The 12 best lightweight foundations for a natural, radiant finish

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Wearing makeup was historically synonymous with a thick coat of heavy creams and powders sticking to your face uncomfortably, only to get home and struggle to cleanse it all off. Thankfully, now lightweight foundations have become a staple product on tap for most makeup brands, and even many skincare brands. These products don't just offer light coverage. The best lightweight foundations come in various coverage options and finishes that have been tested firsthand by us, dermatologists, and makeup artists for their lightweight and breathable feel. Clean beauty makeup artist Elena Sas sings their praises, too. "Often enriched with skincare benefits like hydration and SPF, they're more likely to include skin-friendly, breathable ingredients," she says. Makeup artist Jill McKay adds that you'll first want to think about the exact finish you're looking for (dewy, satin, or matte) and what your skin type is.

Our top pick, the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, is a personal favorite of mine. As a makeup reviewer with 7 years of experience with a medium-dark skin tone, I've had difficulty finding a shade match throughout my years of testing. It has a naturally glowy, satin-like finish that subtly blurs the appearance of my pores and hyperpigmentation, and I don't feel like I have makeup on when I'm wearing it. On top of that, it comes in 30 shades with a variety of undertone options, and dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes is a fan of it, too.

Ahead, find the best lightweight foundations — most of which we've tested firsthand and others that our experts have recommended.

Our top picks for the best lightweight foundations

Best overall: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation - See at Sephora

Best budget: Caliray Free Dreaming Skin Tint - See at Amazon

Best luxury: La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation - See at Nordstrom

Best for dry skin: Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint - See at Sephora

Best for oily skin: Tower28 SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30 - See at Sephora

Best for acne-prone skin: Clinique Acne Solutions - See at Amazon

Best for sensitive skin: Typology Tinted Serum - See at Typology

Best for mature skin: Kiko Milano Skin Trainer CC Blur - See at Ulta

Best with SPF: Iris & Romeo Best Skin Days Whipped Tinted Moisturizer - See at Sephora

Best for even skin tone: Well People Supernatural Complexion Stick - See at Ulta

Best for glow: Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer - See at Amazon

Best for face and body: MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Foundation - See at MAC

Best overall

Our pick for the best lightweight foundation is one of my favorites and has been for many years. The best-selling formula is, in my opinion, absolutely worth the hype — I even wore it to my sister's wedding, and both my mom and aunt loved it so much that they've also come to swear by it for the past three years, too. The medium-coverage formula and naturally glowy finish lasted me all the way from a morning ceremony through a late night of dancing and after party. Dr. Madfes recommends it for normal skin types because of its water-silicone base that has a breathable feel with a blurring and smoothing effect.

Best budget

Depending on how frequently you wear makeup, you can get through products really fast — especially if you like to wear enough to get medium or full coverage. If this sounds familiar, you'll want to choose a more affordable option like Caliray's, which doesn't skimp on quality. The formula contains antioxidants, glycerin, and prickly pear extract for a nourishing and hydrating formula that treats the skin while blurring the appearance of pores or textures. It also carries a pleasant citrus scent, though it contains fragrance, which may be unsuitable for sensitive skin types. I've been using this for a few years, and I like that the palm-sized bottle travels well. I just need a couple of drops for a light-coverage look, and a few more get me a full-coverage look, so the versatile product fits all my travel needs, no matter what's on my itinerary.

Best luxury

Blur the appearance of fine lines and pores with La Mer's The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation. Its innovative formula features the brand's famous patented Miracle Broth, made with fermented ingredients designed to treat fine lines and wrinkles. This is a pricey, yet high-quality option, for any skin type. I've been wearing makeup for 16 years and writing about it for seven years, and it is by far the lightest formula I've ever tried. One small, pea-sized pump of the water-like product covers my entire face (including my under eye area) for the ultimate "my skin but better" look. It's great for daily wear and while I love the fresh scent, it may not be best for highly sensitive types. Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon Dr. Dendy Engelman recommends this for mature skin, too. She likes that the thin formula won't settle into creases or make lines more noticeable.

Best for dry skin

Anyone with dry skin knows the horror of putting on makeup only to realize that it has highlighted or worsened dryness in the skin. Trust that this won't happen with Summer Fridays' skin tint. On top of not drying out skin, it also has hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin E, squalane, safflower, and avocado oil. If you happen to experience redness and acne, trust that the tiger grass and niacinamide-infused formula can help to soothe that, too. "If you have dry skin, your best option is to include a foundation with hyaluronic acid in your routine," says makeup artist Maria I. Rincon. "This will give you the hydration and moisture you need while giving your skin a beautiful, smooth appearance." She adds that glycerin helps maintain a glowy look throughout the day, and I can attest to that. I'm a fan of the brand's best-selling sunscreen, and this has the exact same lightweight, almost whipped texture. I have dry skin that can get a little red in the wintertime, and this ends up being one of my go-to options for light coverage.

