10 Best Foundations for Mature Skin to Smooth Texture and Blur Lines

And here’s where the Foundation Drops are more skin care than makeup: The brand teamed up with Augustinus Bader to incorporate the brand’s signature technology, a proprietary blend of amino acids, vitamins, and peptides that the brand claims helps skin hold onto moisture more effectively. It’s paired with echinacea purpurea to help firm, smooth, and boost natural plumpness, while olive leaf extract supports skin renewal and barrier strength. A nourishing base of jojoba oil keeps things cushioned and balanced, plus glycerin pulls in moisture to plump fine lines and create a smoother canvas for makeup.

Best Long-Wearing: Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

Nars

Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

Why it’s worth it: “Long-wearing” and “radiant” might sound like an oxymoron when talking about foundations for mature skin, but Nars’s Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation proves they can coexist. The medium-to-full coverage feels surprisingly lightweight and breathable, yet stays put for up to 16 hours without fading, creasing, or clinging to dry patches. Its longevity comes from a pigment system that prevents color from oxidizing and helps it blend with your natural tone rather than sitting on top. Raspberry, apple, and watermelon extracts give the formula a smoothing, hydrating finish. “When someone wants a more polished result but still wants skin to look alive, this is a go-to,” says Loiz. “It holds up exceptionally well and maintains radiance without breaking down or settling into fine lines.”

Best with SPF: Ciele Tint & Protect SPF 50 Tinted Serum Foundation

Ciele

Tint & Protect SPF 50 Tinted Serum Foundation

Why it’s worth it: Ciele’s Tint & Protect SPF 50 Tinted Serum Foundation takes the guesswork out of layering sunscreen and makeup by baking broad-spectrum sunscreen (well above the American Academy of Dermatology’s SPF 30 recommendation) directly into a lightweight, skin-like base. The formula is soothing and barrier-friendly, with allantoin to moisturize and calm, bisabolol to reduce redness and brighten, and niacinamide to refine pores and support barrier function, while 12% zinc oxide handles UV defense. “This is one of the few SPF foundations I genuinely enjoy using,” says Loiz. “The protection is real, but the finish is still skin-like and comfortable.”

Best Foundation Stick: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

Westman Atelier

Vital Skin Foundation Stick

Why it’s worth it: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick, a 2022 and 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, has a second skin-like finish well-suited for mature skin, plus it’s loaded with nourishing ingredients like squalane for moisture and phytosphingosine, a naturally occurring lipid found in the skin, to soothe. This cream formula melts into the skin, whether you apply it straight to your face or use a brush. “For radiance and a second-skin finish that doesn’t settle into fine lines, I love this formula for mature skin,” Aharon says. Due to calming ingredients like squalane and camellia seed oil, Aharon says this fragrance-free foundation is suitable for sensitive skin, regardless of age.

Best Drugstore: L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation

L’Oréal Paris

True Match Super Blendable Foundation

Why it’s worth it: D’Amelio Ventre not only loves the shade range of this drugstore foundation (we’re talkin’ 47 shades!), but the formula “helps lock in moisture and has a finish that looks like skin, but promotes a glowy and even complexion.” It’s so creamy that she says it’s extremely easy to blend and can easily be layered for a more full-coverage look. It doesn’t have skin-care ingredients like the other foundations on this list, but it still has that smooth, buttery feel we love. We noticed this formula can look a bit cakey around drier areas like the mouth and nose, but as long as you moisturize beforehand, it wears smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to consider when looking for a foundation for mature skin

As you age, your complexion gains texture and leans toward the drier side. New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, previously told Allure that this is because your skin produces less collagen and fewer natural lipids, such as ceramides and fatty acids, which leads to dehydrated skin and a weaker moisture barrier. When it comes to base makeup, “Fine or not-so-fine lines and larger pores can make foundation look mask-like at best and incredibly unflattering at worst,” explains Los Angeles-based makeup artist Fiona Stiles. That’s why finding a hydrating foundation is paramount for looking fresh. Tony Tulve, a New York City-based makeup artist, recommends choosing liquid foundations as they “act more like a second skin.” Overall, finding a buildable-coverage formula with skin-plumping, fine-line-minimizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane is the key to a flawless, crease-free base.

