Is it a moisturizer? Is it a foundation? Is it a primer?
Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30 is all of these things – and yet really none of them. Here’s what I mean:
- What’s In Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Performance & Personal Opinion
- Who Is This For?
- Who Is This NOT For?
- Packaging
- Does Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30 Live Up To Its Claims?
- Price & Availability
- Do You Need It?
- Dupes & Alternatives
What’s In Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30?
TITANIUM DIOXIDE TO PROTECT FROM (SOME) UV RAYS
Titanium Dioxide is responsible for the SPF 30. Keep in mind, SPF refers only to the protection you’re getting from UVB rays. But you need protection from UVA rays, too. Can Titanium Dioxide give you that?
Kinda… This white mineral protects you from ALL UVB rays and short UVA rays. But it fails at protecting you from long UVA rays.
You know what this means? Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30 does NOT provide broad spectrum protection. You still need a separate sunscreen.
Related: The Complete Guide To Titanium Dioxide In Skincare
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
I’m not surprised to see glycerin here. This baby is pretty much in all your skincare products. For a reason.
It’s a humectant that draws water from the environment into the skin. The more moisture your skin has, the better it looks. Moisture plumps up skin, makes fine lines and wrinkles look smaller, and even gives the complexion a dewy glow.
It’s the perfect base for every skincare product.
Related: The Complete Guide To Glycerin In Skincare
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SILICONES TO MINIMIZE IMPERFECTIONS
The base of this moisturiser is made up of silicones. It’s not as bad as you think. Silicones do a lot of good things in skincare:
- Enhance texture: They allow the cream to glide on smoothly, without tugging or pulling.
- Fill in fine lines and wrinkles: It’s a trick to make them look temporarily smaller.
- Softens skin: It makes it feel silky soft to the touch.
They don’t even cause pimples: silicones have a particular molecular structure made up of larger molecules with wider spaces between each molecule. They create a barrier that keeps moisture in but still allows skin to perspire.
But if you use anything comedogenic before this moisturiser, then yes, silicones can trap them underneath their protective barrier and cause breakouts.
Bottom line: don’t use comedogenic ingredients in your skincare and you’ll be fine.
Related: Are Silicones Really Bad For Skin?
Texture
Lightweight and fast-absorbing.
Fragrance
Subtle rose scent.
How To Use It
In the morning, after serum but before sunscreen.
Performance & Personal Opinion
As a moisturizer, Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30 is so-so. It’s moisturising enough for normal or combination skin. But now the cold London winter weather is doing its best to dry it out like the Sahara, it doesn’t hydrate my skin as much as it needs to. But, that’s ok. I don’t exactly use this as a moisturizer…
And, of course, you already know it’s not a substitute for sunscreen. You’d just need to apply too many layers to achieve the SPF on the label. And even then, you’re not getting broad protection. Still, if you’re in a rush, it’s better than nothing (just don’t make that a habit!).
Ok, so far I’ve been pretty negative. Before I put you off completely, let me tell you what I love about this moisturizer: the glow.
Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer is infused with capsules that release pigment upon application. Brown pigment. I need to specify that because the cream is a pale grey in colour. It reminds me of concrete, and no one wants to look like a block of concrete. So, worry not, you won’t.
The press release says that this tint is “adaptable to all skin tones”. I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll tell you what it does to me. The brownish colour makes my face a couple of shades darker than it naturally is, which means I have to apply it over every inch of exposed skin, such as neck and decollete.
It makes me look like I would if I tanned (but I don’t; I burn). Or like I did when I used a well-formulated self-tanner that didn’t make me look like an oompa loompa.
Now, if you know me, you know that I don’t like a tan. But I like glowy skin. This stuff gives mine a subtle sun-kissed glow. When I wear this, people comment on how healthy and radiant I look.
Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer Tint doesn’t really provide the coverage of a foundation (although, it stains clothes like one!). It’s quite sheer, so when I wear it alone, I always need to dab on concealer to hide dark circles and the odd pimple.
Often, though, I use it after moisturizer and before foundation. It’s an extra step that makes my skin look better. Sorta like Benefit That Gal! But brownish rather than pinkish.
So, to me, Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer Tint is more of brightening primer that also does some moisturizing and protecting. If it were marketed like that, I’d have liked it a lot more from the beginning.
Related: Do Cosmetics With SPF Provide Adequate Sun Protection?
Who Is This For?
Combination and oily skin who want a hint of a tan with their moisturiser.
Who Is This NOT For?
- Anyone looking for a moisturiser that can double up as sunscreen
- Dry skin
- If you don’t want a hint of colour, this isn’t for you
Packaging
A dark brown jar. Sleek, but not the most hygienic.
Does Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser Tint SPF 30 Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE |
|---|---|
| Fast-absorbing, oil-free, tinted moisturiser with SPF delivers powerful antioxidant benefits that help minimise the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections. | It is fast-absorbing and oil-free, but there are barely any antioxidants here! |
| Our unique tinted face moisturiser deeply hydrates for silky smooth, supple skin, while a mineral-based SPF 30 protects skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. | It hydrates normal, oily, and combination skin, but not drier skin types. And it doesn’t protect skin from all UV rays. |
| Use alone or under any foundation for a luminous finish. | True. |
Price & Availability
$69.00/£59.00 at Dermstore, Feel Unique, Nordstrom, Sephora and Ulta
Do You Need It?
If you’re looking for a brightening primer with moisturising benefits, this is a good option to consider.
Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Active Ingredient: Titanium Dioxide 4.2%
Inactive Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Iron Oxides ( CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Isohexadecane, Bisabolol, Mica (CI 77019), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Silica Dimethyl Silytate, Polyester-1, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Fragrance/ Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine Citronellol, Thioctic Acid, Geraniol, Astaxanthin, Hydroxycitronellal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Nice review! DANG! soooo expensive for more of a sun kissed tan look, than coverage like a bb cream! You know, if you are looking for a similar result for less money, I’d recommend buying some Egyptian Magic (bglowing is a good website to get it from) and some bronzer together and taking some of the EM out and blending it with the bronzer before putting it on your face. That will provide moisturizing, anti-aging and glowing factor, with the exception of spf (but I’m sure you don’t rely on this product for that, anyway,so no problem).
Egyptian Magic: http://egyptianmagic.com/#
H, I agree, it’s expensive, but I love how it makes my skin look. Thank your letting us know about a cheaper alternative. Egyptian Magic sounds great too.
Do you use an additional sunscreen? I love my zinc oxide based sunscreen so don’t know if I should apply that before or after this.
V, yes, I apply the sunscreen before. This is tinted so it doesn’t make sense to put the sunscreen on top.