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The art of perfecting a base makeup routine is ultra-personal, and it takes trial and error to discover the right complexion products to suite your skin. There’s no need to shell out the big bucks for a high-quality skin perfecter, because these best drugstore foundations have got you covered. Our team of editors tested a range of budget-friendly foundations from top makeup brands that compliment different needs and preferences, including skin care-infused formulas, matte to dewy finishes, and textures for every skin type or concern.
Drugstore foundations cost dozens of dollars less than their luxury counterparts, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on quality ingredients or coverage. New formulas and innovations, like serum formulas or smoothing filter-like foundations, offer similar or better results that won’t break the bank. If you think about it, selecting a foundation is adjacent to curating your skin care routine, since the product will be sitting on your skin all day long, so it’s important to choose a formula that supplements your skin type for the most flattering wear and finish.
Staple drugstore foundation brands such as Maybelline New York, L’Oréal Paris, Covergirl, and even ultra-affordable beauty brands like E.l.f. offer foundations that include skin-loving ingredients like SPF, hyaluronic acid, and nourishing vitamins C and E. Drugstores offer a range of foundation textures too, from powder, liquid, cream, and everything in between. There are specially formulated options that cater to different skin types, such as mattifying drugstore foundations for oily skin and extra hydrating options for dry skin. You can also shop clean and vegan formulas for sensitive skin types and acne-prone skin, semi-matte finishes for combination skin, and blurring foundations that improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It’s no secret that trying out a new foundation can be a hit or a miss, which is why affordable drugstore foundations are a safe bet. A prestige foundation could run you upwards of $50, which can add up as your skin tone or texture changes with the seasons. Plus, there’s nothing more frustrating than taking a pricey product home and discovering that it doesn’t agree with your skin type, looks cakey past the point of return, or causes a skin reaction that leads you back to the makeup aisle to buy even more cover up. While foundation can be a high-stakes purchase, a drugstore price point is reliably low-risk. Luckily, we’ve discovered nine affordable formulations that knock this makeup bag essential out of the ballpark.
To hunt down the best foundations at the drugstore, multiple WWD Shop editors put dozens of budget foundations to the test. We sleuthed through our favorite beauty supply destinations and evaluated different formulations across the most prominent and affordable cosmetic brands. We also conducted thorough research on the best complexion makeup ingredients, as well as robust shade ranges and undertones to give kudos to the most inclusive drugstore foundations that serve different skin types, coverage levels, and flawless finishes.
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Selecting a go-to foundation is all dependent on your preferred finish, coverage, and, of course, your skin type. Drugstore foundations come in a wide range of options, which is why our testers crowned top three options that offer different results, rather than a single winner. Here are our trialed champs:
Best Drugstore Foundation for Combination Skin
If you’re looking for a medium coverage foundation that gives a healthy radiance finish, go with L’Oréal Paris True Match Nude Tinted Serum Foundation. The difference between a traditional foundation and a serum foundation is the skin care-infused benefits of active ingredients, along with a much lighter feel. This product’s natural glow isn’t just for show, because it contains 1 percent hyaluronic acid, which aids in hydration and supple skin elasticity over time. It’s also blended with luminous mineral pigments that brighten the complexion and seamlessly melt into the skin.
Editor testing and review notes: “Serum foundations always excite me because they nourish the skin while providing coverage at the same time, and I was especially interested in this one for its inclusion of hyaluronic acid. I’ve always been a fan of the L’Oréal Paris True Match complexion line and this is officially my top dog. I love how easily it blends into the skin with a buffing brush and provides natural, buildable, and effective coverage. The formula is not runny like other serum foundations — it has a typical foundation consistency, and the dropper applicator makes dispensing product simple and sanitary (and a little fun). The hyaluronic acid in this foundation does not go unnoticed, as it feels hydrating without overdoing it on the dew-factor, and results in an ideal skin-like sheen.” — Commerce Writer & Producer Olivia Cigliano
Price upon publish date of this article: $13.39
Courtesy of Target
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Best Drugstore Foundation for Acne
Colourpop’s Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation is similar to a serum foundation but boasts a higher color payoff. It has a hydrating formula base of coconut water that’s doubled-down with hyaluronic acid and a fruit complex that works to quench the skin and blur fine lines. Those with acne-prone skin get the green light with this product, not only for its buildable, natural-looking coverage that’ll camouflage blemishes, but also because it’s dermatologist-tested and contains 100 percent vegan and clean ingredients.
