Brides / Amelia Manley
Finding the right foundation is one of the more daunting makeup tasks for anyone. Now, throw your wedding day into the mix—choosing the perfect base can be even more challenging. You need something that is going to last and that’s going to look great both in photos and in real life. The good news? There’s no shortage of high-performing foundations to choose from.
Once you find a favorite, try taking it for a test run on a busy day, suggests celebrity makeup artist Bryan Cantor. “Apply it in the morning and wear it as you go about your day, looking in the mirror as often as possible to gauge how it is wearing. Are you shiny halfway through? Does it start wearing off after a few hours? Try this with a few foundations and take notes to determine which is best for your big day,” he advises.
To narrow down your search and make your life a little bit easier, we compiled a list of the best foundations for brides on the market—keeping wear-time, finish, ingredients, and overall quality in mind.
Read on for the top foundations that are perfect for your wedding day.
Best for an Airbrushed Look
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
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Sephora
For those who want the effect of airbrushed foundation—without having to deal with the actual airbrushing machine—this pick can’t be beaten. Charlotte Tilbury is known for creating products that make your complexion look naturally clear, and this is no exception. Hydrating and lightweight, it’s humidity-resistant and waterproof. Plus, it offers a cooling and refreshing feeling when it goes on the skin, a major boon for summer brides. As if that weren’t enough, it also contains a proprietary ingredient complex that helps reduce the look of wrinkles.
Price at time of publish: $49
Best Natural
Exa High Fidelity Foundation
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Credobeauty
Once upon a time, not so long ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find a clean and natural foundation that could still perform. Happily, that’s no longer the case; this is one of our favorite recent foundation launches, natural or not. It’s free of a laundry list of questionable chemicals but works just as well as any ‘traditional’ foundation.
The semi-satin finish is perfect for those who don’t want a matte or radiant texture, and the medium coverage is incredibly easy to either build up or sheer out on any areas where you don’t need quite as much product. Not to mention it comes in 43 shades.
Price at time of publish: $38
Best Splurge
Chantecaille Future Skin Oil-Free Gel Foundation
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Saks Fifth Avenue
Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Also yes. “This looks exactly like healthy skin when it’s applied, and is packed with natural botanicals and antioxidants to soothe skin while preventing environmental damage,” says Cantor of another one of his favorites. Plus, this formula features a unique, oil-free gel texture made with 60% water that's both refreshing and super lightweight.
Price at time of publish: $89
Best Lightweight
ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation
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Nordstrom
A true makeup-skincare hybrid, “This contains powerful skincare ingredients that soothe, smooth, and visibly repair skin, all while leaving it looking great,” says Cantor. Namely, texture- and tone-improving niacinamide, redness-combatting allantoin, and calming aloe. It comes with a dropper-type applicator; use as many drops as needed to reach your desired level of coverage.
Price at time of publish: $54
Pressing it in with your fingers helps it melt into skin for the most seamless coverage.
Best Base
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
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Cantor is just one of many makeup artists who love this classic pick, a fan favorite for over 20 years. “Formulated for all skin types, its patented technology gives an incredibly realistic lit-from-within look both in person and on camera,” he explains. It's exactly what you need for your big day.
It also simultaneously improves skin texture and blurs imperfections, he adds. Plus, the shade range was recently expanded. There are now over 40 tones to choose from, all of which impart a just-right level of medium coverage with a radiant yet still skin-like finish. While it is a bit pricey, a little does go a long way, so one bottle will last for quite a while.
Price at time of publish: $69 for 1 oz
Best Drugstore Pick
L'Oréal Paris Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation
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Amazon
Yes, you can find a great wedding day foundation at the drugstore. This formula is proof! As the name suggests, it touts some impressive staying power and is transfer- and sweat-proof. Unlike some other long-wear foundations, the color stays consistent throughout the day. Still, it’s lightweight and breathable, and we also like that it comes in 40 shades, which is impressive for a drugstore base.
Price at time of publish: $16
Best for Dry Skin
Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25
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Sephora
If you have dry skin, prepping with a good moisturizer and hydrating primer is important, but choosing the right foundation formula can also help. Enter this top pick. It’s filled with ingredients more commonly found in skincare than makeup—think hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane, niacinamide, and wrinkle-smoothing peptides. It applies and blends in beautifully, making it easy to achieve an undetectable, seamless finish that creates a perfect skin-like effect.
Price at time of publish: $42
Best for Oily Skin
Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow Foundation
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Sephora
According to Cantor, this is a great choice for those with oily or combination skin. Inspired by the brand’s beloved loose powders and a new take on the radiant variant of the same base, he says the medium coverage and long-lasting, transfer-proof, waterproof formula is ideal for brides. Pink clay helps to absorb excess oil, though the matte finish still looks natural and never chalky.
Price at time of publish: $52
Best Full Coverage
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer
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Amazon
If you’re looking for a foundation that packs a serious coverage punch, reach for this guy. The cream formula is highly pigmented, so much so that it can even cover tattoos (not to mention things such as acne, dark circles, and hyperpigmentation). But despite how concentrated it is, it never cracks or looks cakey or mask-like. It contains hydrating jojoba oil, vitamin E, and honey, though works equally well on all skin types. And while it only comes in 16 shades, they’re all fairly versatile.
Price at time of publish: $34
Best Stick
Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
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Nordstrom
Long-wearing, waterproof, and super-concentrated, this packs the same amount of coverage as you’d get with any liquid or cream foundation—just in an incredibly easy-to-use stick. The triangular tip makes it easy to reach even hard-to-get-to spots (like around your nose or ears), and it blends in beautifully. We use it all-over as a foundation, though it also pulls double-duty as a concealer and/or touch-up product to keep on-hand in your clutch during the big day.
Price at time of publish: $49
Meet the Expert
Bryan Cantor is a celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert based in New York City. He brings his impressive knowledge of makeup products, skin care, application techniques, and professional tips and secrets to clients and companies in New York City and across the globe.
What to Look for in a Wedding Foundation
Finish
You want to make sure you look good in photos and also IRL. “Apply the foundation and then go out with friends that you trust and ask them how it looks in various lighting situations,” says Cantor. As a general rule of thumb, if it looks good in daylight it will look good in any light, since daylight is the most unforgiving. It’s also a good idea to take some photos in these various lighting scenarios and see how your skin looks on camera, he adds. For a natural-looking finish, we love the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.
Coverage
Cantor says most brides should look for a foundation that’s light to medium coverage, and use concealer on any spots that need more attention. “This will look much more natural both in-person and on camera, as light can pass through this level of coverage, as it does with natural skin,” he explains. One exception? If you have drastic discoloration all over your face, go for medium-to-full coverage, he says. For a full-coverage finish, go with the Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer.
Consider skin type
“Look for a foundation that works for your skin type. If you have dry skin and use a mattifying formula, your skin will look thirsty and feel very uncomfortable. Likewise, if you have oily skin and choose a formula that’s too hydrating, it’s going to look shiny and can slide off your face,” suggests Cantor. Finding a formula that’s created to work for your skin type will ensure optimal results in both appearance and longevity, he says.
Why Trust Brides
Brides contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She’s also a newlywed, who wore the Armani foundation on this list for her wedding a few months ago.