It seems like every day there’s a new must-have beauty product in the stores. It’s difficult to know which products you really need and which you can live without. Foundation is one of those products you absolutely can’t live without, we’ve taken the hard work out of choosing the best drugstore foundation brands for you.
How We Reviewed the Drugstore Foundations
The price of the foundations was a factor in our review, but it wasn’t the main concern. The most expensive product on our list is still considerably cheaper than any of the luxury brands. We also considered the opinions of online reviewers.
Our focus was to ensure that the foundation produced good coverage, didn’t slide off during the day, and had a wide variety of shades. We wanted to ensure there were plenty of options for all women.
The Best Drugstore Foundation Details
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation
Burts Bees 100% Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation, Bare - 0.3 Ounce (Pack of 2)
- MATTE FOUNDATION: Powder matte foundation in Bare is ideal for fair to medium...
- NOURISHING INGREDIENTS: Made with Bamboo to blur imperfections, this mineral...
- EASY APPLICATION: 100% natural origin, non-comedogenic, shine control-formula...
- MATTE FOUNDATION: Powder matte foundation in Bare is ideal for fair to medium...
- NOURISHING INGREDIENTS: Made with Bamboo to blur imperfections, this mineral...
- EASY APPLICATION: 100% natural origin, non-comedogenic, shine control-formula...
Features
This mattifying powder foundation comes with a sponge applicator and a mirror and is a handy size to fit nicely into your purse. This blend controls shine by absorbing oil without drying your skin. It’s made of bamboo and blends easily and evenly.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| Comes in six shades for and is most suitable for cool skin-tones and people with fair to medium color in their skin.
The foundation is not tested on animals and does not contain synthetic fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), parabens, petrolatum, or phthalates. |
The mattifying powder foundation is only suitable for oily or combination skin, so if your skin is dry, this is not the foundation for you.
Some people have experienced allergic reactions to bee products, so it pays to test the product before purchasing. |
Quality |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint with Hyaluronic Acid, Lightweight Water Gel Formula,...
- 1.0 fluid ounces of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint with to boost skin...
- This liquid foundation makeup for dry skin boosts hydration with a lightweight...
- The moisturizing tint is designed to hydrate your skin and refreshes thirsty...
- 1.0 fluid ounces of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint with to boost skin...
- This liquid foundation makeup for dry skin boosts hydration with a lightweight...
- The moisturizing tint is designed to hydrate your skin and refreshes thirsty...
Features
This lightweight, liquid foundation easily made our best drugstore foundation list.
It contains hyaluronic acid which is known to hydrate the skin.
It’s suitable for dry skin and is oil-free and non-comedogenic so that it won’t clog your pores.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| This hydrating tint comes in 10 colors, so you know you’ll find a shade that matches your skin perfectly. It’s a lightweight formula, so you won’t feel you’re wearing foundation at all.
It’s the perfect product for young or sensitive skin |
Some reviewers have mentioned that the applicator that comes with the foundation is difficult to use and may spread bacteria as it must be dipped into the bottle from the face, several times to build coverage. |
Quality |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
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NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Total Control Drop Foundation
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Total Control Drop Foundation - Light, With Pink Undertones
- Liquid Foundation: Sheer to full coverage foundation is just drops away with...
- Create Your Perfect Matching Color: Simply adjust the number of foundation drops...
- Face From Foundation To Finish: Complete your makeup look with our full line of...
- Liquid Foundation: Sheer to full coverage foundation is just drops away with...
- Create Your Perfect Matching Color: Simply adjust the number of foundation drops...
- Face From Foundation To Finish: Complete your makeup look with our full line of...
Features
This professional foundation is good for neutral toned skin and uses a dropper to allow you more control over how much product you use. It’s a lightweight, liquid foundation.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| Nyx is a well-known cosmetic brand, particularly with younger women, so it’s no surprise this made the best drugstore foundation list.
The dropper application means that this foundation will provide a sheer to full coverage and will leave your face with a lovely matte finish. |
This product doesn’t contain a sun protection factor (SPF), and some reviewers have commented that a good primer needs to be used with it, as it may dry out your skin. |
Quality |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
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L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation
L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation, N2 Classic Ivory, 0.51 oz.
- Liquid Foundation captured in a cushion
- A fresh luminous finish
- Tap on Buildable Coverage
- Liquid Foundation captured in a cushion
- A fresh luminous finish
- Tap on Buildable Coverage
Features
This is a liquid foundation used with a special sponge to help you distribute the perfect amount of product for your needs.
