Finding the best foundation is the first step to perfecting your make-up routine. It's a simple enough principle, but boy, can it be tricky.
Applying it should be a pleasure and wearing it should be a joy. It should enhance the way your skin looks and feels, and it should disguise any bits that you want hidden, smooth out any imperfections and create the perfect canvas for the rest of your look. Iconic foundations like Estée Lauder Double Wear, L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24hr Matte Cover Foundation, and Armani Luminous Silk are classic choices because they do exactly that.
How to choose the best foundation for you
There are so many things to consider when looking for a new foundation. Firstly, the finish – do you want one that's glowy or matte, or somewhere in between? And then there's the coverage. Do you prefer a full-coverage formula or something that's on the sheer side?
And that's before we've even got on to your skin type. The best foundation for dry skin will be nourishing and dewy (shopping for the best eye cream can help reduce the chances of foundation settling in lines around the eyes), and be a hydrating water-based liquid formula. While targeted non-comedogenic formulas, with matte or demi-matte finishes, make the best foundation for oily skin (if your skin is acneic, be sure to shop our edit of the best foundation for acne-prone skin). If you're slightly greasy on the t-zone, but dry on your cheeks, you'll want the best foundation for combination skin. Or, if skin pigmentation is your biggest worry, then a buildable, full coverage foundation is essential.
We also recommend looking beyond just one foundation. Our skin changes throughout the year, as do our individual priorities, so consider buying two base products to keep in your kit. A richer formula in a lighter shade would probably suit you better in winter. Then come summer, when it's warmer and your skin tone has also got a little deeper, have a darker shade with a more lightweight texture on standby.
"Ultimately, the key things are the shade, undertone and the coverage you are looking for as well as the longevity, blendability and the way the texture feels and performs on the skin," says pro make-up artist Cher Webb. "Aim to find a base that enhances the skin and looks like it’s not really there."
"When trying on bases I always recommend checking your shade across your lower cheek and jawline rather than swatching your wrists or hands," Webb adds. "Also always check your foundation swatches in natural daylight to identify the truest match."
Best foundation 2024: QuickLinks
- Best affordable foundation for full coverage: L'Oréal Paris Infallible 32hr Matte Cover Foundation | £11.99
- Best powder formula: bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation | £38.50
- Best foundation for all skin types: Il Makiage Woke Up Like This: Foundation Makeup | £39
- Best foundation for full coverage: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup | £39.50
- Best foundation for the shade range: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation | £30
- Best foundation for combination skin: Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick | £39
- Best foundation for luminosity: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation | £36.80
- Best does it all foundation: Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation & Concealer | £37.50
- Best foundation for a natural finish: Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation | £39.50
- Best lightweight foundation: Kevyn Aucoin Foundation Balm | £21.12
- Best affordable foundation for oily skin types: Maybelline Fit Me! Matte and Poreless Foundation | £5.99
- Best longwearing foundation: Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation | £80
- Best foundation for sheer coverage: MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation | £35
- Best foundation for glowy skin: Chanel Les Beiges Foundation Healthy Glow Foundation | £50
- Best foundation for healthy-looking skin: Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation | £49
- Best foundation for acne-prone skin: Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation | £66
- Best foundation for mature skin: Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation | £61
- Best foundation for sensitive skin: Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation | £50
- Best foundation for radiance: Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation | £31
- Best for dewiness: e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter | £15
- Best for everyday wear: VIEVE Skin Nova Complexion Balm | £34
How can you make your foundation last all day?
For a foundation that really goes the distance, we recommend applying some of the best primer before your base. Alternatively, there are some really brilliant make-up setting sprays out there that you would use as your very last step to really lock things in.
But if we can offer one piece of good advice it's that the key to really good make-up lies in having a brilliant skincare routine in place. If you want your foundation to look its best and last as long as possible, then applying it to a well-hydrated, healthy and smooth complexion is the way to do it. You wouldn't build a house without a good foundation, so the same rule applies here.
Regularly exfoliating your skin and getting rid of the build-up of dead cells will help stop your foundation from gathering around any flaky patches. Using the best face serums and toners for your skin type will ensure that your skin is in the best possible condition, and the foundation will glide on perfectly and stay there.
What makes a great foundation?
We asked founder of VIEVE and expert make-up artist, Jamie Genevieve, what she believes makes the best foundation and she had this to say: "Shade range, staying power and buildability. Dependent on what kind of finish you want, a good foundation will be different for everyone – a person who likes a full coverage look will not be happy with a light coverage foundation. The finish and coverage of a foundation is dependent on the individual. However overall, everyone wants a good shade range so that they can find their right colour match, they want it to stay in place and last as long as possible and they want to have the control in building up the coverage where they want it without it separating."
Pro make-up artist Cher Webb thinks that it's also all about versatility. "I love foundations that work for every occasion from everyday wear, right through to full glam looks for an evening. I also select foundations that mimic real skin texture and amplify the skin’s natural glow and radiance, rather than covering and masking everything."
