Super Serum Skin Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 40

I have oily/combo skin, but use this regularly. I actually apply this with a foundation brush, and only use about a dime size- nickel size max- and get a great medium coverage. If you have a lot of acne to cover, it may not be your friend, but the skincare in it is lovely. My skin feels so nice when I wear it, too! Shaking the bottle before applying is VERY important!!!

First got Balos ST3, was worried it would be too dark (I'm fair and quite pink, and usually one of the lightest shades in any given foundation) -- it's actually TOO light! But I loved the finish and I hate returning makeup knowing it'll likely be thrown away, so I overcorrected and went all the way up to Kai ST6.5 -- the two mixed together are perrrfect. (The shades in between those two are all "warm" or "neutral" so this combo is actually probably the best possible match?)

Turning 50 this year (hfs) and am seeing weird texture issues and other unpleasant changes in my skin, one result of which is "lol your favorite foundation now makes ur skin look like crap." When you're also still fighting breakouts and absolutely cannot use anything with cyclomethicones, foundation options are limited. But this stuff, over well-moisturized skin (I find it goes on best when I wash, apply niacinamide serum, a slug of moisturizer, and rub this in while it's still very damp) gives a fantastic light/medium-coverage result that still looks like my skin. It's not as transfer proof as the more matte bases I'm used to, so now I'm hunting for a setting spray to help it along, but the wear seems good even without powder, which is apparently now my mortal enemy. Only complaints : I'd prefer a mid-light/cool shade I didn't have to mix, and I'm not wild about the dropper -- an airless pump would be so much better.

BTW #1 : I'm not sensitive to fragrances, but I am v picky about them, and I didn't even notice a scent to this. BTW #2 : The blush here is Ilia's Multi Stick in "A Fine Romance," which is also ACES.

I love the amount of coverage this foundation provides; it's more than a mere tint, but it's not a heavy-coverage thing. Perhaps light-to-medium coverage? This foundation is perfect for when I need sunscreen but also want to even my complexion out.

To compare, this product provides more coverage than Tarte's Maracuja Tinted Moisturizer, and slightly more than one layer of MAC Face and Body. I assume the Ilia provides more coverage because it has a Zinc-based sunscreen in it, where the Tarte and MAC do not have any sun protection at all.

For daily wear, I'll first prep my clean, slightly-damp skin with a hyaluronic acid serum, and once that soaks in, I'll lock it in with Bobbi Brown's Vitamin-Enriched Face Base, as well as Bobbi Brown's Vitamin-Enriched Eye Base. Once all of those products sink in, it's time for the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint.

I shake the bottle well, I squeeze the dropper-top a few times to make sure I'm actually getting the freshly-mixed serum into the dropper, and I dispense about a nickel size into my palm. I dot it on around my face, and I blend with my fingers, and then finish blending and pressing it in with a barely-damp Beauty Blender-type sponge. (If I know I'll be out all day, I'll dampen my sponge with Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray instead of water.)

The Ilia provides a gorgeous, dewy finish, and the Bobbi Brown products I applied underneath also provide dewiness, so this all runs the risk of being a touch toooo dewy. To fix this, I follow Wayne Goss' fabulous advice, and I take an unused, dry Beauty Blender spongey thing, I wrap it in a Kleenex or in a few squares of toilet paper, and I press it all over my face to blot the excess dewiness. Using this "wrapped sponge" technique absorbs only the excess shine, but leaves behind just the right amount of dewiness; it doesn't remove any coverage or sun protection-- I'm just left with healthy-looking skin that looks like skin. (This step also helps the product from settling into lines-- it's really a game changer!)

At this point if I want to add the tiniest, tiniest amount of powder around my nostrils and under my eyes to set it, I will... but I usually skip it. Then I'm onto bronzer, blusher, and the rest of my makeup.

I really love this product; every time I use it, I'm always super-happy with the results. I love that it has SPF 40, and I really, really love that it doesn't sting my eyes.