Editor testing and review notes: “This is the first complexion product I’ve tried from Colourpop and it’s an instant winner in my book. The Pretty Fresh foundation feels incredibly hydrating on the skin and has a wet, thin formula that blends effortlessly atop moisturizer and primer. It provides a satin to dewy finish (depending on my moisturizer base) that’s super lightweight — it feels better than a tinted moisturizer. The coverage of this foundation is light to medium, which allows for plenty of layering control without the risk of getting cakey. The brand was smart to add a pump to its packaging, since the foundation has a runny consistency.” — Cigliano
Price upon publish date of this article: $16
Courtesy of Colourpop
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Best Drugstore Liquid Foundation
Over the years, E.l.f. has become a powerhouse drugstore brand that offers affordable options for everything from makeup brushes to lip gloss and face primer. E.l.f. is no stranger to high-quality complexion products, with viral hits like the Halo Glow Liquid filter and Hydrating Camo Concealer, and this foundation is no exception. The E.l.f. Flawless Satin Foundation is outstanding, not only for its buildable medium coverage and versatile semi-matte finish, but also for its extensive shade range that allows you plenty of options to find your perfect match. The formula is suitable for all skin types, with hydrating glycerin and clean, vegan ingredients, but it stood out to us as one of the best drugstore foundations for oily skin in particular.
Editor testing and review notes: “I was floored by the E.l.f. Flawless Satin Foundation, considering its unbeatable price point. It pumps out to a thicker consistency, which feels creamy, hydrating, and cooling as you blend it out. I applied the foundation with clean fingertips as well as a buffing brush during testing, and both techniques resulted in a very natural, non-streaky, and comfortable semi-matte finish. This foundation provides a nice medium coverage that’s buildable and doesn’t leave the skin dry and cakey throughout the day. This formula would likely suit the range of skin types, though I’d recommend that those with combination and oily skin powder their T zone or use a mattifying primer to ward off unwanted shine. Capping at just $6, this is a hidden gem at the drugstore and worth the try — regardless if you’re on a tight beauty budget.” — Cigliano
Price upon publish date of this article: $5.66
Courtesy of Target
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Best Drugstore Foundation for Mature Skin
This all-in-on foundation is great for mature skin or those who prefer their foundation to knock off steps in their skin care routine. The Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector performs similarly to a tinted moisturizer, with sheer coverage, SPF 20, and a lightweight feel. Its star feature is retinol, which is a tried-and-true skin care ingredient that increases skin elasticity, reduces the appearance of dark spots, calms inflammation, and prevents clogged pores. The formula also includes nourishing antioxidants, vitamins, and titanium dioxide to revitalize the skin under the makeup and provide a radiant, natural finish.
Editor testing and review notes: “Of all the foundations I tested, this Neutrogena option had the richest texture. Those with oily skin types may not love this factor, but anyone who’s trying to ward off wrinkles and fine lines (or just plain old dry skin) know that the more moisture, the better. Unlike other liquid and cream foundations I tried, this balmy cream blended into my skin like an expensive face moisturizer — that just so happens to provide medium coverage and SPF 20. It has a tendency to transfer, so I’d suggest a light dust of setting powder or a spritz of setting spray after you apply it.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $14
Courtesy of Amazon
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Best Full-Coverage Drugstore Foundation
The L’Oréal Paris Infallible foundation collection is a TikTok favorite, with over 209 million views and searches on the app. The range offers a wildly popular powder foundation, but we’re most impressed by the liquid formulation. The Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation provides reliable and buildable full-coverage with impressive longwear power that lasts up to 24 hours. It’s one of the best drugstore foundations for oily skin, as the formula contains three oil absorbers to resist water, sweat, and transferring. It also includes SPF 25 and comes in 40 shade options, so you’re guaranteed to find your match.
Editor testing and review notes: “This foundation is the best drugstore matte foundation I tested. At first, I noticed that the product was thinner than I’m used to, but after applying it with a fluffy brush, the foundation blended perfectly and felt lightweight while concealing my blemishes and redness. I love that it has SPF 25, which boosts my daily sun protection. The only caveat is that a little goes a long way, which I learned from experience (the first time I applied too much and my face looked cakey).” — Style Commerce Editor Nikki Chwatt
Price upon publish date of this article: $12.94
Courtesy of Target
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Best Cream Drugstore Foundation
Covergirl + Olay’s Simply Ageless Wrinkle Defying Foundation has been on drugstore shelves for over a decade. Cream foundations have a tendency to apply thick and cakey, with little return on moisture, color match, and blendability. This one gets it right, because the formula is swirled with a silky and moisturizing hyaluronic complex, along with vitamin C to improve skin brightness, texture, and overall hydration. The “Ageless” component comes from its blurring finish that doesn’t settle into fine lines, along with a healthy dose of SPF 28 to protect the skin from sun damage.