As a beauty team, we have tested hundreds of foundations over the years. As soon as a new one drops we give it a trial. So how do we test? What are we looking for in the best foundation? First of all we want to know which skin type it's going to suit best. Next, we look at the formula, is it full-coverage, medium or more of a wash of colour? What finish does it have? Then, how does it last on the skin? Can it make it to the end of the day? We also look at the shade ranges, are all skin tones going to be able to find their match? And finally, we look at the price.
With all that in mind, let us help you find your next best foundation...
The best foundations of 2024
1. L'Oréal Paris Infallible Total Cover Foundation
Super full coverage with a gorgeous, slightly powdery finish, this bargain buy will help to blur visible pores, cover up any blemishes and even out your skin tone to perfection. And all that for just over a tenner. We do spoil you.
2. bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation
If you struggle with oiliness, combat shine with mattifying foundations that work to absorb excess oil. Powder foundations, like bareMinerals' Original formula, are a particularly effective choice. It may be worth looking for oil-free foundations so as not to exacerbate oiliness, but the key is a formula that's 'non-comedogenic', or non pore-clogging. This number is surprisingly glowy for a powder foundation and only has five ingredients, so it's a pretty clean formula.
3. Il Makiage Woke Up Like This: Foundation Makeup
Il Makiage has made shopping for a foundation online incredibly easy, thanks to its beyond-accurate shade matching tool. So precise it won't look like you are wearing anything on your skin. That's also because the formula has corrective powders inside that camouflage any bits that you don't want seen. "At first I was dubious about the online shade finding tool," says Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas. "But when it arrived, I genuinely couldn't believe how accurate it was. The formula is also so dreamy for my often dry skin."
4. Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup
A strong contender for the world's most famous formula, Estée Lauder's Double Wear is renowned for its excellent coverage and longevity, as well as offering a broad range of 60 shades. It's a fairly thick formula, but that's definitely not a bad thing – it doesn't feel heavy or go cakey on skin, and its staying power lasts for hours. "Full coverage foundations don’t need to look heavy if used in the correct way with the appropriate brushes for a seamless application and always with a good skin prep to set the base up for success," says Cher Webb. "Estée Lauder Double Wear has a medium-full cover and lasts for 24hrs on the skin, it’s pretty iconic!"
5. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
Rhianna almost broke the internet when she released her eponymous make-up line – and boy, did it live up to the hype. You'll find many of the brilliant products in Team MC's make-up bags. The Pro Filt-r foundation spans an impressive range of 50 shades, with great options for darker skin tones, and its fluid formula with a soft matte finish caters to the foundation tastes of modern women everywhere. Ri-Ri, we take our hats off to you. "This blends so easily and dries beautifully matte," says Dionne Brighton, MC staffer. "I don’t feel like I need to apply a powder on top, like I typically do with other liquid foundations. It's also so lightweight I actually forget I have it on."
6. Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick
The iconic Skin Foundation Stick launched over 30 years ago in 1992 and since then it's gone on to become one of the bestselling foundations on the market. The reason it's so good for combination skin in particular is that it can adapt to your skin's needs, with oil-absorbing minerals for shiny days and hydrating properties for when your skin is more on the dry side. It's also great for on-the-go top ups and allows you to apply exactly where needed.
7. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
We guarantee as soon as you try this foundation, you'll fall head over heels in love with it. It's so lightweight, that you're able to see your skin's natural texture and appearance, but it can be built up if you want more coverage. With famous fans including the likes of Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian, it's such a beautiful formulation that Armani rarely touches it. The expression 'If it ain't broke' comes to mind...
8. Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation & Concealer
Even though this is a lightweight formula, it actually delivers a full coverage. It's perfect for those of you who have blemishes you want to hide or discolouration you want to mask. The applicator is also completely genius as it gives you total control. It's oil-free, so perfect if you're worried about greasiness.
"I love using this foundation as we move into the warmer months," says Katie. "Because I don't really like wearing anything on my face, but this allows me to apply it onto specific areas, like if I want to cover blemishes and brighten under the eyes."
9. Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation
Whilst the brand's Touche Éclat foundation is iconic, we have fallen in love with its latest launch. It has a matte finish, so is really well suited to those with oily or combination skin. However, it isn't its mattifying powers that makes this brilliant, it's the fact that it's so natural looking on the skin. Even though it has the power to even out skin tone and hide all manner of blemishes and scars, it doesn't look like you're wearing anything.
"It's no exaggeration to say the YSL All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation has changed my life," says Ally Head, Senior Health & Relationships Editor. "Lightweight yet still offering a decent amount of coverage, I've had several people comment on how good my skin looks while wearing it. I used to suffer from acne and still have slight scarring on my cheeks years on, so love the natural finish and that it makes me feel my best self. It's an investment foundation, but a worthwhile one."
