This brand is a high street favourite of beauty editors and make-up artists - I've tried almost every one of it's foundations and these are my genuine thoughts

An affordable favourite

maybelline foundations - woman with eyes closed and hand to her face with blue sky behind her - gettyimages 1282563380
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I can probably count on one hand the number of affordable make-up brands I like as much as Maybelline. They make one of the most famous mascaras ever to go viral on TikTok, which is one of my go-tos, but Maybelline foundations are also well worth your time and money. 

Much like Maybelline concealers or Maybelline mascaras, these are some icons of the high street make-up market; it may not be anywhere near as many as Sky High Mascara, but the hashtag #maybellinefoundation has more than 22 million views on TikTok. 

In this guide I've broken down my honest thoughts on the most widely available Maybelline foundations, as well as included pictures of me wearing each one so that you can see what they look like on. Full disclosure, I used some corrector under my eyes and a dab of concealer to cover a nasty spot but, other than that, the only thing on my skin is the foundation in question. Here’s what you need to know about them.

The best Maybelline foundations reviewed by a beauty editor

1. Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation 

maybelline foundations - Maybelline Fit Me! Matte and Poreless Foundation

(Image credit: Maybelline)

maybelline foundations - Lucy wearing Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation

(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)

Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation

Best Maybelline foundation for oily skin

Specifications

Number of shades: 37

Reasons to buy

+
Natural-looking matte finish
+
Blends easily
+
Non-comedogenic 

Reasons to avoid

-
Won't suit drier skin types as well 

It’s a toss-up between Fit Me and SuperStay Tint, but based on first impressions this is probably my favourite Maybelline foundation. The coverage is great, it applies really easily and has a nice, natural-looking matte finish to it rather than being too flat. Despite the good coverage, it doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin and is formulated with oilier complexions in mind—micro powders work to control oil and shine throughout the day. This is hands down one of the best drugstore foundations on the market. 

2. Maybelline SuperStay 24H Tint with Vitamin C

maybelline foundations - Maybelline SuperStay 24H Skin Tint + Vitamin C


(Image credit: Maybelline)

maybelline foundations - Maybelline SuperStay 24H Skin Tint with Vitamin C

(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)

Maybelline SuperStay 24H Skin Tint with Vitamin C

Best radiant Maybelline foundation

Specifications

Number of shades: 20

Reasons to buy

+
Buildable 
+
Surprising coverage
+
Contains vitamin C derivative

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite glowy, which won't suit everyone

One of the newer additions to the Maybelline foundation line-up, the SuperStay Tint falls into the skincare-make-up hybrid category, containing a vitamin C derivative. It has surprisingly good coverage despite its name—though a little bit will stretch quite well for light coverage. It’s quite buildable, lasting well through a day of wear, and has a kind of illuminating quality to it. 

3. Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Perfector 4-in-1 Glow Makeup

maybelline foundations - Maybelline Instant Perfector 4-in-1 Glow

(Image credit: Maybelline)

maybelline foundations - Lucy wearing Maybelline Instant Perfector 4-in-1 Glow Foundation

(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Perfector 4-in-1 Glow Makeup

Best Maybelline foundation for a glow

Specifications

Number of shades : 7

Reasons to buy

+
Very glowy finish 
+
Can be worn alone, used as a primer or as a highlighter

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite light coverage

If you like a pretty understated base day-to-day, this will make a great foundation for you, but it can also be used as an illuminating primer and highlighter. It’s very glowy with only a hint of coverage, evening out the skin for a kind of “no make-up make-up look”, but it did disguise some redness in my skin. You’ll probably find it useful to have the best concealer to hand for any areas that you feel need a bit more coverage (blemishes, for example), but overall it’s a nice base and a great multipurpose option. 

4. Maybelline Super Stay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation

maybelline foundations - Maybelline SuperStay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation

(Image credit: Maybelline)

maybelline foundations - Lucy wearing the Maybelline Super Stay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation

(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)

Maybelline Super Stay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation

Best Maybelline powder foundation

Specifications

Number of shades: 10

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight
+
Very matte finish
+
Water, transfer and sweat resistent

Reasons to avoid

-
Shade range has room for improvement

Maybelline’s Powder Foundation is great for those who want a properly matte finish. Full disclosure, the shades I tested weren’t a great match, they were a bit lighter than I typically wear so it was a little harder to judge compared to the others. I’d also note that there’s room for improvement with the shade range as a whole. It did apply nicely without caking too much around a couple of dry areas and is very lightweight and soft—but do note it has a very matte finish. Because I have oily skin, I think a little could also be used as a setting powder on those areas that are very prone to shine.

Lucy Abbersteen
Beauty Contributor

Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and contributor at Marie Claire, and has written for titles including Glamour, Refinery29, Popsugar, woman&home and more. She was previously Marie Claire’s junior beauty editor. During her career, she’s covered everything from backstage beauty at fashion week to interviews with famous faces like Drag Race royalty and Little Mix. As for her beauty ethos, she’s a big advocate for not having to spend a fortune on beauty products to get good results, and when she’s not got beauty on the brain you’ll find her reading or hanging out with dogs.