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4 min read
Want a foundation that blurs and conceals, leaving your skin with a picture-perfect finish? You’ve come to the right place.
Full-coverage foundations can often get a bad rap for appearing either too heavy or too cakey on skin. But things – and full coverage foundation formulations – have come a long way since the late 00s, back when matte make-up was all the rage and the only highlighter you owned was the one in your pencil case.
Nowadays, full coverage doesn’t have to mean flat, and those cakey formulas have been replaced with hydrating ingredients, and some matte foundations will even give your skin a natural-looking glow.
In fact, full coverage foundations can work to give you a flawless-looking skin finish without feeling heavy on the skin. While sheer foundations and barely-there bases are great, those with blemish-prone or oily skin types might want to opt for something that has longer-lasting staying power.
According to TV and celebrity make-up artist, Bryony Blake, the key to a flawless full coverage finish is all in the application. Here, we asked her for her very best application tips to ensure we can all achieve a perfect base every time.
How to apply full coverage foundation
“When it comes to a full coverage foundation, people often get scared that it will end up looking very heavy and mask-like,” says Blake.
“My favourite way to apply a full-coverage foundation is with a firm bristle brush and I like to really press the product into my skin, especially in areas you want more coverage. I then buff it out in the areas that need less coverage. By doing it this way you will get the coverage you want but it won’t look caked on or too heavy.
Beauty blenders are also a great tool to apply foundation with because you can use a gentle patting motion to apply the product.”
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17 of the best full coverage foundations 2023
Make Up For Ever HD Skin Foundation
This natural-looking matte foundation helps to blur the look of imperfections while providing 24-hours of picture-perfect wear. It’s also waterproof, making it great for those unpredictable winter showers.
Shop Make Up For Ever HD Skin Foundation at Lookfantastic, £35
Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick
This velvety-soft foundation stick is perfect for when you want reliable coverage, still with a lightweight feel. Sweep over your skin and buff in with a brush for a flawless finish.
Shop Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick at Lookfantastic, £70
Milk Makeup Blur Liquid
A serum-textured foundation, Milk Makeup’s Blur Liquid softly diffuses on the skin to create a full coverage matte-finish.
Monika Blunder Blunder Cover
This brilliant foundation-come-concealer formula expertly blurs imperfections and brightens your complexion, without masking the skin’s natural texture. Whether you decide to use it as an all-over base or to spot-conceal areas – its longwearing, full coverage formula will not disappoint.
Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation
Enriched with skincare ingredients, this moisturising formula nixes excess oil production meaning you no longer have to worry about that 3pm shine.
Shop Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation at John Lewis, £41
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
This silky soft formula is a great option for anyone who struggles with acne, melasma or rosacea.
Shop Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation at Cult Beauty, £39
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
An oldie but a goodie, Estee Lauder’s Double Wear is a true make-up icon that promises long lasting full coverage without caking.
Shop Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation at Lookfantastic, £39.50
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Foundation
This award-winning formula smoothes, blurs and mattifies the skin, leaving a medium to full coverage finish.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
This foundation is great for those who want a full-coverage finish, without scrimping on the glow. Light-reflective ingredients mean it’ll leave your complexion looking dewy and never dull.
Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Foundation
Promising phenomenal payoff, this transfer-proof formula is both matte and dewy in all the right areas.
Shop Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Foundation at Cult Beauty, £39
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte with SPF40
We find that this oil-free formula gives slightly more coverage than the original – ideal for a matte, long-lasting finish.
Shop IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte with SPF40 at Lookfantastic, £37
Mac Studio Radiance Serum-Powered Foundation
If anyone knows how to nail a full coverage foundation formula, it’s Mac. This one doesn’t budge, is infused with hydrating skincare ingredients and will leave your skin looking fresh all day long.
Shop Mac Mac Studio Radiance Serum-Powered Foundation at Boots, £39
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
Another great option for those who don’t want to dull their shine, Nars Radiant Longwear leaves skin glowy while blurring imperfections and concealing redness.
Shop NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation at Cult Beauty, £39
Natasha Denona Foundation X +
Available in 33 shades, this long-lasting foundation delivers a semi-matte finish that’s both natural-looking and flawless.
NYX Professional Makeup Can’t Stop Won’t Stop 24 Hour Foundation
Lightweight, waterproof and highly pigmented, this foundation won’t budge until you decide to take it off.
Shop NYX Professional Makeup Can’t Stop Won’t Stop 24 Hour Foundation at Cult Beauty, £15
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation
It might be expensive, but if you want an ultra natural-looking, full coverage foundation, Pat McGrath is the way to go. It evens out imperfections while still looking like real skin, which is no mean feat.
Shop Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation at Cult Beauty, £61
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
Offering medium-to-full coverage, this oil-free formula is enriched with coconut water and hydrating hyaluronic acid, to help nourish skin as it conceals.
Main image: Getty
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