7 Best Full Coverage Foundations for Dry Skin

When you have dry skin, you want to give it all the moisture it can get. For dry skin, foundations imbued with soothing and moisturizing ingredients are suitable.

Below is a list of foundations that contain moisturizing properties and humectants like natural oils, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and draw moisture to it. These foundations effectively target dryness while providing medium to full coverage, creating a perfect base for your makeup application.

Conversely, foundations containing denatured alcohols, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid were not chosen. This ensures that the selected options are tailored specifically to address dryness and maintain skin health.

To determine which options excel among their competitors, I relied on a combination of personal experience, online reviews, ingredient research, and expert recommendations. This approach allowed me to gather comprehensive information on the performance and formulations of each product.

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Price= $47 on Amazon

Packaging: The tube style permits you to squeeze out as much or as little product as you want. It's mostly opaque, with just a small window for the actual color to peek through. Leakage is rarely an issue with this design. The larger tube comes with a pump, which is handy for those who tend to dispense more than they need.

Pros:

• Lightweight but full coverage
• Available in 22 shades
• Gorgeous natural finish
• Infused with skin nourishing and hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E
• It provides hydration while addressing various skin concerns such as acne scarring, wrinkles, redness, dark circles, large pores, and uneven skin tone.
• Generous amount in tube
• It simultaneously gives you full, creamy coverage while acting like a tinted moisturizer
• Instantly camouflages imperfections for a flawless-looking natural coverage, helping you achieve complexion perfection.
• It’s seriously hydrating, leaving skin feeling supple and soft—never flaky or dry
• Once it’s on, it has a “barely-there” feel, you will forget that you are wearing makeup.
• Its dewy finish gives your complexion a ‘’lit-from-within’’ glow, while also avoiding the appearance of heavy makeup. It truly lives up to its "Your Skin But Better" name.
• It has SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen
• Cruelty free

Cons:

• Limited shade range and undertone options
• May transfer
• This has a big ingredient list and many of them are natural. This foundation contains citrus and other essential oils. If you are sensitive to essential oils or silicones, be cautious with this
• This product can oxidize or change color slightly after application, which may affect the match to your skin tone over time.
• It has SPF 50 but almost no one uses enough foundation to get adequate skin suncreen.Do not skip your sunscreen.
• The IT® CC+ Cream is considered a high-end product, so it may not be budget-friendly for everyone, especially considering it's marketed as a multi-tasking product. An excellent dupe for this is Elf CC cream.
• Individuals with very oily or acne-prone skin may find that the creamy texture exacerbates oiliness or causes breakouts.

Price= $52 on Amazon

Packaging: The NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation comes in a glass bottle with a pump. The packaging is chic, and the bottle is of a really good size. The packaging says medium coverage, but it gives full long lasting overall natural looking coverage to your face

Pros:

• This foundation provides a very natural look, even when applied in many layers. It seamlessly blends with the skin, creating a radiant finish.
• You can adjust the coverage from light to heavy, depending on your preference and needs.
• Despite its coverage, it feels lightweight on the skin, allowing for comfortable wear throughout the day.
• Wear time 7-8 hours
• Available in 34 shades
• Delivers a gorgeous subtle, luminous finish.
• It blurs and covers fine lines.
• Weightless feel on the skin
• Oil free.
• Great for dry skin and dry mature skin
• After application the skin still feels like skin, and the formula is breathable.
• All redness is covered and blemishes are ALL concealed with just one VERY thin layer of product.
• No white flashback with a camera flash.
• you only need a small amount of product to get amazing coverage
• this formula is best for people with normal, normal-to-dry, combination-dry and mature dry skin types
• Formula is infused with glycerine , Apple, Watermelon, and Raspberry extracts to provide hydration and nourishment to skin
• Without Parabens, alcohol, and fragrance.

Cons:

• The NARS foundation is on the higher end of the price spectrum. If you’re on a budget, it might not be the most cost-effective option.
• Not cruelty free
• Many shades in this range have a strong yellow undertone.
• The formula doesn’t look good on very dry flakey skin. So prep your skin very well.
• Initially, the foundation can be quite runny, requiring vigorous shaking for about half a minute, especially the first time you use it. Since a new bottle is typically full, it takes longer to achieve the proper viscosity. However, with more uses, the product settles and blends more easily within the container, shortening the shaking routine each time.

Price= $14 on Amazon

Packaging: The foundation comes in a glass bottle, with a pump, in the typical L’Oréal Foundation packaging.The bottle contains contains 30 ml of product

Pros:

• Provides a wear time of 7-9 hours.
• The finish is natural and skin-like, with a medium coverage that can be easily built up to full.
• Does not settle into fine lines or pores.
• Lightweight formula.
• Infused with Vitamin E to nourish and moisturize the skin.
• If you're seeking the best full-coverage foundation that won’t fade by 5pm, then this is the perfect choice for you.
• It does not oxidize, ensuring your complexion stays true throughout the day.
• Buildable coverage allows for customizable results.
• Available in 40 shades, predominantly in the light to medium range.
• Contains SPF 25 for sun protection.
• Ideal for mature, dry, or combination/dry skin types.
• Loreal 24hr Infallible Foundation Is Water Based

Cons:

• It is a very runny formula
• It has a scent which is not overbearing.
• Glass bottle isn’t great for travel.
• This is suitable for dry skin but still you may need a good hydrating primer underneath the foundation.
• The formula may be too heavy for someone with very dry or exceedingly dehydrated skin

Price= $55 on Amazon

Packaging: The product is housed in an elegant, frosted glass bottle, featuring the brand's logo delicately etched in black on the front. It comes equipped with a sleek black pump and a matching cap adorned with the logo, adding to its minimalist charm.

