Ilia's Hyaluronic Acid Skin Tint Takes My Dry Winter Skin From Flaky to Dewy

I started breaking out for the first time in my life when I was 28 years old. After seeing a dermatologist about those cystic blemishes, she prescribed a strong, and super harsh, topical acne cream to help treat and prevent future breakouts. There's no doubt that the prescription-strength treatment has done its job, but my skin has suffered in the aftermath. To say it's dry is an understatement, as even the most gentle moisturizers leave me wincing in pain.

Wearing makeup, as you can imagine, is a struggle. Any powder, cream, or liquid foundation I've tried to use on my face has dried up along with my skin and flaked off a few hours later thanks to my parched canvas. That was the case until I tried the Super Serum Skin Tint by Ilia Beauty.

To buy: $48; iliabeauty.com.

I'm almost hesitant to call this skin tint makeup since it feels more like skincare on my face. The formula is infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid, squalane, and niacinamide that moisturizes my skin as it gives me an even complexion with a dewy glow. Those ingredients also blur fine lines and help to calm any redness. The skin tint has built in SPF 40 to protect from the sun's UVA and UVB rays, and it's silicone-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic so it won't clog your pores and lead to acne. And it comes in 30 different shades, so it's likely that most will find one that blends in well with their complexion.

Another factor that sets this skin tint apart from other liquid makeup is the application. Where most have to be applied using a brush or makeup sponge, Ilia actually recommends shaking the bottle and then using the dropper to place some of the product on your fingertips before rubbing it into your face. I was hesitant to do this at first, since rubbing makeup into my face felt counterintuitive to the more careful process I was used to, but the brand says to "apply like a serum," so I did. I was impressed that it didn't catch against any dry parts of my face like every other foundation does, and that it didn't feel like anything was sitting on top of my skin when I was done. Instead, my face looked more even in color, felt more hydrated, and I didn't feel the need to add more products to my look.

Since Ilia's skin tint was created like skincare with ingredients that actually help improve skin, wearing this makeup has helped make my skin less dry since I started using it—something I never thought I'd say about makeup.

For anyone with dry skin looking for some relief from the flaking this winter, click over to Ilia and order yourself a bottle of the Super Serum Skin Tint now. But hurry, it's starting to get cold out there.