I've Never Gotten More Compliments Than When I'm Wearing This New Skin Tint

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, our associate beauty news editor is testing the new Westman Atelier Skin Tint.

As a ‘no makeup’ makeup connoisseur I pride myself on knowing what makes a good skin tint. This type of product is the no-fuss, laid back sister to foundation, and can often be the key to pulling off a minimal makeup look. A skin tint’s ability to cover just enough imperfection while allowing your skin to still peek through is an effect I never tire of in my makeup routine. So when a new skin tint hits the market I’m naturally very curious to see how it stacks up. The new kid on the block is Westman Atelier’s Vital Skincare Complexion Drops. Just launched last month, this serum skin tint hybrid boasts instant hydration and a dewy finish along with long term skin benefits including firming and brightening.

If you’re unfamiliar with the brand Westman Atelier, it was founded by seasoned makeup artist Gucci Westman who has painted faces for the covers of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar to name a few. She’s also worked with stars including Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow — it’s in this part of her career where she established her highly coveted ‘second-skin’ approach to makeup. Westman developed her love for makeup into Westman Atelier in 2018 starting with a creamy range of blushes, bronzers, and highlighters designed to work together as a “makeup wardrobe.”

Now the latest addition to the brand, this skin care-meets-makeup hybrid falls perfectly in line with Westman’s vision of luxurious, efficient, and clean makeup.

I put the new skin tint to the test to see how it stacks up to my beloved favorites. Keep reading for my honest review.

Fast Facts

• Price: $68
• Size: 1 ounce
• Clean/Cruelty-Free? Yes
• Best for: Those looking for a light coverage with a dewy, breathable finish
• Ingredient Highlights: Ginseng extract, ginger root complex, sunflower and almond oil blend
• What we like: No scent, lightweight, easy to blend
• What we don’t like: Medium shade range, finish is a little too shiny, especially for oily skin
• Suitable for: Dry to combination skin with little blemishes and spots
• Your rating: 3/5

My Skin

I have combination skin that tends to skew more oily and because of this it’s also fairly acne-prone (thanks to excess sebum). For me, having acne-prone skin means I also have to deal with the hyperpigmentation left behind from breakouts, and while ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C have helped lighten my dark spots over the years, I lean on light coverage tints to even out my skin tone while still allowing my natural glow to peek through.

The Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops

This skin tint has the ‘strength of a serum’ and the ‘beauty of a skin tint’. There are 19 available shades ranging from light to deep. On the ingredient front, tsubaki oil, ginseng, and pomegranate extract work together to improve texture, firmness, and radiance. The serum-like liquid is dispensed out of the square bottle through a small droplet opening, making it best to apply directly to your face.

First Impression

I went with the shade Atelier XIII (a rich coffee hue with warm undertones) and upon first dropping the tint on to my skin I thought it may not be a great match, but after working in the product with the liquid blender brush, I found that the tint is very adaptable and blends out into a sheer finish. The liquid didn’t come out of the dropper easily at first, which resulted in a slight mishap and stain on my shirt, but once I got the hang of it I discovered it best to hold the bottle downward and close to the face. I experienced a bit of pilling at first when blending in the product but it was minimal. I was immediately impressed by the coverage, which was enough to hide my lighter dark spots but didn’t look like I wasn’t wearing any makeup at all.

Wearing The Westman Atelier Vital Skin Care Complexion Drops

I wore the complexion drops for a full eight hour work day, and at my first event I got a compliment from a fellow beauty editor on my glowing skin — I immediately knew it was thanks to the skin tint. About four hours into the day I did notice my skin getting a bit shinier than I prefer and from that point had to blot the oiliness away once every few hours. I did set the tint with translucent powder before leaving the house to mitigate my skin’s natural oiliness but unfortunately it couldn’t be stopped.

I also found the tint to be quite transferrable. I don’t wear masks too often now but when around bigger crowds I’ll throw one on just as a precaution, and after wearing a mask backstage at a fashion show for about 30 minutes I found that there was a good amount of transfer from the product.

Overall Thoughts

While the tint does provide a beautiful natural glow it seems better suited for those with dry to normal skin as I didn’t love how it made my skin look too shiny after hours of wearing it. The Complexion Drops did play well with other makeup (I applied a bit of cream blush and setting powder in addition to the tint) without causing any separation. It’s good to note that there’s no scent to the tint which is great if you’re like me and don’t love fragrance in your skin care or makeup or have sensitive skin.

The product does provide a good amount of coverage with a skin-like finish but ultimately it doesn’t quite stack up to my tried and true skin tints, especially considering the $68 price point for the size. But if you have dry skin and struggle to find a lightweight complexion product that keeps your skin glowy and hydrated throughout the day, this might be worth the splurge.

BDG product reviews and recommendations are written and conducted by writers and editors with expertise in their fields. Testers often have specific experience with the situation or product at hand, and/or their review or recommendation is provided in consultation with experts. You can learn more about our standards here.