13 best foundations for dry skin, tried and tested
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Finding the right foundation can be a tricky task, but finding the best foundations for dry skin makes things even more complicated. Too matte and it can cling to dry patches and settle into every fine line, but too sheer, and it’ll wipe off before midday.
The real secret to keeping that dreaded patchiness at bay is all in the formula and your skin prep, of course. When speaking to professional makeup artist Suzie O'Neill, she said: “Thoroughly moisturise your skin first to create a hydrated base. Then opt for formulas that are enriched with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which acts as a humectant, attracting moisture to keep the skin plump and smooth."
“I'd recommend liquid or cream foundations rather than powders, as powders can cling to dry patches and emphasise texture,” says Suzie.
When it comes to skin prep, a good hyaluronic acid, face primer or moisturiser for dry skin, is key for a great base and makeup that’ll stay beyond lunchtime. After all, there’s no such thing as skin that’s too nourished and moisturised, right?
As someone who suffers with dry skin (especially during wintertime) - it’s safe to say I know this category well, and have tested my fair share of foundations over the years. Below, see my tried and tested favourites that I’d recommend to just about anyone who will listen.
How we test best foundations for dry skin:
The Glamour team has collectively tested dozens of foundations, having reviewed each formula in different settings, be it in the office, at the gym or on a night-out. We made sure to trial the below foundations on various skin types and skin tones, while keeping in mind skin conditions such as rosacea and eczema. We've judged each formula based on the following criteria:
- Longevity – how long did the coverage last for in different settings?
- Consistency – does it feel heavy or lightweight on the skin?
- Value for money – is the price tag worth it?
- Coverage – how flexible is the coverage?
- Performance – how well did it cover acne, blemishes and hyperpigmentation?
Why you can trust me:
I've been a beauty writer for six years now, five at The Mirror, and one at Glamour - and testing products has always been part of my job. I've always suffered with dry skin - especially during the chilly winter months, so finding the right foundation that hydrates rather than drying out my skin further has always been super important to me.
Over the years, I've tested my fair share of foundations, from full-coverage luxury buys to glowy drugstore finds - but something I always look at first is the formula. Is it liquid or serum-based? Does it include moisture-locking ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides to prevent flaking and caking as well as emollients such as jojoba oil or shea butter. I've also seen the importance of great skin prep, and always use a good hydrating primer or moisturiser before applying my foundation.
Meet the experts
- Grigorii Ushkov, makeup artist and director of CRUSH Beauty.
- Suzie O'Neill, makeup artist and founder of AYU Cosmetics.
- Hayley Walker, makeup artist at Justmylook.
Ahead, the ultimate guide to the best foundations for dry skin.
Shiseido Revitalessence Glow Foundation
- Shade range: 29.
- Coverage: Medium-to-buildable.
- Finish: Natural and radiant.
- Key ingredients:Fermented Kefir+, niacinamide, SPF 30.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: If you're on the hunt for an all-rounder foundation for dry skin, it really doesn't get any better than Shiseido's Revitalessence Glow Foundation. In fact, Glamour's former Acting Executive Editor Camilla Kay has proclaimed it her “favourite foundation of all time,” and for a good reason, too. This skin-loving formula lasts for up to 12 hours, with medium-buildable coverage that smooths, brightens and evens skin tone. It also features SPF 30 protection, (although you still need a dedicated SPF underneath, pls), plus fermented kefir and niacinamide to nourish and protect the skin barrier. And it's transfer, fade and crease-resistant.
Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation
- Shade range: 30.
- Coverage: Medium-to-full.
- Finish: Radiant and second-skin-like.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rose complex & coconut extract.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: There's nobody we would trust as much as Charlotte Tilbury to make our skin look (and feel) great. This medium-full coverage foundation is guaranteed to make your skin feel more radiant and healthy, while also hydrating it from within.
