From choosing the right formula for your skin type to the dreaded task of colour matching, finding a new foundation can be a daunting task, so we’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you. Spanning budget and boujee to sheer and full coverage, there’s something here for every skin type and tone.
Here are all of the best foundations for a flawless face.
Best Natural-Looking Foundation
Espressoh OHMYGLOW
Price: $48
Cult Italian beauty brand Espressoh has finally launched in Australia and spoiler alert—you’ll want to get all up in the OHMYGLOW skin tint for all the natural-looking coverage. The brand was founded in 2018 by industry veteran Chiara with the ultimate goal to bring a bunch of high quality, inclusive, transparent and non-toxic beauty essentials to makeup bags all across the world. Back to OHMYGLOW though—the caffeinated-infused tint has a certified five-star rating online all down to its weightless texture (for a naked feeling on the skin), a natural glowy effect, buildable coverage, all-day wear and a nourishing and hydrating effect. Buy it here.
Best Sheer Coverage Foundation
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation
Price: $111
Long wearing and sheer don’t often go hand in hand, but they do with Pat McGrath Labs’ Sublime Perfection Foundation. There are 36 shades to choose from so it’s easy to find your perfect match and the formula can be built up to a medium coverage for days when you need a little extra. Vita-Serum Complex adds moisture and helps plump the skin and Pat’s Diamond Core Powder Technology smoothes and blurs. What more could you want in a sheer foundation? Buy it here.
Best Full Coverage Foundation
Estée Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup
Price: $60
For even more coverage than Estée Lauder’s famed Double Wear foundation, enter Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup. If you want to CTRL, ALT, Delete just about anything on your face or body this powerful little tube delivers, including varicose veins, scars and birthmarks. It’ll stick on your face for up to 12 hours and Estée Lauder has also thrown in some SPF15 so you can boost your regular face sunscreen while you rock your fresh face. Buy it here.
Best Shade Inclusive Foundation
FENTY BEAUTY By Rihanna Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation
Price: $36
50 different shades make up the award-winning Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation collection by Rihanna’s booming cosmetics company, FENTY BEAUTY. From the lightest to the deepest skin tones and everything in between, this full coverage, vegan foundation won’t feel thick and heavy on the skin and it promises a smooth finish, sans shine. It’ll also get you through sweaty days and won’t clog your pores thanks to its oil-free formulation. Buy it here.
Best Foundation For Glowy Skin
MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Foundation
Price: $67
A MUA fave, MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Ultra HD Foundation contains hyaluronic acid to boost skin’s hydration, as well as light diffusing properties for the ultimate flawless, glowy coverage. It’s buildable, long wearing and contains no SPF (which is why it’s a top choice for anyone working on camera) and you won’t find any sulfates, parabens or phthalates on the ingredients list. There are also a whopping 53 shades in the collection. Buy it here.
Best Budget Foundation
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation
Price: $12.90
Trust the crew from The Ordinary to deliver an extremely affordable, yet effective foundation. For cheaper than a cafe avo smash you can have a lightweight, yet full coverage foundation that smoothes out your skin tone and won’t shift or settle. There are 21 shades to choose from and for the best application The Ordinary recommends you use this serum-style foundation with a primer for the best effect. Buy it here.
Best Boujee Foundation
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Price: $105
When your face wants to feel as good as an expensive handbag, look no further than Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation. It’s a classic in the boujee category for a reason with a formula that stands the test of time created by one of the most revered make-up artists of all time, Pat McGrath. Expect a weightless skin feel that provides luminous, seamless, oil free and blendable coverage. Buy it here.
Best Foundation With SPF
Ultra Violette Dream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil
Price: $55
You’d be hard pressed to find a foundation boasting SPF50 that also looks amazing on your skin, but Ultra Violette Dream Screen Tinted Veil has got the goods. This serum-style, buildable foundation protects you from UVA and UVB rays and you’ll find it in 11 adaptive shades. The geniuses at Ultra Violette have even thrown in some Kakadu Plum for extra bouncy skin. Buy it here.
Best Vegan Foundation
Tarte Amazonian Clay 16-Hour Full Coverage Foundation
Price: $60
Ilia, Inika, The Ordinary and Fenty foundations we’ve included in this article are all vegan, but if you’re looking for just one more to add to your collection Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 16-Hour foundation has to be it. Full coverage with a matte-yet-not-flat finish, the mousse-like formula won’t cake or clog. It’s non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested and you won’t find any nasties in there, just Amazonian clay, skin-loving vitamin E and beautiful mineral pigments. Buy it here.
Best Mineral Foundation
Inika Loose Mineral Foundation
Price: $59
Working as a concealer, foundation and powder all in one, Inika’s Loose Mineral Foundation contains antioxidants and is non-comedogenic, but most importantly it’ll even out your skin tone with just a few swipes of the kabuki brush. A little goes a very long way with this water resistant mineral foundation and Inika has popped some titanium dioxide and zinc oxide into the powder to provide coverage up to SPF25. As a bonus, it’s Australian made, certified organic, cruelty free and vegan and free of artificial fragrance, synthetics and fillers. Buy it here.
Best Foundation With Benefits
Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation
Price: $48
If you’re a total skin care nut (or you just love hydrated, healthy skin) Super Serum Skin Tint is the foundation for you. Ilia has packed skin-loving ingredients like plant based squalane, niacinamide and hyaluronic acids into this winning formulation which also contains non-nano zinc oxide to block blue light, UVA, UVB and UVC rays with no ghostly white cast effect. You don’t even need to prep your skin with moisturisers and serums before applying, just massage it in and you’re good to go. Buy it here.
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Image Credit: Espressoh
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