12 Best High-End Foundations Worth the Price Tag

Best Overall

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

4.6

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Who else recommends it? Cosmopolitan and Elle both recommended the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.

What do buyers say? 90% of 3,600+ Nordstrom reviewers rated it 4 stars or above.

We affectionately think of this cult classic as the prom queen of the foundation world. It’s luxe in every sense of the word, from the packaging to the creamy formula, to the perfectly radiant, skin-perfecting finish, to the buildable coverage. First launched in 2000, it’s been a makeup artist staple for over two decades. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, the brand also expanded the shade range; there are now 40 available.

Price at time of publish: $74

Coverage: Medium | Shade Range: 40 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Dry Skin

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+

4.3

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We know this is technically a CC cream and not a foundation, but trust us, it offers just as much coverage as a foundation—plus a host of other benefits. We’re talking plenty of broad-spectrum sun protection, along with youth-boosting peptides, collagen, vitamins, and antioxidants. Not to mention that the ultra-creamy formula never cracks or creases.

Price at time of publish: $44

Coverage: Full | Shade Range: 12 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Oily Skin

Chantecaille Future Skin Oil-Free Gel Foundation

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Those with slick skin will appreciate that this formula is both oil-free and gel-based. In fact, it’s made of 60 percent water, which is what gives it its undetectable feel. The buildable coverage works to hide all imperfections, as do the light-diffusing pigments, which make your complexion look naturally flawless.

Price at time of publish: $78

Coverage: Medium | Shade Range: 15 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Mature Skin

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation

4.7

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Generally speaking, the more lived-in your skin is, the lighter you want to go when it comes to both the formula in general and the coverage. Thicker bases can tend to settle into and accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, the last thing you want. That’s not the case here. “This offers the best dewy coverage that doesn’t even look like foundation, just like perfected skin,” says New York-based makeup artist Shayna Gold. As an added benefit, there are pseudo-ceramides in the mix to help keep your skin hydrated for up to 18 hours.

Price at time of publish: $46

Coverage: Light | Shade Range: 12 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1.4 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best With SPF

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

5

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Gold says this sheer formula “hugs the skin” in the best way possible. It’s a true multi-tasker, combining yes, a nice dose of daily SPF, along with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and squalane, along with a wash of tint. (The shade range recently expanded and now features 30 different hues.) We love it as a top pick for either sunscreen haters or foundation haters.

Price at time of publish: $48

Coverage: Light | Shade Range: 30 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Sheer Coverage

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Sunscreen Makeup

4.7

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Here’s a base for the "no makeup makeup" fans out there. The featherweight texture disappears into the skin, leaving your complexion perfected and tone more even and imparting the perfect amount of glow and brightness.

Price at time of publish: $50

Coverage: Light | Shade Range: 17 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Medium Coverage

Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation SPF 24

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“This foundation has true medium coverage with a natural finish. It leaves skin glowing without ever drying it out,” Gold says of another one of her picks. The serum-like texture blends seamlessly into skin and hydrates, too. Also noteworthy: The addition of a unique powder in the formula that helps the color adjust to color changes in your skin tone throughout the day.

Coverage: Sheer to medium | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Full Coverage

Tarte Face Tape Foundation

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Taking a cue from the brand’s best-selling Shape Tape Concealer, this base also boasts some serious coverage. AKA it really will hide anything you want hidden, not to mention that it’s also transfer-proof, waterproof, and sweatproof, so you never have to worry about the long-wearing base budding or smearing. Bonus points for the fact that it comes in 50 shades with five different undertones.

Price at time of publish: $40

Coverage: Full | Shade Range: 50 | Finish: Matte | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Two-in-One

La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer Foundation Sunscreen SPF 15

4.6

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Yes, this is crazy pricey, but consider the fact that you’re getting a concealer and foundation—and an application brush and magnifying mirror— in one product. “It’s supremely luxurious and truly all you need after cleansing to walk out the door. It has the most balanced coverage and is one of those products that feels like it’s turning back time,” Gold says. To that point, both the foundation and concealer are infused with the brand’s lifting and firming caviar extracts.

Price at time of publish: $275

Coverage: Full | Shade Range: 5 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 1 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Natural

RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up Concealer

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Don’t be fooled by the name: This guy works just as well dabbed on strategically as a concealer as it does applied all-over as a foundation. Either way, the medium coverage is an excellent choice for calming redness, hiding flaws, minimizing the look of pores, and adding radiance to your skin. And yes, it’s a squeaky clean formula, too, relying on natural coconut and jojoba oils for the moisturizing base.

Price at time of publish: $36

Coverage: Medium | Shade Range: 16 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.2 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Tinted Moisturizer

Natura Bissé Diamond Cocoon Sheer Cream

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“This is really more of a skincare product than a true foundation and is perfect for someone who has slightly dry skin and just wants to balance out their skin tone,” Gold says. Indeed, the brand calls it a color-enhancing moisturizer, a hydrating cream that has a subtle hint of color. (FYI, there’s only one shade, though it does blend in well on a variety of lighter complexions.)

Price at time of publish: $225

Coverage: Light | Shade Range: 1 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1.7 fl. oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes