15 Foundations ELLE Editors Can’t Live Without

Sephora had me when they announced Lys Beauty as its first-ever  Black-owned Sephora clean color cosmetics brand. The foundation is weightless (perfect for the impending summer heat) and medium coverage, so I don’t end up feeling cakey. — Nerisha Penrose, Beauty Commerce Editor, ELLE.com

“I’ve been using BareMinerals Complexion Rescue for almost my entire adult life. Sometimes I’ll try to switch to other brands for fuller coverage, or because they get great reviews, but I always end up coming back to my tried and true fav. It’s the only foundation that covers up my rosacea, doesn’t cake or dry, and leave my skin looking glowy. I layer it on top of the Becca Backlight Primer and voila! It’s the epitome of effortless no makeup makeup.” — Jessica Roy, Digital Director 

“I use Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation. Fenty’s foundation is perfect for my dry skin. I found a lot of other foundations were too drying and left my face looking dull. Fenty’s foundation goes a long way and leaves my face with an even glowing finish.” — Starr Savoy, Editorial Fellow

“I’ve used BareMinerals’ powder foundation since high school, but what I love about its newer performance-wear foundation is that it really evens my skin tone and covers all my blemishes without feeling heavy—and the color lasts. In the summer, I have oily skin too, so having a good matte foundation really helps keep my skin’s sheen in check. BareMineral’s powder foundations generally feel barely there for me but still work miracles on my skin. And it never breaks me out: a major plus!” — Alyssa Bailey, News and Strategy Editor

“It’s Make Up For Ever for me—specifically the Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation. It does everything you want a good foundation to do: goes on easy without a ton of blending and re-blending and stays on easy, even through a long, hot summer night. (More like Make Up 5Ever, am I right? sry sry it was right there.)” — Katherine Krueger, Features Editor

“I love the coverage, the extensive shade range, the feel of the creamy formula on my skin, and the fact that this foundation can last all day and all night. To brag for one second,  I’ve also been told by Rihanna’s makeup artist Priscilla Ono that the BadGal and I share the same foundation shades. It’s just pure love!” — Chloe Hall, Beauty Director

“Real Rare Beauty stans will know about the #DotFoundationChallenge—using one dot of the brand’s Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation to cover your entire face. Selena Gomez has always preached that a little goes a long way with her products, and this foundation is all the proof you need. The formula is lightweight, breathable, and provides solid coverage with just a smear from the doe-foot applicator.” — Ariana Yaptangco, Social & Beauty Editor

“I’ve been trying to take better care of my skin, and that includes breaking my full-coverage foundation habit. I often go makeup-free (never thought I’d type those words in my life!) but when I need to even out my discoloration, I reach for a BB cream with built-in SPF. Nothing does the job like IT Cosmetics.” — Julie Kosin, Senior Culture Editor

A friend needed a recommendation for the foundation to wear on her wedding day and I had only one suggestion: Dior Forever Glow. It’s totally foolproof and lasts through morning Zoom calls and (multiple) masked coffee runs. I prefer put it on with a fluffy foundation brush, and it instantly gives you smooth, even skin without covering your glow.  — Margaux Anbouba, Associate Beauty Editor

“‘Say what?’ is exactly what you’ll say in your head when you witness the magic of this foundation. This deceitful little gem startled me when I first pumped the product onto my face. But once I blended everything out, I looked like a more poreless, smooth, radiant version of myself.” — Nerisha Penrose, Beauty Commerce Editor

“I appreciate the art of a full beat, but I also love it when my skin—bronzed, browed, and highlighted—still looks like skin. That, coupled with working (living, socializing, pampering, working some more) from the comfort of my home/missing outside, makes Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint, the perfect choice for me. It’s lightweight and gentle, but still effective in smoothing out my base for a seamless finish.” — Angel Lenise, Supervising Video Producer

“I used to have pretty red and bumpy acne with lots of scars, and this foundation was my best possible cover-up. It looks like actual glowing healthy skin and hides pigmentation with one layer. Even though my acne has cleared up thanks to Accutane, I still use this when I’m getting done up. I suggest a domed buffing brush to apply—you’ll have a gorgeous even and natural-looking complexion fast. And about the price tag: I usually need only two tubes a year, which breaks down to about a dollar per weekday.” —Katie Becker, Beauty & Health Director

“All I need in this life of sin is a full-coverage foundation that feels lightweight. Charlotte Tilbury’s magical formula manages to do both, while keeping my oily face matte and poreless.” —  Ariana Yaptangco, Social Media Editor

“You know it’s true love when you own the same foundation in multiple shades. I tan easily and my complexion changes drastically depending on the hour, so I keep a few Nars bottles on my counter to match myself on the day. The formula is lightweight and gives you a silky, barely-there finish, which works well with my sensitive skin.”—Justine Carreon, Senior Market Editor

“I’ve been in an entanglement with Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Foundation for two years now. This foundation isn’t stuck up; she gets along well with every product in my routine and still finds a way to stand out on her own. We’ve had our ups—eight-hour-plus workdays of non-stop radiant skin—and our downs—scraping the bottom of the bottle to get the last drop. But this is the best $42 I’ve ever spent in my life.” — Nerisha Penrose, Beauty Commerce Editor