When it comes to the best foundations, there are about a thousand different choices to pick from. As with most makeup–all of which are designed with different skin types and goals in mind. So, if a radiant, sun-kissed face is your highest priority, you’ve come to the right spot. Continue reading for a list of 10 of the best foundations for creating the desired glowy finish on your skin.
You can also see this study to know more about skincare products.
Best Foundations for Oily Skin
1. Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation
Price: $38.00
Make Up For Ever’s super-pigmented matte liquid base, which is tied for the best formula for oily skin in the GH Makeup Lab’s foundation test, has the most shine-free coverage. It was rated the easiest to dispense and use by experts. And it had the most shade range of all of the top-tested best foundations.
Benefits:
- Full coverage
- 40 shades
- Liquid formula
2. Fit Me Shine-Free + Balance Foundation
Price: $6.98
Maybelline’s handy stick design is not only for easy application. There’s a special anti-shine powder core in the center which also helps blur pores. When you apply the low-cost foundation, the powder immediately absorbs any extra oil on your face.
Benefits:
- Medium coverage
- 8 shades
- Cream stick formula
3. SkinClearing Oil-Free Makeup Blemish Treatment
Price: $9.53
A foundation and acne treatment is in one. Neutrogena’s unique base is infused with the blemish-fighting component salicylic acid to minimize breakouts as it covers. One Amazon reviewer said, I have acne-prone skin, and this is the only foundation I can use that can cure the acne while also giving excellent coverage.
Benefits:
- 14 shades
- Medium coverage
- Liquid formulation
4. Total Control Drop Foundation
PRICE: $7.64
From sheer to full coverage and all in between, NYX’s matte-finish drops make it simple to achieve the ideal coverage level. Start with a few drops on your brush, blender, or fingertips and gradually apply more until you’re satisfied with the result.
Benefits:
- Buildable coverage; sheer to full
- 30 shades
- Liquid formula
5. Pro Filt’r Foundation
Price: $36.00
The foundation that broke the internet has an amazing range of shades to match every skin tone, from the fairest fair to the darkest black. The matte finish formula is available in 50 colors and is reasonably priced compared to other high-end brands — we appreciate the hype!
Benefits:
- Medium coverage
- 50 shades
- Liquid formula
Best Foundations for Dry Skin
1. Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow Foundation
Price: $49.00
Givenchy’s hydrating, silky-smooth pick is perfect for the middle of winter. It feels very hydrating and has been perfect for the last stretch of winter when our skin has been much drier than normal. This foundation is made with glycerin and coconut oil. As one person put it, On my dry skin, I’m still afraid the makeup will look patchy. This one, on the other hand, has a thin coverage, feels like a second skin, which doesn’t clog my pores.
Benefits:
- Light coverage
- 30 shades
- Hydrating glycerin and coconut oil are used in the liquid formula.
2. Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Fluid Foundation
Price: $38.25
This Shiseido formula offered flawless coverage on the skin (not streaky, patchy, or cakey), and it smooths well onto the skin. One tester says, “It looks beautiful once I blend it into my face.” It’s buildable from sheer to medium coverage, and reviewers love it because it goes on smoothly, doesn’t look heavy, and gives your skin a beautiful glow.
Benefits:
- Sheer to medium coverage
- 12 shades
- Blendable, non-streaky liquid formula
3. Luminous Silk Foundation
Price: $42.00
In lab research, this foundation blew away the competition. It earned a perfect score for having the smoothest texture, as well as high points for being easy to mix and delivering seamless, almost undetectable coverage. It’s also a favorite of many Makeup Lab editors.
Benefits:
- Sheer to medium coverage
- 40 shades
- Smooth, easily blendable liquid formula
4. Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle-Defying Foundation
Price: $12.18
This pick blends Olay moisturizer, hyaluronic complex, and vitamin C to give you perfectly toned, hydrated skin. Despite its lightweight and “goes on like a face moisturizer,” testers praise its medium- to full-coverage formula and SPF 28 for extra sun safety. Reviewers on Amazon have leftover 8,100 reviews “like how it goes on soft, creamy, and dewy and STAYS that way without settling into fine lines.”
Benefits:
- Medium to full coverage
- 12 shades
- Anti-ageing cream formula
5. Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation
Price: $43.00
More than 10,000 reviewers have praised this foundation, which comes in 50 different shades to help you find the dream match.
It has a hydrating effect and a glowy finish. According to the brand, this foundation is made with hyaluronic acid to hydrate dry patches and adaptive technology to adjust to your complexion.
Benefits:
- Medium coverage
- 50 shades
- Hydrating, flexible liquid formula
Best Foundations For Combination Skin
1. NYX Total Control Drop Foundation
Price: $11.92
This NYX makeup drugstore discovery helps you to customize your coverage like a pro. It offers sheer-to-full coverage and a light matte finish to your face. Its formula is easy to blend and sets. It can also help control oil production in oily areas while not further dry out dehydrated areas of your skin.
Benefits:
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Good color payoff
2. Bare Minerals Matte Foundation
Price: $20.90
There are just six ingredients in this clean, loose powder foundation. It offers breathable, buildable sheer-to-full coverage with a silky matte finish, as well as oil control during the day. Its weightless mineral formula is fully vegan and will not clog or cause breakouts. This is available in 30 different shades.
Benefits:
- Buildable formula
- Feather-light
- SPF 15
- Will not clog pores or cause fine lines
- Long-wearing
3. L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup
Price: $8.49
True Match Super-Blendable Foundation by L’Oreal is hydrating. It provides medium coverage and a seamless finish that is so blendable you won’t be able to tell where your foundation finishes and your skin starts. It’s made with Pro-Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E to keep the skin looking good and beautiful all day. This comes in 45 different shades to match any skin tone.
Benefits:
- Oil and fragrance-free
- Easy to blend
- Lightweight
4. Revlon ColorStay Makeup
Price: $18.98
Revlon’s Color Stay makeup, specifically made for combination and oily skin, is another drugstore favorite. This cult-classic formula provides a perfect matte finish while staying oil-free. It has an SPF of 15 to help keep your skin healthy. It is currently available in 43 different shades
Benefits:
- Medium-to-full, buildable coverage
- Easy to blend
- True to color
- Controls oiliness
- Affordable
5. Covergirl’s Vitalist Healthy Elixir foundation
Price: $13.90
If you have sensitive combination skin, try Covergirl’s Vitalist Healthy Elixir Foundation. It is a hydrating, vitamin-infused formula that is beneficial to the skin. It has vitamins E, B3, and B5 and a special antioxidant and vitamin complex, and SPF 20. This is a must-try if you want a healthy, luminous glow on a budget. It is now available in 14 different shades.
Benefits:
- Suitable for acne-prone skin
- Lightweight
- Won’t oxidize
- Dewy finish
- Buildable coverage
