I Finally Found a Drugstore Foundation I Love Just as Much as My Pricey Makeup

Why spend a lot on makeup when you can get gorgeous skin with this $11 find?

I’ve always been a major fan of BB cream—specifically, a nearly $40 BB Cream I’ve used for almost a decade.

I’ve tried to find comparable substitutions, from foundations to tinted moisturizers and CC creams, but no product had the same effect on my skin as my original makeup staple. I like being able to use just one layer of foundation, enhancing rather than masking my skin and giving my complexion a healthy glow with evened tone. Most products I sampled, however, left my skin with a bit too much sheen to forgo additional powder or too sheer not to pair with supplemental cover-up.

Then, I met my beloved BB cream’s match: Maybelline’s Dream Urban Cover Flawless Foundation ($11; walmart.com).

What I like most about this product—before getting into the formula specifics—is how I look and feel after using the lightweight cream. My skin requires no additional makeup to look even and clear, and all that’s left for me to complete my daily makeup routine is slapping on some blush and mascara. My skin feels like it can really breathe under the watery texture, which also makes the foundation super easy to spread and blend.

If I do have a blemish or discolored area I’m self-conscious about, I let the first layer dry and then pat more product onto specific spots rather than apply a cover-up that could end up caky or a powder that will go against the no-makeup-makeup look I want.

walmart.com
walmart.com

To buy: $11, walmart.com.

While BB creams offer additional skincare benefits along with their coverage, Maybelline’s product is also multi-functional. Packing in broad-spectrum SPF 50, the foundation protects your delicate face from harsh UVA and UVB rays that can lead to cancer and premature signs of aging. Wearing daily sun protection (year-round, no exceptions) is the number-one recommendation of dermatologists when it comes to warding off wrinkles and sun spots, so the fact that sunblock is built into this product means one fewer step to remember in the mornings.

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Maybelline’s formula also packs in antioxidants to defend your skin against other environmental stressors, like pollution, all while sitting naturally on your skin like a nearly invisible shield.

The silky liquid leaves my skin looking refreshed with just the right amount of dewiness every time—and, unlike my pricey BB cream, this foundation comes in a substantial 15 shades, ranging from Fair Porcelain to Java, so everyone can find the perfect shade.