It doesn't matter whether I'm wearing my journalist or make-up artist hat: the minute I mention that I know a thing or two about make-up, the questions will start. More often than not, they centre around skin make-up—in particular, what the best foundation is. When anyone over 40 asks me, they'll often also mention something age-related: wrinkles, discolouration, the desire not to look 'too made up'. My answer to finding the best foundation for mature skin is this: forget your age category and think instead of what your specific issues are.
More often than not, there are common themes with skin that's getting older—like hydration taking a nosedive, dullness setting in and wrinkles making themselves known. I've used years of experience applying make-up to people of all different ages to narrow down the absolute best foundation for mature skin over 40, 50 or 60+, and with the help of some testers, we have all the info you'll need to make an informed decision for your skin type and preferences, whatever your age.
Best foundations for mature skin: Quick links
- Best for hydration: Bobbi Brown Intensive Serum Foundation SPF40, £58 | Lookfantastic
- Best for glow: Jones Road What The Foundation, £42 | Liberty
- Best for high coverage: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, £46 | Lookfantastic
- Best for very dry skin: Suqqu The Foundation, £75 | Cult Beauty
- Best for a seamless finish: Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation, £49 | Lookfantastic
- Best for mature skin over 50: Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation, £39 | Charlotte Tilbury
- Best lightweight choice: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, £49 | Space NK
- Best shade range: Estée Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Makeup SPF 45, £42 | Lookfantastic
- Best for sheer coverage: Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum, £39 | Space NK
- Best for natural radiance: Vieve Skin Nova Complexion Balm, £34 | Cult Beauty
- Best for everyday wear: Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation, £50 | Sephora
What to look for in a foundation for mature skin
As skin ages, it loses its capacity to hang onto water and oil, so skin can be dry and dehydrated, which can make the skin look very dull, so a formula that gives some goodness back is ideal. This is also where the best moisturiser for older skin can help too. Mature skin is also likely to have some wrinkles or textured areas, and the last thing you want is a heavy formula that doesn't blend well and collects in your lines.
Therefore the best foundations for mature skin will be hydrating, smoothing and brightening.
Best way to apply foundation onto mature skin
I got in touch with some of the best pros in the business and asked them for their tips on application—you'll want to note these down.
Make-up artist Andrew Gallimore says it's all about product placement: "If you're concerned about keeping skin looking youthful, imagine a heart shape over your face," he says. "Within that shape is generally where you'll need the most coverage. Be sparing—don't pile on too much foundation to start with; if you add too much product, it'll look like a mask."
"Try priming your foundation brush with moisturiser and then applying the base to it," recommends Daniel Sandler. "This helps with application on more mature skin. Plus it means you use less product so your foundation lasts longer. Win, win."
Make-up artist Jessica Kell says to steer clear of anything shimmery, "look for products that offer subtle luminosity instead. I would also use a concealer for mature skin with the foundation to get a seamless blend rather than creating too many heavy layers, which are more likely to move or go patchy."
Best foundations for mature skin
1. Bobbi Brown Intensive Serum Foundation SPF40
If your foundation always feels a little powdery and tight by the end of the day, this might well be the one you're looking for. I asked my 74-year-old mum who suffers from dry skin to take it for a spin and she reported back that it "felt very nice on the skin—like a moisturiser".
2. Jones Road What The Foundation
Think of this as a big whack of hydration with a sheer wash of skin blurring and perfecting ingredients that you can scoop out the pot every morning and apply with fingers. Seriously: this is the perfect low-maintenance, high-health finish foundation for skin. It doesn't look great if you keep adding layers, so if you need a little extra coverage, opt for a concealer instead.
Freelance beauty editor Laura Mulley says, "This blends out into a very sheer, very dewy layer that feels almost balm-like on the skin. It gives a really soft, springy feel, so would be ideal for dry skin types who just want a sheer coverage. Just don't wear it with a high collar, as it will transfer."
3. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
This cult foundation is just a brilliant all-rounder, offering reliably medium-to-full coverage without sliding around too much. One thing to be aware of: this one works best when you give skincare a little time to absorb before applying it, so pop on your skincare and all-important SPF, go and make yourself breakfast or reply to e-mails then head back and put this on.
Freelance beauty editor Keeks Reid says, "This has a lovely lightweight texture while still giving great buildable coverage, and the finish is satiny and blurring but not dewy."
4. Suqqu The Foundation
There's something very 'old-school glamour' about this luxe pot of foundation, which isn't the most practical but sure looks good on your dressing table. Inspired by Japanese skincare, this rich, medium coverage base is enriched with hyaluronic acid, algae extract and aloe vera.
