12 best liquid foundations for all skin types, tried and tested

Best for: Natural glow

We fell in love with this foundation the moment we first applied it. It’s thin and silky and blends beautifully to be almost imperceptible on skin. We apply a thin layer over our whole face and then build it up a little over areas of redness around the cheeks and nose; it lets some of the light and imperfections of your skin through, so doesn’t completely mask your natural complexion. The finish is glowy but not a super-wet look; skin looks bright and healthy.

Best for: Satin finish

This gives a flawless, “your skin but better” finish that’s still luminous and bright, rather than flat and completely matte. It is creamy, light and non-drying on the skin, blends beautifully and can be built up where you want more coverage. It doesn’t crease during the day or become patchy over greasy or dry areas. For a best-of-both-worlds formula – neither super glowy nor matte – it doesn’t get any better.

Best for: Combination skin

This is the best foundation we’ve found for people who need a formula that stays put on oily areas (nose and chin) and doesn’t dehydrate on dry ones (cheeks and forehead). It offers medium coverage and a satin finish, but it’s light enough to still let some of your skin’s natural shine and texture through, so it looks natural. With a little powder to set oilier areas, it will stay put all day without melting away, sinking into pores and lines or caking. Our search for the holy grail foundation will never end, but this is pretty close.

Best for: Events

This is a gorgeous halfway house for those who want glow but also decent and long-lasting coverage. It feels lightweight and hydrating on the skin (it contains hyaluronic acid) but blurs out scarring and dark spots and covers redness. The finish is pearlescent and luminous and reflects light beautifully. We know nights out and weddings feel a long way off, but we can’t wait to wear this for a special occasion; its combination of glow and staying power make it the perfect candidate for the dance floor.

Best for: Full coverage

This is the most comfortable matte, full-coverage foundation we’ve found. It doesn’t feel heavy or tight as it dries (though drier skin types may find it too dehydrating) and it blurs over fine lines and pores rather than settling in and exaggerating them. Go easy on application as it’s very pigmented, so a little goes a long way; this covers stubborn redness around our cheeks and nose in one light layer. We found it needed just a little touch-up around the nose at the end of the day, but otherwise lasted very well.

Best for: Oily skin

This is a classic for a reason. It is matte, oil-free, water-resistant, sweat-resistant, humidity-resistant and, importantly these days, doesn’t shift under a mask. It offers medium buildable coverage but still feels lightweight on the skin, and it also comes in a phenomenal 61 shades. We’d still recommend finishing up with a powder to keep it in place, but only apply on the areas you know your foundation shifts during the day; leave naturally drier areas, such as cheeks, free.

Best for: Budget

We already love The Ordinary for its budget-friendly, ingredient-focused skincare, and its foundation is a very good option if money is tight. It feels light on skin and gives fair, buildable coverage with a natural, glowing finish. The bottle is small, but the formula is well pigmented and it doesn’t hugely absorb into a brush, so you don’t need much to cover your whole face. Those with oily skin might find they have trouble getting it to stay put though.

Best for: Dry skin

We’re slightly cheating here as this is technically a CC cream rather than a foundation, but it’s incredibly pigmented and so behaves more like a foundation in terms of coverage (which we’d say is medium and natural). The formula is rich and feels hydrating on the skin, rather than sucking moisture out as it dries, and the finish is dewy and light-reflecting. It doesn’t settle into dry patches or leave cheeks papery after a few hours.

Best for: Holidays

Holidays may feel a long way off right now, but it’s best to be prepared – or even to just bring some sunny vibes to your flat. This is a clear formula with beads of pigment suspended in it, which burst on contact with the skin. It feels cool and refreshing on application and gives light coverage and mega, almost wet-look glow. The secret is to apply it with your fingers or the brush provided; if you apply it to the back of your hand first, the pigment bubbles will burst there rather than on your face.

Best for: Shade range

Rihanna’s beauty brand promises inclusion for all skin tones and this foundation delivers on that front. The range of 50 shades goes from very light to very dark, with a multitude of undertones catered for. It goes on velvety smooth and takes longer than most matte foundations to dry, so you’ve plenty of time to blend it in. The finish is matte but satin rather than flat, and it stays put for a good 10 hours. Those with dry skin may want to try the hydrating formula instead (£27, Boots.com), still in the same brilliant range of shades.

Best for: Natural finish

This is very thin foundation (it will run between your fingers) that glides on easily and gives an incredibly natural, barely-there, demi-matte finish. To the touch, it feels very silky on the skin, and it’s so lightweight that within a few minutes you’ll completely forget you’re wearing it. You will need a little concealer on top to cover any particular areas of scarring or redness. Sadly, as is common with Japanese beauty brands, the shade range is quite limited to light tones.