Looking for a Hydrating Base? These Foundations Are a Glass of Water for Your Skin (2024)

As you age gracefully, your makeup routine naturally evolves. One of those adaptations involves sourcing one of the best foundations for mature skin that will provide the uneven texture, and fine-line-blurring coverage you desire without emphasizing dryness. These base makeup products are enriched with our favorite skin-care additives like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and even retinol to address the myriad of issues that aging skin may face (pun intended).

Our Top Picks

• Best Foundation for Mature Skin Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, $69
• Best Dewy Foundation: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, $65
• Best Light-Coverage Foundation: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, $49
• Best Medium-Coverage Foundation: Nars Light Reflecting Foundation, $52
• Best Full-Coverage Foundation: Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation, $42
• Best Foundation for Sensitive Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, $49
• Best Foundation for Oily Skin: Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Skin Foundation, $69
• Best Foundation for Acne-Prone Skin: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream, $47

We've done the heavy lifting (as in, tapped professional makeup artists and our handy group of testers) to find every foundation that refuses to crease, no matter how expressive your wonderful face may be.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What to consider when looking for a foundation for mature skin
• How to prep mature skin for foundation
• How to apply foundation on mature skin
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Foundation for Mature Skin Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Why it's worth it: Constantly name-dropped by makeup artists and enthusiasts, the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation has earned its icon status with ample accolades, including an Allure Best of Beauty Award. Makeup artists Beau Nelson and Amrita Mehta count Meghan Markle's favorite foundation as a go-to for mature clients due to its soft-focus finish and weightless texture.

"This one has been a staple in my kit for over 15 years," New York City-based makeup artist Lisa Aharon attests. "It blurs pores and fine lines while leaving the skin with a fresh finish," she says, adding that the medium coverage is ideal for concealing sun spots and other imperfections such as blemishes.

Editor's tip: Makeup artist Delina Medhin says that the hydrating formula is ideal for someone looking for minimal coverage, but her advice is to always moisturize regardless. "It's the first step to beautiful makeup," she attests.

Key ingredients: glycerin | Finish: radiant | Shades: 40

Best Dewy Foundation: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation

Why it's worth it: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation is one of Mehta's top picks for mature skin because "The formula is made of 40% water, leaving the skin hydrated and plump, while the radiant finish helps to create a smooth, glowy, seamless, and skin-like blend," she says. This foundation feels like a lightweight serum but has light-to-medium, buildable coverage, "which allows you to focus the coverage on where you need it, helping to maintain that fresh-faced look," she explains.

Aharon is another fan of this hydrating base. "A healthy glow is my favorite finish, especially for mature skin as it can tend to lean dry," she says. With the addition of light-reflecting pigments, wearers are left with a luminous, even complexion.

Editor's tip: If you're looking for a higher-coverage, subtly matte finish that's still hydrating (thanks to glycerin and vitamin E), pick up Chanel's Ultra Le Teint Flawless Finish Foundation.

Key ingredients: glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, jasmine stem extract | Finish: radiant | Shades: 35

Best Light-Coverage Foundation: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint

Why it's worth it: For days you're craving light, breathable coverage, you'll want to reach for this 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, Hourglass’s Veil Hydrating Skin Tint. When "hydrating" is in the name, standards will be high, but this light-diffusing formula overcomes the pressure. Chock-full of moisture-replenishing ingredients such as meadowfoam seed oil, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and shea butter, this light-coverage skin tint nourishes skin, evens out tone and texture while allowing your natural complexion to peek through.

Editor's tip: This tint seamlessly glides onto skin when you apply it with your fingers, but if you prefer applying foundation with a brush, the Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush (another Best of Beauty Award winner) has a slanted slate of soft, vegan fiber bristles that mimic fingertip application.

Key ingredients: meadowfoam seed oil, hyaluronic acid, squalane, shea butter extract | Finish: dewy | Shades: 18

Best Medium-Coverage Foundation: Nars Light Reflecting Foundation

Why it's worth it: If you're constantly being photographed (selfies count), the Best of Beauty-winning Nars Light Reflecting Foundation is a must for looking camera-ready. Thanks to a photo-friendly powder Nars calls Photochromic Technology that adjusts your skin tone based on the intensity of light, your complexion won’t look washed out in pictures. Ingredients like elasticity-boosting peptides and brightening turmeric improve your complexion with regular wear, so it looks glowing and gorgeous even when you're not wearing it.

