Advertisement
Beauty

Our Picks For The Top Foundations and Concealers

These amazing products don't like to call attention to themselves, but they work hard to make you look flawless.
By Jill Dunn, Emily MacCulloch
foundation on womans cheek for best foundation makeup (Photo: Erik Putz, Makeup & Hair: Tami El Sombati for M.A.C Cosmetics/R+Co/Plutino Group)

Shopping for foundation and concealer can sometimes feel akin to shopping for jeans — it’s tedious, exhausting and you have to be in the right mood. But don’t fret — we’ve made the hunt a whole lot easier with our picks for the best foundation makeup and concealer.

Whether you’re looking for high coverage or dewy glow we’ve got you covered. From a splurge-worthy formula featuring hyper-hydrating “miracle broth” to a long-wear foundation formulated by Rihanna, you’re sure to find the perfect win for your skin.

BL Foundation

close up image of foundation on womans cheek for Best Foundation Makeup

This foundation costs less than a glass of wine at happy hour, and there are 21 shades that go on seamlessly for full coverage that doesn’t move.

The Ordinary Colours Coverage Foundation, $7, theordinary.com

The Ordinary Colours Coverage Foundation for Best foundation makeup

Advertisement

Rihanna’s hotly anticipated new beauty line boasts 40 shades of foundation, so every skin tone is represented (finally!). The formula is semi-matte and dries down fast, so work quickly to get the best coverage. For makeup novices, using a damp sponge will give quality results.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Long Wear Foundation, $42, sephora.com

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Long Wear Foundation for Best foundation makeup

Lightweight yet long-wearing, this foundation wears for up to 16-hours and casts a healthy, radiant glow on the skin.

Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, $60, sephora.com

Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, Best Foundation Makeup

This sheer-to-medium- coverage concealer goes on seamlessly, doesn’t cake or crack and blends beautifully.

Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer, $27, sephora.com

best foundation makeup, Benefit Cosmetics Boi- ing Airbrush Concealer for best beauty products

Advertisement

A full coverage foundation that’s also weightless? Yes please! This cover-all has a matte finish but won’t leave your skin flat and promises to stay put in humid temps.

Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation, $55, bobbibrowncosmetics.ca

Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation, Lise Watier Teint Velours Velvet Matte Foundation Stick, Best Foundation Makeup

This super-flattering foundation has the perfect consistency: creamy but not tacky. It has a surprisingly lightweight feel, given its medium-to-full coverage, and will control oil and keep its colour for up to 15 hours of wear.

Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Foundation, $59, holtrenfrew.com

Foundation Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Foundation for Best foundation makeup

This full coverage concealer comes in 15 shades, so you’re sure to find your perfect match. Added bonus: its creamy formula is crease-proof, waterproof, humidity-resistant and delivers 16-hour wear.

BareMinerals Barepro 16-Hr Full Coverage Concealer, $30, sephora.com

bareMinerals BAREPRO 16-Hr Full Coverage Concealer, Best Foundation Makeup

Advertisement

A splurge to be sure, but this foundation glides on like a dream (and they even threw in some SPF). People with dry skin will be the biggest fans, since this foundation is formulated with La Mer’s hyper-hydrating “miracle broth,” a sea-kelp-rich liquid at the heart of all of the brand’s products.

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20, $148, nordstrom.com

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 for Best foundation makeup

You can’t beat the convenience of a stick foundation— just swipe it on and blend away with your fingers. This one gives you great coverage and comes with a contouring colour on the other end, so you can add shade and definition.

Smashbox Studio Skin Shaping Foundation Stick, $48, beautyboutique.ca

Smashbox Studio Skin Shaping Foundation Stick for Best foundation makeup

Providing medium, buildable coverage, this lightweight foundation is oil-free and supremely long-wearing—it won’t budge for 24-hours.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Youthful-Look 24H Foundation, $56, sephora.com

Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Youthful-Look 24H Foundation, Best Foundation Makeup

Advertisement

Oily- skin types who want a no-makeup look and colour that lasts will love the staying power of this foundation.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30, $48, nordstrom.com

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30 for Best foundation makeup

This full-coverage foundation causes pores to vanish without leaving your face looking flat or too matte— the finish still looks like your skin.

CoverGirl Vitalist Elixir Foundation, $12, walmart.ca

CoverGirl Vitalist Elixir Foundation for Best foundation makeup

Valmont

The ultimate in luxury makeup, this cream foundation by Swiss-based skincare brand Valmont feels like silk on your skin while adding a heavy dose of anti-aging active ingredients to the formula.

Perfecting Powder Cream Foundation, $190, valmontcosmetics.com

Valmont Perfecting Powder Cream Foundation, Best Foundation Makeup

Advertisement

Lightweight but long-wearing, this concealer packs a lot of pigment. A tiny bit goes a really (really!) long way to cover imperfections.

Sephora Make No Mistake High Coverage Concealer, $18, sephora.com

Sephora Make No Mistake High Coverage Concealer for Best foundation makeup

With a serum-infused formula, this foundation marries skincare with makeup to deliver a smooth, luminous complexion.

Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation, $70, iliabeauty.com

Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation, Best Foundation Makeup

This 2-in-1 stick is both a foundation and concealer, blending seamlessly into the skin for a velvet-like finish.

Lise Watier Teint Velours Velvet Matte Foundation Stick, $38, thebay.com

Lise Watier Teint Velours Velvet Matte Foundation Stick, Best Foundation Makeup

Advertisement

This concealer goes under eyes and on blemishes really smoothly, then dries semi-matte so it doesn’t slip and slide.

Nars Cosmetics Soft Matte Complete Concealer, $37, thebay.com

Nars Cosmetics Soft Matte Complete Concealer for Best foundation makeup

Want more? Click here for the best drugstore makeup

Woman Smiling close up for Best Drugstore Makeup

GET CHATELAINE IN YOUR INBOX!

Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Advertisement
Advertisement