Best Foundation for Natural-Looking Skin
What's the Best Foundation for Natural-Looking Skin that you've tried?
Guerlain Lingerie de Peau!
— Christine
Guerlain Lingerie de Peau!
— Christine
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UD Naked Skin Weightless liquid foundation because it is so light yet covers my redness! I read a lot of bad reviews and wondered if it would work at all on my oily skin but it is honestly holy grail material. If I could find one that works so well from a brand that is not on the BDS list I would be set.
Powder foundations work too but so many of them try to be glowy or luminous which rarely works for me, but NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat is a good inexpensive powder foundation that I think looks nice and natural! For drier skin types, the new NARS one would honestly look amazing yet natural.
I really like Burberry Fresh Glow foundation for that. I’d say a runner-up would be MAC Waterweight.
You just picked the two I was going to post about! Love both. I think the Burberry has slightly better staying power but it’s a little more makeupy as a trade off.
There getting better, MUFE Ultra HD, Toofaced Born this way (if your younger), Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation.
Burberry Beauty ‘Velvet Foundation’ Long Wear Fluid Foundation
But I suspect they’d discontinued it! Wouldn’t you know…
MUFE Ultra HD.
Jane Iredale Pure Pressed for powder; might try the Pur. Most often the Paula’s Choice SLD whatever … the TM from the lighter anti aging line, and add Color Drops as needed.
Make Up For Ever Face and Body!
I agree 100% that Guerlain Lingerie de Peau offers the most natural-looking coverage. Sadly, none of the colors come close to matching my complexion and it isn’t the best fit for oily skin.
As someone with a face full of freckles, I have yet to find a foundation that looks super natural. But I do love BB creams! And my favorite is Dr. Jart Premium. I’m definitely not a foundation expert though, and have never tried any foundation that is on the upper high end, like Guerlain or YSL or Charlotte Tilbury. I would like to find one, eventually!
As a fellow freckled girl, I find the trick is to embrace them and use a sheer foundation that lets them show through. The heavier the coverage, the more obvious it’s going to look. Use concealer on areas that you need more coverage..
True! What concealers do you like? I think my favorite so far is the Maybelline Fit Me but I could use more coverage I think…
Maybelline Fit Me for undereyes and MUFE Full Cover for spots/HIP/etc.
I am a freckled face girl, too. I haven’t found one yet either. I’ve been using Nars TM and MUFE concealer where necessary and it’s worked so far for me. Though I would like a cheaper TM and have yet to find one to match my skintone.
I’ve never tried the Nars one to my knowledge. Have you tried Laura Mercier’s? She has the best shade range of tinted moisturizers that is widely available seems like. It won’t be any cheaper though 🙁
Thanks! I haven’t tried Laura Mercier’s. I’ve been meaning to, but I like Nars slight “glowy-ness” (very minor) and I haven’t broken out from it.
I actually think freckled faces look better with a sheer foundation or just concealer to touch up problem areas. Freckles give face so much character!
Too Faced Born This Way and BareMinerals Complexion Rescue. They’re sooo different though!
Dior Nude Air Serum. I think it’s the only foundation I’ve tried that is completely invisible.
I have one liquid foundation and one powder foundation for this that I will absolutely repurchase when I run out. The liquid is by D&G in their luminous glow formula and the powder is actually the Urban Decay naked skin powder foundation. Both of them give me fresh and healthy looking skin all year long no matter which one I wear.
Right now, going into fall, I am loving Chanel’s Vitalumier Moisture-rich foundation. As far as the natural finish. I think it is somewhat versatile. I can build it to a medium with a couple of layers or sheer it out with a beauty blender. Armani’s luminous silk is really natural and beautiful. But, I can’t hack it right now since my skin is dry.
Maybelline Fit Me! liquid foundation, in either formula, However, I don’t need a lot of coverage, so it’s obviously not an ideal choice for some. I’ve also been experimenting a bit, and I really like the combination of L’Oréal True Match Lumi & Maybelline Superstay Better Skin.
Of course, 2 HG foundations I’ve come across over the years have been long DC’d… The first was Max Factor High Definition, and the other was Maybelline True Illusion. Revlon had a really good one a few years back, which was 2 shades that you “dialed” to the best match, and that was one of the few foundations I’ve actually finished!
Oh yes, the only thing I don’t really love about the new Fit Me Matte (besides the fact that it isn’t available in my country and the terrible pumpless bottle!!!!!! Argh!!!) is how you really need to apply with a light hand. It’s not a problem for me normally but the fact that you can overapply and get a cakey look from it disqualified it from my natural-look faves.
