15 Drugstore Foundations That Are Perfect For Any Skin Type
In today's beauty market, the drugstore reigns supreme. Of course, higher-end makeup brands are still well-loved and invested in. However, you cannot deny that if you wanted to curate an entire makeup collection from the apothecary you easily could and it would be hard to tell the difference in quality. There was a time when the drugstore only had a few makeup items that were deemed high quality and everyone knew their names.
Well, things have certainly progressed and escalated. Drugstore beauty is no longer praised simply for its affordable price points, but rather the fantastic quality of the products you can find there. One item that comes to mind is TikTok favorite, Rimmel London's Stay Matte Powder. But, there still remain a few categories that have simply been considered ones where you should invest — foundation is one of them. It's hard to trust that a makeup base that costs $5 is going to give you flawless skin.
Well, it's time to build that trust. Foundation is actually one of the products thriving at this type of retailer, you just have to know where to look. Here is a roundup of 15 drugstore foundations that are going to give you that camera-ready flawless skin at a fraction of Sephora's price points.
How we selected these drugstore foundations
Foundations are a very personal makeup step. Everyone has their preferences, and the beauty market has something for everyone. An added layer of difficulty is thrown into the mix when it comes to trying to find the right drugstore foundation. The apothecary has definitely excelled over recent years but you're still likely to come across a few fails that remind you of the earlier drugstore makeup days. When selecting the best foundations for this list we sifted through beauty guru reviews, and trending viral products to weed out the ones that have become trusted holy grails for many.
One of the most important steps to selecting these beauty products was looking at customer reviews. This helped determine which foundation would work best on certain skin types or for certain needs, and what better way to figure that out than by turning to reviewers with those exact same needs? Each and every pick on this list has been backed and hailed iconic by users looking for the exact same thing as you!
Best overall foundation
When it comes to drugstore makeup there are a few staples that have been so viral they continue to get repurchased. Wet n Wild's PhotoFocus Liquid Foundation has long been hailed by beauty gurus as the best all-around drugstore foundation. It manages to master the ability to give you full coverage, while also feeling lightweight. The watery formula melts into the skin to give it a more natural finish. As the name would suggest, this makeup base was designed to be perfect for photos with its matte, light-diffusing complex.
One reviewer raved, "I go way back with this foundation. I have very oily skin and this foundation always does the trick and makes me look and feel great."
Purchase the Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Liquid Foundation at Ulta for $7.
Best cult classic foundation
L'Oréal's True Match Super-Blendable Foundation is arguably one of the first drugstore foundations to have made it big. The packaging of the True Match range has since grown and changed, but that little glass bottle remains iconic.
This foundation is extremely blendable — a tiny bit goes a long way, which makes it great if you're looking for a buildable formula to tailor to your coverage needs. The oil-free base provides a satin-matte finish with a slight glow. It comes in a wide shade range, and also contains SPF for a bit of extra protection. One Target reviewer confirms it lives up to its name, saying, "I've tried different brands over the years and always find myself circling back to this one! I love ... the lightweight feel and the radiant satin skin-like finish."
Purchase the L'Oréal True Match Super-Blendable Foundation at Target for $9.
Best full coverage foundation
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to foundations. Some like it barely there, while others want to completely alter their complexion. If you're a full coverage fan then the Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer is the one for you — this one is the fullest of the full.
This stuff packs a punch, with the concealer in the formula working to hide redness, discoloration, or blemishes. It adds extra coverage that your typical base won't have. The Milani foundation is waterproof, sweatproof, and has a matte finish. It promises to provide that full coverage all day, which one Ulta reviewer can attest to, saying, "Personally I love this foundation, it kept my makeup looking flawless all day at work, and then I went on a date afterward and got lots of compliments! My skin looks blurred and locked in!"
Purchase the Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer at Ulta for $12.
Best lightweight foundation
The L'Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum Makeup Skincare Hybrid has gone viral on TikTok. The Tinted Serum is a lightweight foundation that is meant to mimic your natural skin while evening out your complexion. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, this base is deeply hydrating as well as providing barely-there coverage. One customer raves, "Where do I even begin? This is the best foundation I have ever used ... I am not joking."