Pros:

• Offers medium coverage that can be easily built up to full.
• Wears well throughout the day.
• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is formulated with a water base and is oil-free.
• Provides deep hydration, leaving the skin with a radiant glow.
• A revered icon in the industry, the formula instantly blurs imperfections and enhances the skin's natural radiance over time.
• Its luxurious texture glides smoothly onto the skin, ensuring effortless application.
• Unlike some foundations, it doesn’t require an additional layer of setting powder to keep it in place.
• With just one pump, the product delivers a natural, radiant finish that allows your skin to shine through subtly. But, as it's build-able, you can easily layer coats of the foundation in areas where you need some extra help, to really achieve that flawless, perfected look, without your skin looking completely fake and caked in a mask of makeup
• Enriched with skin-friendly ingredients, including glycerin for added moisture.
• Offers a beautiful luminous, glowy-skin finish, perfect for achieving a natural makeup look.
• Maintains color consistency throughout the day without oxidizing.
• Does not pile up or cake, even after hours of wear.
• Available in an impressive range of 40 shades.

Cons:

• This foundation comes in a myriad of shades and it can take some experimentation to determine which one is best for you.
• Has a noticeable alcohol scent, which may be bothersome for individuals sensitive to fragrances.
• May not hold up as well throughout the day for those with oily or very oily skin.
• Although of exceptional quality, the Luminous Silk Foundation comes with a higher price tag compared to other leading foundations. It's an investment, so consider your budget before purchasing. Alternatively, the travel-size option provides 18ml for a more affordable price of $45.
• Dry skin must be well-exfoliated, moisturized, and free from any flaky patches to prevent product clinging.
• Does not offer sun protection.

Price: $5.47 on Amazon

Packaging: The foundation comes in a high-quality glass packaging with a screw-top lid, which adds to its luxurious feel. The applicator has a thin, paddle-like design that effectively distributes the product during application.

Pros:

• Very reasonable price.
• It has an Ultra-lightweight, moisturizing formula.
• 5-6 hours. Primer and setting spray will definitely help with the longevity.
• It delivers buildable medium to full coverage.
• Infused with glycerin to keep skin moisturized and supple.
• There’s a wide range of colors to choose from.
• Suitable for dry skin.
• Give a beautiful Hydrating glow.
• Effectively covers facial blemishes and imperfections well.
• Easy to blend wide color range and good coverage.
• blends seamlessly into the skin for a luminous, dewy finish.
• Cruelty free

Cons:

• Finding the right color match is not easy, make sure to look the colors up on wet and wild’s site first.
• It smells like paint.
• If you have sensitive skin stay away and look at other brands that offer fragrance free foundation.
• Not for those looking for a ‘’no make-up look’’ foundation. With this, It’s obvious you are wearing makeup.
• The packaging is not good. The bacteria may spread from the paddle like applicator into the product after touching your face/blemishes.

Price= $55 on Amazon

Packaging: This foundation comes in a weighty glass bottle with a dark blue plastic cap. You get 30 ml/ 1oz worth of product, which is a standard amount.

Pros:

• Medium to full Coverage.
• Beautiful radiant, skin-like finish with a subtle glow. Not shimmery or greasy.
• Available in 42 shades.
• Spf 35 included.
• Infused with Vitamin E and glycerin to keep the skin moisturized and supple.
• Feels weightless and lasts well for up to 6-8 hours. With proper skin prep, this lasts for hours.
• Looks beautiful both in person and in photos.
• It perfects the tone of the skin and adds glow without being too obvious or cakey. Truly, like a second skin in a bottle
• A little goes a long way.
• Very easy to blend and apply.
• Does not exaggerate lines or wrinkles on mature skin.
• If you have dry skin and you are looking for a dewy look without patches on your face this is the foundation you need! It gives super natural glow

Cons:

• Very expensive
• it would be nice not to have so much alcohol and perfume in the mix. If your skin is sensitive, then I would recommend considering other options
• There are 42 shades available but there’s still room for improvement. it would be nice to see an addition of deeper tones.
• This foundation comes in a weighty glass bottle with a dark blue plastic cap. The cap is not secure and comes off easily, so be careful as you might accidentally drop the bottle.
• Dries fast

Price= $11 on Amazon

Packaging: It comes in a handy compact with sponge, perfect for throwing in your handbag for quick touch ups.

Pros:

• Medium coverage that can built up to full
• Wear time5-6 hours
• It covers very well and works great for dry mature skin.
• Minimizes the look of wrinkles and provides a youthful glow
• Delivers a beautiful, dewy coverage.
• contains hyaluronic complex and vitamin C for healthier looking skin
• very easy and light to carry around compared with foundation in bottles
• It's moisturizing and it glides over the fine lines and wrinkles and doesn't settle into them
• Contains SPF 28 which helps protect from sun damage.
• Rich and hydrating, this formula lessens the appearance of fine lines
• Easy to blend, and easy to touch up.
• The accompanying sponge is handy. It has clearly been designed to work best with it.
• It is inexpensive.
• Cruelty free

Cons:

• It may cause breakouts if you have sensitive or acne prone skin.
• It is difficult to find a matching color because this foundation is only available in 11 shades.
• Make sure you prep you skin well beforehand or this may give you a cakey look.