One tinted moisturizer turns your face into an orange mask and another foundation cakes up in every tiny line around your lips. What’s a woman to do when her favorite makeup brand just dumped the foundation she’s sworn by for years in favor of a new, improved formula she loathes? Going alone in a search for the color that’s a true match for your skin tone can be utterly depressing. Looking for the right coverage can take hours at the makeup counter. The solution is going to the pros for advice on finding a perfectly flawless foundation. These makeup artists have definite ideas on what works for their celebrity clients and what can work for you.
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer
Sheer coverage with oil control and a semimatte finish sets this foundation apart for Francesca Roman. She loves the easy application and blending you get from its creamy consistency.
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 ($44)
Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Liquid Foundation
Makeup artist Lauren Andersen praises this foundation for its lightweight, just-right amount of coverage. Plus, it allows the skin to breathe.
Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Liquid Foundation ($12)
Pür Cosmetics 4-in-1 Liquid Foundation
This is one of the go-to products for Saisha Beecham because the smooth texture doesn’t overcake and blends well. The color range is comparable to those of other luxury brands.
Pür Cosmetics 4-in-1 Liquid Foundation ($39)
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
Mess-free application makes this stick the foundation you’ll take with you everywhere. Alison Christian says you’ll get silky and full coverage, plus a wide color range.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($46)
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Erin Ayanian Monroe calls this the gold standard of foundations for setting to a dewy finish that’s as opaque or sheer as you wish.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($64)
MAC Face and Body Foundation
Mimicking the skin’s texture is the trait that’s made this supersheer foundation famous. The watery texture offers the lightest coverage but can provide more if you let it dry and build up layers, according to Ashleigh Ciucci.
MAC Face and Body Foundation ($28)
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation
Joy Fennell says this resembles a tinted moisturizer as it goes on light and smooth but gives the full coverage you’d want in a foundation.
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation ($45)
Read More: Best Foundations According to Makeup Artists