Purchase the L'Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum Makeup Skincare Hybrid at Target for $15.
Best foundation for photography
If you're a natural no-makeup kind of person then a full coverage foundation is not for you. And if you're looking to look flawless on camera, then the L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation is the one for you. It initially garnered attention for being a dupe for the fan favorite Make Up Forever HD Foundation, which was the go-to professional pick. The identical packaging isn't the only thing these foundations have in common, the Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation provides a hydrating full coverage that photographs beautifully and is ideal for special events.
With luminous light-reflecting properties, the foundation will leave your skin glowing while being super long-lasting. One reviewer says, "I'm pleasantly surprised by this foundation. It covers great and gives a glowing finish. Stayed on all day."
Purchase the L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation at Ulta for $9.
Best clean foundation
One area where the drugstore beauty market infamously struggles is in providing clean beauty products. However, over the years they have definitely improved to the point where you can easily curate a clean makeup collection entirely from the apothecary. When it comes to foundation things can get trickier, but the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation is a great contender.
The lightweight foundation is completely vegan and cruelty-free, formulated with coconut milk and aloe extract to serve as a skincare and makeup hybrid. The hydrating formula provides a natural finish with buildable coverage, and does it all without looking cakey. If you have oily skin this definitely isn't for you, as it has a super dewy and luminous finish. One Ulta reviewer raves, "This was definitely my all time favorite over hyped product. It makes my skin look dewy without looking oily and is so beautiful on the skin."
Purchase the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation at Ulta for $12.
Best glowy foundation
It doesn't get much glowier than Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Instant Perfector 4-In-1 Glow Makeup. This beauty product has everything you need as the formula works as a concealer, primer, foundation, and highlighter. You can use it as a base or even simply under your eyes. The self-adjusting shades make it super easy to find your match.
One customer couldn't get enough of the glow, saying, "It gives me the most perfect face that is lightweight but with the most perfect glow. I also don't feel like a caked face. All of my other creams and powders blended with it perfectly."
Purchase the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Instant Perfector 4-in-1 Glow Makeup at Ulta for $13.
Best buildable foundation
You're not going to find a more easy-to-control foundation than NYX Professional Makeup's Total Control Pro Drop Skin-True Buildable Vegan Foundation. You can choose how many drops to apply depending on how much coverage you'd like to build. The vegan cruelty-free formula is lightweight and watery, which allows it to blend into the skin seamlessly. It also manages to minimize imperfections and lasts up to 12 hours. One buyer raves, "I use this for contouring, and let me just say wow. It is extremely hard to find a shade for my skin because I'm biracial but this matches my skin perfectly, it practically disappears into my skin."
Purchase the NYX Professional Makeup's Total Control Pro Drop Skin-True Buildable Vegan Foundation at Ulta for $14.
Best hydrating foundation
If you're looking for a foundation that's designed to hydrate the skin and keep it feeling moisturized rather than drying it out any further, ColourPop's Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation does just that. This base is formulated with hyaluronic acid to keep your skin hydrated, and also provides a lightweight glowy finish.
It is also ideal for sensitive skin types as it's formulated without parabens, alcohol, or added fragrance and has even been dermatologist-tested. One buyer raves, "I have extremely dry skin, especially in the winter. The hyaluronic acid helps keep my dryness at bay. This foundation also is very lightweight and looks like your skin but better."
Purchase the ColourPop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation at Ulta for $16.
Best foundation for mature skin
If you're looking for a foundation that's going to feel and look fresh but is also long-lasting, L'Oréal's Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm Foundation nails it. It's a unique balm formula in a pot that's super easy to blend into your skin with just your fingers. Infused with L'Oréal's firming skin serum, not only will this foundation sit beautifully on mature skin but it will help improve texture and fine lines over time with use.
