Like a lot of people during these continued periods of working from home, I’ve reached for lightweight, more glowy complexion products – focusing on hydration over coverage. That’s why I couldn’t wait to try the new Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum ($103).
The Tinted Serum – which comes in 14 shades – is a weightless serum foundation that provides dewy, sheer coverage, giving a true “your skin but better” finish. It aims to bridge the gap between powerful skin care and luminous makeup – but more on that later.
This prolonged time spent at home was part of the reason Rose Inc founder Rosie Huntington-Whiteley created the product, but there were two other reasons for the product’s creation. The first was the time it takes to apply skin care in the mornings; “this really weighed me down,” Huntington-Whiteley tells POPSUGAR. But she also found that heavier foundations every day weren’t helping her acne-prone skin when it was playing up. “I think when you start to do more than scratch the surface and talk about these things more, most people have a skin issue or have dealt with one at some point. On top of that, I think about how long I wear my makeup for every single day and how over the years I’ve really seen makeup have a detrimental effect on my skin quality.”
From the outset with Rose Inc, it was clear that formulas and ingredients were incredibly important to Huntington-Whiteley. With the Tinted Serum, it really shows. As we chat, she lights up talking about the clever microencapsulated pigment that makes this product unique. “When you pump the product onto the back of your hand, you’ll see those spheres (which is what you can see through the packaging as well); those are holding the pigment and keeping the ingredients in the purest form.” These encapsulated pigments help to give the serum an ultranatural finish as they adapt to your skin tone and give the perfect amount of colour.
Another special element is that the formula is also noncomedogenic (as are all the Rose Inc products). “All of our products are formulated without potential pore-clogging ingredients,” Huntington-Whiteley explains. “Since I made that shift with my own products about four years ago, my acne has become much more manageable. I do see it flare up when a product gets used on me that has potential pore cloggers in it.”
Due to my dry, rosacea-prone skin, I tend to find regular foundations a little heavy during the winter (even the light-coverage foundations). The Tinted Serum gives me that teeny bit of coverage that I need, and I can top up with the Rose Inc Softlight Luminous Hydrating Liquid Concealer ($43) (under the eyes and a little on my cheeks). Whilst using the Tinted Serum, my skin stays incredibly hydrated throughout the day, doesn’t feel one bit tight, and covers just enough of my blemishes whilst still giving that “lit-from-within” glow.
When it comes to application, I followed Huntington-Whiteley’s recommendation. After applying my skin care and SPF, I put a few pumps on the backs of my hands. Using the Number 3 Foundation Brush, I apply in a spot-treating technique by focusing on the areas of redness I want to cover. “Then I go in with my concealer,” she suggests. “Since my concealer is full coverage, I like to spot apply it. I’ll look at my complexion and ask myself where I need coverage, which is usually dabbing across my jawline, around my eyes, and through my forehead, blending with a brush. I really like layering my makeup and building it up.”
I then apply a quick bit of cream blush, bronzer, and a slick of mascara, and I’m looking dewy and feeling ready for the day. That’s why the Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum has become my new work-from-home bestie thanks to its ability to give my skin an incredible glow and boost whilst helping to cover blemishes. A quick 30 seconds, and the serum gives me a wonderful pick-me-up.