Editor testing and review notes: “Skin care-infused foundations typically come with $50-plus price tags, so I’ll admit that I approached this under $20 foundation thinking it could fall short on the nourishment department. But the cream texture and even coverage of this formula left me impressed — it’s dense, but easy to blend and work into my complexion. What starts out as a dewy feel dries down to a skin-mimicking texture I full-on forgot I was wearing during the day. The only con to this compact has to do with shade matching; it took me three different options to find one that aligned with my skin tone. (Pro tip for those with fair skin: Order an extra shade in a warm, deep tone, and this also makes a fabulous cream bronzer).” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $13.15
Courtesy of CVS
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Best Dewy Drugstore Foundation
The glass skin TikTok trend has attracted over 2.8 billion beauty lovers looking for a super smooth complexion that practically gleams, and Maybelline New York’s Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation is your best drugstore bet for achieving the blurred and glossy effect. Dry skin types will love how it marries lightweight coverage, SPF, and lasting skin quenching in one step. This foundation’s comfortable feel — attributed to added benefits of vitamin E, which soothes skin irritation like psoriasis, eczema, and general dehydration — will leave you looking fresh and dewy on the daily.
Editor testing and review notes: “This foundation is aptly named, because dewy, smooth skin is exactly what you’ll get. Maybelline’s Dewy + Smooth formulation of the Fit Me foundation range is great for those with dry skin because it immediately feels hydrating upon application. It has a natural finish and light coverage, which I enjoy since it allows my freckles to shine through while still evening out my complexion. It’s very thin on the skin, so it feels lightweight all day. It’s important to note that it does leave a wet-to-the-touch feeling upon initial application, so make sure to wait for it to fully set before applying products on top (otherwise brushes or sponges may displace the product). Those with oily skin should definitely skip this product, but if your skin type is combination or dry and you’re looking for a your-skin-but-better foundation, give this a try.” — Cigliano
Price upon publish date of this article: $6.91
Courtesy of Amazon
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In order to select the best drugstore foundations, our WWD Shop editors conducted extensive research across the beauty market, along with our own comprehensive editor-approved product testing. We tested new product releases, TikTok-viral formulations, and prominent foundations that have been customer favorites for decades. We also sifted through and compared hundreds of customer review quotes to roundup superlative foundations available at the most common drugstores. We tested many drugstore foundations, including the below:
Over 20+ foundation formulations were tested among five WWD editors for this best drugstore foundation shopping guide. These drugstore foundations were put to the test for a duration of eight to 18 hours per day across a three-week testing period in order to determine the pros and cons of each option. In some cases, these foundations were already purchased by testers and used daily for months before our official review process began. We assessed key factors of the drugstore foundations throughout our testing, including skin finish, coverage, application experience, wear time, comfortability, packaging, and whether or not the foundations caused breakouts or irritation.
We also made sure to compare shade ranges, special formulations, like serum or skin care-infused foundations, and overall texture. The drugstore foundations included in this article were tested across a variety of skin types, skin tones, climates, and functions, so you can feel confident about your next drugstore foundation purchase.
Below are the criteria our panel of testers considered while trying out drugstore foundation formulas:
WWD Shop editor Claire Sullivan swatches drugstore foundations in our New York City office.
WWD/ Adam MansurogluSince 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections. Learn more about us here.
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as a beauty editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting makeup products, like drugstore foundations, that make a meaningful difference in your beauty routine.
Nikki Chwatt is the Style Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News, where she both writes and edits stories on the latest clothing, accessory, and shoe must-haves. As a New York City resident, she’s garnered a love for handbags, shoes, and garments as well as beauty and skincare products that will keep her skin protected during the changing seasons. As a result, she has tested many drugstore beauty products, including drugstore foundations, to see which ones work agree for her beauty goals, and which may work better for others with different needs.
Tara Larson is the editorial assistant at Footwear News. She mainly covers trending news from celebrity style to new footwear launches and collaborations as well as exclusive interviews. She attends events like red carpets and premieres on behalf of the brand and creates social media content for FN’s Instagram and TikTok accounts. Prior to joining Footwear News, she interned for Esquire and worked as an editorial apprentice for Traditional Home. She earned a B.S. in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. Larson regularly wears drugstore foundation, so she has a keen eye when it comes to choosing the best formulas.
Olivia Cigliano is the Commerce Writer and Producer at WWD and Footwear News. She is a New York City-based fashion and lifestyle writer, riding the pulse of trends and digital culture. Her previous bylines can be found on CR Fashion Book and Elite Daily. When she’s not writing shopping content at WWD and FN, she can be found searching for a holy grail in a Brooklyn thrift store, surveilling newsstands for fashion magazines, or scrolling TikTok to discover top-rated beauty products like drugstore foundation to incorporate into her base makeup routine.
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