While CC creams and tinted moisturizers certainly have their place in a beauty routine, nothing provides a more flawless base than foundation. A good foundation covers pesky dark spots, broken blood vessels, pimples, and uneven tone while blurring the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores—all without making your skin looked masked, cakey, or fake.
If you’ve struggled to find the right foundation in the past, it may be encouraging to know that formula development has come a long way from the chalky liquids and thick creams of yesteryear. Some of the best products on the market are high-end foundations (a handful of which are from the houses of your favorite fashion designers). Many of these carefully-crafted formulas don’t just offer reliable performance and an exquisite color match—they’re also the pinnacle of elegance in user experience, from packaging design to application. Whether you’re looking for buildable coverage, a radiant finish, or a unique format (or everything in between!), we’ve outlined the best high-end foundations below.
