Finding the best foundation for your complexion can be tricky. Your best friend's minderal foundation may not work for you, while your favorite formulation may cause her to break out. Your best bet is to go to a store like Sephora and try out a variety of products in your shade range. In the meantime, here's a rundown of my favorite tried-and-true foundations.
More on foundation:
Best Tinted Moisturizer for All Skin Types: Laura Mercier
Makeup artist Genevieve Herr explains on the awesome Website, xojane, how she uses it, "I usually apply with a wedge sponge that has been wet. I squeeze the water out so the sponge is damp -- so it goes on to the skin smoothly."
Best Foundation for Oily Skin: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Liquid
Hands down one of the best foundations for oily skin. Laura Mercier's foundation gets high praise from beauty editors (myself included) and the reviewers on Makeupalley.com.
Best Pricey Foundation: Chanel Teint Innocence Foundation
Flawless. Chanel products go on smooth and aren't drying (but they also don't add oil to your already oily skin). A plus is most come with an SPF of at least 15 -- a big bonus in moisturizers. We suggest trying out the different versions at the Chanel counter.
A Great Drugstore Buy: L'Oréal Paris True Match
Best Inexpensive Foundation: Revlon ColorStay Foundation
If you're going to spend money on beauty products, we usually suggest saving it up for a good foundation. But this inexpensive product is worth a try. If you have oily skin, you might want to skip this product, however. Best for women with dry skin.
Best Drugstore Foundation: CoverGirl NatureLuxe Foundation
When the hottest makeup artist in the world (Pat McGrath) carts a drugstore foundation around to all the Fashion Week shows in New York leaving a host of perfect dewy faces in her wake, you know the beauty world will take notice. This is exactly what happened in February 2011 and that drugstore foundation McGrath went ga-ga for (as did the blogosphere) is CoverGirl NatureLuxe Foundation. <p>
Available in 14 shades, this light foundation provides full coverage with a perfect dewy finish. What's more, it is made of a slew of botanical ingredients including jojoba, rose hip extracts and cucumber water.
Best Foundation Stick: Bobbi Brown
Foundation sticks are great for covering blotchy skin and were made for women on the run who need a quick fix. They provide on-the-spot coverage in a flash and there's no better product than Bobbi Brown. Make sure you blend in product after applying.
Best Mineral Foundation: BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation
Personally, I am not a fan of mineral makeup. I find it settles into my fine lines and looks weird with my large pores. But what doesn't work for me, works for thousands of women since Bare Minerals is a cult classic and Sephora favorite. It's also a 5-time Glamour Magazine "best foundation" winner and an Allure Magazine 2010 Readers Choice Award winner. Users love "BareMins" because it goes on featherlight and it won't budge, smudge or melt away. Women also love the way it looks on their skin. Because mineral makeup is a love or hate thing, I strongly suggest you try it out first and if you hate it, return it.
Best Inexpensive Foundation: e.l.f. Minerals Starter Kit
There are several shades. Pick the one that best fits the color of your skin:
- light starter kit (for light skin and golden undertones)
- warm starter kit (for medium skin and neutral undertones)
- dark starter kit (for tan skin and golden undertones)
- fair starter kit (for porcelain skin and neutral undertones)
- deep starter kit (for dark skin and neutral undertones)
Best Pricey Foundation Powder: Laura Mercier
Powder foundation tends to be more matte than sheer or satin, so it's great for women with oily skin. This product blends well & has great staying power throughout the day mainly because it comes in powder form, which is great for bringing along in your purse.
