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If you find that foundation often makes your skin look powdery or cakey, you may benefit from using liquid foundation. Liquid foundations come in different types of finishes, but the application process is smoother. In addition, liquid foundation fills in fine lines and wrinkles, and you can often build upon this once dry to create the illusion of wrinkle-free skin.
Choosing the right shade of foundation for your skin can feel like an impossible task. However, later in this article, we will give you all the need-to-know tips on choosing the perfect shade of liquid foundation for your skin. In addition, we will also provide tips on how to select the best finish for your skin type.
First, though, you’ll want to check out our favorite liquid foundations of 2024 below.
Reviewing the Top Liquid Foundations of 2024 in Detail
Maybelline Foundation — Best Overall
Key Features
- Medium coverage
- Natural looking
- Non-comedogenic
- Buildable
- Matte finish and pore covering
This liquid foundation offers medium coverage for a natural look and is available in 40 shades, so you’ll be sure to find a perfect shade for your skin tone. This product is best suited for those with normal to oily skin, as it will rescue some shine and cover large pores.
This foundation is also buildable, so you can cater more or less coverage to what the different areas of your skin needs. In addition, these are non-comedogenic, meaning they will not block your pores. Plus, the included SPF protection lets you look fabulous while protecting your skin.
Covergirl Foundation — Runner-Up
Key Features
- Available in different shades
- Designed for aging skin
- Good wrinkle coverage
- It contains hyaluronic acid with vitamin C
- Cruelty-free
Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless liquid foundation is available in 15 shades and instantly reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, creating smoother skin and a more youthful appearance. Many customers find they are mistaken for someone ten years younger when using this product!
This foundation is also great for those with dry skin, as it contains moisturizing hyaluronic acid and large amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C fights the signs of aging and encourages your skin to produce more collagen. So, if you want a high-quality foundation for a reasonable price, this sumptuous liquid foundation is the product for you.
L'Oreal Paris Foundation — Contender
Key Features
- Stays put for 24 hours
- Medium to full coverage
- Demi-matte finish
- Buildable
- 28 shades of color to choose from
This foundation feels lightweight on the skin while providing a smooth, demi-matte finish (satin finish). It will stay looking fresh for up to 24 hours and is perfect for going from the office to a cocktail bar without needing any touch-ups.
This foundation offers excellent coverage with a buildable application. Simply apply it to problem areas and build it up over skin discoloration, and watch all your imperfections disappear. It is suitable for any skin type, so consider this foundation if you are unsure what finish to choose.
There are 28 shades to choose from, but if you cannot find the perfect shade, this foundation blends easily with other foundations to perfectly match your skin.
Wet n' Wild Foundation — Honorable Mention
Key Features
- Available in 20 shades
- Buildable coverage
- Light-diffusing and perfect for selfies
- Cruelty-free
- Matte finish
This high-performing liquid foundation has a matte finish with light-diffusing properties. The light-diffusing properties will prevent you from looking like a ghost when taking selfies. In addition, the color palette suits a variety of skin colors and both cool and warm undertones.
This foundation is 100% cruelty-free, so if you want to support a company that puts compassion above profits, you should try this Wet N Wild product.
Available in 20 shades, it can still be easily mixed to create a new and more appropriate shade for you if needed. This product offers excellent coverage, all while looking as if you are only wearing a light moisturizer on your already flawless skin.
Milani Foundation — Also Consider
Key Features
- Matte with a satin sheen finish
- It covers dark circles and other skin discolorations well
- Oil-free foundation
- 45 shades to choose from
Milani Conceal and Perfect Two In One Foundation creates full coverage with a matte and slight satin finish. This concealer will cover dark circles, age spots, and veins with only a minimal amount of foundation.
This foundation is buildable, so you can adjust the coverage to perfectly suit your skin's needs. With 45 shades to choose from, this oil-free foundation is great for people with oily skin (and even normal skin).
This product is not tested on animals, so that you can enjoy flawless-looking skin with a flawless conscience, too. What’s more, this product is water-resistant, so you can feel confident knowing your foundation will remain in place no matter the weather.
