Your base can make or break your makeup. That's why it is key to find the right foundation for your skin tone, type and most importantly, your desired finish.
While that might seem complicated, don't fret: Bobbie Thomas stopped by the show to reveal some of her foundation recommendations for every budget. You'll find everything from flawless finishes to waterproof formulas, all the way to foundations that are a little bit in-between. Plus, you'll find some of Thomas' shade matching tips, too.
Keep reading to discover Thomas favorite foundation finds, or click the options below for specific categories.
Bobbie’s tips for shade matching | Bobbie's favorite foundations | Best shade variety | Best flawless formulas | Best no-makeup makeup | Best waterproof wonders | How we chose
Bobbie Thomas’ tips for finding the right foundation shade
According to Thomas, you should keep in mind three things when shade matching:
- Know your undertone. “Shade numbers are often accompanied by a C (Cool), W (Warm), or N (Neutral),” Thomas notes, and these often have corresponding undertones. But if you’re unsure, she says “If the veins inside your wrist appear blue or purple, you’re likely cool-toned; greenish veins suggest warm-toned; if they’re mixed or it’s hard to distinguish the color, you’re probably neutral-toned.”
- Swatch smartly. “The back of your hand (or inside of your arm) is not the best place to test foundations, they’re typically not the same color as your face,” Thomas explains. You can also test other areas, such as the jawline and neck, to help narrow your options.
- Try a shade finder. Before purchasing a new foundation, Bobbie says “you can virtually try on foundations with Ulta’s app that will suggest shades using your smartphone’s camera.”
Bobbie Thomas' favorite foundations
Best shade variety
PUR Love Your Selfie Foundation & Concealer
Although the seamless finish is enough to talk about this product, the shade range is worth noting. On the brand's website, you'll notice a collection of 80+ shades for light to dark skin tones, plus undertones (e.g. golden, cool) for each so you can truly have a perfect match.
L’Oréal Paris True Match Super Blendable Foundation
This bestselling formula is a top drugstore find because of its coverage and buildable finish, but most notably, for its adaptable shade range. Throughout drugstores and online, there are around 47 shades (varies online), with each formulated with up to six pigments that adjust to your right shade.
Dcypher My Custom Foundation
"With unlimited shade potential, Dcypher is the world’s first fully customizable foundation, made from scratch — for every skin tone," says Thomas. "From color and coverage to your finish preference, you can create a unique formula just for you thanks to AI, a 3D snap of your skin tone, and mixed-to-measure technology." You can even customize your own concealer and foundation drops, too.
Best flawless formulas
Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation
While you are left with gorgeous coverage, fermented arnica, antioxidants and a blend of herbs help soothe and visibly improve redness and irritation, so you get the benefits of skin care and makeup in one. It's so good, we even tried it ourselves!
Related
Morphe Lightform Extended Hydration Foundation
"If you’re looking for lightweight, long wearing coverage that’s sweat and water-proof, look no further," recommends Thomas. "Ideal for those needing extra moisture, it provides hydration along with coverage for a refreshed complexion."
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Foundation
Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation has been raved about for years by makeup artists and celebrities alike. The reason behind the love is because the finish is your skin but better, enhancing your natural radiance with its lightweight formula. "The buildable, medium coverage uses exclusive micro–fil technology to sculpt, brighten and improve skin texture while blurring imperfections for a weightless, glowing finish," explains Thomas.
Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation
"A splurge-worthy formula that disappears for a soft-focus finish that looks and feels like natural bare skin," Thomas says about this pick. "No shock that rave reviews and constant demand surround the legendary makeup artist (aka ‘Mother’) and her instant classic."
Best no-makeup makeup
Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer Gel Cream
This new take on tinted moisturizer utilizes a gel-cream formula to lightly tint and give a fresh look to the skin. This unique formula, however, also contains incredibly hydrating ingredients so your skin is treated, too, including copper peptides and zinc.
Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick
According to reviews, Ilia's complexion stick is incredibly blurring and smoothing without the cake-y finish. In fact, it feels weightless no matter how much you apply, so it should move with you, not the other way around. And the best part: The blurring perks continue after use because it is driven by skin care.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm
Although it might look like a foundation stick, Anastasia Beverly Hill's revolutionary launch is actually a BB cream — just in a stick form. The product "delivers light coverage with the benefits of a serum for those seeking a subtle enhancement to their natural skin," explains Thomas, all with powerful hyaluronic acid technology to plump and leave a healthy glow.
Chanel Beauty LES BEIGES Water-Fresh Complexion Touch
Although it is a splurge, the Chanel Les Beiges is well worth the investment. "Loved for its thin, seamless application, it’s perfect for those in search of a ‘your skin but better’ look," boasts Thomas. "The innovative first-of-its-kind formula is infused with encapsulated droplets of pigment that burst to blend in with your skin and deliver a radiant glow."
NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Blur Tint Soft Matte Foundation
This budget-friendly find promises to provide a filter-like matte finish that doesn't leave the skin cake-y nor ashy. And it does all this while also being breathable, fade- and transfer-resistant, regardless of skin type. For those with oily and combination skin, NYX says the foundation can help with oily control, too.
Best waterproof wonders
Urban Decay Face Bond Self Setting Waterproof Foundation
"This budge-proof formula with built-in spherical setting powder bonds with skin to blur and absorb sweat and oil," says Thomas. The product also contains niacinamide to improve texture and minimize the appearance of redness, pores and more.
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer
For the price of most drugstore foundations, you get two products in one with Milani's Conceal + Perfect. It multitasks by offering coverage for under eyes and other skin concerns, just like a concealer, and leaves a natural finish similar to a foundation. Thus, you get the best of both worlds, along with the perks of it being water- and sweat-proof.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Makeup Foundation
"With nearly 60 shades, this long wearing foundation has been a popular staple in many makeup bags for two decades thanks to its 24-hour coverage," suggests Thomas. It claims to last and maintain its finish in hot and humid climates, so you can expect it to feel just as light and comfortable after a long warm day as you did when you first applied it.
How we chose
Bobbie Thomas spoke with the Shop TODAY team to share insight into choosing the right foundation for every skin type and tone, as well as tips for proper shade matching.