Makeup Artists Say These Full-Coverage Foundations Look So Natural I Should Honestly Keep Them a Secret

I tried the Airbrush Flawless Foundation and was genuinely impressed by how well it paired with my combination skin. I wore it during an outdoor wedding in the middle of summer and didn't have to worry about it budging throughout the day. It turns out celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman is a fan too. "This is great for a first time playing with a fuller-formula foundation," he says.

Pros: Pore-blurring, long-wearing, beginner-friendly

Cons: Not ideal for dry skin

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Airbrush Flawless technology, Replexium

Finish: Matte

Shade Range: 40 shades

Customer Review: "This foundation is creamy and super smooth. It feels fairly lightweight for how full coverage it is! It stays fairly matte all day when set with powder. It's more of a radiant airbrushed matte in my opinion. It also doesn't settle into pores or fine lines."

Truthfully, it can be hard to find makeup brands with shades that match my cool, olive-toned skin, but this foundation couldn't be more fitting. The Huestick Complexion Stick from Live Tinted is another hot weather–proof formula that I love to use year-round. It provides a subtle glow thanks to key ingredients like ceramides, squalane, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and goji berries. Plus, the texture is easy to blend, build, and layer as needed.

Pros: Buildable coverage, lightweight, skincare-infused

Cons: Pricey

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, squalane, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, goji berries

Finish: Soft matte

Shade Range: 20 shades

Customer Review: "I'm obsessed with this complexion stick! It stays on all day, does not look cakey, brightens my face and the color match is perfection!"

You don't have to break the bank to get a quality product, and this L'Oréal foundation proves it. "This long-wearing formula works on all skin types (yes, even acne prone, dry, and mature) and stays put for up to 32 hours, offering a plump-skin glow all the while," says Who What Wear associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia. "While it is a full-coverage foundation, a little goes a long way, so you can use a smaller amount to get a sheerer finish."

Pros: Lightweight, long-wearing, transfer-resistant

Cons: Requires quick blending

Key Ingredient: Vitamin C

Finish: Natural

Shade Range: 40 shades

Customer Review: "This is one of the best drug store foundations I've ever tried! I feel just as confident if not more confident in my skin wearing this vs other brands. It blends well, stays on long, and makes my acne-scarred skin look nice."

This two-in-one formula is a concealer and foundation, making it easy to get that full-coverage effect. Brascia and WWW Beauty Director Erin Jahns also tested this formula and agree it's worth the investment. "This drugstore foundation is my first pick when it comes to an impeccable and affordable option that will quite literally make your face look flawless in two seconds flat," Brascia says. "It's one part concealer and one part foundation and helps curb the voracious appetite of dark circles, redness, and other skin saboteurs we try to diminish."

Pros: Buildable, pore-blurring

Cons: May settle into fine lines

Key Ingredients: Water lily extract, vitamin A, allantoin

Finish: Natural matte

Shade Range: 45 shades

Customer Review: "I've used this foundation for 3 years, tried a couple others, and keep coming back. Buildable coverage, but a little goes a long way. Doesn't cake under powder products and leaves a hydrated finish on skin, but not oily. I have normal/oily skin, and this works great for everyday wear."

At first, I wasn't sure what to expect from this high-coverage foundation stick from Sheglam, but it checked every box when it comes to long-lasting coverage that also feels lightweight. The texture is creamy, and I love that it provides a skin-like finish. I also appreciate how affordable it is.

Pros: Budget-friendly, skin-like finish, long-lasting

Cons: Some don't like the smell

Key Ingredients: Silica, vitamin E, caprylic/capric triglyceride

Finish: Natural skin-like

Shade Range: 36 shades

Customer Review: "Great foundation, fast and easy to sheer out or build up coverage, nice finish, thick but breathable barely notice it's even on. Highly recommend!"

Some matte formulas can be drying, but this one from Tarte provides blurred coverage minus the flakey or cakey finish. It contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and niacinamide to hydrate and plump your skin. Freedman notes that he likes to treat this one like a base by sheering it out or mixing it with a moisturizer or oil if needed before building it up.

Pros: Long-lasting, transfer-resistant

Cons: Some don't like the smell, pricey

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, niacinamide

Finish: Natural matte

Shade Range: 50 shades

Customer Review: "I absolutely love the Tarte Face Tape Full-Coverage Foundation! The coverage is amazing—it easily covers dark spots, redness, and blemishes while still feeling lightweight on the skin. It gives a beautiful natural matte finish."

Redness can be especially tricky to cover, which is why Freedman is a fan of the Multi-Use Liquid Foundation from Dermablend. The transfer-resistant formula covers everything from hyperpigmentation and acne to rosacea and dark spots. "It's buildable and available in a nice range of shades," he says. "I like to get two similar shades, and depending on the time of year, I'll add a little more color or less if needed."

Pros: Highly pigmented, customizable coverage, lightweight

Cons: Can be tricky to blend

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower-seed oil

Finish: Natural

Shade Range: 33 shades

Customer Review: "Love this foundation! Goes on smooth with perfect finish. My skin looks healthy and is protected all day. Truly flawless!"

Lightweight foundations are especially important for mature skin since thicker formulas can enhance fine lines and wrinkles. Although tinted moisturizers tend to be the best option for this skin type, something like this Shades by Shan foundation can provide better coverage. "I love this foundation for mature skin because its lightweight, buildable formula provides medium-to-full coverage without feeling heavy or cakey," says Wagenblast. "Its soft velvet finish helps create a smooth, perfected complexion while still allowing the skin to look like skin."

Pros: Buildable coverage, lightweight, hydrating

Cons: Can require layering, less widely available

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, rose hip extract

Finish: Natural

Shade Range: 40 shades

Customer Review: "This is one of the best foundations I've ever tried! I'm over 40, and this feels so nice and light on the skin while also providing coverage. I will be purchasing it again with the concealer."

Acne-prone skin needs a foundation with the right ingredients to achieve the desired look without causing flare-ups. That's why Wagenblast recommends this pick from Estée Lauder. "This oil-free, noncomedogenic foundation is a great choice for acne-prone skin because it is formulated not to clog pores or cause breakouts," she says. "It provides long-lasting coverage that beautifully conceals blemishes, redness, and hyperpigmentation."

Pros: Extremely long-lasting, transfer-resistant, oil-controlling

Cons: Requires thorough removal

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, brown algae extract

Finish: Matte

Shade Range: 70 shades

Customer Review: "This foundation is great for my acne-prone skin. It doesn't break me out or clog pores. The texture is lightweight and easy to blend with a brush or sponge. My makeup doesn't get cakey or dried out throughout the day. It makes my makeup look so natural like real skin!"

If you prefer a foundation that gives you that blurred look, consider this smoothing formula from Huda Beauty. "I love this foundation for dry skin because it provides buildable coverage with a lightweight, comfortable feel that doesn't look thick or cakey," says Wagenblast. "The formula contains niacinamide and creates a smooth, softly blurred finish while still allowing the skin to look natural."

Pros: Blurring, lightweight, buildable coverage

Cons: May emphasize dry patches

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, silica

Finish: Natural airbrushed

Shade Range: 39 shades

Customer Review: "Lasted me a year. This foundation feels like a hydrating serum but looks like a full-coverage foundation. Hands down the best foundation ever."