Thanks, Ilia! Great job!

I really wanted to like this product, but it’s not for me. It has more coverage than I expected in a tint — feels more like foundation, and blending it in is not effortless. I find that it leaves my skin dry and parched at the end of the day. If your skin is on the dry side, or if you live in a dry climate, this product may not be the best choice.

The product has great coverage and applies like a thick serum but at the same time I found it heavy on my skin. My biggest gripe was the smell, the melted plastic scent was unbearable and I made the mistake of buying the loose powder which had the same exact smell. Ok product if not for the scent.

It provides such a nice dewy buildable coverage that I love for everyday use. However, the shade I picked it bit darker but still I it’s a great one to mix with other foundations

This was simply the most perfect, every day, serum-like, foundation, skincare marriage of product! It is super light, moisturizing, and super easy to wear. I applied with a kabuki brush for a seamless finish. I feel like I'm not wearing anything yet when I look in the mirror, I look refreshed! I Love Ilia makeup and this was a great bet! Would definitely recommend it. Quick note - I did add a bit of Sisley-Paris light finishing powder on top of my t-zone for a gorge look!

First off, Beautylish is the best. Their shipping is so fast, and I always get an interesting sample. I am going to have them be my main beauty site.

I've been wanting to try this for awhile, but I wasn't sure about the colors. Balos is perfect for me. I'm a nut about sunscreens - I have several that I like, but I was having a hard time finding a tinted one that I liked. This really works for me. One layer gives me some coverage - I haven't tried additional layers, but I'm confident that will work too.

Skincare and makeup are very personal, which is why I will only recommend this for my skintype: dry, mid thirties, hardly no fine lines except for on the forehead a bit. Method of application: hands. I tried all others, but really massaging it in works the best. On me it’s dewy for a minute or two. Then it sinks in and leaves a gorgeous skinlike finish. Now my friend who has the same skintype applies it with a sponge over all her skincare, and on her it stays so shiny. I really don’t think that is the purpose of the product at all. I really see it as a one and done product. Ilia says that one dropper provides the spf mentioned and so I slather that on in 2 layers. I love the coverage which I think is light to medium, but the finish is really where it gets interesting: so smooth! But don’t you have to re-apply sunscreen? You do. Which is why I apply this over itself after a few hours. No trouble at all. Even if I lightly powdered it.

To me this is a gamechanger. I wish Ilia would provide a mix in or something to up the coverage, but for now I’m fine with it. My skin is doing fine. I’d say if you have a lot of hyperpigmentation this will not do on it’s own.

One minor point: the shade range. I can wear shade 5 through 9............. That’s weird.... I think they could skip every other light shade and add to the medium and deep. But that’s just me.

This skin tint was everything I hoped it would be - a lightweight, light coverage, dewy base that would hopefully help my parched cheeks not feel so tight throughout the day. I'm a medium deep girl (Fenty 410, Kosas Tone 08) and I got ST15 Proto Convo, and it's a great match.

I originally attempted to drop this directly onto my face. I would not recommend, unless you are fast, because this is VERY runny and was in danger of getting into my eyes while I was fishing for a brush. I ended up just rubbing it in with my fingers - which was the right choice, anyway, as they really push this into your skin. I was initially a bit alarmed as it looked quite pink and a little too light, but after a little while it adjusted and blended into my skin much better.

It has a really nice dewy, skin-like finish. It can't really be built up to medium, IMO; you can layer it to build a bit but you'll fall short of medium (although perhaps slightly more than what I think of as light). It feels super lightweight on my skin - like I'm wearing nothing at all - and is maybe lightly hydrating to my cheeks?

For those comparing to the Kosas Tinted Face Oil, this has a more watery consistency and a dewier, more skin-like finish, IMO. The Kosas also can build up to more coverage if you layer. But this skin tint is WAY less finicky than the Kosas - I could wear this over my Lumi Glotion, which has silicones.