10. Kevyn Aucoin Foundation Balm
A very different type of formula this one. Kevyn Aucoin's Foundation Balm is one for when you're happy with how your skin looks, but it needs a little something. It melts into the skin and blends so well that it mimics the look of skin. "I love this because you can use just a little for a no make-up look or go full coverage by buffing in more (as I always do)," says Marie Claire staffer Dionne Brighton. "As it's mineral-based, I don't mind using it in summer, despite having an oily T-Zone."
11. Maybelline Fit Me! Matte and Poreless Foundation
This is one of the industry's most iconic foundations. A medium coverage formula that mattifies with the help of micro-powders. It's also brilliant at diffusing the appearance of pores. Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas doesn't have oily skin, but has found as she's got older her pores are more obvious, so she uses this to help blur.
12. Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation
OK, bear with us on the price. Yes this is a lot of money for a foundation, but it lasts for ages and it really is incredible. You need very little for a full face and it's super longwearing, which makes it a great option for brides on their wedding days. "My make-up artist used this on me on my wedding day and I have to say I can see why she insisted on it," say Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas. "In all of my pictures I look flawless."
13. MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation
Make-up artists around the world have loved this foundation for years. If you want 'your skin, but oh-so much better' then this sheer, radiant and buildable base is perfect. It's waterproof too, so a really good option for holidays.
14. Chanel Les Beiges Foundation Healthy Glow Foundation
This foundation is heaven in a bottle. It blends beautifully into your skin and you can't even feel it once it's on. It doesn't have a matte finish, but more of a silky look that means your natural glow shines through. "Oh my goodness I love this foundation so much," says Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas. "Whenever I have an important event or a special date, I use this foundation. I can always rely on it to give the most beautiful coverage and healthiest glow."
15. Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation
A recent winner in the Marie Claire UK Prix D'Excellence Award, this foundation has managed to do something that others can only dream of: become the go-to foundation for so many people despite skin type or tone. Why? Because it's lightweight, but gives great skin-like coverage and gives skin a natural boost of luminosity.
"When I came back from maternity leave, this was the product that I was most excited to try," says Katie. "I had heard so many of my beauty editor friends rave about it. And they weren't wrong. It's like applying the best face cream you've ever used - it's hydrating, evens out your skin tone, but never masks your complexion. It's fantastic."
16. Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation
If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, acne or rosacea then you will look this breathable base. When you have a skin condition, the last thing you want to do is aggravate it further with the wrong formula. This conceals, whilst delivering oxygen to skin cells, critical for promoting healthy skin.
17. Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation
A beautiful formula that's ideal for older skin, as it's super hydrating and blurs away imperfections with a finish that's slightly matte without looking flat. The shade range is very extensive too, spanning a wide range.
18. Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation
Even though this is a foundation, it boosts skin's moisture levels more like a tinted moisturiser. Skin looks radiant, healthy and lit from within. It's also been tested on sensitive skin types, so if you have skin that tends to flare up this kind-to-skin formula will work well.
19. Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
This is your skin, but on a really good day bottled. It gives you the most beautiful natural glow that lasts all day. Jamie Genevieve has named it her favourite foundation ever. "It does everything it says on the tin and gives a radiant finish which looks like my skin but better. If you want something a bit lighter in the summer, the Nars Light Reflecting Foundation is an amazing alternative."
20. e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
Some could argue that this isn't strictly a foundation, more of a complexion booster. But we think it deserves a place on the list for its ability to add a natural-looking dewiness to the skin.
"Most days, I don’t wear foundation - a quick swipe of concealer and powder tends to tide me over pretty well," says Junior Shopping Editor Valeza Bakolli. "But when I do wear foundation, I most often gravitate towards formulas with a light-medium coverage and dewy or skin-like finishes. One formula that ticks all the boxes for me is e.l.f’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter. Be warned: it’s definitely more of a tint than a foundation, so if full coverage is the aim of your foundation game, this formula probably isn’t the best pick. What this foundation excels in though, is a natural-looking finish which blurs rather than completely masks the skin, leaving a glowy finish. It blends beautifully with heavier formulas on days when I want to have a little more coverage, so it's pretty versatile to boot. At under £10, I really can’t fault it.”
21. VIEVE Skin Nova Complexion Balm
"This new launch from Vieve has to be my favourite foundation of 2024", says freelance beauty editor and Marie Claire contributor Mica Ricketts. "Brimming with incredible skincare ingredients like polyglutamic acid, niacinamide and collagen amino acids, it feels more like a quenching moisturiser than a typical liquid foundation. As someone with oily skin, I was a little dubious about whether this texture would work for me—and I will caveat this by saying that dry skin types will adore this—but the beautiful, sheeny, skin-like finish that it delivers means that having to add a little powder halfway through the day is well worth it for me. It leaves skin dewy, plump and naturally bright which makes it perfect for an effortless, everyday foundation."
