These Are the Best Foundations Under $20, According to Beauty Editors
As the beauty industry continues to grow faster than ever before, we are seeing the release of new product innovations every season, every month, and sometimes it can feel like every day. More products equal more options and more market competition, though (that is the way capitalism be, you know). Sophisticated complexion products in wide shade ranges are no longer only found in high-end boutiques and department store counters. There are affordable options for every product category, most relieving of all: foundations. Quality formulas, long-wearing, and transfer-resistant formulas, and yes, inclusive shade ranges are now finally becoming the standard, even at your local drugstore (or its website).
We’re not only seeing diversity in shades, but in formula and finish as well. From lighter options that let your skin breathe, to more full-coverage foundations for those who love a full face, there are quality options for everyone no matter how you like your look. From innovative options like serum foundations that give even the most luxury brands a run for their money, and creamy stick foundations that may have you replacing your high-end sticks, there is now an affordable counterpart for almost every luxury foundation you can think of. We know that you don’t need to break the bank anymore to get a luxury look and feel for a fraction of the price, so we ran through the newest releases and longstanding faves to bring you the 20 of the best foundations that will give you a luxury formula for less than the cost of a (New York City) cocktail.
Courtesy of brand1/20Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation
Maybelline’s Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation leaves skin smooth, velvety, and covered — but never cakey, which is probably the reason it won a 2020 Readers’ Choice Award. The drugstore base softens the appearance of pores and controls excess sebum, making the shine-free formula an excellent option for anyone with oily skin.
$5 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand2/20Revlon Photo Ready Candid Skin Foundation
The concept of wearing foundation to look like you're not wearing any foundation at all isn't exactly new, but we've seen less of it lately as everyone is opting for more full-coverage releases. The texture and body of Candid almost falls into tinted moisturizer territory. It's very creamy and surprisingly thick for a foundation that's supposed to look like your skin, but the coverage and wear are definitely typical of a good, medium-coverage foundation. It applies and blends out nicely, feels really good on skin, and doesn't crease. It's a no-bullshit base that's good for your face and wears beautifully all day.
$7 (Shop Now)
Tony Pearce3/20Burt's Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation
When Burt's Bees dropped an entire line of makeup, this glow-giving foundation is one of the best launches in our opinion. The nearly 100-percent natural formula was designed to hydrate and nourish the skin, as well as hold up against daily wear and tear. Put simply: If you've been thinking about delving into the eco-friendly world of makeup, this foundation — and the rest of Burt's Bees makeup — is a fabulous place to start.
$17 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand4/20Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint
One of the more common ways foundation betrays us is by announcing its presence in all its cakey and crevice-y glory — not so with this uber-hydrating and Best of Beauty-winning formula from Neutrogena. There's a comically large doe-foot application in the cap, making application easy. Just dot on and blend with fingers for light buildable coverage that absolutely will sink in for a real-skin-finish.
$13 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand5/20The Ordinary Coverage Foundation
These hotly anticipated bases come in two formulas — a sheer, buildable serum foundation and a full-coverage foundation. Both are lightweight and can stealthily enhance your moisturizer or SPF, or be worn as is. Either way, there are 21 shades from fair-to-dark and skin-care benefits to boot. We'd expect nothing less from this innovative disruptor beauty brand.
$7 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand6/20Physicians Formula The Healthy Foundation SPF 20
Physicians Formula offers a lot more than simply its fan-favorite Butter Blush. The Healthy Foundation is formulated with hyaluronic acid, vitamins A, C, E, and an exclusive brightening complex, promising to improve the look of skin over time. The lightweight, medium-coverage foundation wears beautifully no matter what your skin type, while letting skin breathe throughout the day. The luminous satin finish makes it look like you're not wearing anything at all and leaves skin feeling as good at the end of the day as it did before you even applied the foundation.
$11 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand7/20Nyx Can't Stop Won't Stop Full Coverage Foundation
One of the most affordable and widely inclusive launches in the drugstore, the Nyx Can't Stop Won't Stop foundation is a real dream. The creamy, full-coverage, liquid foundation applies gently but is packed with pigment to mask discoloration, imperfections, and any blemishes that showed up uninvited. It applies matte and helps control oil and cuts shine throughout the day, so you'll only glow where you want to. Waterproof, transfer-resistant, and noncomedogenic, Can't Stop Won't Stop really does live up to its name.
$11 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand8/20L'Oréal Paris True Match Super Blendable Makeup
You've likely come across this base before; first launched in 1994, it's been a mainstay among drugstore foundations ever since. Devoted fans will appreciate that the line recently expanded with a dozen new shades (ranging from light to dark), bringing the total to 45. True match, indeed.
$9 (Shop Now)
ALEX KAPUSTIN9/20Colourpop No Filter Stick Foundation Stix
Colourpop's complexion products are second to none, so when they released foundation sticks, we couldn't wait to get our hands on them. These give you a medium-coverage, buildable, velvet finish that's matte with just a touch of luminosity. Layer it up where you need more coverage and sheer it out where you don't and let your skin show through. It's very easy to work with, pairs well with other products and doesn't look like you're wearing anything at all.
