- Contains broad-spectrum sun protection
- Hydrates
The Best Foundation for Mature Skin in 2024
![Best Foundation for Mature Skin](/shopping/static/715e0a0c87b308097a6aafd07c61ed87/8ae18/best-foundations-for-mature-skin.jpg)
As we age, our skin changes along with our bodies. Every decade brings subtle—and not-so-subtle—differences to your skin, from loss of elasticity to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Pivoting away from beauty products that no longer serve your skin doesn’t have to be difficult. There’s never been a better time to buy skincare, like anti-aging eye creams, tinted moisturizers, and foundations that nourish and support aging skin. When shopping around, look for makeup with sun protection, anti-aging, and hydrating ingredients to keep your face feeling and looking fresh. After speaking to skincare experts and professional make-up artists, I’ve compiled a list of highly rated and recommended products to help you find the best foundation for mature skin.
This medium to full-coverage foundation comes in 30 shades. It’s perfect for mature skin thanks to its light-reflective properties and mandarin-peel extract that helps smooth over and reduce hyperpigmentation.
The lightweight liquid formula with SPF 30 can be used sparingly for a medium look or layered for full coverage. It blends easily without sticking to fine lines in the face. It lifts, refines, and smooths mature skin, and users say it’s a go-to when you want full coverage for your face, but need hydration.
This lightweight foundation provides full-face coverage without looking cakey, plus it contains sun protection and smooths out mature skin.
Get it here: Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 30
This product, unlike some, is designed specifically for mature skin. One of our most affordable options, it contains sunscreen, hydrating face serum, and Vitamin B2 to protect, smooth, and firm your skin. And its lightweight coverage will help smooth fine lines and even out skin tones while keeping your face hydrated.
Because it provides lighter coverage than some other foundations, users say it is a great daily option because of its high 50 SPF and ability to stand up in hot weather. However, others have remarked it might not be enough if you want a full-coverage foundation look.
This affordable foundation with a high (50) SPF is good for light coverage and contains a hydrating serum, so it feels good on your face.
Get it here: L'Oréal Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation
Marketed as a concealer, powder, and foundation, this three-in-one option is great for mature skin due to its non-drying or caking properties, which won’t settle into fine lines or pores in your skin. A mineral-based product, it is zinc and iron oxide plus titanium dioxide—all of which naturally provide sun protection, which is extremely important for all ages. In addition, it is non-comedogenic, which means it will protect against breakouts. This may be especially helpful to peri-and menopausal women whose skin may be finicky due to fluctuating hormones.
This foundation comes in 12 shades and is a great choice for sensitive or acne-prone skin, but it is more expensive than other options.
Get it here: The Good Mineral Loves-You-Back 3in1 Mineral Powder Foundation
If you’re searching for a full coverage cream foundation, Dermablend has you “covered,” thanks to its high-performance formula that includes a moisturizing balm that blends easily with other products. Users say it works well for covering dark spots, hyperpigmentation, burns, and scars and provides 30 SPF to protect your mature skin. And because it’s a cream foundation, it doesn’t cake into fine lines, and a little goes a long way.
A full-coverage cream foundation that blends well with other makeup but may be too heavy for those who prefer lighter makeup.
Get it here: Dermablend Cover Creme Full Coverage Foundation
If you have Instagram or TikTok, you’re probably familiar with Ilia Beauty. Its vegan and cruelty-free foundation, like its other clean products, lives up to the hype, offering mature skin coverage that feels and looks natural.
This foundation gives users medium coverage with a natural finish, and with niacinamide and allantoin, two potent skincare actives, each day you wear the foundation may improve skin tone, pores, and lines. Try Ilia Beauty’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 if you want lighter coverage with higher sun protection.
A vegan, cruelty-free foundation that provides a natural glow with a medium finish.
Get it here: Ilia True Skin Foundation
If you’re looking for a lightweight matte stick concealer, this one from celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey erases spots and blemishes and nourishes the skin while creating a natural-looking glow. When you don’t want to put foundation on your face but still need coverage, this is a great choice for all skin types. We love that it's cruelty-free and FSC-verified, too. Plus, if you use Dempsey’s Mixturizer with the Spot Stick or any pigmented concealer or cover stick product, you can create your own hydrating tinted primer. Dempsey recommends simply adding more as needed for more pigment and coverage.
Pro tip: Dempsey recommends using her spot basing technique using your finger to warm up and activate her Spot Stick Concealer product, which has a matte finish, and then use it to tap and blend it out for coverage. “The warmth of your skin melts the concealer into the skin nicely,” she says. “Moisturize first, too, and let it soak in for a hydrated look and feel. I like to add a thin layer of Mixturizer under my eyes and allow it to soak in a couple of minutes.”