Tester feedback: All of our editors said that this tint-like formula succeeded in covering redness, splotchiness, and general discoloration. Thorne, who is a full-coverage-foundation type of gal, was particularly impressed at how buildable Light Reflecting Foundation proved to be. "I didn't need too much to get the coverage that I want and love, and it practically melted into my skin as I buffed it in with a brush," she said. "It has a luminous finish that just makes you glow even if you skipped on some of your skin-care routine."

Key ingredients: biomimetic oat, Japanese lilyturf, cacao peptides, milk thistle, turmeric | Finish: radiant | Shades: 36

Best Full-Coverage Foundation: Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Why it's worth it: Our 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner for best full-coverage liquid foundation went to Makeup by Mario's SurrealSkin Foundation. Standout ingredients include polyglyceryl-6 polyricinoleate, an ester that leaves a glossy (not greasy!) finish and allows the foundation to easily glide across the skin. To attract and retain moisture, there's glycerin, grapeseed oil, and sunflower oil. Despite its slightly dewy finish, our testers with oily skin attested that this foundation doesn't become greasy after hours of wear.

Makeup by Mario founder Mario Dedivanovic says that one pump goes a long way and applies product in areas where coverage is needed most before building up. For sheerer coverage, you can add a pump of foundation to your favorite moisturizer and use your fingers to pat the mixture on your skin.

Editor's tip: We recommend heading over to your local Sephora to swatch and shade-match, as the flexible nature of the shades can be a little misleading when photographed on the models seen online.

Key ingredients: glycerin, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil | Finish: satin | Shades: 30

Best Foundation for Sensitive Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation

Why it's worth it: Charlotte Tilbury's aptly named Beautiful Skin Foundation (available across 30 shades) was an instant hit among Allure editors. Our testers loved the radiant finish that didn't lean into greasy or oily territory throughout the day, and most said that the medium-coverage base concealed their redness and discoloration seamlessly—without creasing.

Packed with hyaluronic acid (derived from coconut extract and cassia angustifolia seeds), this formula hydrates immediately and works behind the scenes to improve skin's smoothness and brightness over time. Other ingredients like bixa orellana seeds (anatto) and damask rosewater, are worth calling out for their antioxidant-rich and soothing properties—making this very suitable for sensitive skin.

Editor's tip: Former associate news editor Gabi Thorne alternates between patting and rubbing motions with her foundation brush to build up coverage naturally. As someone who prefers fuller coverage, she didn't find the formula’s coverage cakey at all.

Key ingredients: apple fruit water, glycerin, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, damask rosewater | Finish: dewy | Shades: 30

Best Foundation for Oily Skin: Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Skin Foundation

Why it's worth it: Are we really surprised that Dame Pat McGrath gets the votes of two professional makeup artists, Lavonne Wood, and Tony Tulve, with her Best of Beauty-winning Sublime Skin Foundation? "The foundation is seamless and looks like a second skin—and it can be worn by the youngest teen to Dame royalty," Wood tells Allure. Tulve also points out that the fluid-like, natural-finish formula self-sets (meaning, no need for powder) and "boosts natural hydration," courtesy of glycerin.

Editor's tip: This foundation has true medium coverage but you can sheer it out with the Sublime Perfection Primer, or build up the coverage by applying the Sublime Perfection Setting Powder afterward.

Key ingredients: diamond core powder, amino acids, raspberry leaf extract | Finish: satin | Shades: 36

Best Foundation for Acne-Prone Skin: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream

Why it's worth it: Think of IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream as a three-in-one foundation, broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen, and color corrector (hence the CC in its name). Though CC creams usually provide sheer-to-medium coverage, this pick has a full-coverage finish that leaves behind a seamless, non-drying base (thanks, hyaluronic acid). For additional skin therapy, this foundation also contains two antioxidants: niacinamide to brighten vitamin E to boost moisture levels.

For a sheerer finish, we suggest trying the IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow, which has a serum-like texture that also provides broad-spectrum SPF 40 protection.

Tester feedback: "As someone who still fights active breakouts, this cream provides amazing coverage for all blemishes, dark spots, and scars," Lexi Herrick, senior director of audience, attests. "It brightens my whole face and lasts all day long."

