The 5 Best Foundations

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When you want to feel more confident in your appearance, foundation can help. It can enhance your complexion, cover any embarrassing marks, combat skin issues like dryness or oily skin, and even help adjust your skin shade. Many people believe that you should spend more money on foundation because it is the “foundation” of your makeup routine, but spending more does not necessarily mean you are getting more.

What Is Foundation?

Foundation is a form of makeup that can help even out the skin tone, cover up blemishes, and leave your face looking fresh, smooth, and flawless. Foundation can come in liquid, cream, or powder form, and can be oil based, water based, or oil free. Foundation can be applied after your daily moisturizer and/or primer.

Begin by dotting foundation on the forehead, cheeks, and chin. It can then be applied with your fingers, a foundation brush, a makeup sponge, or a blender sponge, depending on your personal preferences and the type of foundation. Start with light coverage and build from there. It is important to carefully match the foundation to your skin tone and skin type for a natural appearance.

Some foundations also offer additional benefits, such as multitasking ingredients, SPF protection, primer, concealer, and other benefits.

Top 5 Foundations

bareMinerals ORIGINAL Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15

The award-winning bareMinerals ORIGINAL Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a cult classic. As one of Amazon’s bestselling and top-rated foundations, it is also an Ulta Fan Fave, Editors’ Pick on TotalBeauty.com, a Sephora bestseller, About.com’s pick for the best mineral foundation, and one of the highest rated foundations available. Customers and beauty bloggers state that there is nothing quite like this mineral foundation. The hypoallergenic formula is clinically proven to promote clearer, healthier-looking skin.

It also offers UVA/UVB protection with SPF 15 to better protect your skin. The mineral-based foundation applies like a cream, looks like a powder, and buffs on gently, but still offers full coverage. You can achieve adjustable sheer-to-full coverage, but you won’t feel like you’re wearing any makeup at all. The versatile weightless foundation can give your skin a natural luminosity and conceal blemishes, lines, and wrinkles. It is ideal for all skin types and can last up to eight hours, leaving you with soft, beautiful skin all day or night, without smudging or budging.

The powder foundation goes on matte and is available in a range of colors to perfectly match your tone. bareMinerals has been praised for its exceptional purity and superior formulas, which are made without oil, silicone, parabens, preservatives, talc, oil, waxes, fragrances, and other chemicals that can irritate skin and cause breakouts. This can help promote clearer, healthier, radiant skin and provide you with a flawless appearance.

Currently $20.00 on Amazon

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation

As one of Amazon’s bestselling and top-rated foundations, the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation is also a BestCovery Best Pick for the best liquid foundation. This affordable all-in-one foundation offers built-in concealer, primer, and sun protection with SPF 20 to ensure long-lasting wear and smooth, even coverage from day to night.

Reviewers found that this foundation stays on really well, does not fade even after hours of wear, covers imperfections well, and provides an airbrushed appearance. The lightweight formula is available in a variety of colors to best match your skin tone. The drugstore must-have is also the most affordable option on our list, so it won’t break your beauty budget.

Currently $6.83 on Amazon

bareMinerals BareSkin Pure Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20

Another cult classic from bareMinerals, the bareMinerals BareSkin Pure Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 is more than your average foundation. As one of Amazon’s bestselling foundations, this brightening foundation is an Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner, one of the top rated items on Ulta, a Sephora bestseller, and Women’s Health Magazine’s choice for the top mineral foundation. As a serum foundation, it offers the beautifying benefits of makeup, with the skincare benefits of a serum, to help improve the look of your skin both now and in the future.

This multi-tasking, ultra-thin, skin-perfecting fluid comes in a range of colors to exactly match your skin tone. It goes on light, but can provide full, adjustable coverage with a natural finish. It can even out and brighten your skin, improve the appearance of dark spots and imperfections, provide a more youthful appearance, and leave you with soft, beautiful, even-toned skin and an airbrushed finish. bareMinerals has been praised for its exceptional purity and superior formulas, which are made without oil, silicone, parabens, preservatives, talc, oil, waxes, fragrances, and other chemicals that can irritate skin and cause breakouts.

As a combination foundation and tinted moisturizer, this clinically proven tone-correcting mineral foundation and brightening serum also contains a coconut-derived base with jojoba-coated mineral pigments, Supercharged Lilac Plant Stem Cells, Vitamin C, and SPF 20 to better protect your skin.

Currently $25.99 on Amazon

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup

As one of Amazon’s bestselling foundations, the Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup is also an Ulta Pick and backed by overwhelmingly positive reviews online. The 4-in-1 formula contains foundation, powder, concealer, and SPF 15 to best protect and beautify the skin. Save time on your morning routine by accomplishing multiple steps with one pressed mineral foundation. Formulated with vitamin E, Silica, organic shea butter, this foundation can help nourish, hydrate, and improve the condition of your skin both now and in the future.

It is also clinically proven to correct and prevent your skin concerns, smooth away the look of fine lines and wrinkles, balance uneven skin tone, and firm the skin's appearance. It provides full, flawless coverage, while remaining light on the skin. If you are looking for a liquid foundation, Pur Minerals also offers a top rated 4-in-1 liquid foundation, which offers similar benefits.

Currently $27.00 on Amazon

Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

As one of Amazon’s bestselling and top-rated foundations, the Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation is one of the highest rated foundations online. Reviews state that this revolutionary air-soft mousse foundation feels light and soft on the skin, removes oil and shine, and provides rich, full coverage with an airbrushed finish. The perfecting coverage and even toned results will last from day to night.

This affordable drugstore find is ideal for any skin type and skin tone. If the lightweight whipped mousse foundation is not right for you, try Maybelline’s liquid formula, which has the same affordable price point. Both the matte and liquid formulas are very well received by both customers and makeup artists alike.

Currently $6.89 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best foundations. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

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