10 Best Foundations for Dry Skin in 2022 (Beauty Blogger-Reviewed)
Everyone hates those days when your foundation gets caught on every dry patch you have and separates around your lines. Though the grey winter skies are lovely and Christmas is in the air, the weather really isn't doing any favors for your skin. And just because a foundation says it’s moisturizing doesn’t mean it’s actually moisturizing.
There’s so much else to worry about. Will it clog your pores? Cover your blemishes? Will it look natural on you? It’s true that everyone was born into different skin, but there a few general guidelines you should keep in mind next time you go shopping. Koh Gen Do's Maifanshi Moisture Foundation was our favorite foundation for dry skin—continue reading to find out why!
Quick List - Top Foundations For Dry Skin
Koh Gen Do
Looks like Skin and is Chock Full of Juicy Botanicals like Shea Butter
CHANTECAILLE
Light Water-Based Foundation that Draws and Keeps Moisture in Your Skin All Day Long
BECCA
If You Like to Glow, This Foundation Has You Looking Fresh and Dewy from Sunup to Sundown
Kevyn Aucoin
Your Go-to All-Day Foundation: Comfy and Holds up Well over Time
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
Table of Contents
- Why Is My Skin So Dry?
- 10 Best Foundations For Dry Skin Ranking
- No. 1Koh Gen Do | Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation
- No. 2CHANTECAILLE | CHANTECAILLE Future Skin Foundation
- No. 3BECCA | BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation
- No. 4Kevyn Aucoin | Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation
- No. 5La Mer | La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation
- 5 more products
- Need More Makeup Products?
- In Collaboration With Beauty Blogger Beauty and the Cat
Why Is My Skin So Dry?
However, as we age, this barrier thins. So time can contribute to drying skin, as can external factors like air conditioning and the sun’s rays. A good foundation (and skincare routine) counteracts these issues; it doesn’t only serve to moisturize skin, but it also assists the NMF by repelling UV rays and other irritants.
Beauty guru and this article's resident expert, Renee of Beauty and the Cat, puts in her two cents below on how to combat dryness during the winter months. You can also check out her full introduction in the buying guide!
In the winter, I have a humidifier on at almost all times—at work and at home. In addition, I put on tons of moisturizer. I use multiple layers of serum, night cream, and a night mask to seal in the moisture. I often use eye cream as a facial moisturizer because it is thicker. I have to wear hats in the sun—all to lock in moisture!
How to Choose Foundations For Dry Skin
To properly understand skincare and makeup, you need experience, as well as information. That's why we reached out to Renee, a beauty guru who has to do battle with the cold, dry winters of New York.
What Type of Foundation is Best for my Dry Skin?
Let’s start off basic—what’s the difference between cream and powder foundation? It’s the easiest way to eyeball if a foundation is going to work for you. However, if you already know all of this, feel free to skip ahead.
Cream Foundations Moisturize for a Long Time and Give you Plenty of Coverage
Most of the time, cream foundations have a lot of oil in them. They’re thick, and if you come by a moisturizing formulation, they can keep your skin hydrated for hours. They're also mostly full-on coverage, so you get to kill two birds with one stone: hydration and blemish correction.
I don’t like to use cream foundation in the summer time because it feels too heavy. It gets cakey because of the texture, but it will be hydrating. I wear cream mostly during the wintertime.
But thicker cream foundations can also age people because it settles into your lines. It’s a very heavy look, and I would say the older you get, the less makeup you should appear to wear.
For a More Natural Look, Liquid and Cushion Foundations are Easy on the Skin
Cushion foundation is just liquid foundation but in a compact. You want it when you’re on the go and you need something you can throw in your makeup bag and put on in the car. Liquid–and cushion–foundations are good because they come in plenty of moisturizing formulas and blend out easily.
They can be light, medium, or full coverage, and even the lighter ones, you can usually build up to at least medium coverage. In general, they are lighter and thus easier on the skin than cream foundation, so they’re a good choice if you’re worried about damaging your skin with too much makeup.
Liquid and cushion foundations are both a little more versatile than cream because you can wear them in hotter weather as well. Since the coverage is lighter, you can build with multiple layers. However, I’ve found that they aren’t as long-wearing and can rub off with sweat.
If You Must Have the Convenience of Powder, Look for a Moisturizing Formula
Powder foundation doesn’t contain a whole lot of oil. Ten years ago, we might’ve even said none of them are suited for dry skin, but technology has changed and the beauty industry has changed.