Best for oily skin

This contains various skincare ingredients, like prickly pear extract, which helps to soothe inflammation and aloe vera, which is antibacterial to also help prevent acne while managing oil production in the skin. This has more of a medium to full-coverage finish, in my opinion, despite the brand saying that it's a light-coverage formula. However, the natural finish and lightweight feel make it one of my favorite fuller-coverage foundations, and you can thin it out by mixing it with moisturizer. While I admittedly don't have oily skin, I have worn this when visiting family in India, where it's extremely humid, and I never experienced a greasy T-zone.

Best for acne-prone

While makeup products are notorious for featuring a long list of ingredients with unrecognizable words, Clinique's Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup Foundation contains witch hazel water, salicylic acid, algae extract, glycerin, caffeine, and benzoic acid. Licorice helps to soothe redness if you happen to be experiencing an active breakout. It gives skin a matte effect, so you'll love using this to give skin a blurred look. The best part is that it has a light, water-like texture despite being packed with so many ingredients. McKay says that she uses this on her clients with acne-prone skin types, and she loves the non-comedogenic formula.

Best for sensitive skin

Aloe vera is a good friend to sensitive skin. It's an antibacterial ingredient that provides lightweight and non-greasy hydration that won't clog pores. It also helps to soothe redness, making this a great pick for dry skin, too. With a watery texture and natural, light-coverage finish, this tinted serum from Typology also contains vitamin C and squalane to help brighten hyperpigmentation and improve collagen production over time. While I don't have particularly sensitive skin, I do sometimes experience breakouts when I eat too much sugar. I like to use this while I'm traveling when my skin tends to be out of its typical routine and can break out more easily.

Best for mature skin

If there's one thing people with mature skin seem to be worried about, it's using a product that will highlight fine lines or pigmentation, making them appear more prominent. Whether you have forehead lines, crow's feet, or just some acne scars, the Kiko Milano Skin Trainer CC Blur is here to give skin a blurred complexion while helping treat redness. "I hear from many mature clients who are afraid of a glow, but, honestly, a glowy foundation is your best friend if you have mature skin," says Djuro. "Matte foundations can set and enhance fine lines. You can achieve a blurred look by using a silicone primer like the KIKO Milano Skin Trainer CC Blur." She recommends using this as a base for your foundation if you want a more medium or full-coverage look, but you can easily wear this alone for a more natural everyday look.

Best with SPF

Iris & Romeo is probably one of my favorite small beauty brands I've recently had the pleasure of trying, and with good reason. The brand is celebrated for its recyclable packaging, plant-based-packed formulas, and reef-safe SPF products. This skincare-makeup staple features sunflower seed oil, vitamin C, shea nut extract, rose flower extract, and jojoba to give skin a smooth, plump appearance. I love this tinted SPF so much that I keep it for special occasions because it gives my skin a natural, velvet-like appearance, allowing me to fake eight hours of sleep and a facial. Just know that a little goes a really long way. Just a pea-sized amount gives my full face medium coverage. I like the whipped, airy texture so much that I want to wear it under my eyes instead of concealer. It brightens the area subtly without settling into the tiny lines I have there.

Best for even skin tone

Squalane and rose seed oil help to neutralize redness and brighten pigmentation in this skin-smoothing formula. It helps to even out the appearance of your skin tone immediately while working on a deeper level long-term. Available in 15 shades and a stick format, it also contains several oils to nourish and strengthen skin. Sunflower and safflower seed oils further nourish the skin, but this may be too heavy for oily skin types. This has to be one of my favorite complexion products of all time. I keep the slim, lipstick-sized tube in my purse for touch-ups after work or to the gym for plans I have afterward. I have a lot of hyperpigmentation and acne scars from the acne I had in my teens and 20s, and this masks all of that with ease. I also have pretty dark circles under my eyes, and I love the way this blends into my fragile under eye area while hydrating it, too.