It’s applied by gentle taps of the sponge and is suitable for all skin types. It’s safe to use on sensitive skin and won’t clog your pores.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| This comes in 16 different shades, so you’re bound to find one that suits your skin color and type. Coverage can range from sheer to full as you control how much you use with the sponge. | Foundations suitable for all skin types rarely cover rosacea or acne scars and some reviewers stated that they used a different sponge than the one supplied as it dried up and cracked soon after opening. |
Quality |
Price |
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|---|---|---|
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Revlon Youth Fx Fill Blur Foundation
Features
This foundation was formulated for older women and contains an SPF 20 Broad-Spectrum sunscreen.
It’s on our best drugstore foundation because it fills in and blurs wrinkles. It also covers age spots, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| This foundation is specifically designed for older skin and comes in 12 shades, so you have plenty of color options. It comes in a handy size of 1 fluid ounce. | The reviews for this foundation stated that it became flaky quickly and dried their faces quickly. The formula is thick, so a good primer needs to be worn underneath. |
Quality |
Price |
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|---|---|---|
$$ |
L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation
L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation, Fair, 0.95 Fl Oz
- Medium to full coverage
- Long wearing
- Lightweight, luminous, paraben-free formula
- Medium to full coverage
- Long wearing
- Lightweight, luminous, paraben-free formula
Features
This is a medium to full coverage foundation with a lightweight formula. It’s paraben-free and long-wearing.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes in 16 colors ranging from white to dark chocolate, and the white can also be used to alter the density of the other shades. It comes with a pump bottle, so it’s easy to get the product onto your skin. | This liquid foundation made our best drugstore foundation despite the reviews that state it needs to be touched up with powder if you will be out and about all day, but this is a minor con. |
Quality |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
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COVERGIRL Vitalist Healthy Elixir Foundation
COVERGIRL Vitalist Healthy Elixir Foundation, Creamy Beige 750, 1 Ounce (packaging may vary)
- Vitamin-infused formula with a special antioxidant and vitamin complex
- Oil free
- Minimizes the appearance of oily shine
- Vitamin-infused formula with a special antioxidant and vitamin complex
- Oil free
- Minimizes the appearance of oily shine
Features
A lightweight formula that’s great for sensitive skin, this one absorbs oil to give your face a nice soft glow.
It’s infused with antioxidants and vitamins.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| This is a full coverage foundation that contains SPF 20 and vitamins B3, B5, and E. It comes in 14 different color shades. | This foundation is not suitable for very pale complexions as it looks orange on very fair skin. We also found comments it had a flowery scent to it. |
Quality |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
$$ |
e.l.f. Acne Fighting Foundation
e.l.f. Acne-Fighting Foundation Full-Coverage Formula, Beige, 1.21 fl. oz.
- EVERYDAY BASE: This lightweight, full-coverage formula soothes while it helps...
- HOW TO WEAR: Apply primer all over face, then use a foundation brush or damp...
- 100% CRUELTY-FREE & VEGAN: Proud to be 100% vegan and cruelty-free, worldwide....
- EVERYDAY BASE: This lightweight, full-coverage formula soothes while it helps...
- HOW TO WEAR: Apply primer all over face, then use a foundation brush or damp...
- 100% CRUELTY-FREE & VEGAN: Proud to be 100% vegan and cruelty-free, worldwide....
Features
Formulated specifically to disguise redness, uneven skin-tones, and blemishes, this foundation contains special ingredients that help to fight acne.
This is the best drugstore foundation for teenage or hormonal skin.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| This foundation contains witch hazel, tea tree, aloe vera, camphor, and salicylic acid to reduce acne and other blemishes. It’s also a great price for a foundation that reduces acne. | Some reviewers have stated that this foundation made their acne worse, so we advise trying it on your skin before you buy. |
Quality |
Price |
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|---|---|---|
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Maybelline Makeup Fit Me Matte Poreless Liquid Foundation Makeup
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation Makeup, Creamy Beige, 2 COUNT Oil-Free...
- Get a matte finish
- Ultra-lightweight foundation absorbs oil for a matte and poreless-looking finish
- This liquid foundation goes beyond matching skin tone, it also matches the...
- Get a matte finish
- Ultra-lightweight foundation absorbs oil for a matte and poreless-looking finish
- This liquid foundation goes beyond matching skin tone, it also matches the...
Features
This liquid foundation is dermatologically, and allergy tested and won’t dry out or become flakey.
