Best Foundations for Every Age and Skin Type
Some of us aren’t lucky enough to have perfect, beautiful skin without a little help. We may have a bit of darkening, reddening, and we need a little oomph to get our complexion perfect. That being said, our skin changes as we age. When we’re younger, we usually have oily skin, then it dries out, and then some people even experience oily skin as they grow older! This means that you may constantly change your foundation. The stuff you used when you were 18 may not be the best choice at 58.
Today, we’re going to go over the best foundations for your age and skin type. For oily skin types, we focused on foundations that will help mattify your face and won’t break down as you wear it throughout the day. Dry skin requires a moisturizing foundation that won’t bring out every fleck and fine line like you’re under a microscope.
For combination skin, we suggest using a primer to get the proper effect. If your T-Zone is oily while the rest of your face is dry, exfoliate regularly and moisturize before putting on makeup. For the oily skin, use powders to help soak up the extra oils, and your makeup will last much longer.
As a note, we’ve included foundations for every budget to $6 to $60. If you need a drugstore foundation, don’t worry! We have you covered with foundations that are ideal for your age and budget.
20s: Oily: Fenty: Pro Filt’r Soft Matte
Fenty just hit the market with a line of amazing foundations, but they’re pretty much all ideal for oily skin. It’s honestly ideal for any age as long as your skin can handle the formula. It’s fast drying and is medium to full coverage.
Fenty: Pro Filt’r Soft Matte, Available on Amazon
20s: Dry: NARS Radiant Longwear
NARS Radiant Longwear is what you need if your skin is on the dry side. We still suggest exfoliating quite a bit and moisturizing before putting on the formula. Apply with a damp beauty blender but remember that a lot goes a long way. This foundation is fast drying and is light to medium coverage. That being said, you can build it to a full coverage.
NARS Radiant Longwear, Available on Amazon
30s: Oily: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
At this point in your life, you need to makeup to go on and STAY on. Estee Lauder Double Wear is what you need, especially if you have oily skin. It comes in a huge shade range, so you’ll find a true match. This foundation is oil-free and even helps control your oil so it’ll last even in the hottest of weather.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup, Available on Amazon
30s: Dry: Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Foundation
Just like the foundation we suggested for oily skin, this formula will last all day. It promises a 24-hour, natural matte finish that blurs pores and fine lines. It works well with dry skin, but we suggest using a quality primer and exfoliation routine.
Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Foundation, Available on Amazon
40s: Oily: Lorac Porefection Foundation
Lorac Porefection can help get you that silky (not shiny!) look. It’s a medium to full coverage, so you don’t want to add a ton to your face. It also contains lemon and papaya extract for astringent properties to help fight acne. The anti-inflammatory olive leaf extra and skin-nourishing vitamins A and E ensure your skin looks great all the time.
Lorac Porefection Foundation, Available on Amazon
40s: Dry: Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation
When you have dry skin, your foundation needs to be moisturizing, and Becca’s Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation does just that. It uses hyaluronic acid to infuse water deep into your skin for a plumping effect. It actually leaves you more hydrated than you started!
Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation, Available on Amazon
50s: Oily: Rénergie Lift Anti-Wrinkle Lifting SPF 20 Foundation
Made by Lancôme, this foundation is great for older skin. It leaves skin looking younger than ever and helps create a line-free complexion. It’s moderate to full coverage and has caffeine in the formula to lift your skin. Don’t worry, though. Pure vitamin E moisturizes your skin.
Rénergie Lift Anti-Wrinkle Lifting SPF 20 Foundation, Available on Amazon
50s: Dry: Dermablend Flawless Creator
Dermablend is known for being lightweight and extremely comfortable to wear throughout the day. It creates a silky texture that’s customizable, buildable, and blendable. The foundation is also designed to be water- and oil-free so you can use it with any skincare you currently have in your routine.
Dermablend Flawless Creator, Available on Amazon
60s: Oily: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines Foundation
While it doesn’t have a great shade range, it’s still really great for mature skin that’s on the oily side. It’s hydrating and anti-aging to help improve your skin even after it’s washed off. This formula is fused with hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, argan oil, and vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9, and CoQ10.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines Foundation, Available on Amazon
60s: Dry: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+
This CC cream is perfect for dry skin because it hydrates it while also providing SPF 50+ to your skin. Despite being a CC cream, it actually has pretty decent coverage, although it is still classified as light coverage. It won’t settle into fine lines like other heavier foundations.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+, Available on Amazon
70s: Oily: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk is an award-winning foundation appropriate for all age groups. The ultra-lightweight formula feels sheer and comfortable on your skin. If you’re searching for a foundation to lend your complexion a luminous glow, then Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk might be perfect for you.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, Available on Amazon
70s: Dry: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Cream
This “foundation” is a holy grail, we promise. It’s basically a CC cream that has a little bit of tint to it. If you have dry skin, it’ll hydrate those dry spots without providing too much saturation. It also is extremely light coverage, so it’ll even out your complexion without settling into fine lines.
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Cream, Available on Amazon
80s: Oily: Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint
This foundation is incredibly lightweight and designed to tint the skin without sinking into fine lines or feeling too much like a mask. The coverage is pretty reliable, which is more than we can say for other foundations.
Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint, Available on Amazon
80s: Dry: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Cream
Yes, this is the same cream as the 70s before, but when we said it’s a holy grail, we mean it. It’s impressive for nearly any skin type, but it’s best for older skin that’s on the dry side. Thanks to the sheer tint, it also won’t look cakey on the face.
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Cream, Available on Amazon