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin E | Finish: natural | Shades: 22

Best Allover Foundation: Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation

Why it's worth it: Whether you need your daily face coverage or looking to even texture and tone from the neck down, Dior’s Backstage Face & Body Foundation has you covered. This gravity-defying formula provides buildable, medium-to-full coverage as additives like hydrating hyaluronic acid and moisture-sealing squalane ensure your skin looks plumper and suppler. Despite these skin-loving ingredients, this is a no-budge formula that stays put without leaving behind a greasy film. Another bonus? This foundation is waterproof, so splash it up.

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, squalane | Finish: natural | Available shades: 43

Best Serum Foundation: L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation

Why it's worth it: Believe it or not, you can find foundation that adeptly addresses the needs and concerns of mature skin at your local drugstore. L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation is a perfect example of an affordable and high-quality formula. Spiked with a blend of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and aloe to hydrate and even skin, this lightweight base won't settle into fine lines. And we're never mad at extra UV protection atop our usual sunscreen: SPF 50, to be exact.

This formula contains chemical UV filters, so if you have sensitive skin or are pregnant or nursing, stick to products with mineral UV filters, a.k.a. zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Key ingredients: homosalate (10%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (4%), glycerin, niacinamide, vitamin E, aloe, hyaluronic acid | Finish: radiant | Shades: 30

Best Balm Foundation: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder

Why it's worth it: The Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder is such a game-changing formula that it won an Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough Award in 2022 and was used by bi-coastal makeup artist ShaDara Holmes to boost Tracy Chapman's already-stunning complexion for her 2024 Grammys performance. This balm-to-powder foundation instantly blurs blemishes and hyperpigmentation while smoothing skin texture for an even finish. It utilizes a mix of magnesium oxide and carbon dioxide to balance oil and blur pores like a powder, yet squalane ensures its finish sits on the fine line between dewy and matte.

Editor's tip: This product can be worn alone or under foundation as a blurring primer, but shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis reported that this balm replaced almost all of her complexion products. "Not only does it give me what I define as my 'perfect' base, but it also cuts my glam time down because I can skip foundation and sometimes even concealer," she said.

Key ingredients: squalane, magnesium oxide, carbon dioxide | Finish: semi-matte | Shades 14

Best Foundation Stick: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

Why it's worth it: A 2022 and 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, Westman Atelier's Vital Skin Foundation Stick has a second-skin-like finish well suited for mature skin—plus, it's loaded with skin-nourishing ingredients like squalane for moisture and phytosphingosine for soothing the skin. This cream formula melts into the skin whether you apply it straight to your skin or use a brush. Due to calming ingredients like barrier-supporting phytosphingosine, Aharon says this fragrance-free foundation is suitable for sensitive skin, regardless of age. "For a second-skin finish that doesn't settle into fine lines and radiance, I love this formula for mature skin," she attests.

Key ingredients: vegetable-derived squalane, berryflux vita extract, camellia seed oil, coconut oil | Finish: natural | Shades: 21

Best Powder Foundation: BareMinerals Loose Powder Foundation

Why it's worth it: Though the BareMinerals Loose Powder Foundation looks like a mattifying, tinted setting powder at first glance, this powder-based formula transforms into a glowy foundation reminiscent of a cream or liquid formulation. This breathable, sheer-to-medium coverage formula creates a luminous finish that evens discoloration and the look of blemishes without creating a cakey look like many powder foundations. Its silky, skin-like feel is another reason why we (and our readers, considering it won a 2024 Allure Readers' Choice Award) love this foundation so much.

Editor's tip: For the most seamless finish, BareMinerals recommends swirling a small amount of foundation on your go-to brush, tapping off any excess, and buffing the powder onto your skin in circular motions as it transforms from a powder to cream.

Key ingredients: mica, bismuth oxychloride (stabilizes powder texture), titanium dioxide, iron oxides | Finish: radiant | Available shades: 30

Best Dewy Foundation: Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Soft Radiance Foundation SPF 50

Why it's worth it: If getting your glow on is your usual beauty mood, try swiping on Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate Soft Radiance Foundation SPF 50. Equal parts foundation and sunscreen, this medium-to-full coverage formula protects against UV rays while elastomers and light-diffusing powders reflect light as it hits your face, creating a glowy finish that doesn't venture into greasy territory. To keep mid-day dryness and foundation cracking at bay, this foundation is spiked with hyaluronic acid and a trio of antioxidant-rich oils derived from crabwood, açai, and noni fruit. Pro tip: This foundation tends to separate in the bottle, so make sure you give it a hearty shake each time.

