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The Best Acne-Friendly Foundations That Promise A Great Skin Day
Natural-looking coverage, right this way.
Finding the best foundation for acne-prone skin can be tricky. The days of slapping on a heavy-duty, matte foundation to disguise spots and pimples are well and truly over as modern formulas take on a more skin-caring, natural-looking approach.
'My personal philosophy involves resisting the urge to apply a thick layer of blanket coverage so that you can enhance, and move focus to the skin in between your problem areas,' says A-list make-up artist Lisa Eldridge. 'This allows the beauty of your natural skin texture to shine through.' She starts by buffing in a light foundation in thin layers to even out the skin before deploying the 'pinpoint concealing' technique using a pigmented, long-lasting concealer only where needed.
What should we look for when picking the right foundation for acne-prone skin?
While it's tempting to go for a heavy duty formula, consultant dermatologist at Self London Dr. Anjali Mahto recommends opting for a lighter consistency to avoid clogging pores. 'Those containing zinc, silica or titanium can also be very useful as they help absorb excess oil, as well as helping to camouflage redness,' she says. Her go-tos for her own acne-prone complexion includes It Cosmetics CC Cream SPF50, Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser and Dior Forever Matte Foundation.
What's the best way to extend the longevity of foundation on acne-prone skin?
To avoid overloading your skin with product, take a careful approach with your skincare. 'Lighter textures are a good idea. For acne-prone skin, often your sunscreen is enough as a base for your foundation; a separate moisturiser isn’t usually required,' says Mahto. Nars lead artist Rachel Hardie agrees. She's a fan of water-based skincare for those prone to blemishes as 'hydration is key to balancing out the skin'.
She then goes in with a tiny amount of primer to ensure longevity and a polished finish without piling on the products. 'I love to cater to different areas of the face and multi prime. The Nars Radiance Primer SPF35 is an incredible brightening primer for lacklustre areas, then on an oily T-zone, I would suggest the Soft Matte Primer to absorb the shine,' says Hardie, who uses the primer to touch-up throughout the day. 'I pop a small amount on my palm, rub together then press over the skin.' Blotting papers is useful too, as it takes down the shine without requiring more product.
How should we apply foundation on acne-prone skin?
Proper application technique can help avoid further irritating your complexion (especially if you have sore, active acne). 'Lots of hand contact and rubbing in may aggravate the redness so apply both your skincare and foundation with a brush, smoothing light layers gently,' offers Eldridge. It goes without saying, but make sure you clean your brushes weekly to keep bacteria at bay.
From nourishing formulas with zit-zapping salicylic acid to the powder bases that leave skin looking luxuriously plush, read on for the ELLE Edit of the best foundations for acne-prone skin...
Shop the best foundation for acne-prone skin
In a Venn diagram of matte finishes and a radiant glow, this elegant formula sits comfortably in the middle. It offers a soft, diffused glow to enliven the complexion rather than a greasy shine so skin appears well-rested and healthy. The shade range is also excellent, especially for those with golden undertones.
Guerlain Terracotta Le Teint
Guerlain Terracotta Le Teint
Guerlain's creative director of make-up Violette Serrat is the poster child for Parisian cool, so its no surprise that this foundation, despite it's buildable coverage, imparts the most natural-looking, clean-skin finish. The clever, self-setting formula negates any need for additional concealing or powder too.
This foundation is a mainstay in many a make-up artist's arsenal for good reason: it truly delivers a naturally radiant, second skin effect that lasts for hours without suffocating the skin or settling into fine lines. The silky, fluid texture blends in easily with fingers or a brush, taking down redness and blurring out blemishes like a dream. The elegant formula is buildable, which makes this a great option for both weddings, special occasions and for everyday wear.
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
The clue is in the name. This ultra breathable foundation imparts a lit-from-within finish without leaving oily complexions looking greasy after hours of wear. It evens out discolouration and acne-scarring, stays put where you want it and refuses to accentuate uneven texture. For added skincare benefits, it also contains raspberry, apple and watermelon extracts to help smooth the skin over time.
For a quick and easy, your-skin-on-a-great-day finish, add this stick to cart. Just scribble onto the area that needs most coverage and blend with fingertips or a buffing brush (Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Face Brush plays well with almost any foundation). In place of heavy oils and acne-triggering ingredients, the formula is packed with lightweight emollients to keep skin feeling comfortable throughout the day.
KVD Vegan Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Liquid Foundation
KVD Vegan Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Liquid Foundation
The brand's Good Apple balm foundation was a hit on TikTok, but this liquid version is - dare we say it - even better. The serum-like formula effortlessly creates a life-proof canvas for other make-up, covering blemishes, acne scars and hyperpigmentation in one fell swoop.
Created with oily complexions in mind, this transfer-proof base uses quince leaf extract for built-in shine control to achieve a flawless finish that can hold its own against sweat and humidity. Perfect for when the weather warms up and you need a little extra coverage.
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation
The creamy consistency of Charlotte Tilbury's latest foundation blends in as seamlessly as a moisturiser. It delivers more than enough coverage to even out the complexion and sits comfortably on skin throughout the day. There are skincare benefits here too; the formula is loaded with apple fruit water to to keep skin feeling fresh and plump, without appearing greasy.
Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation SPF20
Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation SPF20
There's always space in our make-up stash for a foundation that offers buildable coverage along with skincare benefits. This serum-foundation hybrid contains salicylic acid to soothe raging spots, hyaluronic acid for extra hydration and brightening vitamin C.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50
If your acne-prone skin manifests as inflamed and dehydrated, this is the answer. The formula has colour-correcting qualities that help to minimise redness while blurring away blemishes. A little goes a long way, so start with the tiniest amount and build up as you go to avoid a heavy finish. While we'll always recommend a separate SPF under your make-up, the factor 50 here is a nice bonus, especially in summer.
Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation
Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation
This was created by doctors in LA as a 'post-procedure' coverage product – meaning it's so healing and calming it they give it to patients post chemical peels, lasers, injectables, you name it. So just imagine how great it is for just day-to–day sensitive and blemish-prone skin that needs extra care. A true game-changer.
Powerful ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and retinoids are often used in the treatment of acneic skin. While effective, it can cause dry, flaky skin which can ball up underneath liquid bases.
In comes this powder foundation. The formula is so finely-milled, it sits beautifully on top of the driest complexion without clinging to dry patches. It offers excellent coverage that stays velvety throughout long (and sweaty) days and contains a low amount of tea tree oil to calm inflammation without aggravating sensitive skin. There are 40 shades, the compact is refillable and the packaging is low-waste. Win, win and win.
Eagle-eyed Lisa Eldridge stans will know that the make-up artist often uses models of all skin tones and conditions on her YouTube channel. It comes as no surprise that her namesake foundation not only comes in 40 considered shades, it also has a natural finish that blurs out blemishes and blends seamlessly into skin. The buildable coverage leaves skin looking plush and healthy without sliding off throughout the day.
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