The best drugstore foundations you can buy

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The best drugstore foundations you can buy
  • Drugstore foundations are affordable and these days they come in every possible iteration, from cushions to liquids to sticks and powders.
  • L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Foundation Makeup earns our vote for its blendable medium coverage formulation and color range - a whopping 45 shades to match every skin tone.
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Foundation is as personal as underwear. Everyone has a different preference, whether it's full coverage, pore-swallowing, and mattifying or sheer, natural, and dewy.

Drugstore brands have really been upping their game in recent years to compete in the ever-expanding beauty market. Now, more than ever before, you can get an excellent base complexion product for every occasion at a great price.

From cushion foundations to liquids, drugstore offerings are getting better all the time. There's simply no need to hit up the high-end beauty counters when the same place you pick up your toothpaste has so many incredible options.

Whether you love poreless maximum coverage or a lightweight, natural look, the drugstore has got you covered. These are our top five drugstore foundation picks.

Here are the best drugstore foundations you can buy:

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The best drugstore foundation overall

The best drugstore foundation overall
L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Foundation Makeup gives you seamless medium coverage for daily wear, in a wide spectrum of skin-matching shades.

Drugstore foundations have long had a bit of a problem with limited shade ranges, but our top pick, L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Foundation Makeup, excels in both formulation and color selection.

With 45 shades ranging from Fresh Ivory to Dark Chocolate, finding your match should be a breeze. Each bottle is also labeled Cool, Neutral, or Warm to correspond with the appropriate undertone.

The foundation provides medium coverage — ideal for daily use and contains hydrating Vitamin E and Pro-Vitamin B5. While not particularly dewy, it will give you a natural, radiant finish. Oil-free and fragrance-free, it's safe for more sensitive complexions.

"This lightweight formula doesn't feel like you're wearing anything on your face," according to Byrdie, which also named L'Oreal True Match the best overall drugstore foundation. Allure, Best Products, and Harper's Bazaar have featured the foundation, as well. Ulta shoppers rate it 4.1 stars based on more than 1,700 reviews.

Pros: 45 shades, labeled undertones, oil-free, fragrance-free, lightweight

Cons: Very wet texture

The best with a glowy finish

The best with a glowy finish
L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation gives you a healthy, radiant, non-cakey finish that revitalizes dry skin.

Dry, matte foundations have a tendency to snag on flaky patches and enhance imperfections. You'll find none of that with L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation, which gives you a natural, dewy complexion.

This is a medium-coverage foundation that boasts an "air-light" texture and claims to last for up to 24 hours. Your skin will be glowing and radiant all day long, without ever tipping into total greaseball territory.

One Amazon reviewer compared L'Oreal's under-$10 formula with the much pricier cult-favorite, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. Cosmopolitan said it will make you look "like you just got a facial and your skin is naturally radiant."

The product has an overall 4.2 Amazon rating based on more than 700 reviews and is also been featured as a top drugstore foundation pick by Byrdie.

Pros: Natural and dewy finish, buildable medium coverage, travel-friendly bottle

Cons: Might not be ideal for oilier skin types

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The best customizable drugstore foundation

The best customizable drugstore foundation
NYX Total Control Drop Foundation allows you to easily mix and match for your perfect shade.

Finding your perfect shade match is tough. Even with trial and error, you might find that nothing works straight from the bottle. NYX Total Control Drop Foundation comes with a delicate dropper instead of a pump, so it's easy to create a custom blend.

The fluid formula is extremely buildable and capable of going from very light to totally full coverage when you add more or less product. Add a few drops of a lighter or darker shade to create your ideal color match. This is a great pick if your complexion changes significantly with the seasons; you can still use your favorite foundation even if you get a tan.

Harper's Bazaar Beauty Director, Jenna Rosenstein, pointed out that you can add a few drops to your moisturizer to create a tinted hydrator. Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and Byrdie also give Total Control Drop Foundation high marks.

Pros: Customizable, sheer to full coverage, 30 shades

Cons: More mid-tone shades than very dark or light

The best drugstore foundation for oily skin

The best drugstore foundation for oily skin
Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation locks into place all day long, even if you're prone to getting shiny.

Oil and visible pores pose a challenge for flawless base makeup, but Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation is up to the challenge. This velvety matte foundation keeps oil on lockdown all day long.

Ideal for normal to oily skin types, this foundation is specifically formulated to mask visible pores without vanishing into them. The innovative formula contains absorbent micro-powders to fight shine. Even a glassy T-zone won't break up your makeup when you use this stuff.

"I have used this product for about three years now and wouldn't ever change," wrote one Amazon shopper. "I am 65 and it doesn't settle in wrinkles and it has great coverage...not too heavy and not too light."

"The velvet-like texture melts into skin and dries to a powder finish that doesn't appear chalky or heavy," Byrdie said. Experts at Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Harper's Bazaar are also big fans.

Pros: Matte, good for oily skin, powder formula fights shine, long-lasting

Cons: Some Amazon reviewers complained about color oxidation

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The best cushion drugstore foundation

The best cushion drugstore foundation
Maybelline New York Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation gives you excellent coverage in a neat compact ideal for travel.

Maybelline New York Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation is the only on-the-go foundation you'll need. Cushion foundations are liquid foundations in compact form, with a product-soaked sponge and a flat applicator that allows you to apply in thin layers for the exact amount of desired coverage.

This type of packaging is common to Korean beauty products, and Maybelline's formula competes with the best of them. You'll get "complete luminous coverage" that you can build from medium to full without ever looking flat, dull, or cakey.

"I've gotten into the habit of doing my makeup in a car every morning, so cushion compacts have become a game-changer for me," wrote Glamour Senior Beauty Editor Lindsay Schallon.

She said Maybelline Dream Cushion is "light and airy but heavy enough to cover up the redness on my cheeks."

Harper's Bazaar and Good Housekeeping both recommend this foundation.

Pros: Portable, buildable coverage, comes with applicator

Cons: Only 8 shades available

What else we considered

What else we considered

Neutrogena HydroBoost Hydrating Tint ($10.10): This is one of my favorite bases available at the drugstore — in fact, I've recommended it on Insider Picks before — but it's a bit too sheer to be considered a true foundation. It's more of a tinted moisturizer, with light and hydrating coverage.

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation ($14.22): Several expert sources I consulted recommended this powder foundation, but the customer ratings weren't as universally high as our other picks. It could be a good option if you prefer powders (and brands that boast "clean beauty" ingredients).

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