Is the new Happy Skin Rescue Me Tinted Matte Sun Gel Primer for you?

Ever wished your primer was fully matte, blurred out some pores, offered some coverage, AND provided sun protection? Well, you should check out the Happy Skin Rescue Me Tinted Matte Sun Gel Primer (P1,199 for 40ml) released just a few days ago! This isn’t your typical tinted sunscreen, so read on to see if it’s for you.

Most tinted sunscreens by Filipino beauty brands are more similar to very, very sheer foundation. Most of them have a glowy finish, which works great if you just want that skin-but-better finish. Happy Skin went against the grain this time by releasing a tinted primer with high sun protection at SPF40. This is heavy on silicones - it is specifically dimethicone-based - with chemical sunscreens to keep the white cast at bay.

At first touch you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say it’s primer. It has an instant smoothing and pore-filling effect, and while the tint itself is sheer, it is sufficient to brighten up darker areas of the face. There are only two shades available - Light Beige and Soft Beige - with the latter being the slightly deeper shade.

It can be frustrating not to see more shades but remember, this is a sheer tinted primer, so two shades may be able cover a lot of tones. The one I have here is Light Beige and it blends on my medium skin nicely.

It can be used as is if you’re not dealing with spots you’d like to conceal, but as it’s a mattifying primer you can certainly add your concealer, foundation, and powder as with any other primer. I highly recommend this for oily, textured skin as it can help manage the oil and smoothen out texture compared to the usual tinted sunscreen/foundations.

However, obviously, if you’re firmly on Camp Glow and Camp Hydration, this isn’t for you. Happy Skin also has a Second Skin Tinted Moisturizer and Dewy Cushion to get you that fresh, glowy base.

Let me know if you’ve tried these and what you think!