A lightweight, skin-nourishing concealer in a slim stick that is easy to tuck into your purse.
Get it here: Spot Stick Concealer
This foundation’s light-reflecting properties is just one reason it’s a top choice for mature consumers. It goes on smoothly and doesn’t cake, with a dewy finish versus a matte look.
It may not be the right product if you want heavy coverage. It is a good choice for light-to-medium coverage for everyday use thanks to built-in sun protection and sweat and humidity-resistant properties. It contains vitamins C and E, which have properties that help your skin brighten over time with use.
This foundation contains ingredients with light-reflecting properties and offers light-to-medium coverage with vitamins C and E to keep your complexion healthy.
Get it here: Clinique’s Even Better Glow™ Light Reflecting Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Foundation
Matte makeup is not usually recommended for mature skin, but this 16-hour matte foundation provides full coverage without drying out or caking over time. It contains anti-aging ingredients like peptides and skin-boosting A, C, and E vitamins. It goes on smoothly and diminishes fine lines and pores and can also be used under eyes to hide dark circles. Users say its staying power claim holds, even in heat and humidity.
Stays put in heat and humidity, diminishes fine lines and pores, and can double as an under-eye concealer.
Get it here: NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation
If you’re looking for light coverage to help your skin glow, this tinted moisturizer will work in place of foundation. It contains SPF 23 to help protect your mature skin from sun damage and can be worn as a moisturizer blended with another foundation or by itself.
We’ve included it for its dewy properties that allow for a radiant, natural look without caking into fine lines and because it covers up redness.
This tinted moisturizer with SPF is a great alternative to a heavier foundation because it gives skin a glow and covers up redness.
Get it here: Lancôme SKIN FEELS GOOD Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 23
Best foundation for dark spots
Designed in part for mature skin, Invisible Touch offers buildable light-to-medium coverage for sensitive skin, protective organic extracts like Dioscorea Batatas, known for its healing and illuminating properties, and chamomilla recutita flower water, which helps with redness.
Older users report that it doesn’t sink into fine lines and gives skin a dewy finish. It does not contain SPF, so you’ll need to use a separate product for sun protection. The product has a dropper for application, allowing it to last longer than a foundation that may overflow from a bottle.
It provides a natural, dewy finish with botanical extracts that soothe sensitive skin, but you’ll need to wear additional SPF, as this formula doesn’t include any.
Get it here: Kjaer Weis Invisible Touch Liquid Foundation
ll mature skin is dry. If your skin is oily, you will likely want a lightweight product that doesn’t add shine (controls oil) and improves a skin’s texture over time. It works well in humidity plus is sweat- and-waterproof. Users say it stays put “throughout the day” and “reduces shine” during its 12-hour period leaving oily skin hydrated and happy.
One note, you will need to blend and layer for a full-foundation look, as this one offers medium coverage and you’ll want to add an SPF to your skincare regimen as well.
This lightweight foundation is a good choice for sensitive or oily skin.
Get it here: Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation
This one does “it” all—with anti-aging ingredients and a high SPF (50) formula. It hydrates, conceals, and camouflages fine lines, redness, dark circles, uneven skin tones, and scars. What sets this product apart is its high SPF, which means you can safely wear this foundation outdoors without applying additional sun protection. Vitamin E provides soothing nourishment for skin that may need attention, and hyaluronic acid helps skin retain water and diminish fine lines over time.
While this foundation has a high price point, it also has a high (50!) SPF to protect your skin from the elements, and its anti-aging ingredients conceal and camouflage fine lines and cover dark circles and redness.
Get it here: IT Cosmetics, CC+ Color Correcting Full Coverage Cream SPF 50+
When you want to cover dark spots, you may need maximum coverage that doesn’t cake on your face. Estée Lauder offers oil-free, water-resistant, sweatproof, and full coverage makeup. It’s a liquid foundation, so you can apply as much or as little as you would like. Some users say it’s heavy, so not for those seeking lighter coverage. SPF 15 is a great starting point for sun protection but most skin experts recommend a higher one, so you should consider adding a layer of sunscreen or mix it with a protective moisturizer if you plan to be outside most of the day.
If you struggle with dark spots, this heavy foundation is water- and sweat proof in a liquid form and can provide the coverage you may need.