Its nourishing blend includes hyaluronic acid, a brightening rose complex (goodbye, dullness), and coconut extract, which strengthens the skin barrier over time for skin that's more resilient to life's stresses. Designed to improve the look of your complexion with each wear (thanks to C.T. Defence technology, which prevents pollutants and impurities from penetrating the skin), this foundation guarantees a good skin day, no matter your skin type.
Victoria Beckham x Augustinus Bader The Foundation Drops
- Shade range: 19.
- Coverage: light-to-medium.
- Finish: Luminous and natural.
- Key ingredients: Augustinus Bader's TFC8® technology.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: One product I’ve not put down since they landed on my desk are the Victoria Beckham x Augustinus Bader The Foundation Drops - because yes, they really are that good." - Shani Cohen, Glamour's Commerce Beauty Writer. Designed for people who love their skincare as much as they love makeup - these foundation drops combine Augustinus Bader's TFC8® technology with a tinted breathable serum that’s extremely buildable.
According to Victoria she said: “This is the first foundation that feels like nothing, yet truly does everything” - and after testing it for a good few months now, it’s completely won me over. It melts into the skin almost instantly, blends like a dream with my other products, and surprisingly provides great coverage - despite it being lightweight, and serum-based. Despite the relatively small bottle, a little goes a long way with this product, so they’re surprisingly long-lasting. The only issue? The price of course.
Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops
- Shade range: 20.
- Coverage: Light-to-medium.
- Finish: Dewy and radiant.
- Key ingredients: Tsubaki oil, ginseng and pomegranate extract.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Yep, this is a real makeup-skincare self-care moment. Each silky drop is packed with nourishing ingredients that delivers buildable, breathable coverage and a luminous finish.
Transforming from a light, oil-like texture to a smooth serum upon application, it stars brightening ginseng extract, soothing pomegranate extract, and tsubaki (or camellia) oil to help stimulate collagen production. Working to improve the quality of your skin over time, this is a healthy, glowing complexion that'll have you doing a double take in the mirror for all the right reasons.
Save big when shopping for best foundations for dry skin using these Sephora discount codes.
Jones Road What The Foundation
- Shade range: 16.
- Coverage: Light-to-medium.
- Finish: Natural and glowy.
- Key ingredients: Jojoba seed oil, sodium hyaluronate, castor oil, and Vitamin E.
- Size: 35g.
Why we love it: Are you someone who's not big on foundation on begin with? Do you tend to gravitate towards tinted moisturisers instead? Well, let us introduce you to the iconic What The Foundation by Jones Road, which delivers an innovative balm-like consistency, seamless blend and a skin-like finish.
Made with nourishing ingredients such as nourishing jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid, this foundation quickly adapts to any skin tone to generate natural-looking radiance. It also includes sodium hyaluronate, a humectant that moisturises, restores suppleness and protects against environmental stressors.
Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation
- Shade range: 32.
- Coverage: Medium-to-buildable.
- Finish: Glowy, natural and soft-focus.
- Key ingredients: White tea extract and Vitamin E.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Blurring, smoothing, and glow-giving, this Hourglass staple is not one to be missed. It's formulated with blurring spheres and light-diffusing pigments to create a soft-focus effect, smoothing the appearance of fine lines, blemishes and redness. Humidity, sweat and transfer resistant and providing up to 16 hours of wear, it's rich in antioxidants to protect from blue light, while white tea extract and vitamin E ensure your skin stays comfortable and hydrated.
Review: “I can't bear the feeling of heavy foundations on my skin, and this one truly feels weightless while even-ing my skin tone and minimising imperfections. I'm always looking for a base that gives serious glow but still looks natural - and this instantly delivers. And the fact that it's vegan and cruelty-free makes it even better!” Emma Hobday, Freelance Commerce Writer.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
- Shade range: 40.
- Coverage: Medium-to-full.
- Finish: Radiant, skin-like and blurred.
