Swatches + Review: The Spotlight Hydra Tint
Product photography by Perkin Gotohio
Lip tints and Filipinas—it's a love story as timeless as the Philippine summer. Practical, affordable, and effortlessly chic, lip tints are often our first brush with makeup, as they are perfectly suited to our tropical, forever-summer vibe. But not all tints are created equal, and the new Spotlight Hydra Tint, priced at a wallet-friendly Php 395 for 3.8 mL, promises to bring something new to the table.
Right off the bat, the application is a winner. Unlike many tints that can be a gamble with their streaky or patchy application, Spotlight's Hydra Tint lays down an even, smooth coat that's a breeze to apply. It's refreshing to see a lip product that behaves so well right out of the gate! One layer delivers a sheer layer, while two gets you good vibrance on the lips.
Now, let's talk feel—because, let's face it, nobody wants to feel like they've got paint on their lips. Spotlight seems to have cracked the code here, making a tint that feels more like a whisper-light lip oil. It’s so hydrating that I can skip the lip balm, but of course if you have dry, chapped lips then I would still recommend using a balm first and to wait for that to sink in before proceeding with the Hydra Tint.
I think Spotlight did a good job with the five-color shade range. They've steered clear of the one-red-fits-all approach and introduced a lineup that truly offers variety. From the everyday elegance of Drops, a sheer muted browny nude, to the bold and dramatic Dewy, a vampy blood red (though I applied only a sheer layer on my lip swatch, it can get really deep!), and the playful Soak, a flirty strawberry red—there’s something for every mood and occasion. My lip swatches in this post doesn’t quite show the difference between the five shades so please refer to my hand swatches for accuracy.
While the Hydra Tint scores high on texture and range, it could use a bit more stamina. Although it holds up decently for a couple of hours, it doesn’t have the staying power I hoped for and starts to fade, requiring reapplication. This isn't a dealbreaker for me, but for those long days, a bit more staying power would be appreciated.
Despite traditionally shying away from lip tints due to their typical drying nature and uneven application, the Spotlight Hydra Tint gets a thumbs up from me. It’s convinced me to keep a tint in my daily rotation—especially on those days when I want a pop of color without the feel of a full lipstick. And of course, it can be used as a cheek tint as well. Actually it’s good as a cheek tint since the formula blends so well.
All in all, if you’re in the market for a lip and cheek tint that feels as good as it looks, give the Spotlight Hydra Tint a try. It might just change your mind about what a lip tint can be.
