When it comes to honing in on make-up that works for me, my years as a beauty journalist mean that I can pretty much tell from a brief glance at a mascara wand or a quick swatch of a cream blusher whether a product is going to end up in my beauty bag.
However, there’s no denying that deciphering the best foundation has been a decidedly more arduous process of testing. Why? Because I have pale skin, and many foundations that claim to cater to the lighter end of the spectrum are often too orange or too pink.
So how exactly have I found the best foundation for pale skin? Years of trial and error, TBH – and I (along with a couple of editor friends) am ready to share my favourites, along with tips on how to find your perfect match.
How to tell which foundation is best for your pale skin
Let's start with the basics – how exactly should you go about finding your perfect base?
Firstly, "it’s really difficult to tell [if a foundation will suit pale skin] from looking at it in a bottle," explains make-up artist Lisa Caldognetto. "Trying a foundation out is really important because some definitely do oxidise. This means that it might look perfect at first, but then within ten minutes of wear it’s gone a little bit orange or a little bit yellow and you just kind of look unwell, or like it’s totally not a match for your skin tone." So, if you can ask at your favourite makeup counter for a tester to try foundations out IRL before investing in them, go for it.
It seems that the subtleties of undertones (that’s those ingenious hints of yellow or pink that help to make a foundation tone look genuinely skin-like) tend to be lost once we get into the porcelain and ivory end of a foundation’s shade offering. In fact, I’d say that at one point basically all foundations for pale skin were available pretty much exclusively in either Victorian ghost or streaky fake tan. Far from ideal.
So we've established that undertones are essential – but how do you know yours?
How to find your undertone
Caldognetto explains that there are some tricks to deciphering your undertone if you’re not sure—if you think you suit gold jewellery more then you’re likely to have warm or yellow undertones, whereas if you suit silver then chances are you have cool or pink undertones. However, if you’re still not sure then neutral is a good place to start: "The beauty of wearing a pale foundation with a neutral undertone is that, whatever your true skin tone, the colour will absorb slightly and work for you without veering to one extreme or another."
My testing criteria
Luckily though, times are changing and there are some amazing brands out there creating brilliant foundations in a truly diverse spectrum of skin tones. (In fact, I should caveat this piece with the fact that historically finding decent foundations on the high street has been an even harder task for those with darker skin tones—and is a space where there is still much room for improvement.)
I asked Valeza Bakolli - MCUK's Junior Shopping Editor and fellow pale foundation forager, as well as Beauty Contributor Rebecca Fearn - for their input on the best formulas out there. In our extensive testing to find the best foundation for pale skin, we’ve found that they all have these things in common:
- They all look natural and skin-like when applied, regardless of coverage and finish.
- They are available in a spectrum of shades and undertones that genuinely work for pale skin—there’s no one shade fits all approach.
- They never verge into fake tan territory. It’s an orange streak-free zone.
Best foundations for pale skin 2024
1. L'Oréal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation
"For a high street foundation, the shade range here is impressive—48 in total and recently reformulated with green and blue colour pigments for even more skin-like tones. I wear shade 1W, which has just the right amount of yellow for my skin tone without veering into sallow territory. Plus, the addition of hyaluronic acid means it boasts a beautiful plump, bouncy skin finish." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
2. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
"Despite having skin that leans to the oily side, I tend to avoid matte foundations like the plague—this one from Fenty Beauty being the only exception. Yes, it’s shine-free, but skin never looks flat or lifeless when wearing this. Instead, it acts like a filter; blurring over pores and generally smoothing things out. Available in 50 shades, including tons for pale skin (I’m in shade 120), it’s an ideal choice if you want a foundation that stays put." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
3. Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation
"This is the foundation I reach for when I haven’t had enough sleep and I need something that’s going to make me look healthy, fast. Traditionally, I’ve found that glowy formulas tend to skew as orange-y on pale skin or they’re laden with shimmer, but this one from Hourglass is all about that subtle lit-from-within glow. I wear shade 2 (and there are 32 available) and love the sheer, natural finish." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
4. Saie Glowy Super Skin Foundation
"Foundations with hydrating, glowy formulas are hands down my favourites - come winter or summer - and when it comes to a radiant finish, no foundation delivers quite like Saie. The clue is in the name here, but it really does leave my skin with an impressive glow - even on grey and gloomy days. It comes in 36 shades, with a great selection for pale skin, and unlike other lighter foundations I’ve tried, it doesn’t leave my skin looking at all chalky. I will mention, it’s important to give this foundation a good shake before use as the formula can separate a little in the bottle, but once well mixed, it glides on like water and leaves a beautiful, healthy-looking finish." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
5. The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation
"When it comes to make-up, The Body Shop tends to fly massively under-the-radar, but this is truly one of the best foundations for pale skin that I’ve ever tried. Sure, it doesn’t promise anything fancy—it’s a medium coverage, hydrating formula with a natural skin-finish—but don’t we all need one of those in our make-up bags? Available in 40 shades (I wear 2W) it’s basically healthy skin in a bottle and it’s perfect for everyday wear." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation
"Although Anastasia Beverly Hills is a brand that’s synonymous with brows, it turns out that their first and only foundation offering is pretty impressive in its own right. With 50 shades in a range of warm, cool and neutral undertones (I’m in 120W) it has nailed the pale colour offering. But most appealingly, the subtly luminous finish covers everything from spots to dark circles and stays put all day without looking cakey." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
7. Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting SPF30 Foundation
"I always recommend Shiseido as a great place to start for people with pale skin. As while there are 30 shades available here (I’m in shade 130 Opal) they are definitely weighted more heavily towards the lighter end of the colour spectrum. If, like me, your skin is oily one day, dry the next and you’re also spotting some signs of ageing in the form of fine lines, then this flexible foundation offers coverage, smooths texture and brings a subtle glow." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
8. Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick
"Stick foundations don’t tend to be my bag, but the addition of skincare ingredients like moisturising blue lotus and marshmallow root extract mean that this one from Milk Makeup is ultra-creamy and easy to apply. It layers up beautifully so you can wear it sheer or build it to full coverage, and doubles as a decent under-eye concealer. Available in 36 shades, I’m in Shell—fair with golden undertones." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
9. bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation SPF 20
"I swore by the classic bareMinerals powder foundation for many years before becoming fickle with foundation testing. However, this liquid version is my new favourite from the brand thanks to its incredible staying power and ability to cover absolutely everything while still maintaining the illusion of natural skin. Much like Shiseido, its 35-shade offering dominates at the lighter end of the spectrum but makes it a great choice for pale skin." - Mica Ricketts, Beauty Contributor
10. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation
"I actually rarely wear foundation as I prefer a lightweight skin tint or tinted moisturiser, but when I do partake, I'm only ever using Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin these days. It has a lovely buildable coverage meaning it never feels too heavy, and a little seriously goes a long way IMO. I am a glowy gal so love how this looks radiant and ultra-natural on, and I appreciate that there are pale enough shades for me in the line! There's a great range for all skin tones, however, making it an appealing option for everyone." - Rebecca Fearn, Beauty Contributor
