Best Full Coverage Foundation Formulas You Should Know

So many foundations, so little time! But, you’re in luck because we’ve tried them all (ok, maybe not all of them) to round up the best-of-the-best in the full coverage category. To make it on our best full coverage foundation list, there was some criteria that had to be met. We evaluate our foundations based on value, application, coverage, finish, longevity, shade range, and extra benefits (more on How We Rate Foundation here).

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1. Most Iconic:  Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
2. Best Drugstore: Revlon Colorstay Combo/Oily
3. Best Clean: Lawless Conseal The Deal Foundation
4. Best Cream: Patrick Ta Major Skin Creme Foundation
5. Best Powder: Make Up For Ever HD Skin Matte Velvet
6. Most long wearing: Lancome Teint Idole 24H Foundation
7. Best For dry skin: Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
8. Best Matte: Fenty soft matte Foundation
9. Best Luxury: Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte
10. Best CC Cream – Neutrogena Fawless Matte CC Cream
11. Best for Oily Skin:  NARS Soft Matte Foundation
12. Iconic Drugstore – Loreal Infallible Fresh Wear

MILABU RATING

(4.6)

_{Price: $48.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.8)

COVERAGE

(4.7)

FINISH

(4.6)

LONGEVITY

(4.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(4.2)

Why We Love It: We all know and love the iconic Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation. This one has been around for years and is a bestseller for good reason, it is the best foundation for coverage. It provides ample coverage, a matte finish, and lasts all day on the skin. The formula is virtually life proof – controlling oil all day, resistant to sweat, heat, and humidity, plus waterproof. It has a buildable medium to full coverage that we find applies best with a sponge for the most natural results. Double Wear is one of the best for true full coverage that evens out the complexion and covers imperfections, even without the need for concealer! Say hello to flawless, all day (10+ hours!) coverage.

If we had to complain about one thing, it would be that you have to purchase a pump separately ($12).

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $15.99 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.3)

COVERAGE

(4.5)

FINISH

(4.4)

LONGEVITY

(4.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4.5)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(3)

Why We Love It: The new Combo/Oily Revlon ColorStay Foundation has a lot to offer, from an oil controlling matte finish to an all day, 24 hour wear that resists heat, humidity, and sweat. We’ve got to give this foundation props, because it applies easily and wears well, even on drier skin types. The foundation itself has an easy to apply texture and true medium buildable coverage. Its matte finish will keep you shine free, wearing with minimal settling or creasing for 6-8 hours. If you’re looking for a solid foundation on a budget, this is our pick.

MILABU RATING

(4.6)

_{Price: $39.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4.6)

APPLICATION

(4.5)

COVERAGE

(4.5)

FINISH

(4.2)

LONGEVITY

(4.3)

SHADE RANGE

(3.7)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(5)

Why We Love It: Most of the time clean foundations have luminous, radiant finishes that perfectly capture the ‘clean girl makeup’ trend. Lawless Conseal The Deal Foundation might just be the only matte foundation that’s formulated with clean ingredients (at least for now). And, it’s a good one. The formula is easy to apply using a damp sponge or brush, providing a a nearly immediate full coverage. It does dry down quick, but this is because of its self-setting properties. Once dry, it transforms to a beautiful soft matte finish.

For best results, pair this Lawless foundation with a primer (we like the RMS Re-Evolve Primer) and setting powder (HAUS LABS Bio Blurring is a great option). This allows it to easily wear for a solid 8-10 hours before it starts to settle or crease.

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $52.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.7)

COVERAGE

(4.5)

FINISH

(4.4)

LONGEVITY

(3.9)

SHADE RANGE

(3.5)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(3)

Why We Love It: Housed in a pretty rose gold compact you’ll find Patrick Ta Major Skin, a cream foundation and setting powder duo. This is a newer launch from Patrick Ta, but we can only imagine the accolades it will get in the future. The cream foundation provides a stunning skin-like finish, delivering buildable light to medium coverage. With a brush, it applies and layers easily without accentuating imperfections like peach fuzz, texture, lines, and bumps. Major Skin wears for 6-8 hours with minimal settling, creasing, or need for touch-ups. Whether cream formula is your jam or you’re in the mood to try something new, this one should be on everyone’s best foundation radar.

If your skin is on the drier side, we recommend prepping with a good moisturizer and/or hydrating primer. Some of our favorite moisturizers for under makeup are SkinFix Barrier+ ($40) and iNNBEAUTY Slushy ($28). Hydrating primers we love are RMS ReEvolve ($40) and MERIT Great Skin ($38).

