bareMinerals began with Leslie Blodgett, who launched the line in 1995 and, according to the brand, introduced a mass audience to mineral makeup. In 1997 she started selling it on a TV shopping channel, and The Cut reports that she mailed in her application the morning after deciding to try. Her loose powder foundation kit, with a brush, became the brand's signature, and Shiseido later bought the company.

Complexion Rescue arrived in the 2010s, and Allure had already featured it by February 2015. It is a tinted hydrating gel cream with broad spectrum SPF 30, and the only active is titanium dioxide, 6.9 percent in the current formula. That makes it a true mineral tint. Allure explains one smart detail: bareMinerals coated the pigments in lauroyl lysine, an amino acid from coconuts, so the color blends softly. The formula also has hyaluronic acid and squalane, and the brand says it boosts hydration by 215 percent in a week, based on a small study of 36 people.

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue now comes in 20 shades, from Opal to Mahogany, with light, sheer coverage that you can tap on with your fingers.

The first grid is bareMinerals, Complexion Rescue in two shades plus the powders and concealers that go with it. The second grid is eight other tinted mineral SPFs I compared it with. My tip: apply it as your last skin care step, then wait two minutes before any powder so it can set.

Complexion Rescue is here in Buttercream 03 and Spice 08, to show how the shades run from light to deep. It is sheer and dewy, with mineral SPF 30, and I would pick it for weekends and for dry skin that does not like powder. It has fewer reviews on this listing than the classics below, which says more about how long those have been around.

The Original Loose Talc-Free Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15 is the most reviewed product in this edit, with close to twenty thousand ratings, and it shares the top rating here. It is the buildable mineral powder that started the brand. BAREPRO 24HR Skin Perfecting Matte Powder Foundation is the matte, longer-wear option for oily skin.

Original Mineral Veil comes loose and pressed. The loose Illuminating Mineral Veil blurs and adds a soft glow over Complexion Rescue, and the pressed Translucent version is easier to carry. The Loose Powder Concealer SPF 20 doubles as an eyeshadow base, and WELL-RESTED Under Eye Brightener SPF 20 reduces the look of dark circles, though its rating is the lowest in this grid.

What I would skip: the SPF numbers on the powders as your only sun protection. You would need far more powder than anyone uses, so wear a real sunscreen or the tint underneath.

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is the most reviewed tint here, dewy, with mineral SPF 40, and it is made to be safe for sensitive skin. Tower 28 SunnyDays Skin Tint is 100 percent mineral SPF 30 with a natural finish, and the Saie Lightweight Tinted Moisturizer has 15 percent zinc and SPF 35, though its rating is the lowest in this grid.

Fenty Beauty Hydra Vizor Huez has the highest rating here, a mineral SPF 30 moisturizer in ten shades. MERIT The Uniform is a light, non-comedogenic tinted mineral SPF 45, and ciele tint and PROTECT is a medium coverage serum foundation with mineral SPF 50+, the most coverage in this grid.

tarte BB blur is the natural matte one, with SPF 30 from zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, a good pick for oily skin that wants a mineral tint. Beauty of Joseon Dayscreen is a tinted mineral sunscreen with up to 12 hours of base coverage and a pore-blurring effect.

If your skin is dry, compare the dewy tints first. If it is oily, compare tarte and MERIT. If you want more coverage, look at ciele.

What I would skip: a thin layer of tint as a full day of sun protection. Use a generous amount, and reapply or top up with a mineral powder after two hours outside.

I think bare minerals complexion rescue is still one of the easiest mineral tints to wear, because it is sheer, hydrating and uses titanium dioxide alone. It suits normal to dry skin best, and it pairs well with the loose Mineral Veil if you want less shine. If you need more coverage, compare ciele. If you want matte, try tarte BB blur. Whatever you pick, use enough, and reapply when you are outdoors for more than a couple of hours.