What's the best full-coverage foundation for my skin type?
Party season and heavy-duty, long-wearing makeup are a match made in heaven – and the foundation of that heaven is… uh… foundation. There’s a lot to factor into finding the perfect full-coverage formula – from skin type and texture to finish and format – making it that much harder to find the one that's right for you. But let us remove all the guesswork, as we’ve rounded up the best full-coverage foundation for every skin type, whether you’re oily, dry, mature, or somewhere in-between.
What are the different skin types?
Normal Skin typically doesn’t feel dry, tight or oily throughout the day – it’ll be pretty balanced overall, and you may not have too many complexion concerns to complain about.
Oily Skin is named in line with our bodies’ excess sebum production, which comes from our pores and causes a shiny layer to form on complexions. Oily skin types often prefer a mattifying foundation that works round the clock to keep unwanted shine at bay.
Dry Skin types are prone to coarse texture, flaking, and sometimes soreness and itching. Dry skin can benefit from hydrating or moisture-rich ingredients like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, ceramides and squalane.
Combination Skin falls somewhere between oily and dry. The most common concerns are an oily T-zone (that’s your forehead, nose, and chin), coupled with drier cheeks, jawlines and hairlines – although in some cases, you may experience the opposite.
Sensitive Skin is known for being reactive to certain ingredients. You may experience redness and rosacea, rashes or hives, and dry, hard or leathery patches of skin. Sensitive skin types should be extra cautious when choosing a new foundation – and always check the ingredients list for potential irritants!
Although not technically a skin type, Mature Skin may have different concerns that develop as we age – including fine lines, dullness, dryness and dark spots. It’s important to remember that mature skin may also be dry, oily, combination or sensitive too!