11 best full coverage foundations, reviewed in 2024
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Full coverage foundations have long had a bad rap for being drying, creasing and pore-clogging. But today's formulas have come a long way, delivering all the coverage, minus the cake-y finish.
You might think there's no such thing as “natural finish” when it comes to full coverage foundations, but our edit below proves that some products can conceal blemishes, pigmentation and dark circles – all the while ensuring that your skin looks like… well, skin. How? Some formulations include vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day, while others are water-based and oil-free so that they don't clog your pores. Hello, Il Makiage foundation.
Of course, as with most beauty shopping feats – especially where makeup is concerned – it’s not easy to sift through every product out there and figure out what’s best for your own individual skin type and concern. Enter, stage right, our guide to the best full coverage foundations, from Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless to the iconic Estee Lauder Double Wear.
In a rush? The best full coverage foundations at a glance:
- Best Full Coverage Foundation Overall: Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation, £39, Il Makiage
- Best Satin Full Coverage Foundation: Satin Silk Longwear Foundation, £28, Sculpted by Aimee
- Best Blurring Full Coverage Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, £39, Charlotte Tilbury
- Best Matte Full Coverage Foundation: Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Liquid Foundation, WAS £39 NOW £29.25, Boots
Best Amazon Prime Day deals on full coverage foundations:
- Rimmel Lasting Finish 35 Hour Foundation, WAS £10.99 NOW £6.96
- Dermacol DC Full Coverage Foundation, WAS £13.49 NOW £9.98
- Rimmel Lasting Radiance, WAS £10.99 NOW £7.12
- L'Oréal Paris Infallible 32H Fresh Wear Liquid Foundation, WAS £13.99 NOW £9.50
How to shop for a full coverage foundation
First, it’s about making sure you're investing in the right shade – because there's nothing worse than buying a product that ends up being slightly off. But believe it or not, that elusive perfect match does exist for everybody, it’s just a case of finding it – and while we’re used to colour-matching along the jaw line, Terry Barber, director of makeup artistry at MAC Cosmetics, believes there’s actually a more effective way to do it.
“If your skin is uneven, I would recommend colour matching somewhere in the middle of the face. I know that we’re supposed to match it to the jaw line, but I actually prefer to do it on the cheek bone, in between the two tones of the face,” he says. “That way, you can check how it's reacting to the darker area and how it’s reacting to the lighter area – because what you don’t want to happen is to have a perfect match in the centre and then it be ashy or a different colour around the edges of the face.”
It's then a case of figuring out what you want from your full coverage foundation. Do you want something that you can layer up or use instead of concealer in the areas where it’s needed most, do you want something that’s long-lasting, do you want a luminous finish or would you prefer matte? The options are truly endless – so to help you narrow down your search, keep scrolling to discover the best full coverage foundations for 2024 from brands such as Estee Lauder, MAC, NARS and Charlotte Tilbury.
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