Best foundations for every budget and skin type 2021

Best dewy foundation:

1. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

This liquid foundation is a well-known ride or die foundation for many people. One of Nars' most popular foundations, the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation will effectively hydrate your skin, even out your skin tone and create a more radiant and youthful look. It's a medium to full coverage foundation so you can really choose what look you're going for. It means that Sheer Glow is perfect for both daytime looks and evening, due to its buildability. With a wide range of shades, it's super easy for you to find the perfect shade to match your skin tone.

• Mecca store rating: 4.4/5 stars
• Skin type: Dry to normal
• Price: $69
• Where to buy: Amazon, StrawberryNET and Catch

Best glowy foundation:

2. Sephora Collection Glow Perfection Foundation

I love a good glowy foundation. But a glowy foundation that's long lasting? Practically unheard of.

It's super hard to find radiant foundations that suit and last for an extended period of time. However, this product last 10 whole hours. As I have dry skin I don't tend to set my foundation either and this didn't even affect the longevity of this foundation. This medium to full coverage foundation evens out my skin tone and give it a radiant boost. My favourite thing is that it's perfect for day and can transition to a full coverage evening foundation too!

• Sephora store rating: 4.5/5 stars
• Skin type: Dry to normal
• Price: $32
• Where to buy: Sephora

Best sensitive skin foundation:

3. Fresh Nude Foundation

Those that suffer from sensitive skin can often struggle to find a foundation that doesn't send their face into a frenzy. Luckily enough, The Body Shop has you covered with the Fresh Nude foundation.

This product honestly feels like a drink of water for your skin. The english rose water and aloe vera ingredients in the formula creates an incredibly moisturising feeling. The foundation has a slightly matte finish that leaves a radiant and especially light sensation on your skin. It's a light to medium coverage and also contains SPF15 so it's perfect for day to day wear.

• The Body Shop store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Sensitive Skin
• Price: $32
• Where to buy: The Body Shop

Best drugstore foundation:

4. Maybelline Matte Fit Me! + Poreless Foundation

A perfect option for those wanting something more affordable has to be the Maybelline Matte Fit Me! + Poreless Foundation. This foundation is up there and holds its own against some of the best high-end foundations.

This product will effectively create an airbrushed look for your skin and leave you looking flawless. While it's a matte foundation, it has quite a velvet finish making it work well for both oily and dry skin. This liquid foundation has been formulated to fit the unique textures of your skin meaning absolutely everyone can make it work.

• Priceline store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Combination skin
• Price: $21.95
• Where to buy: Amazon, Adore Beauty, Priceline, and Chemist Warehouse

Best high-end foundation:

5. GIVENCHY Matissime Velvet Fluid Foundation

A foundation formulated straight from the runway to your makeup bag. Perfect for those with oily skin, this foundation will mattify your skin with long-lasting power. However, it will still leave your skin feeling fresh and keep it balanced and breathable. How? The botanical trio targets oily areas without drying-out other areas of skin.

It's more of a thinner consistency making it ideal for those who don't like a thick foundation. On top of that, this foundation doesn't oxidise and I noticed my pores blurred for hours when wearing this foundation.

• Sephora store rating: 5/5 stars
• Skin type: All skin types
• Price: $80
• Where to buy: Barneys, Sephora, and StrawberryNET

Best full-coverage foundation:

6. HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick

This product is the stick foundation of foundations. The Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick is one of the best foundations we've tried. The formula creates a blur on your skin giving it a genuinely seamless finish. The coverage of this foundation is also one of its amazing strengths. It's up there with the strength of a concealer meaning that the coverage is incredibly strong. Better yet, the lighter and darker shades of this foundation can be used to contour and conceal making it a three-in-one product.

• Mecca store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Normal to combination skin
• Price: $67
• Where to buy: StrawberryNET and Cult Beauty

Best powder foundation:

7. NUDE BY NATURE Mineral Cover

If you're more of a powder foundation girl then this is the one for you. Powder foundation is great for those with oily skin who also want fuller coverage. The best part about this product is that even though it's a powder, you don't get that cakey look or feeling.

