We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
11 Of The Best Foundations For Olive Skin Tones
Shop the foundations guaranteed to enhance, not hide, your gorgeous olive skin.
By 
Thanks to both the yellow and green undertones, finding the right shade of foundation to suit olive skin is no mean feat - and if, like us, you often find yourself being sent away from the beauty counter with a shade three times lighter or even darker than your actual tone, you're not alone.
Thankfully though, it's a not a total lost cause. Everyone from NARS and Giorgio Armani, to Charlotte Tilbury, to name but a few brands, are on hand to help with shade ranges for Mediterranean complexions that are nothing short of impressive.
We've rounded up eleven of the very best non-ashy and totally not orange-y hues to make foundation shopping less of a mission for all those olive skin toned beauties out there.
Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick
Don't let the solid formula put you off. Just like liquid versions, Bobbi Brown's foundation stick glides on a dream and blends with the skin to obscure every imperfection, from blemishes to enlarged pores. The shade range for tanned skin is second to none; Warm Sand and Amger Beige are a good place to start for those with darker olive tones.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation
'Magic' is most definitely the right word for Charlotte Tilbury's foundation as it'll cover what you want it to (without looking like you've slapped on wall filler) all while lending skin a supernatural glow. 4.5 Medium is a great shade to begin with if you have a light olive complexion, as it really complements those green undertones.
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer
Clinique's two-in-one texture is pretty intelligent. It's light enough for all-over colour but powerful enough to conceal those blue or purplish under-eye circles that often plague light to dark olive skin, and the supersize wand makes erasing said circles so easy. Naturally tanned? Make it your mission to swatch Golden Neutral or Honey Wheat.
DIOR Diorskin Forever Liquid Foundation
Dior's liquid foundation floats over lines and pores to give skin a seamless look. It delivers a radiant yet slightly matte finish, making it perfect for those with oily skin. From Dune to Desert Beige, the shade range for olive tones is pretty much unrivalled - trust us!
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Make-Up
Available in an amazing 30 shades, Double Wear eliminates shine, hides acne flareups and erases dark circles into submission, all without suffocating pores or settling into them. We've found that hues like Rattan and Pure Beige warm up yellow tones perfectly, but the best part is that the formula won't slip until the time you see fit to take it off.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
This is a favourite among the Kardashian-Jenner clan for the way it covers any uneven patches and hides sallow tones from plain view, all while moisturising and hydrating. It may be pricey, but the shade spectrum is a treat for those with olive skin.
MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
Nothing sculpts and lifts like MAC's Studio Fix - just ask the make-up artists who stockpile it on shoots or backstage at Fashion Week. With 46 shades to choose from, finding a match that enhances rather than masks olive skin is oh-so-easy. NC37 and NC35 are popular amongst those with light to medium tan tones.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
Loved by make-up artists worldwide, NARS' Sheer Glow does exactly what it says on the tin; it has the ability to breathe a warm, otherworldly radiance into olive skin which can often look a little dull and washed out. Those with light olive tones should give shades Punjab or Santa Fe a whirl.
Too Faced Born This Way Liquid Foundation
Foundations can often be all or nothing: barely there or cement-like, but not this one. The texture is weightless enough for a quick, all-over veil that looks perfectly natural but full coverage can be built up in seconds without the heavy, cakey feel. Those with light to medium olive skin will find a shade like Sand a selfie-perfect match.
Maybelline Fit Me! Matte And Poreless Foundation
It may only be £7.99 but Maybelline's Fit Me! foundation boasts heaps of celebrity fans (including Kim Kardashian) for the way it blankets sallow tones and brings out your skin's natural warmth.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Make-Up
Formulated with ingredient Matrixyl, this plumps the skin as it perfects. It's also one of a handful of foundations we've tried that doesn't oxidise and turn an unsightly shade of tangerine throughout the day, and that's all thanks to the antioxidant rich green tea. Anything above swatch 4.0 is a good starting point for olive tones.
Pat McMgrath On Creating Pamela Anderson's Make-Up
ELLE Edit: The Best Lip Tints To Know
ELLE Edit: 12 Best Tubing Mascaras
ELLE Edit: 10 Of The Best Make-Up Brush Cleaners
