Experimenting with lipstick, mascara, or eyeshadow is all pretty low-lift. I swap those beauty products in and out of my routine without a care. Complexion, on the other hand? I will jump into a deeply researched, highly opinionated debate about the best foundations ever to exist. Choosing the right product is very personal—foundations are now tailor-made to suit different skin types and tones, address specific concerns (think: dullness, acne, longwear), or provide varying levels of coverage. “Sheer is very lightweight, transparent and dewy, medium offers a more airbrushed finish to the skin, while full coverage is the most amount of coverage you can achieve,” notes makeup artist Pat McGrath, who was responsible for the runway looks seen at Maison Margiela, Anna Sui, and Yves Saint Laurant.
There is no shortage of elegant formulations—I’ve personally tested well over a dozen launches this year alone. While some of the newer releases, like Laura Mercier’s Real Flawless Weightless Protecting Foundation or Saie’s Glowy Super Skin Tint Foundation, have made a significant impact on the industry (and onto this list), the majority of the best foundations of all time have been around for years. There’s a reason Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk, Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless, and YSL’s All Hours are best sellers across every single retailer; they’re that good. The finishes across the board are impeccable; there’s no separating, pilling, or fading, and the shade selections ensure an option for everyone.
Whether your skin is oily, dry, red, dull, or textured (the list goes on!), a foundation will address your concerns and work with your skin type. To help kick-start your search, I’m sharing the best foundations of all time—according to editors, makeup artists, and celebrities—below.
The Best Foundations
- The Best Foundation Overall: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
- The Best Foundation for Dry Skin: Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation
- The Best Foundation for Oily Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation
- The Best Liquid Foundation: Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation
- The Best Cream Foundation: Merit The Minimalist
Kim Kardashian, Meagan Markle, and roughly half the Marie Claire team (including Beauty Director Deena Campbell!) count this foundation as their all-time favorite. It strikes a middle ground with every criteria: It’s hydrating without coming across too glowy, provides decent, buildable coverage while never looking cakey, and, most importantly, lasts all day long.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 40 shades
Pros: Celebrity-endorsed; Looks like skin
Cons: Expensive
Customer Review: “Hands down this foundation gives you the look of flawless, radiant & perfect skin! However, it is a natural radiance (meaning glow from working still peeks through). It doesn’t give a fake manufactured glow that equates to a greasy mess.” — Sephora
If you need to be camera-ready and can't deal with a white flashback, celebrity makeup artist Dominique Lerma promises you'll be safe with Koh Gen Do. "It photographs so beautifully and is long-wearing. It truly gives skin a flawless finish," she confirms. The formula itself is deeply hydrating, with 80 percent plant-based moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil, squalane, and shea butter.
Specs: Natural finish; Sheer to medium coverage; 11 shades
Pros: Good for photos; Hydrating
Cons: Small shade range
Customer Review: "Feels very lightweight on. Looks so natural and gives a beautiful healthy glow. Seems to last a full day. I have acne-prone skin and it did not make me break out. Overall I'm very happy with it!" — Dermstore
You won’t often find Marie Claire’s Senior Beauty and Fashion Editor Halie LeSavage in a full face of foundation. But when she does decide to get a bit more glam, she’ll be wearing Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation 100 percent of the time. “When it goes on, it stays on (even without a setting spray), and it makes my skin look dewy and even,” she says. “I have combination skin that’s prone to breakouts; this is the rare foundation that doesn’t exacerbate acne I already have or start flare-ups where there aren’t any.”
Specs: Matte finish; Full coverage; 40 shades
Pros: Non-comedogenic; Plumping; Hydrating
Cons: Can look cakey if too much is applied
Customer Review: Easily one of my favorite full-coverage foundations! Once you let it oxidize and it settles in, my skin literally looks flawless! Airbrushed one could say.” — Sephora
If you’ve seen Salma Hayek or Normani in a full face of makeup over the past year, chances are they had this gorgeous foundation on their skin. The brainchild of celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovik, SurrealSkin is a game changer for those who don’t like the feel of wearing foundation. It’s feather-light, especially when you apply it with your fingers. It’s hydrating too, thanks to ingredients like grapeseed oil and squalene.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 30 shades
Pros: Celebrity-loved; Great ingredients; Buildable coverage
Cons: Might need to be touched up midday
Customer Review: “I love this product so much! I have combo skin and it works amazing. My base is so flawless with this product definitely repurchasing when I run out!” – Sephora
This foundation-concealer duo shot to popularity pretty immediately after its launch in 2021. Not only does it continue to be a Sephora best seller and accumulate thousands of five star reviews, but it’s also garnered plenty of celebrity attention. Cameron Diaz for one, is a huge fan. “It kind of cancels out all my redness,” she previously shared via Instagram. “My blotches are different everyday.”
