My Favorite Foundations

There's a reason Foundation has the name Foundation. It is the base, the core, the building block, for everything else you do. You can be wearing the most amazing eye and/or lip look, but it just doesn't pop, it doesn't come together unless the face it's on looks flawless. I feel like a lot of people struggle with finding the right foundation for them, and with applying it (I will be doing my foundation routine soon). Foundation is also a very personal product, everyone has preferences for their finish, their skin type, their price range, etc.. I am going to list all of my personal favorite foundations. In the list there is definitely one for every price point, every finish, and every skin type.

I have had a lot of requests to do my favorite foundations for pale skin.  I am almost as fair as they come (a few natural redheads might have me beat) so for each foundation, I will tell you exactly what shade I use. If you have fair skin, these are the best foundations and shades for pale skin. If you aren't fair, these are still my favorite foundation formulas, and there will be another shade that works for you. These all have pretty diverse shade ranges.

For each foundation, I will list my shade as I said, and I will also list price, finish, skin types, coverage, and why I love them. Price and skin types are pretty self-explanatory, but before we start let's define finish and coverage.

Coverage is how pigmented the foundation is. Sheer coverage has the least amount of pigment and skin will show through the foundation. Full coverage has the most amount of pigment and will completely cover your skin. Medium coverage will be in between these. Buildable coverage means it is either a sheer or medium coverage, but will become full coverage with more application.

Finish is the look it has after is it applied, much like house paint. A Matte finish will have no shine or reflection and dries to a powdery finish. A Satin finish is not shiny, but does have a little more sheen than a matte. A Luminous finish can also be called a Dewy finish, which will give the skin a light reflecting, almost shimmering finish. A Natural finish will mimic the natural look of skin. 

Here are my faves. I couldn't rank them, so they are in descending price.

Dior Star Fluid Foundation SPF30 in 021 Linen

Price: $50
Finish: Luminous
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Medium
Why I love it: Illuminating, brightening, smooth finish, great in photos. I was very excited to try this when it first came out, and then after hearing more great reviews of it. I got a sample at Sephora and I will definitely be buying this one next time I need foundation. Pricey, yes. It's Dior...but you won't need a ton of other products for your face with how gorgeous this makes skin.

Lancome Teint Miracle in Ivoire 4

 
Price: $42.50
Finish: Luminous
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Buildable
Why I love it: Illuminating, oil-free, fragrance-free, lightweight, dewy, smooth finish. This one is honestly my go-to. I love the soft luminosity it gives skin, which you can actually see in the bottle (and why you need to remember to shake your foundation before you pump it). This formula also comes in a shade range with not just cool or warm undertones, but SEVERAL neutral undertone shades, which not many formulas can say. The formula and shade range are both impressive, which don't usually happen in unison.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Alaska

Price: $42
Finish: Satin
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Medium-Sheer
Why I love it: Lightweight, smoothing, soft, buildable, moisturizing. When I hear "tinted moisturizer" I think it's not going to have enough coverage, but this has terrific coverage and is very buildable, meaning one application is relatively light, but you can keep applying and work up to full coverage. Not only that, but the formula is so smooth that you can keep applying and not end up looking like you have frosting on your face like some foundations.

 NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Mont Blanc

Price: $38
Finish: Luminous
Skin Types: Normal-Dry
Coverage: Buildable
Why I love it: Great for drier skin, smooth finish, adds moisture, lightweight, won't cling to lines or dry patches. The convenient package and smooth formula also make it great for taking with you and using for touch ups over the day. This has more coverage per application, but still very buildable.

tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Fair Sand

Price: $38
Finish: Natural
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Medium-Full
Why I love it: Smooth, buildable, lightweight, blendable, long wearing. This foundation has a gorgeous finish that looks so delicate and airbrushed. I normally love dewy finished, but this natural satin finish is just so gorgeous. Great coverage, and the finish is completely flawless, yet natural and so touchable.

M.A.C Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation in NC15

Price: $35
Finish: Dewy
Skin Types: Normal-Dry
Coverage: Full-Medium
Why I love it: Smooth, blurring, soft, radiant dewy finish, feels like silk. This is another one that leaves your face looking and feeling so flawless and smooth you just want to touch it (but you don't really because you don't want to mess it up). This finish is VERY dewy and leaves you looking hydrated and healthy. So dewy that I find the finish can be a bit much in the hotter humid months, but in the cooler months and the rest of the year, my face cannot get enough of this one.

M.A.C. Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation in NC15

Price: $32
Finish: Satin
Skin Types: All, but especially Normal-Dry
Coverage: Medium
Why I love it: Buildable, buffable, creamy, comfortable, long wearing. This is a very buildable foundation (notice a pattern here??). You can use one application for a sheer, smooth coverage, or a couple more for a very flawless, full coverage finish. The finish of this is also so natural and smooth. A friend once told me "OMG your skin! You look like a china doll!" when I was wearing this.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup in N3 Natural Buff

Price: $12.99
Finish: Luminous
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Medium
Why I love it: Buildable, dewy, very thin almost water-like consistency so it feels like nothing on but still has very buildable coverage. This consistency is so unique. It's so thin it almost runs off the back of your hand after you pump it, and this thinness makes for a very light feeling foundation. It also has luminosity in it, which is visible in the bottle and looks just like the Lancome one. This is a great foundation for people who don't like the feel of foundation, or anyone who wants a drugstore foundation with a luminous finish, which can be hard to find. This is by far my favorite drugstore foundation.

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Makeup in Classic Ivory

 Price: $8.99
Finish: Natural Matte
Skin Types: All
Coverage: Medium to Full
Why I love it: Smooth, looks airbrushed, great for a more matte finish. This provides a much more matte finish, but without being chalky. It has great coverage and does leave an almost airbrushed finish on the skin. I would call this not quite a dupe, but maybe the best drugstore alternative to the tarte Amazonian Clay foundation.

I will be doing another post on my foundation and concealer routine for you soon so that after you decide on which foundation is best for you, you can start applying it flawlessly. If you are still struggling with choosing a foundation, please let me know in the comments and I will either help you out, or I can make that another post! 

Have you tried any of these, do you plan to? If you have, what do you think? Are there others that you love that I didn't mention?