I just pour a bit onto an empty compact pan, and use a brush or sponge to apply. It’s really inexpensive in the US ($5-6/bottle) that I don’t feel too bad about pouring out too much. Also, I’ve found such a good color match, I’m willing to make the effort, LOL!
Bobbi brown skin stick foundation – the new formula (current)
And Laura mercier loose mineral foundation SPF 15
TEMPTU S/B Airbrush foundation. I buy the bottle version (not the pods) and apply with a duo-fibre brush. Flawless. My go-to for over 5 years now!
Don’t know if this counts but I wear Nars Tinted Moisturizer [Cuba] every single day and LOVE it!!!!
NARS tinted moisturizer is my vote too. I wear Finland. I think it genuinely looks like no makeup even when piled on using a beauty blender. It actually breaks me out slightly over time leading me to want more coverage than it provides but I’ve got really sensitive, acne prone skin, and I don’t think that’s a common issue.
Maybelline’s Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation. It’s a really long, ridiculous name for a foundation, but I really like it. I like watery, fluid foundations in general. They mimic skin really well.
BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF 15, and Everyday Minerals Base (all three varieties are good). These are all powder bases that don’t require a lot of product, but can be built up for more coverage where you need it. So it can be anything from light to full coverage.
BareMinerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 looks and feels lightweight. It has good, buildable coverage that covers redness but never looks cakey or streaky. It brightens the face for a natural glow. I know a lot of people hate this foundation, but I love it.
I’m not sure if this counts, as it’s kind of a hybrid BB/CC cream, but Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream is the best light coverage foundation for a natural look. It’s super light-weight compared to other foundations and BB creams, yet it covers redness and evens out skin tone amazingly well.
I really like the YSL Touche Eclat foundation, sheered out by using a damp beauty sponge (I always spray some MAC Fix+ on the sponge to get a more dewy finish) 🙂 would love to try more foundations, I’m hoping to find a great one from the drugstore!
I love YSL Touché Eclat! For a drugstore option, you might want to try Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation. It’s not available in the US except online but it’s available everywhere else. I got hooked on it when living in Canada for a few years and now that I’m back in the US I order it off ASOS.
bare minerals complexion rescue is fantastic. such light invisible but buildable coverage.
For me it’s been the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation for a while now. I wish they carried it in the US, but for now at least I can get it online. Some others are close seconds like the Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45 and I’m sure some high end foundations I have yet to try are just as good, but this one is fantastic for my skin type and skin tone (their shade range is pitiful though) and it doesn’t break the bank.
After getting seduced away from it for a couple of years, I’ve been back to enjoying my old favorite, Laura Geller’s Balance and Brighten. On my skin, it definitely has the best natural finish of anything I’ve tried. The coverage isn’t as full as I could hope for, which is why I started trying other foundations in the first place. But nothing with a lot of coverage qualifies as even close to “natural-looking” on my face. At my age and with my skin issues, I’m willing to sacrifice some “flawlessness” on application, in order to avoid looking like a blotchy, bumpy, wrinkly troll a couple hours later. B&B doesn’t break up and get blotchy on me, or sneak into my pores and lines to make them look worse than they already are. BIG bonus points for that.
I agree with the Lingerie de Peau. Once it has sat on my face for an hour or so, it looks just like my skin. It looks good freshly applied, but gets better as the day goes on.
I’m also a major fan of Lingerie de Peau and I also really love Shiseido’s Sheer and Perfect foundation (and I can’t leave out Clarins Skin Illusion – I love it too but not quite as much as the other 2).
Right now it’s MAC Waterweight foundation. I like the fact it makes my skin look almost flawless and it’s light. Highly recommend.
I tried that in store and loved the formula. Unfortunately I’m ghostly pale and the lightest shade was too dark. But it’s a new enough foundation that they should be expanding their shade range so I’ll definitely be getting it if/when they come out with more shades.
Yep, the key words are “right now”, but I have to agree, I really liked that foundation and really want to get a bottle. That said, it will end up costing me more than Dior Nude Serum, so I will have to beg for a sample of it (big stores do not give it usually) to be able to compare
Maybe NARS Sheer Glow? Doesn’t give me that magazine model finish — truly natural effect.
