My current favorite is Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea! I also wear Guerlain Lingerie de Peau and Dior Star pretty regularly. I also like Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (but don’t currently have a bottle that matches me)!
— Christine
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
I have dry, sensitive, mature, skin and the very best liquid foundation I’ve ever used is Clé de Peau’s Radiant Fluid Foundation in O10. Yes, it costs an arm and a leg, but it performs on my skin like no other. Besides, I learned decades ago that, for me, it is better to pay the price and be 100% happy with a product than to go with something cheaper that doesnt live up to my expectations. Like so many of you, I’ve tossed numerous bottles of partially used foundation because they just didn’t satisfy my needs. Not so with my beloved CdP. I use it to the very last drop and promptly purchase a new one.
Everything above, but in I10. This is my absolute, go to favorite foundation in any formulation!
I love Guerlain foundations but just can’t find a match. Armani’s are awesome and of course Chanel’s are always great but my favorite is Koh Gen Do Agua.
Hi All!
I’m looking forward to reading all the comments, because finding the right foundation is something that I’ve struggled with. Recommendations are very welcome!
Skin type: dry, sensitive, and mature.
Currently, I’m using Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick, and it’s just okay to me. There were so many amazing reviews, and I usually like stick formulas. But at this time, I’m just using this one up because it was too damn expensive. I can’t bring myself to throw it away!
Previously (I just finished it up last week!), I used Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, and I loved it! I used it in conjunction with my Too Faced Hangover Primer, and they were a great combination. This tinted moisturizer is really perfect for everyday. It never got cakey on me.
For nights out, I like the Too Faced Born This Way foundation. I feel like it provides me the best coverage, and my skin looks perfect and flawless regardless of the condition. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly.
Depending on how much you want to spend, Yves St. Laurent’s “Touche Eclat” foundation is really nice. It’s a little too “glow-y” for my skin, but anyone I know who has drier skin has really liked it. Clarins has a nice luminous foundation as well.
I am currently in love with Armani Crema Nuda. I have a sample and it looks like it will last for ever. It is a very nourishing luminous foundation
I have tried so many foundations in the 15+ years of doing my own makeup and when I discovered Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk I knew I found the foundation I would buy for the rest of my life. It’s just perfect in every way for me! And #2 matches my skin PERFECTLY. It’s certainly a little spendy, but I can’t imagine life without it!
I’ve been really happy with Smashbox’s Camera Ready Water BB spf 30 foundation. I didn’t expect to it’s supposedly the exact same formula as MAC’s Studio Waterweight spf 30 and that oxidized to too dark really quickly. But based on Beautypedia rating I gave Smashbox a try last fall and have been happy.
Occasionally, if I need more coverage, I’ll add a dollop of Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau.
For reference: I have mature, sensitive — sometimes breaking out, sometimes too dry — skin. I use Smashbox in light/fair, and for LdP a mixture of old formula N1 and new formula W02.
Giorgio Armani Power Fabric – love the formula, colours are okay for me, good coverage.
Kevyn Aucoin Etherealist Foundation – colour #3 light neutral beige: not too orange, not too yellow, not too peach: just right. A bit drying for me: I either mix with iT CC or pat in a light layer of essential oil before.
My favorite continues to be a mix of Chosungah 22 and Marc Jacob’s Remarkable both in the palest cool undertone.
High-end: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Lasting Foundation (full coverage) and bareMinerals BareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation (medium coverage).
Drug store: e.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation.
I have oily, aging skin. These foundations have color matches for my skin tone, which is very fair with neutral undertones. They don’t oxidize on me or look cakey. The Lancome is very light weight for a full coverage foundation.
Love Bobbi Brown intensive skin serum foundation SPF 40! I have dry skin and it is just right for winter!
For reference; I have aging, combination skin that has its struggles with eczema, lupus redness around my nose, inner cheek area and chin, and I also deal with breakouts in my t-zone at just about 58 y.o.
At present, I have the last drops of MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC40 that I’m trying to use up and find something cruelty free in a comparable formula, if possible. Also, since I have (again) gone a bit crazy with Vite C products and retinol, my skintone has gone down to NC37, which I now need to find a match to in another brand. If possible. Otherwise, I’m just going to get a tube of Studio Sculpt in NC37.
Suggestions welcome here!
In the strict definition of “foundation”, I love both Guerlain Lingerie de Peau and Clarins Skin Illusion (I think that’s the name) pretty much equally.
I try others, but I keep going back to Urban Decay Naked Skin. It strikes a perfect balance between dry and luminous for my skin.
Still on the hunt. Every foundation has some flaw. But I guess I am picky.
