Modern foundations are bridging the gap between make-up and skincare. Here we’ve curated the best foundations for mature, dry, and oily skin.
The new wave of bases have clever, refined formulas with ingredients that will improve the texture, tone and appearance of your skin. But certain foundations better resonate with unique skin types, which is why we’ve rounded up the best foundations for mature, dry and oily skin. Packed with skincare benefits, the effects of these base products will leave you glowing.
“Modern foundations are bridging the gap between make-up and skin care, which makes sense and is a great development. Healthy skin is paramount to achieving flawless make-up, so having bases on the market with that in mind is a step towards skin Nirvana.”
– Make-up artist Filomena Natoli
The best foundation for mature skin
We want you to feel like you are researching and purchasing the right foundation. So what sums up the ‘mature skin’ bracket? After the age of 25, your body reduces its production of collagen incrementally. Eventually, your skin reduces its elasticity, and it becomes thin and more fragile, making it more susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles. Slower skin regeneration is different for most, and the most variable component is sun exposure. The dermal layer is the layer of skin below the outer layer. It’s responsible for water retention and the rejuvenation of the external layer. It thins naturally with age but worsens with sun exposure.
As the skin cells regenerate at a slower rate, they become more vulnerable to external factors and pollutants. Mature skin is more prone to irritation and inflammatory conditions that may exacerbate existing skin ageing signs. With the integration of skincare and foundation, individuals that fall under the mature skin type category can aid and rejuvenate their skin and create a flattering base layer for their make-up at the same time.
Bobbi Brown
A skincare/foundation hybrid that dry, combination and mature skin complexions will love, Bobbi Brown’s Intensive Serum Foundation SPF25 glides onto skin. A little goes a long way with the bi-phase formulation instantly smoothing out skin texture and adding a youthful dew to the skin.
La Prarie
This moisturising foundation and exquisitely matched concealer, blended with caviar extract, provides a natural-looking glow to the complexion. Skin Caviar Concealer Foundation SPF15 is a rich cream emulsion with comprehensive coverage, and the concealer masks dark circles and deeper blemishes. A collaboration of science and artistry is created using advanced pigment technology.
La Prarie is one of the best foundations for mature skin as it helps to support firmness and elasticity in the skin whilst creating natural-looking coverage of under-eye darkness, blemishes and imperfections.
Foundation for dry skin types
Sebum is the rejuvenating oily compound produced naturally by the body with the function to moisturise and hydrate the skin. For dry skin types, less sebum is produced, resulting in a dry surface layer. The best foundation for dry skin types hydrates the skin whilst providing a fresh and dewy finish.
Dior
While rosehip extract has been used in Dior Forever formulations for years, the Diorskin Forever Skin Glow takes hydration a step further with the inclusion of pansy, known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The water-oil emulsion leaves skin so comfortable, it’s as if you’re not wearing anything at all. Hydrating foundations tend to leave skin dewy, but this one has a velvety finish that all skin types will love.
Gucci Beauty
Gucci Beauty continues to place individuality and diversity above all with the launch of its new beautifying liquid foundation – Fluide De Beauté Fini Naturel. The best foundation for dry skin types is one that replaces the sebum deficiency, replenishing the required moisture to rejuvenate and hydrate. Fluide De Beauté Fini Naturel is designed for everyone, regardless of gender or skin type. Due to its lightweight formulation that may be built up and worn for extended periods of time, it provides adjustable coverage results while still being long-wearing and buildable. This silky-smooth complexion perfectionist creates the ideal natural finish while concealing blemishes and hydrating the skin.
Foundations for oily skin types
Oily skin is caused by increased production of sebum, the natural oily substance that people
with dry skin often lack. Oily skin can increase and decrease seasonally, and if it is not
regulated by frequent washing, cleansing and using the correct products, you can end up
with pimples and blackheads.
Clinique
One of our picks for the best foundation for oily skin is the Clinique oil-free makeup. This long-lasting foundation is light, with a gel-cream texture providing all-day coverage while also offering a mattifying finish and feeling as natural as wearing nothing at all. Even in high temperatures and humid conditions in summer, it controls oil breakthrough and keeps skin shine-free.
Best foundation for all-day coverage
Estée Lauder
Available in 40 shades, Double Wear Stay-In-Place Make Up SPF 10 by Estée Lauder is built for 24-hour action and is smudge and stain-resistant. Crafted for those on the go, in the office at home and everywhere in between. Its lightweight nature is freeing and breathable even through the most humid of conditions.
Best powder foundation
La Mer
Powder foundations don’t usually go hand in hand with radiance, but this creamy, lightweight formula transcends the ordinary. Infused with a lime tea concentrate to fight environmental aggressors and soft sea ferment for water retention, La Mer’s The Soft Moisture Powder Foundation SPF 30 goes the extra mile. The dual-side textured sponge gives you control of the coverage.
Best light foundation
Givenchy
Givenchy’s feather-light Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow foundation is similar to a tinted moisturiser. It protects the skin from environmental stresses such as pollution, UV rays, and even light emissions from digital screens. The addition of licorice aids suppleness, while hyaluronic acid helps the skin maintain moisture levels. Coverage is on the sheer side, but you can build it up.
Best new foundation
Giorgio Armani
The house behind beloved foundation Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk has released a new foundation. Neo Nude has serious glow, intense hydration and boasts no-makeup-makeup perfection. The dewy formula includes skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that deliver all-day hydration and comfort, while pure pigments allow for light, buildable coverage.
Best foundation for building coverage
Tom Ford
Luminous formulas are perfect for building up (or keeping lean) coverage. Look to glow-making fluids such as Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation.
Best concealer
La Prairie
For the perfect finishing touch, a concealer that doubles as a skin treatment is a fine choice. This one, featuring La Prairie’s famed caviar extract known for firming properties, is housed in a pen so you can smooth away puffiness and cool the area. A brush sits neatly within for the most precise finish.
Want to set your dewy foundation for lasting hold? “I only ever powder the areas you don’t want to look shiny, like the T-Zone. If left dewy it can read more like sweat.”
– Make-up artist Molly Warkentin
The best foundations at David Jones
Shopping for the best foundation at David Jones, whether you’re a mature, dry, oily or average skin type, has been simplified. If you don’t see anything that’s for you from the list above, jump on to our Foundation Collection and take the quiz to navigate through our products. Find the perfect foundation for your skin type and complexion.