The Protector (And Perfector!) — Meet the IT Cosmetics Anti-Aging Armour Super Smart Skin-Perfecting Beauty Fluid + SPF 50

I may love makeup, but I know better than to wear a full-coverage foundation, blush, mascara, and a long-wearing lipstick when going to the gym or playing outside with my son and our dog. There are some moments when you have to be realistic and adjust your makeup routine, taking on a less-is-more attitude. Luckily, the rising popularity of the “no makeup” look means that we can all perfect achieving a fresh-faced, charmingly dewy, lit-from-within complexion. Now, let’s be clear: when I’m vying for a “no makeup” look, I’m not actually eschewing all cosmetics and going out bare-faced. For one, I’ve been sleep-deprived for 12 years (one word: motherhood) so that dark under-eye circles are practically a mainstay on my face, and I’m so fair-skinned that any minor breakout or red patch on my skin will result in unwanted attention. When I’m scaling down my makeup routine, then, I’m still looking for some degree of coverage — preferably in the form of a tinted moisturizer or a CC cream that can be layered and blended so seamlessly, it looks like a second skin. That said, I don’t always need full coverage. Sometimes, I just want a lightweight product that will liven up my face and minimize the appearance of any dark spots, blemishes, and fine lines, but which won’t feel heavy or require too much blending and buffing. Sometimes, I want a product that can improve my skin’s appearance immediately and which I can slap on right before walking out the door.

So, is there such a thing as a do-it-all product that can moisturize and soften the skin while concealing any blemishes and dark spots, creating the illusion of a more even skin tone, providing a lit-from-within glow, and make foundation feel like an unnecessary step? Well, yes there is — and it’s called the  IT Cosmetics Anti-Aging Armour Super Smart Skin-Perfecting Fluid SPF 50+ ($38 at ItCosmetics.com, Sephora.com, and select Sephora stores).

This multi-tasking wonder is described as a “beauty fluid,” and with good reason: unlike a traditional tinted moisturizer that has a creamy consistency, this product has an almost liquid texture, so that it feels weightless atop the skin. Moreover, this product doesn’t deposit a ton of pigments atop the skin and, in that sense, it belongs in a different category than tinted moisturizers, BB creams, CC creams, and foundations. The pigments found in this formula, then, are actually designed to provide color correction benefits, to enhance (rather than obscure) your skin’s natural beauty. Now, I usually find that most color-correcting products contain other pigments that are meant to offer greater coverage but which, in reality, make it really difficult to find a proper shade match. The IT Cosmetics Anti-Aging Armour, however, doesn’t contain those dense foundation-like pigments, and it’s precisely because it relies so heavily on effective color-correcting pigments that the one Universal Translucent shade is suitable for women of all ethnicities, skin colors, and undertones. IT Cosmetics’ Skin-Perfecting Technology, then, helps to make any redness, under eye circles, dark spots, and blemishes less visible through a combination of color-correcting pigments and light-diffusing particles that create a blurring effect, giving the complexion a radiance boost while also making the skin tone appear more uniform.

Need another reason to check this beauty out? Well, here’s the greatest draw: this do-it-all product contains anti-aging peptides, niacin, hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid to instantly make skin appear plumper and lessen the depth of fine lines and wrinkles while simultaneously providing more long-term, skin-rejuvenating benefits. And, because it has SPF 50, your face won’t be left defenseless in the presence of UV rays that are bound to lead to wrinkles, dark spots, collagen degradation, and rough, leathery skin.

This has become my go-to on low-key days, when I’m heading to the gym or I’m planning a day at the park. Living in Texas, it’s essential to always apply sunscreen, so the fact that this product offers full spectrum protection is a major plus for me. And again, the texture is lovely — it just glides right onto the skin and, while it looks dewy at first, it dries down to yield a very pretty satin finish.

Here are a few photos in which I’m wearing the IT Cosmetics Anti-Aging Armour, as well as just a hint of cream shadow and lip gloss:

As you can hopefully see, the Anti-Aging Armour gives the skin a radiance boost and makes the complexion look more lively, and it truly does help to create a more even tone.

That said, if you’re looking for full coverage, you may want to apply the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Illumination, which does come in an array of shades to correspond to a spectrum of skin tones.

But if you’re going for a morning hike, throwing a ball around in the backyard, grilling outside with your husband, or doing some gardening outside, then this is all the makeup you need!