The recently discontinued (pardon; “reformulated” past recognition) Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation was by far the most natural looking truly full coverage foundation I’ve tried. The palest shade was too dark for me, but even using a white mixer, this stuff was uncanny. Fare thee well, Silk Creme. You were my surefire bet to realistic total skin transformation.
I am really enjoying how MAC Studio Fix Liquid looks on me, because it allows enough of “me” to still come through, except with my pores, uneven skintone and red areas GONE. I apply it with a damp beauty blender type sponge mixed with a little Strobe Cream.
It’s not really just a foundation, but a mixture. I’ve found mixing 2 parts MAC Studio Fix Fluid with 1 part Josie Maran Argan liquid luminizer makes for a great, medium coverage, healthy-looking base.
I like NARS TM. I also like Serum foundations for this from Perricone, Bobbi Brown, and Tarte. Perricone doesn’t last long enough before breaking down a bit.
I haven’t tried many of the ones listed here. For me shade selection is difficult to find something light enough.
I really want to try the By Terry and Zelens serum foundations.
The Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation is my HG for oily/combination light-medium Asian skin! It is light coverage so not for ladies who need a lot of blemish cover, but it is great for correcting redness and evening skin tone. The only downside is that the color range is very limited. I wear their darkest shade 143.
I just love Rimmel’s Match Perfection foundation in light porcelain – very light foundation that offers excellent coverage and lasts all day. The best bit is that it is often on sale: at the moment in Target Australia it is 2 for $20. Yay!
I would love to try the Guerlain one but I think it might be too expensive for me to love.
I didn’t think this was going to be natural – the opposite – but Clarins Extra-Comfort (bad name, Clarins marketing, it sounds like an adult diaper.) I really use it as a concealer it matches my skin so well. And get this – I bought it online, untried, after finding it by using Temptalia’s Foundation Matrix. High risk behaviour…
PS I also love Ella Bache’s Great Sunkissed just for no-makeup days, it’s a moisturizer/light tan. You need pretty good skin to start with though, it doesn’t give any real cover, more of a omg your weekend must’ve been great look.
Most definitely MUFE face and body!
For full coverage that looks natural I still reach for my Dior Diorskin Forever compact powder foundation. I have combo skin and it works amazingly well, but it doesn’t work well for dryer skins. I’ve tried SO many foundations, liquid, powder and cream since leaving Dior, and none compare really. The trick with this powder is to go a shade slightly darker bc it can wash you out if you match your skin exactly. And their new Nude compact powder foundation isn’t nearly as good. I tried bare minerals in all its various forms of foundation and HATED all of it in comparison to Dior. Another I love is Chanel’s vitalumiere Aqua foundation, for light to medium coverage. But It doesn’t last all day like the Dior powder, and I think it’s discontinued.
I would have to choose the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation. It has such a beautiful finish and comes in a lot of shades. It’s so smooth and a little good a long way. I love it! I’m also using the new Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation and that is lovely too but it has a little less glow to it and slightly better coverage. 🙂
I can second this. I have some problems with it when it comes to oily skin if I don’t set well but it’s got a great consistency and finish for that natural look. Definitely my #2 favorite.
So far Chanel’s vitalumiere Aqua is my hg. There’s something about the formula that doesn’t accentuate my dry patches and because it’s so siliconey, my concealer blends really easily on top. I have dry/ combo skin with diffused redness that I try to cover. I really wish they would expand their shade range.
Is it too much trouble to ask if comments could also include the skin type/ needs? Im always on the lookout for the “perfect” natural foundation and that would be so helpful. Thanks!
Yup! Although I’d say any of the Chanel Lumiere-s do this all well. Vita Aqua doesn’t last on my skin (as well and the finish is a bit too dewy for my oiliness) but Perfection Lumiere mattifies a bit more with that same wonderful glow. Still unbeat in my eyes.
MUFE Ultra HD foundation, Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Gel and Lunasol Skin Modeling Liquid Finish foundation
I don’t know if this counts as a natural looking finish, but I love MAC Mineralize Moisture foundation! It has a lovely finish, though I could see where some would find it too dewy.
My experience is limited with foundations. I’ve probably only tried about 6-7 foundations between owning and sampling. I think I’d still say UD Naked Skin liquid. The one I have is a great color match for me and it covers my redness without covering all of my freckles/beauty marks. I also love how light it is and it hardly feels like I’m wearing anything on my face.
Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk or mix 1/2 Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer with 1/2 MAC Mineralize Moisturize Foundation. I want to try Lingerie De Peau next!
