15 Foundations That Complement Indian and South Asian Skin Tones
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Reviewed by Jaleesa Jaikaran
No matter your skin tone or type, deciding on the best foundation for you can be a difficult process: With all the different formulations, finishes, coverage levels, and shade ranges, it's not always straightforward to know which will work. While the beauty industry has made strides in terms of inclusive shade offerings, they still have a long way to go, including for South Asian and Indian skin tones. Our skin tones span across a wide range of shades, and our unique mix of undertones can make shade matching difficult. “The bulk of Indian skin has a yellow undertone, but it also has a mix of red and peach," says makeup artist David Maderich. "You have to be careful to hit all of those, or you’ll end up looking gray or pink.” Ahead, see 15 of the best foundations for Indian skin tones, complete with Maderich's expert insights.
Meet the Expert
David Maderich is a New York City-based makeup artist whose clientele has included Indian brides, models, and celebrities including Kate Hudson, Prince, and Patti Labelle.
Best Overall: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF40 Foundation
Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF40 Foundation ($48)
This Byrdie-approved skin tint is one of my favorite foundations. It was made with warm and neutral undertones in mind, and the product’s reef-safe SPF doesn’t leave a gray finish on my skin. The dewy finish offers light, buildable coverage that melts into the skin, and because Indian skin is predisposed to genetic hyperpigmentation, the formula's niacinamide works to visibly improve and smooth texture while you’re wearing it throughout the day.
Best Weightless: Basma The Foundation Stick
Basma The Foundation Stick ($40)
This TikTok-beloved foundation has plenty of options for neutral or warm undertones in a variety of hues, offering 40 shades in total. It also delivers buildable coverage that feels totally weightless on the skin. In her review, Byrdie editor Olivia Hancock said that "it's easy to forget you're wearing anything on your face with this product."
Best Satin Finish: Kosas Tinted Face Oil
Kosas Tinted Face Oil ($42)
The Kosas Tinted Face Oil line of foundations has various undertones beyond simply warm, cool, and neutral. The golden and olive undertones in the shade range are a great fit for the mix of peach, yellow, orange, and red tones of Indian skin. The medium, buildable coverage looks stunning on its own, and I’ll often skip my glow-inducing highlighters when I wear it. If wearing an oil-based foundation scares you, fear not: The acne-friendly jojoba oil in this makes it feel totally weightless. I have large pores around my nose and cheeks, and this non-greasy formula never settles in them.
Best Hydrating: Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation
Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation ($20)
We love that this foundation comes in 50 shades to fit Indian skin tones and beyond, but Maderich warns us to stay away from anything with any pink. Instead, opt for yellow or neutral undertones, and match the product to your neck rather than your face. "A lot of my Indian friends have a lighter face and darker neck, and choosing a foundation with pink undertones will just make that stand out," he says. "I always tell them that the best way to find the most natural shade is by matching it with their neck." Hyaluronic acid and red algae extract deliver intense hydration to skin that’s especially parched, plus the formula has inflammation-healing sunflower oil, which my acne-prone skin particularly loves.
Best for Blurring: Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint
Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint ($35)
You can't go wrong when it comes to Fenty Beauty, as Rihanna created her brand with an inclusive shade range in mind. This blurring skin tint features 25 lightweight, flexible shades, most of which cater to golden, olive, and yellow undertones. Fans of the product love the natural-looking finish, lasting power, and compatibility with oily skin types.
Best for Peach and Red Undertones: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Foundation
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Serum Foundation ($34)
This Danessa Myricks foundation has a rich range of shades for skin with peach and red undertones—a rare and hard thing to find. "I use a lot of red pigment on Indian skin in my kit," says Maderich. "It’s hard to find, but the finish is really beautiful and natural." In addition to the shade options, this product is skin-friendly thanks to jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, and olive-derived squalane, which provide hydration and minimize visible signs of aging.
