All About The Base: Your Guide To Makeup Multitaskers

If there’s anything we love most here on The Dose, it’s products that can multitask. Serums that work as foundations? Ideal. Balms that double up as blush? Say no more. A treatment cream that can target multiple skin goals at once? Now we’re talking. 

Not only do multitaskers save on time and money, they’re also handy to have on the go. That’s why today we’re talking about all things multi-purpose, and with some help from our community, makeup artist Amber, and our expert Dermatology Team, we break down what makes them so great for your skin (and your wallet).

Skincare-makeup hybrids

A skincare-makeup hybrid is a product that doubles up as a skincare product and a makeup product. It belongs in both categories and usually has beautifying and skin-loving ingredients and properties. 

Their multipurpose nature makes them ideal for people on either side of the skin type spectrum – super dry skin or really oily skin – but those with combination, and balanced skin will love them too. 

SERUM FOUNDATIONS

L’Oreal’s True Match, Trinny London’s BFF Rebalance and Clinique’s Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation are all great serum foundations. They have a higher concentration of ingredients that you’d find in skincare like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and glycerin. 

Amber, professional makeup artist, explains “I love to use a serum foundation day to day, they’ve become a staple in my own routine.”

“They tend to offer a more lightweight, natural coverage which allows the skin to breathe a bit more than a full coverage matte foundation – this is ideal for any skin type, especially during the summer months.”

The best part? “They also add hydration, with common ingredients being hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, helping the skin look more plump and dewy for a fresh skin look”.

BB & CC CREAMS

Like serum foundations, BB and CC creams are great options for anyone who wants buildable coverage, skin-loving ingredients and a breakout-friendly formula. 

The CC actually stands for ‘colour correction’, so they will help cover up any redness or hyperpigmentation. The BB stands for ‘blemish balm’ or ‘beauty balm’, and these products are designed to even out any texture and conceal the spots that come with acne breakouts. 

IT Cosmetics CC+ Foundation, Dr. Jart’s Premium BB Beauty Balm and L’Oréal’s BB C’est Magic Cream are just a handful of products we know and love. 

Skin + Me member Angela, who told us all about her routine in our Community Wisdom piece, raves about her experience with CC cream: “It provides even coverage for my melasma, it doesn’t aggravate my rosacea, it’s good for my dry skin and lasts through a night shift!”

TINTED MOISTURISERS

Following along in the skincare-makeup trifecta of base products, a tinted moisturiser is the step below foundation for those who want even, buildable coverage without the cakiness. 

Rare Beauty’s Positive Light, NARS’ Pure Radiant and Revolution’s Superdewy are all tinted moisturisers that offer good coverage and soothing, barrier-friendly formulations. 

A tinted moisturiser is a multipurpose go-to for many – particularly as it combines both hydration and coverage. The only caveat? Don’t be complacent when it comes to SPF. Always apply a separate sunscreen instead of relying on the SPF in a CC, BB cream or tinted moisturiser. 

TINTED SUNSCREENS

If you really want to streamline your morning routine, a tinted sunscreen might just be the answer. Following on from your cleanse and hydrate steps, using a tinted moisturiser is a great way to double up on sun protection and coverage. The best part? It’s dermatologist approved!

“Tinted SPF can be a beneficial product for many individuals,” explains Dr Jason Thomson, Head of Medical at Skin + Me. “It provides protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays from the sun, crucial for preventing skin damage and premature ageing.”

He adds, “The tint in the product can help to even out skin tone and provide a smooth complexion without the need for a separate foundation.”

TINTED BALMS

As we sit down to write this, we’re eyeing up the rosy lips Vaseline tub that sits on our desk. Has it ever been used as blush in a pinch? We plead the fifth. But finding a dedicated multipurpose balm that adds rouge to both lips and cheeks is a concept old as time – we promise to use that in future. 

Ilia Beauty’s Multi Stick, MILK Makeup’s Lip + Cheek and the cult classic Benetint from Benefit do just the trick when it comes to adding a just-kissed (or just pinched) colour to lips and cheeks. Need something a little more hydrating? Look for balms specifically for lips and cheeks – we like Typology’s Tinted Lip & Cheek Balm or Tower 28’s Beachplease Luminous Tinted Balm.

Don’t forget sunscreen for your lips either – “People often don’t think about their lips but they get a lot of sun exposure, particularly your bottom lip where we frequently see skin cancers develop.” Dr Jason explains.

The bottom line

In conclusion, skincare-makeup hybrids are streamlining our beauty routines. They save time, and reduce waste, and they’re just all-round practical. 

By utilising a more #skinimalist approach to beauty, you can really help your skin to be happier and healthier – alongside an effective personalised treatment of course!