How to prep mature skin for foundation

Before you touch your makeup brushes, prepping your skin is essential for creating the smoothest finish possible. “Moisture is key, so always make sure you start with a moisturizer that’s hydrating but won’t turn greasy and interrupt your foundation texture,” Barose previously told Allure. Gucci Westman, the Los Angeles-based makeup artist and founder of Westman Atelier, also emphasized being vigilant about moisturizing your whole face, especially the area around your eyes. Crystal Gossman, a New York City-based makeup artist, adds that layering on hydrating serums and essence toners will give the skin that juicy, plump feel and a natural tackiness to help foundation grip without needing a primer.

However, if you know you’ll be out and about all day—or have a special event— primer can be helpful for extra long-wearing benefits Barose recommends blurring formulas and straying away from mattifying formulas. He also gives balm-like formulations (like Danessa Myrick’s Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum) kudos for conditioning your skin while locking makeup in place. “You also don’t need to wear it all over the face,” he explains. “Focus on lines or [other areas] of your face [you want to] blur.”

How to apply foundation on mature skin

Tulve leans into the “less is more” philosophy when applying foundation to mature skin. Denser, full-coverage formulations may end up accentuating fine lines, so use a buildable formula you can layer to your desired finish for a seamless, second-skin-like result. “I apply foundation on the larger areas of the face first, like the cheeks and forehead, then I go in and tweak around the nose and the chin area,” makeup artist Sandy Linter previously told Allure. “Lastly, I’ll apply concealer, plus a touch of foundation under the eye area.”

If you apply your makeup with your fingers, you may want to swap your digits for a makeup sponge or foundation brush to ensure even coverage. “[Using your] fingers can look blotchy, uneven, or gloppy, which can make your lines come out more,” Barose said. To buff the foundation in, Barose recommends moving the brush in circular motions. “This will help the foundation spread smoothly, even over hard-to-reach areas with lines and wrinkles,” he notes. To ensure a smooth, blotch-free canvas, you can use a damp sponge as a final step to buff and blend.

What type of foundation works best for mature skin?

According to Barose, the best foundations for mature skin offer substantial coverage but aren’t too thick. “I prefer liquids or creams that are somewhat glowy without being too shiny. This will help the skin look radiant and healthy,” he says. On the flip side, he advises those with mature skin to steer clear of matte or opaque foundations. “These can age you by accentuating textures and lines on the face,” he says.

Should mature skin go with a lighter or darker foundation?

In terms of color, “Go with slightly warmer or richer tones,” Barose says. Liquid or cream foundations in particular can be blended down to add a “warm glaze” to the skin without making it look noticeably darker, he says. “As we age, sun exposure can bring out freckles and pigmentation, so going a touch darker evens everything out,” adds Gossman, who likes to pair that with a lighter concealer in targeted areas to brighten and lift.

Meet the experts

• Lisa Aharon, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Crystal Gossman, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Sandy Linter, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Renée Loiz, a makeup artist and founder of Color May Vary based in Los Angeles
• Amrita Mehta, a bicoastal makeup artist
• Beau Nelson, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Fiona Stiles, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Tony Tulve, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Gucci Westman, a makeup artist and founder of makeup brand Westman Atelier based in Los Angeles
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range that includes consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best foundations for mature skin, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, and contributors, with a particular focus on our 40-plus reviewers. We also relied heavily on trusted makeup artists to speak to the efficacy of these products on mature skin. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete review process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine. You may simply be browsing for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Mature skin makeup is all about hydration. We’ve rounded up everything you need for a flawless base (and beyond):