12 Drugstore Foundations to Try for Every Skin Type
Incredible coverage at an even better price.
Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Finding the perfect foundation isn’t always easy. With hundreds of options, shades, finishes, and coverage levels, there are endless choices to be made. So we're tapping makeup artist and founder of Pink Lipps Cosmetics Kenyata Gant to share her tips for finding the perfect match for you—at a drugstore price point.
“I think the options are getting better and are reasonably priced,” Gant assures us. “Drugstores are continuing to have better options as more brands are being offered and brands that have an extensive amount of shades to choose from.” The next time you’re at the drugstore, Gant says, “find your shade easily by matching your neck, chest, or wrist area.”
Need a guide before you go? Here, 12 of our favorites to look for on your next haul.
Coverage: Medium to full
Finish: Natural
Best for: All skin types
“It has nice medium-to-full coverage, and while the shade range is not extensive, it still covers a good group of skin tones,” Gant says.
No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Serum Foundation SPF 15
Pros
- Packed with skin care ingredients
Coverage: Medium
Finish: Radiant
Best for: Combination skin
“Work smarter, not harder” is this foundation’s motto. Packed with skin care technology and vitamins A and C, No7’s formula delivers medium coverage that won’t settle into lines—as well as good-for-your-skin benefits.
Coverage: Light
Finish: Dewy
Best for: Normal, dry, and combination skin
Feeling dry? This crowd favorite is infused with coconut milk and aloe extract to hydrate and soothe skin.
Pros
- 45 shade options
Coverage: Buildable
Finish: Matte
Best for: Normal, oily, combination, and sensitive skin
“Let me tell you this foundation goes on like a dream,” one reviewer says of this full-coverage option. “I moisturize and let it dry then I put the foundation with a sponge and it is amazing!”
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Sensitive Skin Serum Foundation
Pros
- Packed with skin care ingredients
Coverage: Light and buildable
Finish: Natural
Best for: Sensitive skin
Designed specifically for sensitive skin, Neutrogena’s serum foundation boasts vitamin B5 and none of the stuff that’ll irritate your skin, like fragrance, alcohols, parabens, or sulfates.
Coverage: Medium-full
Finish: Natural matte
Best for: Normal skin
We’re always here for a two-in-one, and this waterproof Milani formula is just that. Use it as concealer or foundation—either way, you won’t sweat it off.
L'Oréal Paris Radiant Serum Foundation with SPF 50
Pros
- Great for mature skin
Coverage: Light-medium
Finish: Natural radiant
Best for: Sensitive, normal, and mature skin
Reviewers love this foundation’s radiant finish, and we love the fact that it packs a huge sun-protection punch with SPF 50. “It made my face look beautiful. It was glowy,” wrote one reviewer. “Use this with a finishing powder, and you will look flawless.”
Coverage: Light
Finish: Matte
Best for: Normal, oily, and combination skin
This mousse-like, oil-free foundation delivers a soft, matte finish yet feels airy and lightweight on the skin.
Coverage: Medium-full
Finish: Semi-matte
Best for: All skin types
Oil-free yet hydrating, this weightless foundation embodies its name, leaving skin flawless. Plus, its 40-shade range is a major perk.
Coverage: Full coverage
Finish: Natural
Best for: All skin types
“This gives my oily skin a matte and flawless finish. It has a medium-to-high coverage but feels so light," one fan says of this foundation.
Coverage: Light
Finish: Matte
Best for: All skin types
This best-selling foundation is “a must buy" according to reviewers, with one writing that "coverage is 10/10 with a smooth [matte] finish...Better than some expensive brands.”
Coverage: Medium
Finish: Natural
Best for: Dry, normal, and combination
With hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, and vitamins C and E, this creamy stick helps keep skin nourished all day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I achieve a flawless foundation application?
One word: primer. “Always use a moisturizer and a primer for a base, let those two dry, and then apply foundation,” Gant says.
How do you know which finish to choose?
“Keep in mind your skin type before purchasing a foundation,” Gant says. “L’Oréal Infallible has two different formulas. I absolutely love the dewy/glowy formula for my dry skin. I typically use the matte formula on my clients since they really like the matte finish.”
How do you achieve a radiant finish with foundation?
“When it’s time to set the foundation, only set (with setting powder) in certain areas of the face that won’t reflect light,” Gant explains. “Do not set the high points, like your cheeks and the sides of your forehead. Instead, use a highlighter to accentuate those areas. That will give you a radiant, glowing foundation look.” As an alternative, the makeup artist says, “You can always mix a liquid highlighter in your foundation to give an all-around glow.”
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