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The Best Foundations Ever As Voted For By ELLE And 10 Pro Make-Up Artists
Oh hey flawless skin.
Finding a foundation that ticks all the right boxes can seem harder than getting your hands on a leopard print Realisation Par slip skirt.
You've got dry skin so you need a foundation that hydrates but doesn't look shiny. You want an uber-glowy Insta finish, but you also need to cover those random red patches.
Then there's getting the shade right. You're pale but with a yellow undertone. You've got olive skin but you don't want to look ashy. You've got black skin and the mystery of finding a brand that actually does a shade dark enough is too much.
Thankfully there's a foundation to match every need, but how to choose the right one? You gather the world's best make-up artists and get them to decide for you. Genius.
Tried, tested and used backstage and on celebs 24/7, these are the foundations that make-up artists actually use.
Check out our edit of the best foundations for every skin tone, concern, finish... you name it, we've got a make-up pro recommended foundation for it.
Best Foundation... Compact Formula
As Voted By... ELLE
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Cushion Foundation - £25 (refill only) SHOP NOW
Digital Beauty Editor George Driver swears by this ultra light foundation. Simply dab on top of a layer of primer for the ultimate dewy 'your skin but better' finish. The best bit? It can't smash in your bag.
Best Foundation For...SPF
As Voted By...Diane Kendal
Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation - £48 SHOP NOW
'Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation has SPF and a really lovely dewy finish.'
Pro Tip: 'I would apply this with a brush or sponge to get more coverage where you need it most, but it'll still look incredibly natural.'
Best Foundation For... Sensitive Skin
As Voted By... ELLE
bareMinerals Blemish Rescue Skin-Clearing Loose Powder Foundation - £27 SHOP NOW
Even the most sensitive of skin will love this complexion clearing powder foundation. You'd be forgiven for thinking a powder foundation would be drying but fortunately you'd also be wrong. This genius formula gives a silky soft finish, instantly smoothing out pigmentation, sallow skin and spots without any cracking.
Best Foundation For...Applying On The Go
As Voted By...Hannah Martin
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick - £32 SHOP NOW
'Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation Stick is my all time favourite foundation for a number of reasons, not least because it's so portable and great for touch ups on the go. It also has a beautiful, velvety finish that's hard to beat.'
Pro Tip: 'Use it sparingly on any areas of high colour to even out your skin tone for a relaxed, pared down look. Alternatively, stipple over day cream for lightweight coverage or layer up for full-glam coverage. Without powder it has a soft, dewy finish, but set it with powder and you can create a completely matte look that photographs amazingly.'
Best Foundation For... A Dewy Finish
As Voted By... ELLE
Surratt Dew Drop Foundation - £70 SHOP NOW
Pro Tip: 'The no-make-up make-up look shows no sign of going away. Just because you don't have naturally glowing bare skin, doesn't mean you need to smother your entire face with foundation. Instead, apply a high-pigment product only where you really need it. Start at the outside of your cheeks, where breakouts are most visible, and go super light in the T-zone.' - Wendy Rowe
Best Foundation For...Investing In
As Voted By...Caroline Barnes
Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation - £47 SHOP NOW
'My favourite investment foundation is Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Foundation. It feels like liquid cashmere on the skin and gives a lovely glow to your complexion that looks healthy rather than made up.'
Best Foundation For... Shade Range
As Voted By... ELLE
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation - £34 SHOP NOW
With a shade range of 44, Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Foundation works with almost every skin tone which means we can all treat ourselves to the perfect complexion.
Best Foundation For... A Matte Finish
As Voted By... ELLE
Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15 - £32 SHOP NOW
Pro Tip: 'Matte foundations have been under the radar for a while, with 'dewy' being the finish of choice for many women. However, many women with oilier skin still prefer to have a shine-free complexion, so need a more mattifying formula.
'To use, think about applying where needed and in good daylight. Pump a small amount on the back of your hand and use a brush, sponge or fingertips to blend into your skin starting at the nose and blending out. Most people need the most around their noses and chins, where there are more sebacious glands, more redness or discolouration. Use sparingly, and barely use on areas of the skin that don't need it.' - Kay Montano
Best Foundation For...Acne
As Voted By...Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation - £34 SHOP NOW
'My Magic Foundation is your secret weapon and best friend if you suffer from rosacea, redness, acne or discolouration.
'It treats and transforms while you wear, reducing the appearance of acne after just 9 weeks. It contains mushroom extract to tighten pores and reduce sebum production, Vitamin C to brighten and lift the complexion, and Hyaluronic Filling Spheres to youth-boost and smooth the skin. These super-charged ingredients also reduce the appearance of age spots by 75% in 4 months!
'The high coverage – which glides over skin like a dream– covers even the darkest of birthmarks.'
Best Foundation For... Oily Skin
As Voted By... ELLE
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation - £39 SHOP NOW
Pro Tip: 'Use your fingers to apply the foundation as you can really work it into the skin, then use a foundation brush to go over your base and add a little more foundation where its needed on key areas.' - Kirstin Piggott
Best Foundation For...An Airbrushed Finish
As Voted By...Val Garland
Tom Ford Traceless Foundation - £66 SHOP NOW
'This foundation is so fine that it can diminish the appearance of pores and wrinkles.'
Pro Tip: 'Use a duo fibre foundation brush like a MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush to 'airbrush' the foundation onto the skin with a circular motion. Or if you prefer, you can use a Beautyblender instead of a brush.'
Best Foundation For... Light Coverage
As Voted By... ELLE
Dior Diorskin Nude Air Serum - £38 SHOP NOW
The ultimate weightless serum foundation, Dior's sheer formula gives your skin the glow-giving boost it needs without feeling heavy, cakey or leaving dodgy tidemarks in your side burns.
Best Foundation For...Olive Skin
As Voted By...Hannah Martin
Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation - £48 SHOP NOW
'For olive skin tones I love Bobbi Brown's Intensive Skin Serum Foundation.'
Pro Tip: 'Those with an olive skin tone should look to buy yellow toned foundations as pink undertones won't match the tone of the rest of your body.'
Best Foundation For... Long-Lasting Formula
As Voted By... ELLE
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation - £27 SHOP NOW
Causing a storm when it first launched, Rihanna's ultimate matte foundation lasts all the way through your morning commute, overtime in the office, dinner with your best women and all the way home again.
Best Foundation For...Lasting All Day (And All Night)
As Voted By...Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Youth-Boosting Foundation - £34SHOP NOW
'To always look fresh-faced and healthy, apply my Light Wonder foundation for a luminous, dewy finish that lasts all day.
'The air-light formula illuminates, smooths and hydrates the complexion, while minimising pores and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
'Featuring youth-boosting actives to even out skin tone, and a botanical alternative to retinol to kick-start collagen production, this genius foundation is instant radiance in a bottle!'
Best Foundation For... Full Coverage
As Voted By... ELLE
Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation - £42 SHOP NOW
Pro Tip: 'Fingers are the finest tools. Just put it in your handbag and you're good to go!' - Alex Box
Best Foundation For... Dry Skin
As Voted By... ELLE
Sisley Phyto-Teint Ultra Eclat - £66 SHOP NOW
Worth the investment, this light-diffusing foundation blurs and mattifies without drying skin. An added extra of pollution protection courtesy of buckwheat seed makes this the ultimate city-ready foundation.
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