The 7 Best Foundations for Mature Skin
I have a secret- I am extremely close to entering a new decade. I’m talking T-minus 9 months and counting until I am eligible for senior social programs. While people always tell me that age is just a number, I refuse to let that number be anything but a motivator to try new adventures, live life to the fullest, and treat my skin to some TLC. I mean if Laura Linney, Angela Bassett or Julia Roberts can all age gracefully, then I say bring it on!
Foundation is the base your skin needs before applying makeup and it helps us to have a smooth, even, radiant look. And let’s face it, as we age our skin changes. With age spots, dark circles, veins, pores and dull skin, we all need the right foundation base! The best foundations for mature skin are the ones that work for your changing needs, not one that every 25-year-old Tik Tok influencer is pushing. The good news is that makeup with clean active ingredients has come such a long way. Targeting everything from sensitive skin, fine lines, blemishes, dark spots and dry skin is easier than ever.
I have been on a hunt for the best liquid foundations for aging skin to add to my makeup routine and these are the 7 best foundations that I have tested and loved:
MEDIUM COVERAGE FOUNDATION
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation, $49
Haus Labs has been around since 2019, and even though I’m not usually one to go for celeb brands (typically I find them to be a little lacking and overhyped), Lady Gaga has created a game changer in the foundation category! Vegan, cruelty-free and claims that it is “supercharged clean artistry makeup powered by innovation” are what motivated me to try this out. This liquid foundation took over 40 trials and almost 3 years to create. It’s the definition of weightless. It feels almost like a serum foundation, but you don’t get that stickiness that a lot of “serum” foundations have. It builds beautifully, covers redness, blemishes, and because it’s so light in texture, it doesn’t settle into my fine lines as much as heavier foundations do. And this is one of the most inclusive lines I have come across with 51 shades to choose from to find your perfect match. Pro Tip: try applying with a brush for a dewy finish and natural look.
LIGHT BUILDABLE FOUNDATION
Iris & Romeo Best Skin Days SPF 30, $48
I have heard great things about this clean brand. Their tagline is “less makeup, more you,” which as someone who usually goes for a “no-makeup makeup” look, I can get behind. Best Skin Days is the one product they’re probably best known for. A skincare-makeup hybrid, it’s a tinted SPF with serum-like ingredients – hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, meant to provide natural coverage with a bonus glow and deliver long-term results supporting barrier protection and firmness, among skincare benefits.
It is recommended to apply this with your fingertips. They say to start with warming the product in your hands. Then dot on the face like you would your moisturizer. Then rub in. Allow the product to melt into the skin. The coverage is light to medium and buildable. It lasted all day and remained fresh looking into the night. This is perfect year round, but is an excellent choice in the summer when you want to feel pulled together and also want a good mineral sunscreen to protect from sun damage. It leaves my skin looking dewy and fresh. Add this to your list of the best foundations for mature skin that you must try!
SERUM FOUNDATION
Versed Skin Solution Multi-Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, $19.99
If you are a self proclaimed beauty addict like me, then you already love Versed and their affordable and clean skincare line. What you might not know is that they recently launched a make-up line and I am so here for it! The brand just dropped a 15-piece makeup collection complete with tinted sunscreen, concealers, eye makeup, cheek products, lip balms, and more all for $20 or less! (If you’re looking for the best drugstore foundations, this is it!) Their skin-perfecting tint is a nourishing serum with buildable coverage that corrects uneven skin tone and protects with mineral SPF 40. With a skin-like natural finish, it feels lightweight and gives a lit-from-within, hydrating glow that stays put all day. It’s made with key ingredients that will care for your skin and you can wear it from morning to night without worrying about clogging your pores or irritating your skin. Hyaluronic acid hydrates and keeps skin looking fresh, while kakadu plum extract helps brighten the appearance of dull skin.
To Use: Shake well and pump onto back of hand. Pick up a small amount of product with fingers or a complexion brush, and blend into skin. Apply at the center of the face and blend outwards, adding more product as needed.
Fun Fact: The tint is accepted by the National Rosacea Association and safe for sensitive skin. The unique sunscreen formula is breathable, nourishing, and good for your skin—beyond its UV protection.
For more clean makeup brands at affordable price points, read: These Are the Best Affordable Clean Makeup Brands
CUSTOM FOUNDATION
Dcypher My Custom Foundation, $64
Finding the perfect foundation can come as a challenge to even the most makeup-savvy of us out there! Brands have started to allow a more extensive shade range however this is not all I look for when purchasing foundation. For me, if I am wearing foundation, I want one that doesn’t budge throughout the day or during a night out.
When I heard of Dcypher, the new mixed-to-measure makeup brand I was excited to try it! What I love most about this process was that they use their unique AI system to create a personalized formula and they sent out a sample pot for me to try (and tweak if needed) before they process the entire bottle. When it arrived I thought it was going to be too light for me, however, once I applied I was AMAZED. Not just by the shade match, but also the consistency of the foundation. The coverage is perfect without feeling cakey on the skin and it lasted all day. And you can choose your level from sheer coverage to a full coverage foundation. The sheer foundation I chose is a lightweight, buildable formula offering you long-lasting coverage. The custom foundation is also Vegan and Cruelty-free.
MATTE FOUNDATION
Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation, $74
This is a great full-coverage foundation for mature skin that lasts beautifully throughout the day and controls oil and shine without looking thick or caked. Special optically-corrective powders blur your skin’s imperfections with a matte finish, and it has tons of nourishing and moisturizing ingredients. They have a 30-day try it at home money-back guarantee. Make sure you apply this with a light hand and add a layer if necessary. You will create a cakier finish if you try to do a heavy layer, but that is true of all foundations. I found this one works great with a flat foundation brush, but a damp sponge works as well for a more natural look. Great all around foundation for older women!
EVERYDAY FOUNDATION
Beauty Pie Everyday Great Skin Foundation, $32
Beauty Pie is an amazing concept that I must admit I was a bit skeptical about trying when I first heard about the company. When it launched, it felt like there should be a catch: luxury makeup, skin, hair and body care at a fraction of the price of other brands. Seriously? Not only is it super legit, but it’s also gained numerous fans including this Vetted beauty expert.
The concept is a membership ($59/year) that gives you discounts on products, free shipping and a welcome gift. Great skin foundation sounds like a bold claim but this formula backs it up. If, like me, your face gets greasier and shiny throughout the day and you rely on matte foundations to maintain minimum shine you will love this. (Oily skin types rejoice!) It’s medium to full coverage but you only need a pump or less for a full face. It’s breathable and not at all cakey. I can even layer setting powder on top and it sits well between that and a good primer for a base that isn’t going anywhere.
Tip: Add these clean bronzers to your list to layer on top of this foundation:
WEIGHTLESS FOUNDATION
Flawless: Forget the Filler Skin Plumping Line Smoothing Foundation, $43
In a world of light-as-air skin tints it would seem like full-coverage foundation has fallen out of favor these days. Enter Lawless Beauty. If the lengthy name didn’t already fill you in, Forget the Filler foundation is meant to be filter in a bottle- weightless yet full coverage, with a soft-matte, blurred finish that diffuses fine lines for a flawless luminous finish. As someone who prefers a matte (but never cakey!) foundation, I have to say, Lawless really impressed me. Even before setting, my skin honestly looked pretty close to flawless with a radiant glow. My pores disappeared, and it was pretty transfer-resistant too, which is rare to find with a full coverage formula. Consider this almost 60 year old beauty editor impressed! It’s one of the best foundations for mature skin I’ve tried!
