How to Use the Age Perfect Tinted Balm on Different Skin Types

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Balmy, skin care-inspired makeup formulas have been incredibly popular over the last few years, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere. While there’s certainly a time and place for matte, full-coverage makeup, many of our daily lives have shifted, creating less events that call for full-glam. Because of this, minimal makeup is often the preference — especially when it comes to foundation. That’s why more sheer, natural-looking formulas have been hitting the market more and more lately. 

 

Enter the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm Foundation. Don’t let the word balm fool you into thinking that this skin care and makeup hybrid is an overly dewy formulation meant solely for dry skin. It looks gorgeous regardless of your skin type and below, five of our editors with various skin types and concerns are sharing how it performed on them, plus their application tips.

 

The Formula

The Age Perfect Tinted Balm is a 4-in-1 product that instantly smooths lines, conceals imperfections and evens the skin tone and firms the skin over time. When you press your finger into the balm, you’ll notice how it starts to melt on contact. The same goes for when you apply it onto your skin — it warms up and blends effortlessly into your complexion, providing light, buildable coverage and a natural-looking luminous finish.

 

When you think of a balm-like formula, a thick, rich, potentially firm consistency might come to mind. And while that’s perfectly fine for the lips or extremely dry areas of the body, this foundation balm has an ultra-lightweight texture that pairs beautifully with the skin on the face. It’s not heavy or greasy while you’re wearing it. 

 

To see how this foundation balm performs on various skin types five of our editors put it to the test. Keep swiping to learn about their experience and get their honest thoughts on the product. 

 

Written by: Alyssa Kaplan, Photo Credit: Alyssa Kaplan, Sarah Duvivier, Mary Honkus, Katlyn Pierre & Ariel Wodarcyk

Alyssa, Oily/Combination Skin

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Shade Fair 10

Considering that I have quite oily skin — with the exception of a few dry patches in the corners of my nose and on my chin once in a while — I’m typically weary of balmy, or serum-like foundation formulas. They often look beautiful upon  initial application, but give it a few hours and my face looks like an oil slick.

 

But after experimenting with the Age Perfect Tinted Balm, I’ve found that prepping my skin with a gel moisturizer over a thicker cream keeps me from becoming greasy during the day. I typically feel like foundation brushes make for a streaky application and cause the foundation to catch on dry patches, so I opted to apply this with my fingers and then blend and perfect it with a damp makeup sponge. 

 

The added step of blending it with a sponge removes any excess product that could lead to greasiness throughout the day. The combination of skin prep and this application method made the foundation look beautifully natural and dewy with no slick appearance for several hours. 

Sarah, Dry/Combination

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Shade Deep 10

When it comes to foundation I prefer light to medium coverage. I want a product that can minimize the appearance of imperfections and hyperpigmentation while allowing my skin to breathe. This did exactly that and more. 

 

I tested out different ways to apply it — using my fingers, a makeup sponge and a traditional foundation brush. I found that each method of application produces a different level of coverage which makes it extremely versatile. I found that my fingers created the least amount of coverage while a foundation brush gave me maximum coverage. 

 

I have dry to combination skin which is especially dry in the colder months, however using this foundation left my skin feeling hydrated with the perfect amount of glow. For me there was no need to apply a primer or set the product afterward. Being that this is a balm, I didn't have to worry about the product looking flaky or cakey — it glided so smoothly onto my face. My dry skin approves.

Mary, Normal/Dry

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Shade Light 10

I’ve never really been a foundation person — my skin tone is pretty even, I rarely have blemishes and I prefer to keep my face makeup simple. Since becoming a beauty editor, though, I’ve been more open to testing out more foundations and this is one of the most unique to date. 

 

The formula is unlike any I’ve tried before: It has a balmy-whipped texture that feels soothing upon application. I have pretty normal skin though dryness does peek through sometimes. On one day that I tried this, I was having a dry flare-up and it seamlessly covered it without looking patchy, and it felt weightless on my face through the entire day. 

Katlyn, Oily

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Shade Medium 20

Loving the dewy look while having oily skin can be quite challenging — I say this from experience. While I love the look of luminous foundations, my oils begin to peek out midday, making me look greasy by lunchtime. However, with this tinted balm, I think I found the perfect routine to make achieving that luminous look possible with my skin type.

 

When using this product, I apply a mattifying primer in my T-zone and an illuminating primer around the perimeter of my face, ensuring I’m only glowy in targeted areas. After experimenting with the formula for a week or so, I found that my favorite way to use this is with a dense brush, using stippling and circular motions. 

 

To ensure my oils are under control throughout the day, I apply a small amount of setting powder on the center of my forehead and around my nose.  This application method leaves me with a beautiful, luminous look that lasts all day without any excess oil making me look greasy.

Ariel, Dry/Sensitive

• 
• 
• Copied
• 

Shade Fair 10

I had never used a foundation in a pot before, so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about applying it. However, it’s actually incredibly easy to blend out, whether I dab it on with my fingers, a brush or a sponge. I have dry, sensitive skin, so I tend to go for foundations that feel lightweight and have a dewy, radiant finish in order to avoid looking cakey. This one fits the bill perfectly. 

 

The Age Perfect Tinted Balm has light but buildable coverage and it gives my skin a soft luminosity that I love. I don’t feel the need to set this with powder, but because the formula is so lightweight, I can’t imagine it would look cakey with a light dusting on top. While I wish the color was slightly less warm (I have a pretty fair complexion), the coverage is sheer enough that I can get away with it. Come summer, it will likely be a perfect match. 

 

Next: 9 Editors Put the True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum to the Test