14 best foundations for mature skin
As we get older our skin needs change, and the foundation many of us have stuck with for decades may no longer make the cut. Hormonal changes together with the addition of wrinkles and laughter lines, sun damage and age spots can cause mature skin to need extra care and attention.
Additionally, ageing skin can also become very prone to dryness, making wrinkles appear more obvious. So there is no better moment to invest time, and in some cases money, in finding the right foundation to suit your needs.
Our testers – in their forties, fifties, sixties and seventies – trialled lots of products in different price ranges to bring you the best of the bunch.
Here are the best foundations for mature skin that will hide dark circles, fine lines and everything else in between.
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Teint Couture Balm Givenchy Blurring Foundation Balm Bare Skin Perfector: £31, Givenchy
With a makeup brand as reputable as Givenchy you would expect to get great results and this foundation certainly didn’t disappoint. One of our testers has spent the last five years trying everything to cover up the dark circles that seem to of appeared under their eyes and only wished they had discovered this product sooner.
This foundation glided on smoothly across the skin, giving our tester an almost instant even skin tone which seemed to brighten up their problematic eye area. One small application from the tube saw them through the day, but if you do want to build it up a bit on particularly troublesome areas it will glide on without dragging down the skin.
The overall effect gave a lovely dewy look without the additional need to add blusher or bronzer, plus the texture of the makeup felt like a second skin.
La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In-Foundation: £148, Harrods
When a foundation comes in at this price, it is no surprise to hear it contains caviar water – an extract of which enhances the production of collagen that we lose as we age.
You can tell that it contains goodness for the skin, as after just a few days of wearing it – your face feels more plumped up and bright, with the foundation providing natural looking coverage and the added benefit of SPF 25 for protection.
Having suffered with severe acne as a teenager, our tester had been left with scarring on one cheek, which often requires them to apply heavy makeup. But this product worked its magic by gliding over the skin and covering up every imperfection.
The only reason why this product wasn’t our best buy was because of its hefty price tag.
Germaine De Capuccini Splendour: £43.75, Amazon
Our tester was fed up of their normal heavy foundation that seemed to emphasise lines and wrinkles, so was eager to address their needs by trying out a new one.
The packaging was very impressive, as is the fact it contains an SPF of 30, and it did the trick in terms of coverage.
After years of feeling weighed down with makeup, our tester loved how the product spread on so easily and had such a light texture.
Able to wear it all day, our tester never felt the need to touch up. Lines and wrinkles appeared less obvious and with three different shades to choose from it made the colour match less complicated than others.
Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation: £31, Beauty Bay
A small dot goes a long way with this foundation. Due to its oil free components, it had none of the stickiness that other foundations can leave.
With sensitive skin prone to breakouts, our tester loved the way it felt silky on their face and provided excellent coverage across their sore T-zone area, even minimising pores in a way other foundations haven’t.
This Canadian makeup company has covered all areas with several shades of colour. Loaded with ingredients you’d expect to find in skin care, including vitamins C and E to protect skin from harmful free radicals, this is a winner.
Korres Black Pine Lifting, Firming and Brightening Foundation: £30, Amazon
Searching for the best foundation is like a never ending story for our tester at the age of 71. They suffer with dark circles under the eyes and dull and lifeless appearing skin.
Korres came to the rescue with a foundation, that despite giving a very light coverage instantly, reduced the signs of tiredness, giving the skin a sheen without the need for priming first.
This Greek skin brand did exactly as it says on the box, with the added bonus of smelling great too.
Mii Absolute Face Base: £22.25, Amazon
For such a lightweight foundation this gives you an excellent level of coverage, which does not look heavy or unnatural.
Our tester normally uses a foundation brush, but this was very easy to apply with their fingertips and had a gorgeous creamy finish that didn’t settle in any laughter lines or wrinkles.
The foundation lasted all day and their skin tone remained even.
Autograph Hydrating Confidence Boost Foundation: £16, M&S
Our tester is a huge fan of the Autograph clothes range but was slightly dubious to try out a foundation, having been loyal to the same luxury brand for almost a decade.
Although more watery than what they were used to, our tester was very surprised as it was perfect for her extremely dry face – thanks to its boosting formula that uses aloe and cucumber to hydrate the skin throughout the day.
As well as giving a good natural coverage that hid quite a few sun spots, the foundation was light and stayed in place all day. Being cruelty-free also gave this foundation the edge other brands.
Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Filter Foundation: £9.05, Amazon
This foundation contains a unique built in blending brush that makes it easy to blend the product onto the face, giving a lovely opaque finish to the skin. In terms of older skin, the thicker coverage was very helpful in covering our testers deep set forehead wrinkles.
Coming in at a reasonable price, the overall quality and end result makes it a worthwhile buy, and it lasts well.
Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Foundation, £27, Debenhams
Once you’ve looked past the ultra cool packaging, the good news about this cruelty-free product is that it is as impressive inside as it is out.
One small pump of foundation was all that was needed to glide over the full face, minimising all shine. This is great for older skin as our tester had been plagued with ageing spots since her fifties and with one swoop of colour they disappeared with hardly any need for additional concealer.
This is perfect for the summer as it is so light you hardly feel you are wearing anything.
The Verdict: foundations for mature skin
We particularly loved Givenchy’s blurring foundation that ticked all the right boxes when it came to value for money, texture, coverage and colour. A close second has to be La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Essence-In-Foundation which is the ultimate in luxury with incredible benefits for the skin, but due to its price not appealing for everyone.
