7 Best Foundations for Mature Skin, According to Makeup Artists and Vogue Editors
Kiana Murden
March 25, 2024
Makeup
Embracing your look as you age means adjusting your makeup regimen to suit your ever-evolving skin—something the best foundation for mature skin can certainly help with. To veil anything from dark spots to fine lines, the right complexion products make all the difference.
The All-Around Pick: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Why We Love It
When we tapped makeup pros Carolina Dalí-Trites, Tobi Henney, and Janice Kinjo, each of them recommended Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation. While Kinjo notes it’s her go-to “that won’t settle into fine lines,” Dalí-Trites believes it “looks and feels like a second skin.” Henney shares that she reaches for this formula while working with Diane von Furstenberg for an event or photoshoot: “I use this a lot in my work, as it creates the most flawless base for all skin types.”
Product Details: Inspired by charmeuse silk, this oil-free foundation is infused with finely milled color pigments to impart medium coverage and a radiant, airbrushed finish that resembles a lit-from-within glow.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, Armani’s Micro-Fil Technology
Finish: Skin-like, blurred, and glowing
Coverage: Medium
Best For: All skin types
The Weightless Wear: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation Hydration and Longwear
Why We Love It
Celebrity makeup artist Meredith Baraf, who counts Brooke Shields, Erin Andrews, and Frankie Foye as clients, shares a laundry list of foundations that “melt into the skin and don’t tend to creep into fine lines and wrinkles or accentuate pores.” One of them is this weightless Chanel pick.
Product Details: Formulated with 40% water and light-reflecting pigments, the foundation has a silky, barely there feel and instantly hydrates skin for up to 12 hours.
Key Ingredients: 40% water, light-reflecting pigments, glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, jasmine stem extract
Finish: Glowy, hydrated
Coverage: Light-to-medium
Best For: Dry, dehydrated skin or daily wear
The Illuminator: Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Soft Radiance Foundation SPF 50
Why We Love It
“This foundation has great coverage and is perfect for those with drier skin types,” says Henney. “The shade range is beautiful, and the packaging is super chic!”
Product Details: Tom Ford’s Soft Radiance foundation features a blend of SPF 50, hyaluronic acid, natural oils, and noni fruit extract to condition and calm skin. On the complexion front, light diffusing powders ensure the perfect luminous, medium-to-full-coverage wear.
Key Ingredients: SPF 50, hyaluronic acid, natural oils, and noni fruit extract
Finish: Blurred but glow-y
Coverage: Medium-to-full
Best For: All skin types, glam (think: events or camera-ready), UV protection
The Camera-Ready: Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 30
Why We Love It
“I love this foundation for when I’m getting my clients ready for a red carpet or important event,” says Henney. “I use this on my client Vera Wang, and we love how it looks on the skin and in photographs.”
Product Details: Get your skin camera-ready with Shiseido’s foundation, designed to adjust to your skin’s needs. Featuring a blend of SPF 30, mandarin-peel extract, light-adjusting technology, luminous pearls, and microcrystals, this foundation refines skin texture, reduces the look of hyperpigmentation, and smooths fine lines. The finish is medium-to-full coverage, along with water-, transfer-, and crease-resistant wear.
Key Ingredients: Light-adjusting technology (smooths skin), radiant microcrystals (also makes skin appear smoother), luminous pearls (corrects hyperpigmentation)
Finish: Blurred, soft-focus
Coverage: Medium-to-full coverage
Best For: Glam (think: red carpets or events!), all skin types, UV protection
The Skin Care Hybrid: Sisley Sisleya Le Teint Anti-Aging Foundation
Why We Love It
“The best foundations use great skin-care ingredients,” says Kinjo. “You want ingredients that help collagen production, like my favorite Sisley Paris Sisleÿa Le Teint Anti-Aging Foundation.”
Product Details: Persian acacia, chlorella, soy peptide, and white willow extracts are only a few of the ingredients that power Sisley’s light-coverage foundation. While these work to reveal a radiant, supple complexion, mica and powder pigments promote a smooth, even base.
Key Ingredients: Persian acacia, chlorella, soy peptide, white willow extracts, adenosine, cherry blossom extract, vitamin E
Finish: Skin-like
Coverage: Light
Best For: All skin types
The Matte Finish: Dior Forever Matte Foundation SPF 15
Why We Love It
One may assume that a matte-finish foundation is out of the question, so as to avoid exaggerating the look of skin texture or fine lines. Baraf, however, recommends Dior’s foundation (in the matte or glow variant) as a suitable option.
Product Details: Powered by mineral pigments and floral extracts of wild pansy, nasturtium, and iris, Dior’s matte foundation is anything but drying and provides smooth, soft-focus coverage and a nourished complexion.
Key Ingredients: Iris, rose, and wild pansy extracts
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Medium
Best For: Normal-to-oily skin, UV protection
Hydration source Lancome TEINT MIRACLE
Why we love it
Lancome TEINT MIRACLE is truly a miracle foundation. Known for its persistence and longevity even on oily skin. It comes in airy texture that gives the skin an extremely soft appearance.
Product details: The foundation perfectly preserves the hydration of the skin thanks to the extract of the moringa tree, which hydrates and at the same time makes the skin softer looking. Taint Miracle is also enriched with glycerin and hyaluronic acid, so this foundation is a real moisturizing treat for the skin.
Key ingredients: Moringa tree, hyaluronic acid, glycerin
Finish: Dewy
Coverage: Medium coverage to enhance the appearance of the skin
Best for: dry or dehydrated skin
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