I use Covergirl ready set gorgeous. Previously I only used tinted bb cream, so I decided to try a foundation. I love it so far, and I feel like my next bottle will be high end.
I’m a foundation junkie!
Becca Ultimate Coverage – the best full coverage, lightweight foundation with a natural finish I’ve tried. Cashmere is nearly a perfect match for me. I’ve repurchased.
Too Faced Born This Way – coconut water increases blendability. I’ve never had a cake face with this stuff. Coverage is great without the weight! I’ve repurchased this one too.
YSL Fusion Ink – the thinnest, buildable formula with a matte finish I’ve seen. I’ve used this on 2 clients (I’m a MUA on the side) and it looks like skin.
Dior Star – ugh, I’ve put this on some clients and it always looks great! I can’t wear it though — too radiant of a finish for me, and the colors always oxidize too dark and orange for my skin tone.
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet – I’m glad they added more shades! This is my favorite full coverage matte finish foundation. Great for folks who sweat a lot too. I’ve repurchased 3 times.
Ysl its silky smooth goodness the colors match me perfect thanks to sephora. I wouldn’t mind trying others but I rarely wear it only special occasions.
I should also say my skin is normal bordering on dryness if I use too much cleansers.
Day to day Bobbi brown tinted moisturizer is my favorite.
I found too faced born this way looked great at first but then was drying settling in cracks if I mix 50/50 with moisturizer it’s wearable.
My skin is aging! Lol
Skintype: mature, sensitive.
Skintone: NC20.
Finish preferred: dewy.
Favorite foundations — I mix all foundations with moisturizer 1:1 or 2:1 :
MAC Face & Body in C1, N1, N2 for different times of year, dewy finish, no spf.
MAC Mineralize liquid foundation in NC20, NW20.
Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream.
Maybelline BB Cream in Light-Medium and Medium for different times of year.
My current top faves are MUFE Water Blend (thought I hate the smell) and NARS TM (love the smell). I just tried Hourglass’s skin tint and liked how it looked.
I really want to get my hands on NARS Tinted Moisturizer for the coming summer! Especially as it has a bit of SPF. Do you find it to be quite a lightweight formula?
I really like Water Blend. Justo wished it had SPF.
I think NARS Sheer Glow takes the cake for me. It’s got great coverage but not TOO much coverage, and the shade range is at least semi-decent. I’d say the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation is at #2 for me but it’s shade range is abysmal so that makes it lose out.
it’s a tie between Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation and Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation. The Lasting Silk for me is what Luminous Silk is to others, I think. Lasting Silk is flawless and perfection where as Luminous Silk on my normal-to-oily skin turns into an oil slick after an hour and I look like a sweaty, greasy mess.
Easy, Koh Gen Do Agua.
My favourite is Clarins Super Restorative Foundation in linen – the shade is discontinued I am sad to say.
For dry, sensitive, aging skin with red broken veins, rosacea and some brown discoloration from sun damage, La Mer’s new liquid foundation applied with a brush from “Artis” is as good as it gets. Doesn’t dry out or irritate, doesn’t sink into lines or crepeyness, and applying it with an Artis brush fills in the large pores and creates a flawless, smooth complexion with no patchy application. I also love their powder. I must use powder very sparingly or else I get that “old lady with a powdered face” look. This powder is the best. I found the concealer stick to be a bit drying for me so I skipped that. Get a sample at the store and try it out.
I had a looooong relationship with Guerlain – both Lingerie de Peau and Parure Gold. But since discovering Tom Ford’s Waterproof Foundation (the one in the tube), I’ve switched loyalties 😉 The TF one gives me the coverage and texture I’ve been looking for, and still looks amazing after 12 hours of tropical humidity and an oily T-zone.
Not that I’ve tried them all, but some of my favorites are: MUFE Ultra HD, Tarte Rainforest of the Sea, Dior Nude Air Serum.
I have two hands down that are AMAZING, although, for both, the colour selections are quite limited.
The first one is Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation. Makes your skin look good, and is good for your skin! Lightweight, medium coverage with a glowy finish that makes your skin all Gisele Bundchen-y!
The second is the Smashbox BB Water. Super water-y, ultra-light texture, surprisingly good coverage, SPF 30, oil-free, and hydrating. Although this one claims to be transfer- and sweat-proof, it only follows through on the latter, with the texture of the foundation staying consistent through my work day, and having only touched-up once. (Sorry about the run-on sentence, :P)
With both of these (paired with the Laura Mercier Translucent setting powder), I’ve gotten more compliments on my skin than when I’ve worn any of my luxe foundations, with my usual suspect being Armani Luminous Silk.