I have a ton of foundations and have various preferences for different situations. My favourite for full daylight and looking natural goes to GA Lasting Silk. Someone else mentioned Dior Air serum and I agree with that assessment, but still lean more to the GA side; find it kinder to aging skin. The Air Serum version of my best Dior shade does not satisfy me the way it does in other formulas..is too dark and far yellower than norm and I just think the formula might be prettier on someone with younger skin. I still think it is a really fantastic natural looking product.
I love the Tarte BB tinted primer and Buxom Show some skin. These are the best ones because they match my skin colour (Tarte in fair & Buxom in tickle me ivory).
Maybelline FITMe actually looks very nice on my skin. Just enough coverage to smooth things out without looking doll-like. The lightest shade is a tiny bit dark for my winter skintone, but it’s still workable if applied lightly.
NARS Sheer Glow, although I’ve yet to try Guerlain Lingerie de Peau.
Bareminerals’ foundation has always done a good job for me! Smashbox BB cream also works but it’s sheerer so it doesn’t work as well on super intense discoloration. Still looks super natural though.
I have dry, mature skin & ‘discoloration’ (still sporting my ‘mask of pregnancy’ on my upper cheeks).
Most natural looking ‘high end foundation’- Cle de Peau Silky Cream foundation & Cle de Peau’s concealer
Most natural looking inexpensive foundation – Bourjois Heathy Mix foundation & L’Oreal’s Super-Blendable Crayon concealer
Both can be applied & blended simply with fingers & last at least 8 hrs.
Guerlain lingerie de peau. It gives you a good medium coverage looking like your skin but better and undetectable in short distance.
Definitely It Cosmetics CC Cream! It is my holy grail foundation. I know it is technically a cc cream, but it has the full coverage I have not been able to find anywhere else.
MUFE Face and Body. In my skin it’s perfection. NARS TM is a very close second for me, but MUFE Foundation last longer on me.
Bobbi Brown Skin Serum Foundation! And maybe the new MAC Waterweight Foundation also.
Definitely Ellis Faas’ Skin Veil foundation. It literally looks like my skin, but better. Perfectly evened-out, no more redness, no more dark circles, luminous finish.
Perfect for me.
My Holy Grail foundation is Too Faced Born This Way. I’m not going to say that it looks exactly like skin in full sunlight, but it’s the only foundation I’ve tried that hides my ridiculous level of rosacea while looking as natural as it does.
Make Up For Ever Liquid Lift Foundation — I know I sometimes go over an area of my face twice because I can’t see the foundation on my skin! It’s a perfect match for my skin tone so, unless there’s something obvious to cover (like a blemish), it blends in completely and looks natural.
Luminous silk. It just feels so good on skin. I do think it’s oxidising on me so maybe I’ll have to add a white mixer. I hope that doesn’t change coverage or texture.
I’m kind of a “your skin but better” foundation junkie, so this topic is right up my alley! My top two favorites are easily Koh Gen Do’s Maifanshi Aqua Foundation and the new MAC Studio Waterweight. I love that they can both be built to a solid medium coverage, last all day on my combo skin, and DON’T contain fragrance (sorry Guerlain!). I do think KGD takes the top spot for me though since it never gets oily on my t-zone, but gives me an overall nice glow. I actually really like mixing the two as well!
The regular Loreal True Match. It’s so light coverage, (Light to me considering I am a Estee Lauder DW & Mac Studio Fix wearing kinda gal) I consider it almost like a BB cream. I only use it when I’m in a rush to get outta the house, but need decent looking skin. Downside though is that it has terrible lasting power on my oily skin.
YSL Touche Eclat liquid foundation. so good for light coverage, but it’s buildable without it looking cakey or fake. one layer of foundation and some concealer for extra coverage in desired area and it looks amazing.
I love pairing this foundation with a luminous primer/base, like Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel or Nars Pro-Prime Light Optimizing primer, since the foundation already has a bit of a luminousity to it, it just bumps it up to a gorgeous-from-within glow.
Yves Rochers Zero Defaut foundation (newcomer this year). Covers the roscasea, but doesn’t feel heavy on my skin. light coverage, but buildable to medium, my favorite on good skin days. The Big Brother that came last year, the Youthful Glow foundation is a favorite as well, but that covers more instantly.
Winner would be Mac Face & Body and Makeup Forever Face & Body would be the runner up. Every time I wear either one of those foundations, I get tons of compliments on how great my skin is.
Gonna have to agree the Lingerie de Peau is basically invisible.