Best Everyday Foundation: Laura Mercier Flawless Lumière Foundation
Laura Mercier Flawless Lumière Radiance-Perfecting Foundation ($49)
Consider this the ideal everyday foundation for Indian skin tones (and others, too). It provides medium coverage and has all-day lasting power. "With this foundation, steer clear of anything that has 'cool' in its shade name," says Maderich. "Those will look way too pink on Indian skin." The shades with neutral and warm undertones have a beautiful glow that really brings out the golden hues in our skin. Plus, the vitamin C in this formula gives your skin an instant radiance boost—a huge plus on the days you want to sustain your glow without touch-ups.
Best Full Coverage: Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation
Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation ($42)
Complete with 39 available shades, this Huda Beauty pick is an ideal foundation for the days you want a full-coverage, matte glow. It can be hard to know what undertones a foundation has just by looking at it, but the descriptions of these shades provide helpful details, making it easier to find your match. Because I have such dry skin, I’m usually wary of matte foundations, but this product has a non-drying finish and wears well throughout the day with proper skin prep.
Best For Oily Skin: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation ($10)
Maybelline's Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation has been a staple of mine since high school. Maderich says it's a standout foundation for Indian skin thanks to the increasing variety of shade offerings. "I’m so impressed by Maybelline’s formula and shade offerings," he says. "They’ve been an old standby for many years, and I really appreciate that they added so many shades to their recent offerings." When I had oilier skin in my teen years, I loved using this foundation on its own. These days, I’ll typically mix it with a bit of jojoba or sunflower seed oil for a bit more moisture.
Best Natural Finish: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation ($36)
Everything Rihanna touches turns to gold, and her foundations are no exception. Maderich is a huge fan, too: "I love Fenty Beauty and am so impressed with the line," he says. "There are so many shades, and they all have warmer, mixed undertones that are great for Indian skin." No matter your tone, Fenty Beauty has you covered. The brand's hydrating foundation provides comfortable wear and medium-to-full coverage that still feels light on the skin.
Best Dewy Finish: Urban Decay Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation
Urban Decay Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation ($33)
It’s rare to find a foundation with a radiant, glowy finish that’s long-wearing, so as a dry-skinned girl, finding this foundation was like striking gold. The line includes entirely warm and neutral-toned foundations, making it a must-have for South Asian skin tones. Infused with hydrating marula oil and antioxidant-rich kombucha filtrate, it’s my go-to when I want to have a sun-kissed glow.
Best Spot Coverage: Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick ($54)
This is my favorite product on days I want to cover up a couple of spots of hyperpigmentation rather than wear a full face of foundation. The handy packaging and dry formula offer a lot of control that makes it easy to apply and blend. While the Bobbi Brown brand is renowned for its incredible ability to shade match overall, Maderich makes a point to mention this foundation is top-notch for those with more yellow undertones (which most Indian skin has). "I love Bobbi Brown for medium, Indian skin tones,” he says. "They have beautiful shades of yellow for golden undertones."
Best For Touch-Ups: Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation
Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation ($38)
Merit's foundation packaging is super chic and easy to keep in your purse, so I reach for it to touch up throughout the day. It’s long-wearing and has a natural finish, so you’ll just need to swipe on one layer. The foundations cater to a range of caramel, golden, yellow, peach, neutral, and red undertones.
Best Waterproof Formula: Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($49)
This easy-to-apply formula was my go-to throughout grad school when I needed something that would last from early 8 a.m. classes to late-night happy hours. While I was dealing with stress-induced acne, I appreciated the coverage it delivered. The natural finish, along with its golden undertones, gave me a glow that combated the dullness of my acne scars, too. Throughout long, sweaty walks around campus, I used to get tons of compliments on my complexion whenever I wore this sweat-proof stick foundation.
Best Concealer as Foundation: Kulfi Main Match Hydrating Concealer
Kulfi Main Match Crease-Proof Long-Wear Hydrating Concealer ($26)
For times when you'd rather apply concealer in strategic spots than a full face of foundation, this one from Kulfi Beauty is one of the best options for Indian skin tones. Founded by Priyanka Ganjoo, Kulfi puts South Asian beauty front and center, and this product features 21 shades, all of which offer medium coverage and a radiant finish. It's easy to blend, lightweight, and creates an even result that effectively covers hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and other skin concerns.
Up Next: Kulfi Beauty Authentically Celebrates South Asian Culture
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