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 20 shades
Pros: Good for spot correction; Blendable
Cons: Some find it drying
Customer Review: “Natural finish, easy to blend with fingers or brush. I have freckles and this helps even my skin tone while still letting my freckles show through.” — Sephora
Also Recommended
There’s a reason Tarte’s Shape Tape has stood the test of time—it’s a true full coverage concealer capable of disguising just about any imperfection, blemish, or tattoo. It’s those same properties that make it Beauty Writer Gabrielle Ulubay’s go-to. “It covers my flaws so well that I don't need to pair it with a concealer, and it never breaks me out,” she explains. “It also sets quickly but not too quickly, giving me plenty of time to blend it out.” Need more convincing? Try it for yourself.
Specs: Natural matte finish; Full coverage; 51 shades
Pros: Blurring properties; Contains snow mushroom for hydration
Cons: A little heavy
Customer Review: The shade range is so broad, and I was relieved to find that Tarte offers shades for all different undertones as well. I was really happy to see that the color did not oxidize!” — Ulta
Full coverage and a matte finish are tricky. Too much product or a subpar formulation is a recipe for a cakey, heavy result. But there are times where a foundation that lasts 24 hours and covers everything is needed—and that’s when you want to grab YSL All Hours. The newly reformulated, waterproof, and heat-resistant product doesn’t suffocate the skin or look overwhelmingly thick. Instead, it leaves a nice, velvet-like finish on the skin and blurs quite literally every pore.
Specs: Matte finish; Full coverage; 40 shades
Pros: Contains SPF; Contains hyaluronic acid for moisture and jasmine petal for brightening
Cons: Heavy by comparison to others
Customer Review: “This is truly a fantastic matte foundation. Very little product needed for medium to full coverage that lasts all day even when traveling. This doesn't settle into or accentuate lines and wrinkles. They mean it, this is full coverage so if you want medium coverage blend out with a blender sponge.” — Sephora
Kendall Jenner has given this foundation her stamp of approval, so I had a sneaky suspicion it was going to be good. After testing it myself, I can confirm the model is onto something. This is perhaps the only full coverage foundation that doesn’t feel like one. I sheered the coverage out a tad by mixing it with a little face oil, but the finish was still blurring, comfortable, and natural.
Specs: Soft matte; Full coverage; 35 shades
Pros: Celebrity-approved; Customizable coverage
Cons: Contains fragrance
Customer Review: “My All-Time Favorite foundation and I have used them ALL. This foundation goes on effortlessly and looks amazing - covers what it needs to cover but does not look heavy.” — Chanel
If you’ve found yourself on BeautyTok the past year, you’ve definitely seen the hype around this Lady Gaga-created foundation. There’s nearly 10 billion views for the product—and every creator has something positive to say about the natural, glowy foundation. Personally, I’ve found this to be amazing at covering the rosacea-induced redness in my skin. The formula features arnica, which is proven to calm irritation.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 51 shades
Pros: Great for irritated, red skin; Buildable coverage
Cons: Difficult to shade match online
Customer Review: “I typically go for skin tints because I like a lighter coverage, but the Haus Labs foundation has totally converted me. I love that it has so many skincare ingredients, and feels lightweight yet provides good, buildable coverage.” — Sephora
I love to be as glowy as possible, without venturing too far into greasy territory. In my extensive foundation testing experience (I’ve tried hundreds through the years), Cle de Peau’s formula is elite. I look like a more even-toned, wildly hydrated version of myself. The “B” range is perfect for my rosy undertones, but the brand also created “I,” “BF” and “O” lines for neutral, olive, and warm undertones, respectively.
Specs: Luminous finish; Sheer to medium coverage; 20 shades
Pros: Makeup artist-recommended; Hydrating; Not heavy
Cons: Expensive
Customer Review: “This foundation is stunning. It melts into the skin and is very natural looking. It covers more like a medium finish but looks like I’m not wearing much more than a tinted moisturizer. I have extremely dry skin and this foundation keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day without looking overly dewy.” — Nordstrom
While this foundation launched last year, I wouldn’t be surprised if you just heard about courtesy of its TikTok notoriety. The consensus is: It’s one of the best foundations to ever hit the market. It blurs pores and fine lines, wears on the skin with the same intensity coverage in the morning as it does at night, and balances moisture and oil with wear.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium Coverage; 29 shades
Pros: Waterproof and sweat-resistant; Comfortable wear
Cons: Some say it oxidizes without primer
Customer Review: “It is as it says: Flawless! Love the product and how the color matches my skin perfectly! This is by far my favorite product! Will be buying this soon again!” — Sephora
Skin tints have come a long way in recent years, and this Saie formula is proof. Despite maintaining the texture and feel of skincare, the pigment payoff is impressive. When applied with a brush, you’ll get a true medium coverage finish. Hyaluronic acid, peptides, and glycerin make up this formula, so expect to see a genuine improvement in your skin’s hydration levels, brightness, and fine lines with continued use.