- Key ingredients: Micro–fil™ technology, glycerin, niacinamide.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Loved by celebrity makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has a reputation for being one of the best foundations for any occasion. Available in 40 different shades, this lightweight foundation features an oil-free, glycerin-infused formula that provides all-day hydration. It also offers medium buildable coverage that glides on easily and blurs out imperfections while delivering a radiant glow. Dryness? Don't know her.
Review: “One of my personal ‘ride-or-dies’ is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (the name clearly speaks for itself). I've sworn by it for nearly a decade, and can confirm that the hype around it is very much deserved. Sure, the price point makes it a proper investment, but it will definitely be one that you won't regret. Not only is it super hydrating, but it also delivers a very impressive level of coverage with a stunning skin-like finish, making it perfect for special occasions.” Denise Primbet, Glamour's Beauty Commerce Writer.
Clarins Double Serum Foundation
- Shade range: 30.
- Coverage: Medium, buildable.
- Finish: Radiant, soft-focus glow.
- Key ingredients: Turmeric extract, hyaluronic acid, peptides & papaya fruit extract.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: There’s a new foundation on the block, and Clarins have gone all-in with this skincare/makeup hybrid, housed in an inventive split bottle. One side features the brand’s famous Double Serum (an icon for a reason), while the other is a glow-boosting base designed to make skin look instantly fresher and more awake - and honestly, who doesn’t need that in the morning?
At the heart of it is Clarins’ AURA technology (Advanced Ultra Radiance Amplifier), which is basically a fancy way of saying light-reflecting micro-crystals that help dial up radiance without the sparkle (or grease). It’s not just about the instant pay-off either: there’s papaya fruit extract in the mix to gently exfoliate and smooth the skin’s surface over time.
It’s buildable, comes in 37 shades, and aims to give a “visibly more glowing, younger-looking complexion” - sounds good to us.
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KOSAS Revealer Skin Improving Foundation SPF25
- Shade range: 34.
- Coverage: Medium.
- Finish: Natural and skin-like.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides & vitamin B5.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: This skincare-foundation hybrid is ideal for dry skin, thanks to the myriad of skin-loving ingredients that are featured in the formula. Think: hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening niacinamide, plumping peptides, soothing squalane, redness-reducing arnica and anti-inflammatory vitamin B5.
We had to stop and take a breath, but there's caffeine in there too, which assists in reducing puffiness. With 100% of testers in agreement that it made their skin texture smoother after 4 weeks, as well as a boost in hydration and firmness, this skin-reviving foundation is going straight into our basket.
Save big when shopping for best foundations for dry skin using these SpaceNK discount codes.
Laura Mercier Real Flawless Foundation
- Shade range: 32.
- Coverage: Medium-to-buildable.
- Finish: Skin-like and radiant.
- Key ingredients: Camelia Seed, vitamin E & cacao extract.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: We weren't even slightly surprised to learn that the Laura Mercier Real Flawless Foundation became a TikTok sensation. After all, how could it not? It features a wide shade range, offers buildable coverage and a stunning skin-like, luminous finish. This long-wearing formula feels incredibly weightless and hydrating on the skin, making it a solid candidate for anyone with dry or dehydrated skin, i.e. us.
Saie Glowy Super Skin Foundation
- Shade range: 36.
- Coverage: Medium-to-buildable.
- Finish: Glowy and radiant.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Providing our dry complexions with undisputed levels of glow, this Saie option is worth shouting home about. Packed with 85% skincare ingredients, this glow-giver features peptides to brighten, squalane to soothe, glycerin to moisturise and polyglutamic acid to plump. It's perfect for keeping your skin moisturised while also providing you with light coverage for a chic, minimalistic, look, which can be built up accordingly.
Save big when shopping for best foundations for dry skin using these Cult Beauty discount codes.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
- Shade range: 41.
- Coverage: Lightweight-to-buildable.
- Finish: Natural and radiant.