Furthermore, it provides a medium coverage with a natural finish.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| With forty different shades ranging from fair porcelain to espresso, you’re sure to find your perfect color match. This is a lightweight foundation that smooths the skin and glides over wrinkles and lines. | Although this is one of the more expensive products on our best drugstore foundation list, it’s still not going to break the bank. This is better suited to combination-to-dry skin, as it can slide off if your skin is oily. |
Quality |
Price |
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|---|---|---|
$$ |
Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation
wet n wild Photo Focus Matte Liquid Foundation Nude Ivory, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
- High-Performing, skin-perfecting foundation tested under seven different photo...
- Featuring a light-adjusting complex that stays selfie-perfect anytime, anyplace
- Breakthrough formula featuring light-adjusting complex to help prevent white...
- High-Performing, skin-perfecting foundation tested under seven different photo...
- Featuring a light-adjusting complex that stays selfie-perfect anytime, anyplace
- Breakthrough formula featuring light-adjusting complex to help prevent white...
Features
This is a skin-perfecting foundation that features a light-adjusting formula adapts to different lighting conditions.
Additionally, it provides a matte finish and works with all skin types.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| The price is a certain pro with this one, and it also delivers good results. Reviewers have mentioned that it’s so lightweight you forget you’re wearing it. | Despite being on our best drugstore foundation list, this is not a full coverage foundation. It works best over a tinted BB cream. It’s best used with a combination to dry skin as it overemphasizes oily skin. |
Quality |
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How to Buy the Best Drugstore Foundation
It pays to know if you have a cool skin-tone person or a warm skin-tone when buying foundation. The easiest way to tell is by checking the veins on your inner wrist. If your veins are blue, you’re cool toned, if they’re green you’re warm-toned. If you’re struggling to tell whether your veins are blue or green, then you’re considered a neutral skin-tone.
Although there are exceptions to every rule you can expect cool skin-tones to work best with a red, rose or blue base and these will have names such as sable, porcelain, rose, and cocoa. Warm-tones work best with yellow or gold-based foundations with names like golden, tan, beige, caramel, or chestnut. For neutral tones, choose ivory, nude, praline, or buff.
The best way to choose a foundation shade in a store is by testing a small sample of the product on your jawline. The foundation should match your skin tone, not darken or lighten it. If you can’t try a little on your jawline, you can hold the bottle up to your face and judge it from there. In both cases, make sure you’re in a natural light.
DrugStore Foundation FAQs
How long have women worn foundation?
Women have been using foundation in one form or another since biblical times. The earliest foundations were not the creamy solutions we have now though. In 200 B.C. Greece, women would paint their faces with a white lead powder to lighten their skin to the fashionable pale look of the day. This lead powder mixture would often end in disfigurement.
During Queen Victoria’s era, makeup went out of fashion as the Queen didn’t approve. According to her, only women of a questionable nature wore cosmetics.
What we now know as foundation sprang from the Leipziger Stadt theater in Germany when Carl Baudin invented greasepaint to stop the gap between his wig and his forehead being so visible when he was on the stage. He created a mixture of lard, ochre, and zinc and eventually, he produced it for sale. In 1914, a makeup artist called Max Factor improved on the recipe and the rest is history.
Why do you need to wear foundation?
- Whether you choose a liquid, matte, mousse, or powder foundation, you must decide how much coverage you want.
- Sheer coverage: this is the lightest type of coverage with the least pigmentation. It’s suitable for young skin, with little or no, blemishes.
- Light coverage: this will cover small blemishes and minimum blotchiness.
- Medium coverage: this is good for younger skin with blemishes such as acne. It contains 18 to 23% pigmentation.
- Full coverage: they sometimes call this a corrective foundation. If used correctly, it will cover most blemishes, freckles, and rosacea.
What are the different types of foundation?
Many department stores and supermarkets carry cosmetics, and direct sales through party plans are still popular. As we mentioned, you can buy foundation and other cosmetics online, but we advise that you be sure of the brand and the shade you are buying first.
Where can you buy foundation?
Many department stores and supermarkets carry cosmetics, and direct sales through party plans are still popular. As we mentioned, you can buy foundation and other cosmetics online, but we advise that you be sure of the brand and the shade you are buying first.
Does the best drugstore foundation need to be expensive to be effective?
If your budget can’t stretch to the more expensive brands, you’re not alone. Many drugstore cosmetic brands provide just as much value for money, if not more, than some costlier brands.
Our Verdict
The most expensive product on our best drugstore foundation list is Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation, but although this is a good foundation, some ingredients may give you problems if you’re susceptible to allergies.
At a price of around $5.00, the L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Liquid Foundation gets our vote as the best value for money and has almost unanimously 5-star reviews. It even stacks up well next to the more expensive, luxury brands.
Finally, you now have the list of the best drugstore foundation brands. It’s now up to you to choose.
Last update on 2023-04-18 at 02:11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API