Get it here: Estée Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF 15
This buildable foundation doesn’t crease or get stuck in lines and comes in 40 skin shades to help users find their perfect match. While on the more expensive side of our list, mature users say it is worth the price for its strong coverage, yet natural look, and all-day staying power.
Good for all skin types, including sensitive, this foundation offers full coverage with a natural finish that hydrates (with glycerin) and provides some sun protection due to titanium dioxide, one of its active ingredients.
This pricey foundation comes in 40 shades and is good for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and users say its staying power lasts all day.
Get it here: Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation
This expensive but highly recommended product works best for individuals with dry, mature skin who want a hint of color (it’s a tinted moisturizer) with a decent amount of SPF (45) plus anti-aging ingredients that provide a soft glow, minimizes fine lines, and can be used with additional make-up products for more robust coverage.
This pricey pick helps to protect mature skin while soothing fine lines and provides a warm glow instead of a heavy concealer, but it can be paired with other make-up, so you can wear it however you want.
Get it here: Revision Skincare® Intellishade Original
This easy, grab-and-go tinted stick offers coverage you control. Simply glide the stick onto your face and blend gently with your fingertips or brush. It layers well with other foundation or creams, and is great for evening out your skin tone. Comes in 22 shades and is moisturizing so your skin won’t dry out.
If you can afford the expensive price tag, this highly recommended all-natural, lightweight, and easy-to-use stick makeup can be worn on its own or layered with other products.
Get it here: Ogee, Sculpted Complexion Stick
This lightweight matte finish choice shouldn't be underestimated if you seek an affordable foundation you can wear around the clock. Water- and sweatproof, users say it stays put without having to go back to the bathroom to reapply. Best of all, it’s affordable at under $20 and available in drugstores. Plus, 32 shades should simplify finding the right fit for your face.
L’Oreal knows makeup, and this foundation is formulated to stay put all day with a matte finish for an all-day professional look and keeps up the coverage all night long.
Get it here: L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24-Hour Fresh Wear Lightweight Foundation
Jones Road’s What the Foundation is a balm form of moisturizer and tinted concealer that provides all-day, lightweight coverage with natural ingredients to keep your complexion smooth while covering up perceived imperfections. It offers light to medium coverage and comes in 12 shades.
If you want a skin tint that offers coverage, Jones Road What the Foundation is the best of both worlds in a balm.
Get it here: What the Foundation by Jones Road
This skin-perfecting tint gives you a luminous glow that improves skin tone and texture. It lightly conceals for those days you want to skip a full makeup routine. We love that it’s made in the USA, is cruelty-free, and works for all skin types but is recommended for mature skin. This face tint comes in four shades, and you can use it to smooth and blur lines and reduce redness. It also feels soft on your skin, not sticky, like some tints. Egan calls this product “almost an Instagram filter for the face.”
This smoothing skin tint minimizes pores and redness and gives you a healthy glow, plus it feels soft, not sticky on your skin.
Get it here: Hi Beautiful You
Shopping for a concealer or foundation when you have mature skin doesn’t have to be difficult, but you should ask yourself a few questions before you buy one.
“The biggest mistake I see people make is using the wrong shade of concealer and using a concealer with too much white pigment that bounces the light. A makeup artist’s worst nightmare is the white bounce back,” says celebrity make-up artist and entrepreneur Jillian Dempsey, who founded a line of award-winning, cruelty-free, clean makeup, skin, and hair products. “To find your best shade, step out into the daylight with a mirror,” recommends celebrity make-up artist and entrepreneur Jillian Dempsey. “This will tell you everything you need to know! Orange tones cover blue, pink tones cover gray, green tones cover red, and yellow tones cover red. Lavender is a brightening shade if you want to get into color correction.”
You may want to avoid certain ingredients when searching for foundation, especially if you have mature skin. “Alcohols, perfumes, nitrates and nitrites and harsh scrubs can overdry the skin and break down the protective barrier needed to keep moisture in,” says Lisa Chevalier, physician associate and founder of SoVous Medical Spa and Laser Center in New York, New York. Chevalier gave us a cheat sheet of other products to avoid, including the following.
Chevalier says it's crucial to include skincare products that actively benefit the skin. These typically include exfoliating pads, serums, and moisturizers infused with potent active ingredients. Examples of such ingredients include antioxidants, vitamins, anti-inflammatories, pigmentation correctors, and retinoids. “These formulations can effectively address various skin concerns and contribute to a healthier, more radiant complexion as we continue to age. Many of these ingredients can cause the skin to be more sun-sensitive, so it is extra important to apply adequate suncare,” she says.