- Key ingredients: Kalanchoe extract & humectant glycerol.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Enriched with Kalanchoe extract, this water-based, non-comedogenic formula is designed to form a protective barrier on your skin to guard against environmental aggressors such as pollution. It also features the humectant glycerol, which helps your skin retain water to keep your complexion hydrated all throughout the day.
And not only that, but we definitely like the sound of its light-reflecting powders and pigments, which work to diminish the look of imperfections and create a luminous, candle-lit glow. With up to 12 hour wear and adjustable coverage, it's fair to say we want this on our face, like now.
NARS Light Reflecting Foundation
- Shade range: 36.
- Coverage: Medium-to-buildable.
- Finish: Luminous and natural.
- Key ingredients: Biomimetic oat, milk thistle and cacao peptides.
- Size: 30ml.
Why we love it: Innovation at its best. This NARS foundation can help your skin reflect light and appear to shine from within, all the while providing fully breathable medium coverage. With an uber-light silky texture that lessens the look of imperfections, it's infused with biomimetic oat, milk thistle and cacao peptides to shield against blue light and pollution, plus plump and hydrate. It's even designed to clarify your skin, once you remove it at the end of the day.
Review: “I trust everything from NARS with my soul, and this is a classic option that's always in my makeup bag. It's seen me through far too many sticky tube commutes to mention (hello there, random armpit) - as well as being my go-to for long-lasting wear for birthdays, weddings and hen parties. It even survived a blub at The Notebook, which is always a win… in my book." Emma Hobday, Freelance Commerce Writer.
Looking to save money on the best foundations for dry skin? Don't forget to take a glimpse at our LookFantastic discount codes.
FAQ's
Which type of foundation is best for dry skin?
Makeup artist Grigorii Ushkov says that the key is all about hydration.
“You want to steer clear of anything matte or long-wearing because those formulas tend to accentuate dry patches and make your skin look textured,” he advises. “Instead, opt for dewy and radiant finishes from creamy or liquid foundations. CC creams or BB creams are also fantastic for lighter coverage with added moisture, and tinted moisturisers are also a great option for a natural look.”
The expert stresses that regardless of what coverage you're after, hydration needs to be your top priority.
How do you get flawless foundation with dry skin?
Grigorii recommends to start with a solid skincare routine; cleansing, exfoliating a couple of times a week, and following with a good moisturiser.
He then advocates for the importance of a quality primer. “Primer is your secret weapon for dry skin. A hydrating primer creates a smooth base and stops your foundation from settling into fine lines or clinging to dry patches,” he says.
Application is key too. “Use a damp sponge or brush and gently press and blend the foundation into your skin – no harsh rubbing! Build up the coverage slowly, focusing on the areas that need it most, rather than slathering on a thick layer all over.”
Grigorii's final tip? “Don't forget a hydrating setting spray! It'll lock in the moisture and keep your foundation from looking cakey,” he comments.
What ingredients should I look for in a foundation for dry skin?
Grigorii advises to look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane, and ceramides in your foundation.
“These are amazing at attracting and holding onto moisture, which keeps your skin happy and hydrated all day long. Foundations with nourishing oils, like jojoba or argan oil, are also a great choice for dry skin,” he says.
Makeup artist Suzie O'Neill adds to avoid foundations containing drying agents such as denatured alcohol, as they can exacerbate dryness and lead to flakiness. “A product like the Fresh Skin Foundation from Ayu Cosmetics is ideal, as it's a super lightweight and enriched with hyaluronic acid, instantly hydrating the skin for flawless, lasting wear and an effortlessly smooth application. By selecting such hydrating foundations and ensuring your skin is well-prepped, you can maintain a smooth, radiant complexion throughout the day,” she says.
And Hayley Walker, makeup artist at Justmylook, adds to avoid fragrance, salicylic acid, and parabens. “These ingredients can exacerbate dry skin by stripping the skin’s natural oils, causing irritation and flakiness. This can affect the skin’s appearance and texture, while impacting how the foundation sits on the face,” she reveals.