One reviewer says, "I am very oil/combination skin and as I age getting dryer in the winter; foundation can look very patchy and dry. This feels amazing on my skin; has almost a cooling effect and honestly just never looks bad or patchy. Don't stop making this!!!!!"
Purchase the L'Oréal Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm Foundation at Ulta for $17.
Best mattifying foundation
A matte finish tends to be one of the most popular foundation needs. But finding the right one that won't look heavy or cakey on your skin is the tricky part. Enter, Maybelline's Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation. The base somehow manages to provide full coverage and a matte long-lasting finish, all while feeling weightless and fresh on the skin. It also has an impressive 40 shades shade range which is rare for the drugstore.
The long-lasting formula helps blur out any pores and imperfections to give you a smooth and even base, with the added bonus of containing SPF15. One Amazon reviewer raves, "With skin prep, this foundation is suitable for everyone no matter what your skin concerns are. It's full coverage and extremely inexpensive. The formula is perfect and it doesn't oxidize a different color."
Purchase the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation Makeup at Amazon starting at $8.
Best powder foundation
Maybelline's Super Stay Full Coverage Pressed Powder Foundation is popular for its full coverage longevity. This product works as well as a liquid foundation without having to add an extra layer of powder on top. It wears for up to 16 hours, and the finely milled formula provides a matte blurred finish that gives you flawless-looking skin with one brush. It's also formulated with color-matching pigments to avoid the patchy oxidization you can get with a lot of powder foundations.
This Target reviewer can't get enough of it, saying, "I just love this powder so much. It's so much easier and faster than applying liquid foundation ... I don't put other makeup underneath, just the powder. I'm in love!"
Purchase the Maybelline's Super Stay Full Coverage Pressed Powder Foundation at Target for $8.
Best trending foundation
The Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation is lightweight and hydrating, infused with hyaluronic acid and collagen. It is a skincare/makeup hybrid product that will hydrate and improve your skin over time. It provides a medium coverage that is definitely buildable and will give you a radiant glow that is ideal for drier skin types.
Makeup artist Dmitry Kukushkin is a huge fan of using this on clients as he claims it is perfect for keeping the skin moisturized throughout the day while providing even coverage and "radiant skin," per CNN. The 4.4-star rating on Target definitely backs up his claims, as one reviewer shares, "The foundation is incredible. Light, hydrating, and nice coverage. The look is fresh and smooth. Really makes skin look young."
Purchase the Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation With Hyaluronic Acid + Collagen at Target for $12.
Best natural-finish foundation
The Ordinary brand is anything but that. As the first brand to ever introduce singular ingredient-focused skincare, it has transformed the beauty world. Things only got better when the brand decided to delve into makeup. The Ordinary's Serum Foundation is a uniquely lightweight skincare-based base that is about as lightweight as they get. The super watery formula allows it to seamlessly melt into your skin leaving it almost undetectable. It also doesn't sacrifice coverage, with its buildable application. The Ordinary's lightweight pigment suspension system allows it to blend without settling into any pores or fine lines.
This foundation is also vegan, cruelty-free, and is even sold in sustainable packaging. This buyer says, "I've been using this foundation pretty much exclusively when I wear makeup for quite a while. I love that it balances out my skin tone and gives me a great-looking finish."
Purchase The Ordinary Serum Foundation at The Ordinary for $8.
Best high-end dupe foundation
Whether it's similar packaging or an identical formula, there is an endless array of high-end dupes to be found at the drugstore. The trick is finding the ones that actually provide the same finish rather than simply looking similar. The L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation is a definite confirmed dupe for the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. The L'Oréal product is a standout drugstore base in and of itself, with an insanely long-wearing formula. It provides full matte coverage without looking or feeling cakey.
It provides a lightweight and breathable feel while leaving your skin looking flawless. It is worth noting however that this is definitely not going to work for drier skin types, as the mattifying effect could be a bit too much. One Target reviewer put it best with very few words, saying, "This foundation is a godsend for its price point."
Purchase the L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation at Target for $13.