Nowadays, there’s powder foundation with moisturizing formulas. Mineral foundation also has a dedicated following who swear it’s best for sensitive skin.
Powder’s popular because it’s versatile; like liquid, you can get it in full, medium, or light coverage. It’s fast and easy to apply, though loose mineral foundations can get pretty messy.
I wouldn’t say powder is great for dry skin; you have to moisturize a lot to keep it from getting patchy. But it does have a lot of staying power, so if you have occasions like weddings or portrait shoots, that’s the way to go, no matter what—whether you have dry skin or oily skin because it will stay on much better.
See if There’s Moisturizing Ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides
When you put NMF substances in skincare products, they draw moisture into your skin and shield it from irritants. That’s why hyaluronic acid and ceramides of two of the holy grail ingredients for people with dry skin.
Squalane oil is another NMF, though our skin produces it as squalene. But squalene is unstable and oxidizes as soon as it’s introduced to air, which is why the hydrogenated form, squalane, is used in skincare. It used to be derived from shark liver, but nowadays, it’s usually harvested from plants, which is more sustainable and cruelty-free.
These three ingredients are pretty effective because our bodies are familiar with them. Our bodies recognize the NMFs when they’re used in skincare products and know how to utilize them to hydrate and protect skin. Below, Renee shares a few shortcuts to picking out a moisturizing formulation.
I generally ask for advice from my friend and look at the first few ingredients to see whether there’s oils or alcohol, which can cause me to break out or cause my skin to go dry. Sometimes, I experiment with the brand of my moisturizer. La Mer, for example, I like as a moisturizer, so maybe their makeup would work well.
People tend to separate skincare and cosmetics—one is a treatment and one is makeup. But if they want to try something good for their skin, then they can stick with the brand that does the skincare.
Get Formulas That Go on and Come off Easily
If the foundation doesn’t spread easily, it will need to be pulled and prodded into your skin. If you tug at your skin, you can irritate it and dry it out more. So the big takeaway is to get foundation that spreads easily.
Light formulas can give you good coverage if you’re smart about it. Build them up with a brush or tap them in with a beauty blender so you don’t stretch your makeup too thin.
Likewise, if you get a clingy foundation, you’ll need to either cleanse multiple times or use a strong remover to get off all the residue. However, if you have dry skin, strong cleansers, such as those containing surfactants, can deprive you of even more moisture.
So think about getting a makeup that wipes off easily, even if you need more touch-ups throughout the day.
If it’s easily blendable, it might not come off so easily. I also know some foundations don’t play well with certain skincare products, so applying them after skincare can cause pilling or flaking.
Usually, the more liquid a foundation, the easier it comes off and the easier it is to blend—unless it has a lot of oils and sunscreen because those are made to resist sweat and water. But if it's long-wearing, long-lasting, it’s going to be hard to take off. So I target it for the ocassion.
10 Best Foundations For Dry Skin Ranking
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Koh Gen Do Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation | | Looks like Skin and is Chock Full of Juicy Botanicals like Shea Butter | |
2 | CHANTECAILLE CHANTECAILLE Future Skin Foundation | | Light Water-Based Foundation that Draws and Keeps Moisture in Your Skin All Day Long | |
3 | BECCA BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation | | If You Like to Glow, This Foundation Has You Looking Fresh and Dewy from Sunup to Sundown | |
4 | Kevyn Aucoin Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation | | Your Go-to All-Day Foundation: Comfy and Holds up Well over Time | |
5 | La Mer La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation | | Skincare in a Frosted Glass Bottle, Contains La Mer’s Restorative Miracle Broth | |
6 | NARS NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation | | Most Convenient Cream Foundation: Comes in a Compact, Light-Weight, and Very Glowy | |
7 | Maybelline New York Maybelline New York Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation | | Looks Just as Glowy as High-End Foundations | |
8 | Estee Lauder Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Soft Matte Hydra | | Light and Comfortable Matte Finish With Hyaluronic Acid | |
9 | Perricone MD Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation | | Packed with Nourishing Plants and Anti-Aging Ingredients | |
10 | bareMinerals bareMinerals Original Foundation | | Doesn’t Get Flakey, is Super Light, and Gentle on Sensitive Skin |
Koh Gen DoKoh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation
Looks like Skin and is Chock Full of Juicy Botanicals like Shea Butter
The texture’s creamy, but it doesn’t get cakey and doesn’t feel like a layer of oil on your face; it just keeps you moisturized. It’s more of a medium coverage foundation; it does a good job blurring out imperfections, but it doesn’t block them out completely. It doesn’t really settle into fine lines or pores and just looks like skin.
