin, even if I plan on staying indoors. I switch off between chemical and mineral sunscreens depending on the day, and the majority of the formulas that make it into my everyday rotation happen to be from Supergoop (namely, the Daily Dose Bioretinol + Mineral SPF 40 and the Glowscreen SPF 40), so I’m familiar with their formulas and ingredients.

My experience with the Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50

There are so many things I love about Supergoop’s new SPF tint, beginning with its compact packaging — at three inches by two inches, the bottle itself is quite small making it easy to throw into a travel makeup case, gym bag or glove compartment for on-the-go application (and re-application) throughout the day. I like that the cap turns and clicks into place — I was confident knowing I could tote it around without the risk of spillage.

I also found the application of the skin tint to be a breeze. After squeezing a small amount onto my fingers, I alternated between using feathering and pressing motions and always blending outward from the center of my face, where my rosacea is at its worst. The formula never clung onto any dry patches or left behind streaks — a tough feat considering there’s a mineral component to it. I never felt the need to reach for a brush or a beauty sponge during application, which is impressive as I typically have trouble using my fingers for application. Coverage-wise, three layers seems to be the magic number for me and my skin — any less and my rosacea still peeks through. Despite having three layers on, the skin tint feels incredibly lightweight, as if I’m wearing nothing at all.

Protec(tint) looks beautiful, natural and glowy on its own, so much so that I had to convince non-believers that I do, in fact, have severely parched skin. I also tried layering the formula with my go-to cream products (right now that’s the Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer as a bronzer and the Tarte Blush Tape Liquid Blush as a liquid blush). I didn’t experience any pilling or lifting when using the formula in tandem with my other products — in fact, my complexion almost appeared filtered. Speaking of which, I like that it doesn’t emphasize my pores and that I didn’t have to put on a pore-minimizing primer underneath, like I’ve done with other sunscreens in the past.

Unlike the packaging on some of the other Supergoop products (like the Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and Glowscreen SPF 40), the plastic on Protec(tint) is made of a thicker material, so it requires a bit more of a vigorous squeeze to get the product out once you’re near the end. But, also unlike those aforementioned products, the tube is clear (rather than white), which means it’s less likely to stain or show fingerprints.

While the tint did a great job evening out my skin tone (rosacea and all) upon an initial application of three layers, I found that my redness began to peek through after about five hours of wear. In my experience, the coverage isn’t that long lasting — if you have combination or oily-prone skin, you’ll likely need to reapply it frequently. (The American Academy of Dermatology recommends re-applying sunscreen every two hours to stay protected outdoors.)

Who is Supergoop’s SPF tint best for?

All in all, I recommend the Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50 for those looking for a multitasking formula that provides coverage, sun protection and a natural-looking finish. It’s definitely suitable for dry skin types, like myself, thanks to its slightly dewy finish. The bentonite clay makes it so combination and oily skin types don’t have to worry about contributing to midday grease; in my experience, you just cannot expect full coverage all day with it.

When it comes to pricing, the Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50 costs $44 for 1.18 fluid ounces and is costlier compared to other more affordable formulas on the market like the Cerave Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen ($18) or the Tower 28 Beauty SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation ($28). If you happen to be looking for a skin tint-sunscreen hybrid that has more of a liquid-y consistency with barely-there coverage, consider the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Michele Green is a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist.

Why trust NBC Select?

Michelle Rostamian has more than 10 years of experience covering beauty and skin care topics. For this story, Rostamian tried two shades of the Supergoop Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF 50, and considered the  ingredients, finish and what skin types it would be best for.

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