Full coverage foundations haven’t always been have good as they are now, so if said three words fill you with dread, you wouldn’t be blamed. It wasn’t too long ago that using full coverage foundations was reminiscent of smearing cement on your face: a momentous counteraction to the benefits of your carefully-curated skincare routine and result of an inhumanly flawless finish.
Fast forward to today and things have changed. The best full coverage foundations not only wok to conceal blemishes, pigmentation, dark circles and uneven skin tone, but they also ensure skin looks like it should: like skin. Yep: they genuinely have a natural finish. It’s also worth noting that although full coverage formulas were once mostly marketed towards oily skin, this new era are suitable for everybody – whether you use them simply comes down to personal preference.
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: KVD Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Serum Foundation, £34, Boots
- Best buildable full coverage foundation: Everyday Great Skin Foundation, from £13.50, Beauty Pie
- Best matte full coverage foundation: Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation, £39, Il Makiage
- Best full coverage powder foundation: Maybelline Super Stay Hybrid Powder Foundation, £11.99, Superdrug
- Best radiance-boosting full coverage foundation: Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation, £60, selfridges.com
- Best drugstore full coverage foundation: L’Oreal Paris Infallible 32H Matte Cover Liquid Foundation SPF25, £10.99, Boots
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.