As a makeup artist, every day I explain to my clients that foundation is not a one-size-fits-all product. It needs to be the right fit for your coverage needs and your skin type, should make your skin better after applied. And no matter the price, it should have the right ingredients that won't change the nature of your skin or worsen any conditions you may have.
I've had years of experience to test all types of foundations on clients, so scroll down to your skin type and find out what to add to your makeup bag!
For Dry Skin: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation [1] ($47) looks flawless, applies effortlessly, and won't further dry out skin. It has a sheer coverage but it's buildable, and it leaves the skin feeling very smooth and moist. It has two powerhouse ingredients that help dry skin retain moisture and freshness: turmeric (which has numerous beauty benefits [2]) and glycerin (which is known to be one of the best humectants [3] out there).
For Dry Skin: Infallible Pro-Glow
From the drugstore aisle, my favorite foundation for dry skin is Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation by L'Oreal [4] ($13). This one has an poreless finish and medium buildable coverage. It also contains dimethicone and glycerin to keep the skin hydrated and soft — both help the skin retain water for a long period of time, making the skin look fresh all day.
For Combination Skin: Diorskin Forever Foundation
For combination skin, I always recommend foundations that have a velvet-to-matte finish. My fave is Diorskin Forever Foundation [5] ($52). The lightweight formula helps minimize the appearance of pores, and the coverage is medium with a very natural matte finish. Bonus: it has 30 SPF, making it great for everyday use.
For Combination Skin: Kat Von D Lock It Foundation
Again, Kat Von D's Lock It Foundation [6] ($35), is great for matte finish lovers. It has a serious amount of coverage (like no-joke coverage), it's buildable, versatile, and gentle on skin because of its vegan formula. It's also very long wearing, and the formula really helps control the oil around the face.
For Combination Skin: FIT Me Matte Foundation
My drugstore fave for combo skin is Fit Me Matte Foundation by Maybelline [7] ($8). This foundation has one of the best formulas from the drugstore world. It feels great to the skin, has a matte velvety finish that will make your skin look flawless, and has dimethicone and glycerin to help with hydration.
For Acne/Oily Skin: Shiseido Dual Balancing Foundation
For oily skin you basically can use all of the foundations I already recommended for combination skin, but if your skin is acne-prone, then you need to use a non-comedogenic product. Non-comedogenic foundations [8] won't clog your pores, and while they may not make your acne better, they won't make it worse, either. The foundation I swear by for acne-prone skin is Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation [9] ($42) has a medium to full buildable coverage, matte finish, and is non-acnegenic, oil free, and is very lightweight for a natural looking skin. It has dimethicone, a type of silicone [10] that helps your skin to look better by helping mattify the appearance of large pores and skin wounds/scars caused by acne.
For Acne/Oily Skin: Almay TLC
Almay Truly Lasting Color Foundation [11] ($7) is one of the best drugstore foundations for oily and acne-prone skin. It's a pro at covering acne and acne scars, it's gentle to the skin, and non-comedogenic, meaning your pores won't be clogged causing you to break out. The formula also includes vitamin E, which helps your skin look radiant and fresh.
For Acne/Oily Skin: Neutrogena Healthy Skin
If you're more of a Neutrogena girl, try Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation [12] ($14). The coverage is lightweight yet buildable, and it contains SPF 20. If you're on any aggressive treatments for acne, SPF is a must, as the sun can be even more harmful to your sensitive skin.
For Normal Skin: Nars Natural Radiant
When I first tried Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation [13] ($49), I immediately fell in love with it. The texture is smooth, drying to a natural skin-like finish — perfect if you want that fresh, no-makeup look. This is not a foundation for people who want full coverage or heavy foundation look!
For Normal Skin: Becca Aqua Luminous
Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation [14] ($44) is the bomb dot com! It will give you that luminous, fresh, flawless skin look. It has dimethicone and glycerin which, again, are the ones in charge of providing that glow and healthy look to the skin.
For Normal Skin: Maybelline Super Stay
Finally, Maybelline's Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation [15] ($12) is a drugstore steal. This foundation is full coverage, it will definitely make you look flawless. I love it because it has a velvety matte finish, and though it's intense in the coverage department, it won't make you look cakey.