Best for glow

Smashbox's Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer has all the benefits of a high-quality skin moisturizer combined with the brand's expertly crafted tints. The glow-inducing formula hydrates skin and imparts radiance in an oil-free and non-greasy formula that is infused with Smashbox's iconic, best-selling primer for long-lasting coverage and hydration. The cruelty-free formula contains SPF 25, too. I have dry skin that gets extra dry in the wintertime — especially when I travel, which I often do around the holiday season to see family. I also recently spent time in the desert, where my skin was extremely dry and lacking that healthy, lit-from-within look. This makes my skin look naturally healthy with a low-coverage formula that's ideal for daily wear. I love wearing it for low-key days on which I want to look healthy without a heavy makeup feel for brunch with girlfriends or just work-from-home days on which I want to look a tiny bit more done-up for video calls.

Best for face and body

MAC's Studio Radiance Face and Body Foundation gives skin a natural glow with shades that cater to a variety of undertones from beige, red, neutral, rosy, golden, peachy, and more. It has a convenient dropper bottle that deposits the formula's water-like consistency without mess, and you can trust that you only need a few drops to cover your whole face with the sheer-to-medium coverage foundation. For the price, it's a total bargain, given the fact that a little goes a long way, and you get a larger-than-palm-sized bottle. My skin almost craves the refreshing feel this has, so I love wearing it when I really don't want to feel like I have anything on my face but wish to blur the big pores on my cheeks and conceal a bit of my pigmentation without totally masking it. It adds just a tiny bit of a natural glow to my skin, too. I actually first purchased it to cover some scars I have on my shoulder and back, though. I love to mix a bit of this with a shimmery lotion and rub it into my legs and collarbone for a bit of an airbrushed look on a night out.

What to look for

Ingredients:

Dr. Engelman says that the ingredients you should look for and avoid largely depend on your skin type. "For dry skin, look for ingredients that will nourish and hydrate your skin, such as glycerin, vitamin E, squalene, and hyaluronic acid." She recommends that people with oily or acne-prone skin choose oil-free and non-comedogenic formulas, seeking out ingredients that balance oil production while reducing inflammation, like salicylic acid, niacinamide, tea tree oil, and green tea extract. People with mature skin should, like people with dry skin, prioritize hydration. "Moisture is essential for mature skin! Proper hydration plumps the skin, creating a more youthful look and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines," she says. Look for vitamin E, peptides, vitamin C, and ceramides that can help brighten, nourish, and strengthen skin. Sensitive skin types should prioritize hypoallergenic and fragrance-free formulas, she says.

Texture and finish:

A matte finish is better at hiding bumps or blemishes, thanks to a low-gloss sheen that won't reflect light. A glowy finish can add more dimension to a skin's complexion with formulas that contain light-reflecting particles as well as hydrating ingredients. Sas recommends that people with oily skin find a matte or soft-matte finish, with Dr. Madfes adding that those finishes help to absorb oil throughout the day with ingredients like mica, clay, silica, and other powder infusions. Djuro recommends looking for a glowy finish if you have dry or mature skin. Wear time is more dependent upon specific ingredients in a formula rather than its finish.

Shade range:

The beauty industry admittedly has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity, and that, unfortunately, tends to manifest in limited shade range offerings for tinted products—especially for people with darker skin tones. Even when shades are offered for medium to darker skin tones, they may not always come in a wide enough variety of options catered to warm, neutral, and cool undertones. Therefore, people with darker skin tones often have to purchase multiple different foundations or shades to blend the right option for them. Knowing your undertone can help you nail your right shade, however. If you're unsure how to do that, check the color of your veins. If they appear blue, you have a cool undertone. If they look green, you have a warm undertone. If you can't tell, chances are that you have a neutral undertone.

FAQs

What's the best way to apply a lightweight foundation?

If your aim is to smooth out imperfections and blur the appearance of pores, Dr. Madfes says to make sure you're applying your foundation to freshly cleansed skin that only has your serums, moisturizer, or sun protection underneath it. Then, apply the foundation with your fingers for the most natural look or with a wet makeup sponge (like a BeautyBlender) for a smoother finish. For a more flawless and even finish, put the product on a dense makeup brush and tap it into the skin. "Blend your foundation well with fingers or a fluffy brush for the most natural finish," says Sas.

Which type of foundation is best for a no-makeup makeup look?

For a "no-makeup makeup" look, Sas recommends looking for a product with light coverage. "These typically offer more natural or dewy finishes that allow your skin's texture to show through," she says.

What types of foundations are the most natural looking?

Sas says to seek light coverage with a natural or dewy finish for the most natural-looking foundation. This will allow your skin's natural texture and pigment to shine through and enhance your natural glow.