Kylie Skin Tint, From a Sold-Out Lip Kit to a 24-Shade Blurring Elixir

Kylie Skin Tint, From a Sold-Out Lip Kit to a 24-Shade Blurring Elixir

The Kylie skin tint is the newest chapter for a brand that began with a single lip kit in 2015, and it comes in 24 shades. This edit covers the tint with its concealer, setting spray and blushes, the lip products the brand is really known for, and other skin tints to compare.

Kylie Jenner launched her beauty brand on November 30, 2015, with the Kylie Lip Kit, and it sold out right away. That first run was seen as a test, and the Lip Kits became Kylie Cosmetics in February 2016. I mention it because the story is about lips, and a lot of people still think of the brand that way, so it is interesting to see it turn its attention to skin. The Kylie skin tint is the clearest example of that.

Skin Tint Blurring Elixir Foundation debuted at a pop-up in West Hollywood on July 24, 2024, and it launched in 24 shades. It is light to medium coverage, with up to 12 hours of wear, and the idea is a soft-focus finish rather than a mask. I put it on with a damp sponge, in thin layers, and build only where I want more.

Power Plush Longwear Concealer is the partner I would choose, since it is a proper concealer with a little more grip than the tint. Dot it under the eyes and next to the nose, and blend with a sponge. Mattifying Setting Spray goes on last, and it is useful if your skin gets shiny by the afternoon.

For color, Hybrid Blush and Powder Blush Stick are the two I would test first. The stick is easy to swipe on and blend with the fingers, and the blush is for a slightly more finished cheek. Both look best applied a little higher than you think. If you only own one color product, make it the stick, because it goes on in seconds and forgives a shaky hand.

Collage of Kylie Cosmetics skin tint, concealer, blush sticks, lip oil and glosses, plus skin tints from other brands, and a mood photo of a compact with a pink powder puff.
Kylie Cosmetics skin tint, blush and lip products, with skin tints from other brands.

Kylie Cosmetics skin tint and face makeup

Where the brand began: the lips

If the skin tint is the newest side of the brand, lips are the oldest, and that is where I would start when trying things out. The range is wide enough that you can build almost any lip from it, from a barely-there gloss to a full matte.

Lip Oil is the one I reach for first, and it is a glossy wash for bare lips. High Gloss is more shine, and it goes over just about anything, including the matte liquid lipstick. Lip Butter and Tinted Butter Balm are the comfortable ones, balm-like and easy to wear, and I keep one in my coat pocket.

Matte Liquid Lipstick is the direct descendant of the original Lip Kit idea. Apply it with a steady hand and let it set before you press your lips together. A thin layer looks much better than a heavy one.

My favorite combination is a matte liquid lipstick in the center of the lips with a butter balm at the edges, blended with a fingertip. It gives a soft, blurred effect that looks a lot like a stain. If you like a fuller look, add a dab of the gloss on top of the lower lip only.

Try the products one at a time for a week each, so you learn what every texture does before you layer them. Lips first, then everything else, and you will always get the most out of it.

Kylie Cosmetics lips

Other skin tints to hold up beside it

A skin tint is one of those products where it pays to try a few, because the finish changes the whole face. Here are five from other brands that I would hold up beside the Kylie one.

Danessa Myricks Beauty's Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder is a tinted primer and foundation in one, a balm-powder aimed at a soft, blurred finish. ciele's tint & PROTECT is a medium coverage serum foundation with SPF 50+, the most sun-minded of the group. Laura Mercier's Long-Wear Tinted Moisturizer is a dewy skin tint with SPF 30 and hyaluronic acid, and it is the dewy one of the group.

Gucci's Glow Skin Tinted Moisturizer has hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol, and it is the one I would try for a glowy finish. Anastasia Beverly Hills' Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint is a serum-boosted tint that I would try on days when I want a light, skin-like layer.

What I would skip: matching a shade only on the back of your hand. Your hand is usually a different tone from your face, so swatch along the jaw instead, and look at it in daylight. Also skip layering a tinted moisturizer over a heavy cream that has not sunk in, because the tint will slide around and settle into any texture. Give your skincare a few minutes to settle first. Patience before the tint goes on makes more difference than any shade change.

Skin tints from other brands

How to choose a shade and a finish

Choosing a shade is mostly about the undertone, and the easiest test is to swatch three colors down your jawline and walk to a window. The one that disappears is yours.

Then decide on the finish. If you like a soft glow, a dewy tint with hyaluronic acid will make you happy. If your skin runs shiny, look for the blurring and matte options and use a setting spray.

My routine is simple. Skin tint, concealer only where it is needed, a blush stick, and a lip oil, and I am out the door. The Kylie skin tint is the one I return to for its blurring effect, and everything else in this edit is there to make it look even better.