Buyer's Guide: Find The Perfect Liquid Foundation for You
Now that you’ve checked out all our favorite liquid foundations, browse the rest of our buying guide below. We’ll be covering the key factors and average price of liquid foundation, as well as all the things you should think about when making your purchase. We’ll also include a handy FAQ section to answer the most commonly asked questions about liquid foundations.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Liquid Foundation
When choosing the perfect liquid foundation, there are several factors and features you should consider before you make a purchase. See our recommendations of what to consider below.
Find the right shade
The first thing you need to do is determine the correct shade of foundation you need to buy. After that, there are several steps you need to take if you are to get a good color match.
- You’ll want to color match the foundation to your neck and chest rather than the skin on your face.
- Choose a shade that is either a tone lighter or a tone darker than the skin color on your neck. Most find that a lighter tone looks more natural but this is down to individual preference.
- Try three foundations that you feel are closest to this color to get a good idea of what will match. Then, apply a line from your face and down to your neck for each foundation.
- Blend out the shades
- When the foundation almost disappears into the skin, it is your shade!
Undertones
When choosing the foundations you are going to test out, consider what your skin undertones are. For example, if you have a warm undertone, look for olive, golden, and yellowish foundations. If you have cool skin undertones, opt for foundations with more pinkish or bluish tones. How dark or light your skin is doesn’t matter when identifying undertones!
Coverage level
The amount of coverage you require is down to preference. The amount you’ll get is based on the finish of the foundation and whether the foundation builds well. You can find out if the foundation is buildable via reviews if it is not already mentioned in the product description.
Finish
When choosing the right foundation for you, consider the result and the finish the foundation will have. Different finishes are based chiefly on preference, but some skin types objectively suit some finishes better than others.
Sheer
Sheer finishes feel lightweight and look almost natural on the skin. Foundations with a sheer finish are like moisturizers with a hint of color. They are great for masking minor imperfections and are best suited for people with dry skin. If you find your foundation often looks flaky, this could be the right finish for you.
This type of finish might make your skin look more oily if you already have oily skin, but you can always add the mattifying powder to counteract the excess oil.
Dewy
A dewy finish foundation gives your skin a healthy-looking glow and creates the illusion of youth on aging skin. It is very reflective, so it hides fine lines. It is not recommended for heavy-set wrinkles, though, as the color can gather in the creases.
Many people who wear a dewy finish foundation are told they look radiant and glowing. As well as aging skin, it is excellent for those with dry skin. However, if you have oily skin, you should avoid this type of foundation, as it can make your skin look greasier.
This type of foundation will draw attention to spots, so also avoid it if you suffer from acne.
Matte
Matte finish foundations are best for those with oily skin. They hide enlarged pores and do not add any kind of sheen to your skin. They offer excellent coverage of imperfections, too. However, matte foundations can feel too heavy for some people.
If you have dry skin, avoid using this type of foundation. It will cling to the dry parts of your skin and make it look scaly or flaky. An excellent matte foundation will stay on your face all day without the need for touch-ups, so it is perfect for those with a busy lifestyle.
Satin
A satin finish foundation is a mixture of a matte and dewy finish foundation. It offers good coverage like a matte, but with a slight sheen to it. Satin finish foundation suits mature skin because it doesn’t accentuate wrinkles, but every skin type can wear this type of finish.
If you are at either side of the dry or oily spectrum, however, we recommend buying either a dewy or matte finish, respectively. Those with mildly oily skin might want to pair a satin finish foundation with a mattifying powder, but if this is the case, a matte foundation might be better suited anyway.
SPF
Some liquid foundations contain sunscreen, which will protect your skin from premature aging and damage from UV rays.
Customer reviews
Read the customer reviews of the product you wish to buy before you make a purchase. This will tell you if the foundation is as advertised and if any allergic reactions are associated with the product.
How We Chose the Top Liquid Foundations
The perfect liquid foundation for one person will not be a perfect liquid foundation for another person. To choose the top liquid foundations, we considered the skin type and skin shade the foundation is intended for. We judged how it felt on our skin and whether our skin had any adverse reactions. We considered coverage and added features like UV protection and minerals as well.
We also read many customer reviews and only recommended products that were popular and good value-for-money.
Liquid Foundation Price Range
You can purchase liquid foundation for as little as $5. Or, you could pay as much as $50 for a premium bottle.
