Best Drugstore Foundations in U.S. [December, 2023]

Finding the perfect foundation that matches your skin type and tone without breaking the bank can be a challenge. With so many budget-friendly options at the drugstore, how do you know which ones are worth trying? We’ve tested and reviewed the best drugstore foundations to bring you the top of the crop.

Best Drugstore Foundation: Overall

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 119,930+
• Price: $5.42 for 1 fl oz

This oil-free, liquid foundation delivers flawless full coverage with a natural matte finish that lasts all day. The lightweight formula contains micro-powders to control shine and blur pores. Available in 40 shades to match a wide range of skin tones. It provides a smooth, breathable layer over skin and doesn’t clog pores. This is literally the best drugstore foundation for covering imperfections without looking cakey.

Best Drugstore Foundation for Combination Skin

L’Oreal Paris True Match Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 18,640+
• Price: $7.55 for 1 fl oz

This popular drugstore foundation offers buildable medium coverage with a natural finish. The gel-like formula contains nourishing ingredients like glycerin and shea butter. It comes in 45 shades with warm, cool, and neutral undertones to closely match your complexion. The lightweight liquid foundation seamlessly blends onto skin, evening tone while allowing natural luminosity to shine through.

Best Full Coverage Drugstore Foundation

Revlon ColorStay Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 10,440+
• Price: $12.49 for 1 fl oz

Get flawless full coverage that lasts 24 hours with Revlon ColorStay. This transfer-resistant formula covers imperfections and blurs pores without caking or slipping off. The foundation glides on smoothly and dries to a natural soft matte finish. With a huge shade range in neutral, warm, and cool tones, you can find your perfect match. It’s ideal for oily and combination skin types.

Best Long Lasting Drugstore Foundation

L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 22,147+
• Price: $12.99 for 1 fl oz

This lightweight foundation delivers an airbrushed matte finish that stays put. The liquid formula is sweatproof, transfer-proof, and can last up to 24 hours on normal skin types. It glides onto skin seamlessly for medium to full buildable coverage that masks imperfections without settling into fine lines. Available in 25 shades for a wide range of complexions.

Best Lightweight Drugstore Foundation

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation

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• Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 6,401+
• Price: $9.56 for 1 fl oz

Featherlight and hydrating, Neutrogena Healthy Skin provides a natural luminous finish. The liquid foundation contains minerals, glycerin, and vitamin E to nourish and soften skin while evening tone. The buildable sheer to medium coverage seamlessly melts into skin, blurring the look of pores and fine lines. A great lightweight everyday foundation available in 14 shades.

Best Drugstore Foundation For Dry Skin & Best Hydrating Drugstore Foundation

L’Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

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• Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 58+
• Price: $11.97 for 1 fl oz

Get a healthy-looking glow with this moisturizing foundation. Enriched with glycerin and shea butter, the lightweight formula delivers sheer to medium buildable coverage with a luminous finish. Available in warm, neutral, and cool undertones, it matches your unique complexion for a lit-from-within look. The hydrating foundation diffuses light on skin, blurring imperfections.

Best Dewy Drugstore Foundation

Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 5,400+
• Price: $10.95 for 1 fl oz

Achieve naturally radiant, dewy skin with this moisturizing foundation. The liquid formula contains collagen and hyaluronic acid for comfortable, lightweight wear that lasts up to 12 hours. It provides buildable sheer to medium coverage with a luminous satin finish. Available in 16 shades, it seamlessly blends onto skin, giving your complexion a smooth, natural glow.

Best Drugstore Foundation for Acne

Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream

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• Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 8,812+
• Price: $7.98 for 1 fl oz

This multitasking BB cream primes, perfects, hydrates, and protects with the added benefit of clearing acne-prone skin. The oil-free formula contains 2% salicylic acid to reduce breakouts by clearing pores. It provides lightweight, breathable medium coverage with a natural finish. The skin-clearing BB cream also contains antioxidant vitamins E and C to even skin tone.

Best Drugstore Foundation For Mature Skin

Olay Simply Ageless Foundation

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• Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 16,778+
• Price: $11.44 for 0.4 fl oz

Specifically formulated to hydrate mature skin while visibly reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This creamy foundation contains skin-plumping oligopeptides and light-diffusing pigments to create a smooth, flawless finish. The medium coverage foundation brightens dull skin while providing a youthful luminosity.

Best Matte Drugstore Foundation & Best Drugstore Foundation for Oily Skin

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

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• Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 14,189+
• Price: $2.40 for 1 fl oz

This lightweight mousse foundation glides onto oily and acne-prone skin to deliver natural, flawless full coverage with a soft matte finish. The transfer-resistant formula contains oil-absorbing powders to control shine for up to 5 hours. The creamy texture blends seamlessly without settling into pores or fine lines. Available in 15 shades to match light to medium skin tones.

Best Drugstore Powder Foundation

Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder

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• Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 15,244+
• Price: $5.94 for 0.32 oz

This ultra-light powder foundation smoothes onto skin for adjustable sheer to full coverage you can layer and build throughout the day. The creamy soft-focus formula contains micro-powders to blur the look of pores and imperfections with a natural matte finish. Available in 18 shades to complement a range of skin tones. Great for touch-ups over liquid foundation or lightweight coverage on its own.

Best Drugstore Stick Foundation

Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation Stick

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• Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 11,959+
• Price: $6.49 for 0.42 oz

This creamy stick foundation blends seamlessly onto skin for full coverage with a soft matte finish. The highly pigmented, buildable formula contains light-diffusing pigments to create a filtered, photo-ready look. Available in 10 shades, the foundation stick is ideal for contouring and covering blemishes on normal, oily, and combination skin.

Best Cream Foundation Drugstore

Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream

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• Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
• Reviews: 9,764+
• Price: $6.29 for 1 oz

Get lightweight coverage with skin-perfecting benefits using this mattifying CC cream. The oil-free formula color corrects, conceals, hydrates, and protects with broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen. It creates a smooth, natural finish while controlling shine for up to 8 hours on oily and combination skin tones. Available in 5 shades.

Foundation Comparison Chart

Frequently Asked Questions about Best Drugstore Foundation

What is the most long-wearing drugstore foundation?

L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matte is the top long-wearing drugstore foundation, lasting up to 24 hours on normal to oily skin types without fading, cracking, or transferring.

Which affordable foundation offers the most coverage?

For flawless full coverage, Revlon ColorStay Foundation delivers a powerful pigmented formula that covers imperfections. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless is another full coverage drugstore option.

What is the best drugstore foundation for oily skin?

Look for oil-controlling matte finish foundations like Rimmel Stay Matte or Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless to keep shine at bay. Neutrogena Healthy Skin is a great lightweight liquid foundation for oily skin as well.

What is the most moisturizing drugstore foundation?

If you have dry skin, try hydrating foundations like L’Oreal True Match Lumi or Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid. For anti-aging hydration, Olay Regenerist Foundation contains ultra-moisturizing ingredients.

Which affordable foundations are non-comedogenic or oil-free?

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless, Neutrogena Healthy Skin, and Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream are all oil-free and non-comedogenic, making them great for acne-prone skin.

How do you find the right shade of drugstore foundation?

Test shades at your jawline in natural lighting. Opt for yellow-based tones if you have warm undertones and pinker hues for cool undertones. Many foundations label shades warm, neutral or cool. Sheer and buildable formulas are more forgiving than fuller coverage options.