Laura says, "Once I'd figured out how not to spill this everywhere (keep upright and use the little spatula provided), it gives a gorgeous hydrated finish and feels like you're using a luxury face cream."
5. Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation
This light-to-medium coverage foundation has been a real hit with beauty experts since it launched, who love how easy it is to blend, how light it feels on the skin and the natural radiant finish it gives.
Laura believes it to be the foundation hit of the past year, saying, "If you are looking for a lightweight option that will give your skin a boost of natural-looking luminosity, you need look no further. However, if you have areas that need extra coverage, you're always going to want to wear it with a concealer."
6. Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation
This is a can't-go-wrong sort of foundation. Apply it with warm fingers for a seamless finish and it'll blend into your skin, leaving a medium veil of coverage with a bit of added healthy glow. In the mix is also hyaluronic acid, which acts as a humectant to keep hydration right at the surface of the skin.
Laura says, "This is my go-to foundation for an evening out or when I just want to look a bit more polished. It really does create 'beautiful skin', and I can see why it's a red carpet favourite."
7. Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint
This one has ranked highly in our round-up of the best skin tints, and also is a favourite with celebs who love the glossy, barely-there sheen is gives to skin. It's great at quenching thirsty skin and feels weightless on the skin.
It's also a favourite of Marie Claire's Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas. "I'm approaching 40 so my concerns are dullness and dryness and I can honestly say that this solves all of my issues. It's heaven in a tube."
8. Estée Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Makeup SPF 45
If you think Estée Lauder foundation is only Double Wear (and that's not your thing), prepare to be pleasantly surprised by this skincare-packed formula. It's a favourite with testers from a range of ages, from 30-somethings to Laura's 65-year-old mum, who loves how natural it look and how it smooths out the skin.
You can probably tell by the state of the tube how well this has been used by Laura, who says, "If you're looking for a truly neutral-toned foundation—nearly too golden nor too pink—then this is excellent."
9. Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
#Skingoals don't get much better than supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's glowing complexion—and now us mere mortals can copy her skin secrets with this tinted serum from her own beauty brand, Rose Inc. It's a texture unlike any we've seen before; encapsulated pigments suspended in a hydrating serum that combine on the skin for a sheer, fresh-faced finish.
Laura says, "It took me a while to get to grips with this, but now I love it. The trick is to blend the product on the back of your hand with fingers or a brush before applying it to the face. It gives a barely-there whisper of coverage that's perfect for 'off-duty skin'."
10. Vieve Skin Nova Complexion Balm
Ask any beauty editor to spill the contents of their makeup bag and you’ll likely find something from Vieve in there, so to say anticipation was high for the brand’s first foundation launch is an understatement. Thankfully, brand founder and makeup artist Jamie Genevieve totally delivered with this utterly unique balmy formulation. Packed with polyglutamic acid, niacinamide, and vegan collagen amino acids, it’s a real heavy-hitter when it comes to hydration which makes it a great choice for more mature skin which tends to be drier. However, even beauty editor and Marie Claire contributor Mica Ricketts—who has oily/combination skin—is a fan of this foundation thanks to its beautiful, skin-like finish.
Mica says, “Initially I thought the Vieve Skin Nova Complexion Balm wasn’t going to be for me as it feels incredibly rich and moisturising when you apply it to the skin—and undeniably it is both of those things. However, the finish is so incredible that I have been instantly converted. It’s luminous without being overly shiny, has decent coverage without looking cakey, and basically makes my skin look like it’s naturally bright and plump without drawing attention to the fact that I have a foundation on. A dusting of powder works well to improve longevity for me, but I think drier or more mature skin will do just fine wearing it solo.”
11. Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation
Taking a skincare-first approach to foundations, this radiant formulation from Dior is made up of an 86% skincare base, packed with hydrating ingredients and an infusion of floral extracts to act more like a glowy serum than a traditional base product. As such, this foundation won’t be for you if you love something with an abundance of coverage, but if you’re looking for an everyday product that will smooth the skin, blur over pores, and even out discolouration, without ever running the risk of clinging to dry patches or exacerbating texture then you’ll love this. And don’t be put off by the ‘glow’ either, if you’re more into matte—Marie Claire contributor Mica Ricketts adores this foundation, even with oily skin.
Mica says, “I’m always a bit nervous about foundations that identify as being glowy, as they tend to slide off my oily skin by lunchtime. This one, however, is the perfect combination of radiant without being slippy. It almost acts like a diffusing filter on the skin—blurring over redness, texture and blemishes without relying on a ton of heavy pigment. My skin beneath still shines through, but I look about ten times more healthy and refreshed than I feel.”
