Our makeup pro's descriptions of our current favorites

As our go-to makeup pro, Melissa McMillan, explains on our Instagram, the products you can use on your face for coverage and extra “polish” go by a variety of names:
Tinted sunscreen
Tinted moisturizer
BB cream
CC cream
Foundation
Serum Foundation
We’ve found that these names aren’t necessarily indicative of the level of coverage they provide; while tinted sunscreen is generally the lightest-coverage option available, some tinted moisturizers we’ve seen provide more coverage than products that are called “foundation.”
This, obviously, makes choosing one a bit of a challenge. So, Melissa put together this helpful guide that will help get you closer to choosing the perfect product based on a) the level of coverage you want, and b) the undertone in your skin.

If you’re still not sure exactly which product to go with, you can always pop into our shop at 1825 Bush Street to try the different options on, or book an appointment (in-person or virtual) with Melissa herself; our Custom Sample Service can come in handy for those of you who live far away, too.

Melissa’s guide to foundations at Ayla

LIGHTEST COVERAGE: TINTED SPF

I’ve listed the options in order from the lightest possible coverage (Suntegrity’s 5-in-1, Dara’s favorite) to more, but still light coverage (Suntegrity’s Impeccable Skin).

Suntegrity 5-in-1 Tinted Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30
Suntegrity’s 5-in-1 is going to be the lightest possible coverage: think sunscreen with just a little hint of tint. It’s quite dewy in finish, so I wouldn’t recommend this one for oily or oily-combination skin types, but dry skinned folks tend to love the hydration and dewy glow. Because it’s just a hint of color, the shades aren’t as specific as Suntegrity's Impeccable Skin range, so this is what I recommend for folks who don’t want to wear makeup most days, but would appreciate just a touch of tint for that "bare-faced-but-better" look.

Colorscience Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50:
Colorscience is our lightest coverage option with the highest SPF by far, and a dewy finish. I love this one for dry skin types, and folks who want a “no-makeup-makeup” look with the most advanced SPF technology available. The science behind their sun protection is incredible, and this one is truly a tinted SPF as opposed to a foundation option. A lot of our customers make this their easy-breezy summer option, and shift into something that’s more of a true foundation the rest of the year.

Suntegrity Impeccable Skin SPF 30:
Suntegrity is going to be similar to Colorescience in that they both are lighter-coverage, high-SPF, and dewy-finish options. This is a light coverage, tinted sunscreen I love for drier skin types who want a dewy finish. It’s a barely-there makeup option with great SPF, and Suntegrity gets a little more specific with the shade options than Colorscience does. Impeccable Skin has more coverage than the 5-in-1, and a bit more than Colorscience Flex, but I’d still call it a “light coverage, non-buildable option” that’s perfect for a natural look.

BUILDABLE COVERAGE (FROM LIGHT/MEDIUM TO FULL COVERAGE)

Eye of Horus Second Skin Foundation
This is going to be our most dewy, light-to-medium coverage option for folks who want a true tinted moisturizer feel. Eye of Horus’s shades are warmer, so these are great for folks with warm undertones in their skin. I love to pair this foundation with their Triple C Concealer for a bit of highlight strategically placed on the face. This brand also makes my favorite brushes — check out our Instagram or Dara’s Substack for video tips of how to apply using them.

Orcé Come Closer Serum Foundation
I’ve worn Orcé myself for years and love it. Each shade is for folks with warm or olive undertones, so if you’re neutral or cool (pink) leaning, this isn’t the one for you — but for anyone with a warm undertone, it’s my favorite option. Coverage is buildable, so you don’t need concealer; just apply more where you’d like more coverage. And I would call it a satin finish: not matte, but not too dewy. It’s hydrating and great for your skin, even for the most sensitive skin types. Whether you’re acne prone or dry, this is a great pick as long as you’re warm-undertoned.

Macrene Actives High Performance Tinted Moisturizer
I’ve recently started wearing Macrene’s Tinted Moisturizer as well, and I really love it. I would also call this one a medium coverage, satin finish: not too dewy, but not matte, a perfect in-between.
Macrene also makes an amazing concealer to pair with this Tinted Moisturizer: I like to use a lighter color of concealer to highlight the eye area and top of cheekbones.
These shades are more neutral, with “lightest” being especially cool, so it’s the one I always reach for when I have someone in my chair with very fair, cool toned skin, and they always fall in love with it. This is another product that’s full of great skincare ingredients that will never clog or congest even the most acne prone skin types. It’s our priciest option, but once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s worth every penny.

Eye of Horus Ritual Skin Foundation Stick
This stick foundation is going to be our most matte option but will never cause dryness. It’s fast and convenient, and it’s another one with buildable coverage: you can just apply more where you want more coverage, and you won’t need a concealer.
The lightest color is cool-toned, so this is another great option for our friends who are very fair with pink/cool undertones who struggle to find an option that doesn’t look yellow or too warm. The rest of the shades are either neutral in undertone or on the warm side.

Manasi 7 Skin Enhancer
Manasi7’s Skin Enhancer is small and compact, making it ideal for travel, and a tiny bit goes a long way. This one is unique in that you’re going to buy two shades and mix them to match your skin tone on the back of your hand to get the right shade. This may sound intimidating, but do it once or twice and you’ve got it down.
This is going to be our most full-coverage option, and the finish is somewhere between dewy and satin. No concealer needed, as you can effortlessly apply a bit more buildable coverage wherever needed, and I always pair it with my holy grail, most beloved translucent powder of all time: Manasi7’s Silk Finish Powder.