“Mature women should wear less concealer and foundation and only apply in targeted areas that are in need of coverage — like sunspots, dark circles, redness, or blemishes,” says Dempsey. “Often, women layer concealer too heavily under their eyes, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles becoming more obvious.”
“The most important step in a skincare regimen for aging skin is the application of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with high SPF protection,” says Chevalier. “As we age, our skin becomes more susceptible to damage from the sun's harmful UV rays, leading to accelerated aging, hyperpigmentation, and even an increased risk of skin cancer. Therefore, consistently using sunscreen helps protect against these adverse effects and helps maintain the overall health and appearance of the skin.” If you’re looking for more SPF products, see our round-ups of the best mineral sunscreen and best tinted sunscreen.
Foundations are not all the same. You can buy powders, lightweight or heavier-weight makeup, sticks, creams, and liquid makeup to cover blemishes and smooth out fine lines.
“I think makeup is headed toward a more natural and no makeup look as opposed to heavy makeup. Most women are tired of the full-face makeup look and feel more confident using lighter products that enable their natural skin to shine through,” shares celebrity makeup artist Sarah Egan, who recommends mature women (and others) try a skin tint on days when they don’t want full-face makeup.
“Skin tints, the perfect alternative to traditional foundation, are for when you want a bit of coverage to even the skin’s tone and texture. They can be worn without anything else on the face, or you can layer foundation on top so that your foundation will look more like skin, not makeup,” she shares.
When choosing the best foundation for mature skin, consider your skin type and sensitivities, how much coverage you want, and how much SPF the foundation contains. Like other skin care products such as eye creams, you should read the label for beneficial ingredients that can enhance mature skin:
Celebrity makeup artist and Grind Pretty founder Mia "Mimi" Johnson shared four tips for applying foundation on mature skin.
I spoke to skincare experts and make-up artists to learn more about makeup and mature skin and what makes a good concealer and foundation, from ingredients to ease of use. I also selected the top picks by personally testing, scouring hundreds of reviews, and asking the experts for their opinions. My comprehensive list covers many common concerns about how to find the best foundation makeup for mature consumers.
The foundations listed above are good examples of what will work with mature skin. It is recommended that mature skin types avoid powdery or cakey matte products, as they can settle into fine lines and wrinkles. “Lightweight BB or CC creams are a better option, as they typically contain ingredients designed to hydrate, nourish and protect the skin. Intellishade by Revision Skincare is our “in-house” favorite. I also like IT Cosmetics CC cream,” says Chevalier.
“People with mature skin will want to look for a foundation that is hydrating with ingredients like hyaluronic acid,” suggests Johnson. “Choose foundations that provide a luminous finish to add a youthful glow. Texture-wise, opt for liquid or cream foundations as they blend seamlessly into the skin.”
People with mature skin will want to look for a hydrating foundation with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, says Johnson. “Choose foundations that provide a luminous finish to add a youthful glow. Texture-wise, opt for liquid or cream foundations as they blend seamlessly into the skin,” she says. Foundations for mature skin should generally be free from heavy fragrances, alcohol, and high levels of talc, she adds. Plus, “Unless you are having hot flashes, mature skin generally needs to stay hydrated.”
“Choose lightweight products, as heavier foundations can often pull into wrinkled areas and pores, making them look more noticeable,” says Chevalier.
Before applying your foundation, make sure you have used a hydrating cleanser and add a facial serum with hyaluronic acid (note: many foundations have this ingredient) to hydrate your face.
When the serum has soaked into your skin, add moisturizer and primer, which creates a barrier between your skin and concealer, to help keep the skin smooth.
When you apply your foundation, make sure not to oversaturate the skin with a product. Start by applying a dab of product and blend it gently while building up coverage as you go. “Don’t be afraid to use clean, dry hands,” recommends Egan. “The heat from your hands will help melt the product and blend it into your skin. Use after moisturizer. Simply pat onto the face and neck, and then smooth with your fingertips.”
Because mature skin is often dry, powdered makeup like foundation or blush may settle into fine lines. Products that contain alcohol as a key ingredient should also be avoided due to its drying properties.
It depends on the product and the person using it. Some matte-based makeup works fine on older skin, while others may benefit from a foundation that provides a dewy look. “I recommend lightweight, radiant concealers that brighten without being heavy,” says Johnson. “Products with light-reflecting ingredients that help to lift and illuminate mixed with a tinted moisturizer. Avoid thick formulas, as they can emphasize wrinkles. Nars radiant concealer or YSL Éclatc concealers are popular, plus Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer.”
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