CHANTECAILLECHANTECAILLE Future Skin Foundation
Light Water-Based Foundation that Draws and Keeps Moisture in Your Skin All Day Long
There’s a bunch of good-for-you botanicals, including aloe and rice bran extract–the latter of which known for being moisturizing, vitamin E, and oil-rich. The foundation feels light and hydrating.
It pretty much smooths over dry patches and doesn’t really settle into creases, though the coverage is a little thin. You can build it up to medium, but it’s not the best for hyperpigmentation.
If You Like to Glow, This Foundation Has You Looking Fresh and Dewy from Sunup to Sundown
Once it does meld to your skin, though, it gives you a super glowy, super dewy finish. It’s not cakey, doesn’t really settle into fine lines or creases, and is long-lasting. You can get about 12 hours with a good primer, setting spray, and this foundation.
Kevyn AucoinKevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation
Your Go-to All-Day Foundation: Comfy and Holds up Well over Time
While it might not be enough to replace your skincare, it definitely is not drying and will keep your skin protected over time. It slides smoothly onto the skin; it doesn’t cake, and it blurs enlarged pores quite a bit.
There’s a bit of a learning curve to this foundation. It likes to move around on the skin, which makes it difficult to sweep out with a brush; you have to stipple it in. It can settle into fine lines just a bit–just remember that a little goes a long way. It holds up well over time; some would even say the finish gets prettier, just a tiny bit more luminous.
La MerLa Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation
Skincare in a Frosted Glass Bottle, Contains La Mer’s Restorative Miracle Broth
It does spread like fluid onto the skin and builds easily from light to medium coverage. The finish is luminous and it’s light on your skin and doesn’t really feel tacky. It doesn’t settle into lines though it does break up along them over time. It also definitely doesn’t dry your skin out, but it doesn’t plump you up either, so hydrate well.
Most Convenient Cream Foundation: Comes in a Compact, Light-Weight, and Very Glowy
As for ingredients, the formula includes hyaluronic acid, ceramides, good-for-you botanicals, and skin-repairing vitamins. It has medium coverage, but you can build it up to a full one. It seems to work best when you use a good brush and patiently buff it into your skin.
Maybelline New YorkMaybelline New York Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation
Looks Just as Glowy as High-End Foundations
It leaves you glowing. It is non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and contains good amounts of glycerin, a humectant (attracts water into your skin).
The foundation, however, is very hit-or-miss. It has all sorts of parabens in it, as well as fragrance, so it might irritate sensitive skin and make you break out. It's best to figure out exactly what your skin needs first.
Estee LauderEstee Lauder Double Wear Light Soft Matte Hydra
Light and Comfortable Matte Finish With Hyaluronic Acid
It also feels lighter and doesn’t give you much more than medium coverage. It does do a good job of blurring out pores for a lightly airbrushed effect. However, as it is a matte foundation, we’d recommend you do a lot of hydrating before applying or using it with a moisturizing primer.
It does start to crease around motion lines halfway through the day, and it can look flakey around dry patches. But this is a good one to reach for if you do want a soft matte finish or have combination skin.
Packed with Nourishing Plants and Anti-Aging Ingredients
It contains a lot of skin-nourishing plant extracts, including vitamin E-rich wheat bran and rapeseed, as well as DMAE, which is supposed to firm up your skin over time–lifting skin and reducing wrinkles.
bareMineralsbareMinerals Original Foundation
Doesn’t Get Flakey, is Super Light, and Gentle on Sensitive Skin
Dry spots can get a bit flakey, but it holds up well as long as you moisturize your face and use a hydrating primer. It really keeps the foundation from settling into fine lines.
It’s made of just five mineral ingredients, which sit lightly on your face. If you’re not used to mineral foundations, there’s a bit of a learning curve with learning how to apply it correctly, so make sure you give YouTube a quick glance before picking up your brush.
Need More Makeup Products?
It's hard to ever feel like you have enough makeup products, what with new fashion styles coming out every year. And with the plethora of blushes, foundations, and lipsticks out there, it can be hard to choose. But don't worry—we've got you covered.
In Collaboration With Beauty Blogger Beauty and the Cat
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
Top 5 Foundations For Dry Skin
No. 1: Koh Gen Do｜Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation
No. 2: CHANTECAILLE｜CHANTECAILLE Future Skin Foundation
No. 3: BECCA｜BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation
No. 4: Kevyn Aucoin｜Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation
No. 5: La Mer｜La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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