– M
Muah! <3
MUFE Face & Body
NARS Sheer glow FTW! Enough coverage, beautiful finish. Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich – looks very skin like.
I like both of those, have dry, very sensitive maturing skin. Unfortunately, I am very fair with slightly cool undertones and the BB doesn’t have a color for me unless I am very tan, and the Nars is questionable. What shades do you wear?
I am 48. My skin type is normal/combination and I rarely suffer breakouts. My only concern is being careful of using anything too creamy near my eyes as I can get milia. My foundation shade is warm beige and I am using Tarte Amazonian Clay full coverage foundation at the moment. I live in the UK so don’t have as much choice as you American ladies nor do we have a Policy whereby we can easily return items so shopping for foundation I find limiting because I don’t want to splurge on something expensive for it to be wrong and me be stuck with it. So I opted for Tarte as I could initially return it to QVC but I’m always feeling put out by the price of it. Would love to find a High Street (drugstore) foundation comparable to the Tarte one.
My absolute favourite is NARS Sheer Glow. Perfect coverage and lasts all day. That finish is amazing. I’m also liking Smashbox Studio Skin if I want more coverage, and it really does last all day.
Double Wear from Estee Lauder
My nose can get very oily but the rest of my face is very dry, especially my chin area. I am hooked on Sisley’s Le Teint anti aging foundation. It is a very expensive foundation but my skin feels very comfortable in it.
It is sheer to medium coverage (buildable foundation) if at all I want more coverage, I use the hourglass vanish seam foundation stick on certain areas, if at all I feel my skin is more on the normal side, instead of hourglass, I will use the Nars Matte skin tint for more coverage. It works out really well.
Other foundations I like and use are the Kevyn Aucoin Etherealist and Tarte’s rainforest of the sea aqua, but they always go on top of the Sisley one 🙂
Background: Fair/light with slight pink undertones. Combo skin, oily nose and chin, but normal to dry everywhere else. Prone to a little bit of redness.
I don’t normally wear foundation, but when I do it’s usually the Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint (Terre Nueve). The color match is perfect (I have really good luck finding matches with Nars products, their Radiant Creamy Concealer is spot on), coverage is what I’m looking for, and it has SPF which I appreciate!
I haven’t had a foundation that I have loved since the Prescriptives counter at Bloomingdale’s packed up for the last time. I know they make it online, but I just don’t trust that process. I loved Bobbi Btown’s Moisture Rich liquid foundation in Cool Beige, but only when I was tan, no light color in that formula is cool enough for winter skin, and I tiink its being phased out. I currently love Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Serum in Opal, the lightest cool based color. I thought it was going to be very sheer, but it has coverage and can be built up. It is currently the only perffect match for my very sensitve, dry, mature skin. Bobbi Brown recently expanded the color choices of some of her formulas. The Ivory color in the Skin Foundation Stick is a pretty good match, but I am not loving the heavier formula for mature skin. I am hoping that she extends the new colors to some of the liquid moisturizing foundations. I have read good things about Too Faced Born this Way Foundation and Tarte Rainforest of the Sea foundation on this site, but do not know if they are appropriate for my skintype. Any suggestions, let me know. Meanwhile, I have a bottle of MAC Mineralize liquid foundation in NW15, Georgio Armani Luminous Silk in 3.75 and 4.75, and Ellis Faas in 101 to use up!! The MAC is a little yellow, the GA is not as luminous on me as I would like, I would charactize it more as velvety, and it has a very strong fragrance. I happen to lke the Ellis Faas applied with a brush. It is slightly yellower than my skin, but blends well, not luminous, but very nice. Extremely expensive, I save it forr special occasions. The Bare Minerals serum is what I would have to call my HG right now. On my second tube, almost ready for the third, unheard of for me since Prescriptives closed its counters!!!!
I sympathize as Prescriptives was a long time favorite of mine as it used to be impossible to find a yellow toned foundation pale enough for me. Cannot get Prescriptives on line in Canada either. So my favorite right now is Estee Lauder Double Wear especially in hot weather as it is so bullet proof. I also liked the old version of MUFE’s HD liquid, not sure if I am fussy about the new Ultra HD as Sephora wasn’t very generous with their sample. I also love Laura Mercier’s original Silk Crème foundation, I use very little (a small pea size dot) and blend well.
Lancome Teint Idole
Started with Almay Truly Lasting Color but felt the shade I was using oxidized and became darker on me. Couldn’t find the right Almay shade as one was too light and the next shade was too dark. Then I started with Lancôme Teint Idole which looked great on me once I found the right shade. Another pick that I like is Urban Decay Naked Skin in shade 2.5. Mostly I like the fact that they are in pump bottles and a few drops on a foundation brush does my entire face with medium coverage.