Specs: Radiant finish; Medium coverage; 36 shades
Pros: Lightweight; Good for summer
Cons: Will need concealer for spot coverage
Customer Review: “Love this foundation! I have combo skin and this product looks absolutely beautiful! I powder it down in my T-zone, as it is very dewy. Doesn’t look cakey at all and doesn’t emphasize texture.” — Sephora
You’ve seen this foundation on Cardi B, Emma Stone, and countless runways. It was a labor of love to create, as McGrath was intent on designing a product that worked for every skin tone and type. It’s hydrating and simultaneously oil-free and feels like a serum while remaining buildable sheer to medium coverage. Plus, skin is left with a blurring, almost pearlescent finish thanks to the brand’s Diamond Core Power technology.
Specs: Natural finish; Sheer to medium coverage; 33 shades
Pros: Shade for everyone; Buildable coverage; Makeup artist-recommended
Cons: Some say it’s drying
Customer Review: “It is so hard finding a foundation especially for someone who just knows how to do the basics (a lil lip, mascara, and blush) but let me tell you, Miss Pat McGrath did it with this one!! I have been using this product for years and I love it!” — Sephora
When it comes to liquid foundation, Care & Glow will always be one of my favorites. It provides decent coverage and radiant finish, but is also stacked with multi-tasking skincare ingredients. The formula contains hyaluronic and mandelic acid to hydrate and smooth the skin, as well as SPF 30. I personally like to apply this foundation with a sponge, because it gives me just the right amount of coverage.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 30 shades
Pros: Great ingredients; Buildable coverage
Cons: Fragrant
Customer Review: “I first want to say that I have oily skin. Most glowy foundations make it even worse and slide right off. This one did not! It wore beautifully. It was never cakey and blended out with ease.” — Sephora
Anyone who has shopped for foundation knows just how difficult it is to find the right shade. Sometimes your pick is too dark, too light, too orange, too yellow—I could go on. While there’s not necessarily a magic fix to this universal dilemma, L’Oréal’s cult-favorite foundation does make the process easier. They used six different pigments to create 47 foundations across skin tones and undertones. It’s also incredibly easy to blend, so you won’t leave the house with any harsh lines.
Specs: Natural finish; Medium coverage; 47 shades
Pros: Affordable; Hydrating ingredients like glycerin
Cons: Packaging can get leaky
Customer Review: “This foundation is so lightweight. It feels like I have nothing on and it doesn't look cakey, it also works with my oily skin.” — Ulta
On-the-go touch ups are made easy with this balm-to-liquid foundation compact, which is one of Ulubay’s favorites. “It's lightweight, making it perfect for summertime wear, but it's buildable enough to provide incrementally fuller degrees of coverage,” she shares. “Best of all, it never runs down my face, even after hours spent outside under the beating sun.” The long-wear product boasts 12-hour claims. Impressive, right?
Specs: Luminous finish; Medium coverage; 14 shades
Pros: Good for travel; Contains ceramides for hydration
Cons: Can emphasize dry patches
Customer Review: “This is an amazing foundation that really has some magic to it. It is balmy in texture and more flexible than a standard crème foundation, yet, it imparts a beautiful natural coverage that seems to never get cakey or heavy. I love it!” — Nordstrom
How to Choose the Best Foundation for Your Skin Type
It’s nearly impossible to name one universal best foundation. The reason is that the foundation that will work best for you depends on your skin type. “For example, those with dry skin may prefer dewy or radiant finishes to add luminosity and hydration to their complexion. On the other hand, individuals with oily skin may opt for matte or semi-matte finishes to control shine and maintain a long-lasting look,” explains makeup artist Benjamin Puckey. Those with combination skin may find that combining foundations is the best option, or they can choose a balance with a natural or satin finish to get a little glow without excess oil or dryness.
What Coverage Level Is Best?
There are three primary coverage options: Sheer, medium, and full coverage. “Sheer is very lightweight, transparent, and dewy; medium offers a more airbrushed finish to the skin, while full coverage is the most amount of coverage you can achieve,” explains McGrath. As important as these labels are, it’s worthwhile to note how much product you use and the tools at your disposal will affect the final finish. “It is easy to build up formulas and layers for added coverage just like it is easy to sheer out formulas by mixing in a drop of your favorite serum or moisturizer,” advises makeup artist Jasmine Ferreira.
The Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has dozens of celebrity fans, including Kim Kardashian, Maude Apatow, and Meagan Markle.
What Are the Best Application Tools for Foundation?
As McGrath eloquently explains, “Application is its own form of alchemy.” Using your fingers to apply the product provides warmth and sheer-to-light coverage, whereas a brush provides more control and a fuller coverage finish. “Using a fluffy brush with a buffing motion will result in a more airbrushed look. Using a traditional flat foundation brush or a dense brush to stipple on the foundation will always result in maximum coverage,” adds Ferreira. That all said, don’t be afraid to combine methods. Use your fingers or a sponge on spots where you prefer lighter coverage and a stippling brush to build up product around blemishes or discoloration.
How to Apply the Best Foundations
All our top makeup artists are aligned: Don't pump foundation directly onto your face. "I like to gently pump one to two pumps on the palm or back of the hand to warm up the product," says celebrity makeup artist Dominique Lerma. "Then blend the foundation starting at the center of the face and work outwards for a blurred finish."
Foundation does not need to go everywhere, either. “Foundation should not be wall-to-wall carpeting. Be purposeful with your application,” says Ferreira. You can always build up in areas that require spot coverage or a heavier finish, but your natural skin should shine through.
One final (essential) tip: Make sure you’re applying foundation in good lighting to ensure your neck is blended and the color match is accurate.
Meet the Experts
Pat McGrath is the world’s most influential and in-demand makeup artist. For over 25 years, McGrath’s creative vision has made her a tour de force whose legendary and creative power has transformed both beauty and fashion on a global scale. Throughout her career, Pat McGrath has been recognized around the world with some of the most prestigious honors and accolades, including The CFDA— Council of Fashion Designers of America Founder’s Award—the first Makeup Artist in history selected for their highest honor, The British Fashion Council 2017 Award for Fashion Creator and Time Magazine’s 2019 100 Most Influential People, as a “Titan” of the fashion industry. Each season, Pat McGrath conceptualizes and creates the beauty looks for over 60 ready-to-wear and couture shows in Milan, Paris, London and New York for the world’s most prestigious luxury brands and designers. In addition to her many shows and hundreds of shoots worldwide including every cover of Italian Vogue for twenty years, McGrath is also Beauty Editor-at-Large for British Vogue since 2017.
Dominique Lerma is a Hollywood-bred, internationally published Makeup Artist and Beauty Educator known for her ability to create flawless complexions and innovative beauty looks. She fell in love with makeup artistry at a very young age and began beautifying faces for her classmates at her all-girl parochial high school. Her self-taught passion flourished when she was allowed to work with the world-renowned Mac Cosmetics and soon became a Viva Glam Ambassador. Her nine years in the beauty industry have landed her on the pages of Instyle, Nylon, Runway, and Photo Vogue Italia. She serves as a Beauty Educator for Frankie Rose Cosmetics and is a bilingual traveling sales representative for both Enzo Milano Professional Hair Styling Tools and Royal Langnickel Brush. Her creative expertise consists of Makeup artistry, hairstyling and men’s grooming.
Benjamin Puckey is a New York-based makeup artist. Since his breakthrough fashion spread with W Magazine in 2011, Puckey’s work has appeared across international editions of numerous publications such as Vogue, Dazed, iD, W Magazine, Allure, and Harper’s Bazaar. He has also worked with brands including Ralph Lauren, Versace, and Oscar de la Renta, as well as jewelry houses David Yurman and Van Cleef & Arpels. He now serves as the Global Color Director for Clé de Peau Beauté .
Jasmine Diane Ferreira is a Makeup artist and National Learning Director at Lancome.
-
The 20 Best Hair Masks for Damaged Hair, According to Experts and EditorsHealthy strands, here we come!
-
The 11 Best Magnetic Lashes of 2023Go ahead and kiss your messy lash glue goodbye.
-
The 12 Best Cream Eyeshadows, According to Makeup ArtistsThe best part? They’re so easy to apply.
-
The Best Mascaras Lift, Lengthen, and VolumizeYour eyelashes will thank you.
-
The 9 Best Bronzers for Dark Skin Tones, According to Makeup ProsBecause Black and Brown girls like to look tan, too.
-
The 15 Best LED Light Therapy Face Masks for At-Home Treatments, According to Beauty Editors and ExpertsLight up your skincare routine.
-
Eyeshadow Palettes You’ll Actually UseNo shade left behind.
-
50 Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas for 2024From cute to scary, these looks only take minutes.