$10 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand10/20E.L.F. Acne Fighting Foundation
With salicylic acid, tea tree oil, and witch hazel, this full-coverage foundation doesn't just cover acne — it helps to treat it over time. The rich, creamy formula is also infused with aloe vera extract to soothe redness and calm irritated skin.
$6 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand11/20Burt's Bees Mattifying Powder Foundation
With just the right amount of oil-absorbing prowess, this Best of Beauty winner tamps down shine while still allowing your skin's natural radiance to come through. (It may sound oxymoronic, but trust us.) We like it dusted on with a powder brush or applied with a damp sponge (if you want a little more coverage).
$15 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand12/20Lottie London All About That Base Full Coverage Matte Foundation
When this fan-favorite British beauty brand launched at Ulta, we didn't waste a second in scooping up everything we could. One favorite? This foundation stick, which offers a semi-matte, full-coverage finish without ever getting cakey or settling into fine lines. The vitamin-infused formula also works beautifully for contouring — just grab a shade darker than your skin for a natural-looking bronze.
$9 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand13/20Flower Beauty Light Illusion Liquid Foundation
Our staffers are big fans of this base from Drew Barrymore's line, a lightweight yet buildable option that "won't get caught in dry spots," according to one Allure editor. And if a glowy complexion is what you're after, this formula leaves you looking naturally radiant.
$14 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand14/20No7 Airbrush Away Foundation
Like an Instagram filter IRL, this touts a special blurring technology that somehow minimizes pores, lines, and anything else you may want to cover up. The dropper can sometimes dispense a little too much product, so try applying onto the back of your hand first, then working it into skin with a foundation brush (it's a bit liquid-y to spread with fingers alone).
$18 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand15/20Makeup Revolution Fast Base Foundation Stick
More than 11,000 of these sticks were sold in two hours when the product first launched in the U.K. — and for good reason. The extra creamy stick delivers complete, even coverage, yet blends in seamlessly with a just-ever-so-slightly dewy finish. With a range of 18 shades, you can easily find options to contour or highlight, too. Thank goodness it's now available stateside.
$9 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand16/20CoverGirl Full Spectrum Matte Ambition All Day Foundation
The "Full Spectrum" part of this lengthy name touches on the fact that this foundation was designed with rich pigments to compliment any skin tone from light to dark, and the matte finish ensures a natural, skin-like finish so that you can glow up on your own terms. It's worth mentioning that CoverGirl as of last year is certified cruelty-free, and being a drugstore brand that originally was not cruelty-free certified to achieving the status is a very big deal. Brands that do not test on animals in the drugstore are hard to find but, as the industry is becoming more diverse in terms of race and gender, we hope to see more brands rethink their ethics in the way of animal testing and we couldn't be happier to see Covergirl leading the way and showing that it can be done.
$9 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand17/20L.A. Girl Pro Matte Foundation
L.A. Girl continues to be a brand for beginners and experts alike, with quality products and an unbeatable shade range at an affordable price point. The Pro Matte foundation gives skin medium, buildable coverage with a velvet finish to help cut shine all day. Formulated with vitamin E and sunflower oil, it applies smoothly and feels as good as it looks on skin: smooth, never dry or cakey, from morning to night.
$9 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand18/20Maybelline New York Dream Satin Liquid Foundation
Dream Satin Liquid combines foundation with a hydrating serum for a base that takes to skin beautifully. The medium-coverage foundation applies like a dream to even out skin tone and impart a soft glow on the skin that doesn't overdo it into oily territory; it just gives skin a luminous, healthy radiance. It wears well all day without breaking apart and plays well with powder or whatever you want to put on top of it. Dream Satin Liquid moisturizes throughout wear while letting your skin breathe, never caking or drying you out, for skin that glows all day.
Starting at $8 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand19/20Milani Conceal & Perfect Foundation Stick
Another drugstore foundation stick, Milani offers buildable, blendable, 12-hour wear. No matter what your day looks like, the foundation stick won't transfer and it's also a water-resistant formula; added bamboo powder helps control oil and cut shine all day. Available in 20 shades that span the skin tone spectrum from fair-to-dark, this vegan and cruelty-free stick promises beautiful, durable wear for everyone.
$10 (Shop Now)
courtesy of brand20/20Morphe Fluidity Foundation
While it seemed that Morphe couldn't become any more of a powerhouse than it already was, last year has proved that theory wrong. The launch of the Fluidity Foundation, along with new concealers and setting powders, was one of the most talked-about launches on the internet. The foundation is full-coverage, long-wearing, sweatproof, water-resistant, and transfer-resistant, keeping your face beautiful all day without budging. With 60 shades, you're bound to find a shade that is perfect for you.
$18 (Shop Now)