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $43.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.8)

COVERAGE

(4.7)

FINISH

(4.6)

LONGEVITY

(4.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(4.2)

Why We Love It: Good powder foundations are hard to find, but, luckily, Make Up For Ever has created possibly the best one yet. The new HD Skin Matte Velvet Powder corrects, blurs, and mattifies for up to 24 hours of wear. It provides one-swipe medium coverage that can be built up to full coverage. The formula is water resistant, sweat proof, and smudge proof, ready to take on anything life throws at you. It wears wear, resisting caking, creasing, or settling for easily 8+ hours of wear (personally, we haven’t tested the 24 hour claim!). Formulated for all skin types, this clean powder foundation has a mega shade range and lots to offer.

MILABU RATING

(3.8)

_{Price: $96.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(2)

COVERAGE

(4.9)

FINISH

(4.8)

LONGEVITY

(5)

SHADE RANGE

(4.3)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(1.5)

Why We Love It: It’s a splurge, but Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation is just *chefs kiss* and worth every penny of its $96 price tag. A single pump of this foundation provides beautiful medium coverage that gives that glass-like, youthful glow. Its formulated with Koh Gen Do’s exclusive ‘Gloss Film Powder,’ light-diffusing minerals that brighten, minimize pores, and control excess oiliness. Aqua Foundation has a weightless, serum-like formula that is comfortable to wear and helps improve skin hydration. It does have a tacky texture that wears best when set with powder. But, even despite its more dewy finish, it doesn’t contribute to excess oiliness and is actually formulated to resist sweat.

If you want to treat yourself to a foundation that will make you feel and look bougie every time you wear it, Koh Gen Do Aqua is it.

MILABU RATING

(4.5)

_{Price: $57.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(3.6)

APPLICATION

(4.6)

COVERAGE

(4.7)

FINISH

(4.7)

LONGEVITY

(5)

SHADE RANGE

(5)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(3.7)

Why We Love It: The new formulation of the infamous Lancome Teint Idole gets an A+ from us. It has a natural matte finish that doesn’t look too flat, making it suitable for all skin types. The lightweight formula is breathable, and contains skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, moringa, vitamin E, and prebiotics. But, what we love most is the unmatched longevity. The formula is waterproof, plus sweat and humidity resistant with no excess oils even after 8+ hours of wear.

Another bonus of Lancome Teint Idole is that it’s infused with ultra Marine Blue and Chromium Oxide Green pigments, which are used to enhance deep and olive shades for even more accurate shade matches.

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $45.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.8)

COVERAGE

(4.7)

FINISH

(4.6)

LONGEVITY

(4.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(4.2)

Why We Love It: A lot of the time, dry skin and full coverage foundation don’t mix very well. It’s not an easy feat to find a more hydrating full coverage foundation that is full coverage, long wearing, and not too dewy. But, Too Faced changed the game with Born This Way Foundation. The oil-free formula provides medium to full coverage that is hydrating, long wearing, and flashback-free. Too Faced Born This Way Foundation prides itself on being undetectable high coverage for a natural, flawless complexion. It has a solid 8-10 hour wear time with minimal settling, creasing, or breaking apart.

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $90.00 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(3)

APPLICATION

(4.5)

COVERAGE

(4.2)

FINISH

(4.5)

LONGEVITY

(4.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4.3)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(4)

Why We Love It: A non-cakey, full coverage matte foundation? Yes, please! Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte Foundation has a hydrating, long wear formula that stays color true up to 10 hours while resisting sweat and humidity. It feels lightweight on the skin while providing a blurring, medium to full coverage that doesn’t settle or look cakey. Despite its hefty price tag, Traceless Soft Matte Foundation has a beautiful formula that looks flawless all day long – even in hotter climates! Plus, its dermatologist tested and non comedogenic, making it suitable for all skin types.

MILABU RATING

(4.2)

_{Price: $14.99 >}

RATING BREAKDOWN

VALUE

(4)

APPLICATION

(4.4)

COVERAGE

(4.5)

FINISH

(4.5)

LONGEVITY

(3.5)

SHADE RANGE

(4)

EXTRA BENEFITS

(3.8)

Why We Love It: This isn’t your average CC cream. Neutrogena Flawless Matte CC Cream has full coverage, a matte finish, and a skin-loving formula. It was specifically developed alongside dermatologists for acne-prone skin, and is infused with niacinamide to help improve skin while you wear it. It applies easily with any tool and doesn’t cling to or exaggerate any texture/bumps/lines/imperfections. While the wear isn’t the longest when compared to other full coverage foundation formulas, this is a winner when it comes to lightweight, good-for-skin full coverage.

^{Edited by Maddie}