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, andiroba (crabwood) oil, açai oil, noni fruit oil | Finish: radiant | Shades: 40

Best Matte Foundation: Il Makiage I Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation

Why it's worth it: Technically, the Il Makiage I Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation is a matte foundation, but we like to describe its finish more as a blurred, airbrush-like effect. That's all thanks to the addition of optically-corrective powders that act like an IRL beauty filter for your skin. It's also spiked with vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to ensure your skin feels smooth and conditioned all day long. Il Makiage's formula has a denser, medium-to-full coverage finish, so a little goes a long way.

Editor's tip: For a guaranteed crease-free finish, we recommend prepping your skin with a conditioning moisturizer and hydrating primer before applying this foundation.

Key ingredients: vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, talc, silica | Finish: demi-matte | Shades: 50

Frequently Asked Questions

What to consider when looking for a foundation for mature skin

As you age, your complexion gains texture and leans on the drier side. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, previously told Allure that this is because your skin produces less collagen and fewer natural lipids, such as ceramides and fatty acids, which leads to dehydrated skin and a weaker moisture barrier. When it comes to base makeup, "Fine—or not so fine—lines and larger pores can make foundation look mask-like at best and incredibly unflattering at the worst," explains Los Angeles-based makeup artist Fiona Stiles. That's why finding a hydrating foundation is paramount for looking fresh. Tulve recommends choosing liquid foundations, as they "act more like a second skin." Overall, finding a buildable-coverage formula with skin-plumping, fine-line-minimizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane is key to a flawless, crease-free base.

How to prep mature skin for foundation

Before you touch your makeup brushes, prepping your skin is essential for creating the smoothest finish possible. "Moisture is key, so always make sure you start with a moisturizer that's hydrating but won't turn greasy and interrupt your foundation texture," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Nick Barose previously told Allure. Los Angeles-based makeup artist and founder of Westman Atelier, Gucci Westman, also emphasized being vigilant about moisturizing your whole face, especially the area around your eyes.

Primer is always an important step before applying makeup of any kind, but not all of them provide the same smoothing effects you'd like. According to Barose, you'll want to ditch mattifying formulas and swap them for formulas with blurring finishes. He also gives balm-like formulations (like Danessa Myrick's Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum) kudos for conditioning your skin while locking makeup in place. "You also don't need to wear it all over the face. Focus on lines or [other areas] of your face [you want to] blur," he explains.

How to apply foundation on mature skin

Tulve leans into the "less is more" philosophy when applying foundation to mature skin. Denser, full-coverage formulations may end up accentuating fine lines, so use a buildable formula you can layer to your desired finish for a seamless, second-skin-like result. "I apply foundation on the larger areas of the face first, like the cheeks and forehead, then I go in and tweak around the nose and the chin area," makeup artist Sandy Linter previously told Allure. "Then lastly, I'll apply concealer, plus maybe a touch of foundation under the eye area."

If you apply your makeup with your fingers, you may want to swap your digits for a makeup sponge or foundation brush to ensure even coverage. "[Using your] fingers can look blotchy, uneven, or gloppy, which can make your lines come out more," Barose said. To ensure a smooth, blotch-free canvas, you can use a sponge as a final step to buff and blend.

Meet the experts

• Beau Nelson, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Amrita Mehta, a bi-coastal makeup artist
• Lisa Aharon, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Delina Medhin, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Andrea Claire, a Toronto, Canada-based makeup artist
• Lavonne Wood, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based makeup artist
• Tony Tulve, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
• Fiona Stiles, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Nick Barose, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Gucci Westman, a New York City-based makeup artist and founder of makeup brand Westman Atelier
• Sandy Linter, a New York City-based makeup artist

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best foundations for mature skin, while we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, and contributors with a particular focus on our 40-plus reviewers, we also relied heavily on trusted makeup artists to speak to the efficacy of these products on mature skin. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Mature skin makeup is all about hydration, babes. We've rounded up everything you need for a flawless base (and beyond):

• The Best Concealers for Mature Skin, According to Makeup Artists
• The 13 Best Primers for Smoothing Out Fine Lines
• 9 Best Eye Shadows for Mature Skin
• 9 Best Powder Foundations for Mature Skin to Blur Fine Lines and Texture

Done reading? Now, watch supermodel Cindy Crawford go through her classic beauty routine:

Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place! And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok—or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.

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