It's incredibly versatile, as you can achieve both a sheer or full coverage. The best part is the lightweight and natural finish without harsh chemicals or irritants. You can't get better than that.

• Priceline store rating: 4.7/5 stars
• Skin type: Oily skin
• Price: $29.96
• Where to buy: Amazon, Nude by Nature, Priceline, and Chemist Warehouse

Best lightweight foundation:

8. GIORGIO ARMANI Luminous Silk Foundation

This foundation is loved by many including Kim Kardashian herself. It's incredibly popular and known for the lightweight formula. It leaves skin with a radiant and silky complexion that wearers immediately fall in love with.

The formula of this foundation is so good, it's remained untouched and unchanged for 15 years. Micro-fil technology creates a foundation where each pigment and ingredient is micronised before the final blending and milling process, for a smooth finish that sculpts and brightens the face. On top of that, imperfections are blurred and texture is smoothed, for a radiant look that not many foundations can beat.

• Sephora store rating: 4.5/5 stars
• Skin type: All skin types
• Price: $99
• Where to buy: Amazon, Sephora, Myer, and David Jones

Best natural foundation:

9. MAC Lightful C Tinted Cream SPF30 with Radiance Booster

This is a great foundation option for those who don't enjoy the heavy foundation look. It's the lightest coverage in the MAC Cosmetics range and is a colour-correcting cream that will reduce imperfections. The foundation also controls oil production leaving you with the natural radiance for your skin.

The formula of this foundation is infused with light radiance booster and Vitamin C. This works to actually correct and assist your overall complexion by minimising the appearance of pores, dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. With added SPF 30, this product also adds an extra layer of protection from the sun, making it perfect for daytime wear.

• Myer store rating: 5/5 Stars
• Skin type: Normal to dry skin
• Price: $99
• Where to buy: Myer, David Jones

Best buildable foundation:

10. Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Foundation

The Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Foundation has been a favourite of ours for some time. We actually did a full review and wear test of this foundation making it a top pick.

It’s great if you want a foundation for both day and night because it’s incredibly buildable. It sheers out your skin to create an incredibly radiant glow and works for both dry and oily skin types.

• Sephora store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Dry skin
• Price: $70
• Where to buy: NET-A-PORTER, Sephora, and StrawberryNET

Best all-round foundation:

11. Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation

For a foundation that goes on like a dream and lasts all day or night long then the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation has you covered. The formula is lightweight with specifically manufactured packaging that is more streamlined.

Rich with blendable pigmentation and skincare ingredients, you will achieve a natural-looking luminosity while minimising pores and fine lines.

• Adore beauty rating: 5/5 stars
• Skin type: All skin types
• Price: $74
• Where to buy: Adore Beauty and StrawberryNET

Best hydrating foundation:

12. Tarte Cosmetics Shape Tape Hydrating foundation

Another review product that we fell absolutely in love with is the Tarte Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation.

This launched after the incredibly popular Shape Tape concealer and is one of the hottest products on the market. It’s a dream for those with dry skin as the foundation not only works to create a flawless finish but will also hydrate your skin too.

• Tarte store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Dry skin
• Price: $54
• Where to buy: Tarte

Best foundation for beginners:

13. Cover FX's Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation

• Sephora store rating: 4/5 stars
• Skin type: Oily skin
• Price: $65
• Where to buy: Sephora

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

"This is a great long-wear liquid foundation if you’re looking for complete coverage. With a semi-matte finish, it lasts all day and doesn’t budge" – Sally

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

"I love a sheer foundation and this one is super light. It blends really well into the skin and never looks cakey. It looks like your skin, just better." – Mia

Born This Way Foundation

"I just love that foundation because when I tried it on, I couldn't even see it on my skin because it blended so well! So I've just kept buying that foundation since." - Aston