The best foundations for acne-prone need to tick several boxes to be able to call themselves the "best". Not only do they need to provide decent coverage without making skin look cakey, they should also absorb excess oil without drying out your skin and—most importantly—not trigger breakouts or worsen existing spots, leaving skin looking and feeling healthy.
Your gut may tell you to reach for the best foundation with full coverage when your skin acts up, doing so can may make your skin even angrier. "Unless you need heavier makeup for specific purposes, I generally suggest lighter formulations, such as CC creams or even tinted sunscreen—some are specially formulated for acne-prone skin," says London-based dermatology fellow Dr. Bernard Ho.
It's therefore important to closely examine a formula before using it to ensure that it's not loaded with heavy or pore-clogging ingredients—even when shopping on a budget and perusing the best drugstore foundations. To pinpoint the most suitable buys, our expert beauty contributor tested those that claim to suit acne-prone skin and reviewed how well they perform.
Meet the experts on foundation for acne-prone skin
Dr. Bernard Ho is an NHS doctor and dermatology fellow at St George's Hospital in London, who has advised My Imperfect Life readers on shopping for makeup that works on acne-prone skin.
The best foundations for acne-prone skin, as reviewed by a beauty editor
How we tested the best foundations for acne-prone skin
My skin is sensitive to some ingredients but is generally quite hardy, a bit blemish-prone, and falls on the slightly oily side. In my personal opinion, the best foundation for acne-prone skin should first and foremost be non-comedogenic as standard, as this means the formula won’t further clog your pores. The finish, however, is entirely personal—historically they have fallen under the matte category, but there are now a few other options on the market for a more satin-y or radiant look.
For those doing battle with acne or blemish-prone skin, the best non-comedogenic foundations make an ideal match because they don't contain pore-clogging ingredients. Or the best foundations for combination skin are great if different areas of your skin act differently. And if you're on a budget, plenty of drugstore options nowadays also play well with blemished skin, provided they're suited to this skin type.
Below you'll find all of the acne-prone skin foundations I deem it worth knowing about, from luxury picks to dry skin saviors. When putting these formulations through their paces I wore each one at least twice for a full day, focusing particularly on the following factors.
- Formula
- Range and number of shades
- Finish
- Ease of application
- How long it lasted on the skin
- Packaging
- Price
I also made sure that I tested a broad range of foundations including popular formulas that are well known for being specifically for acne-prone skin, newer products, and some underdogs that—although not necessarily marketed for acne-prone skin—could still prove very suitable. Below is my edit of those that came out on top as the best foundations for acne-prone skin.
Finding a formula to disguise acne without visibly drying out spots and that still feels light on the skin and that's comfortable to wear is no mean feat. But this makeup bag staple is the embodiment of makeup artist François NARS' famous ethos: "makeup shouldn't cover your skin—it should enhance your natural beauty, not mask it". Loaded with skin-loving ingredients it strikes the balance of being gentle on problem areas while still evening out your complexion. For a formula that’s billed as sheer, I found it has an impressive level of pigment and coverage. This is a must for concealing blemishes or scarring, as you don't need to apply a lot of product (or run the risk of foundation pilling) to do so. The finish is also slightly dewy, leaving skin looking fresh and glowy, not dull and cakey.
If you're worried about dry skin causing acne, this foundation's hydrating properties help to prevent the formula from drying around blemishes. Those aforementioned skin-loving ingredients include antioxidants like vitamin C to brighten and protect the skin from further damage from free radicals and environmental factors. The hero of the formula, though, has to be turmeric, which also works to brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of acne scars with prolonged use), while its anti-inflammatory properties also calm acne flare-ups. I deem it a must-have skincare-makeup hybrid that's perfect for those after decent coverage with a lightweight, silky feel.
A cult foundation for acne-prone skin from an equally cult brand, Clinique’s Anti-Blemish Solutions truly excelled in my tests and is a well-recognized favorite for many people with acne. Its lightweight, silky texture was easy to apply—I found it best applied with a damp make-up sponge—and although it dries down quickly, this was something that I soon got used to the more I used it.
Formulated with salicylic acid to help treat blemishes and breakouts, this foundation is also oil-free and works to neutralize any discoloration in the skin—though there is definite room for improvement with its shade range. Another factor that I loved was its natural-looking finish; no matter how many layers I applied it didn’t look chalky. In other words, my skin stayed looking like skin—just like when you use one of the best BB creams—which, in my book, is vital.
This foundation is at the expensive end of the scale, but when you take into account its claims and credibility, it’s definitely worth it. A favorite among celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian, it's formulated specifically for acne-prone skin and contains 2% salicylic acid (a spot-busting form of beta-hydroxy acid), a much higher level than most other foundations that contain it. It’s also enriched with soothing Aloe vera and vitamin E to target inflammation and calm redness.
It also features SPF 30, meaning you get a little UV protection, though you must of course use one of the best sunscreens for face to get the right amount of protection. It's also ultra-lightweight, lasts all day, and has significant oil-controlling powers. However, I must flag the extremely limited, incredibly pale selection of shades that are on offer here. If you can find your shade and afford this formula, it's one of the best foundations for acne-prone skin, and a truly incredible discovery.
Those with acne-prone and oily complexions were delighted when IT Cosmetics launched this oil-free, matte version of its cult CC cream—because it meant that they, too, could see what all the fuss was about. Despite the fact it does have heavy coverage and a matte finish, I love that it still looks relatively natural on the skin and doesn’t feel cakey or suffocating.
As well as disguising discoloration like redness with ease (the CC is a hit among those with rosacea), it also lives up to its claims of helping to reduce oiliness and shine throughout the day, plus it’s hydrating which is fairly unheard of, even when it comes to the best foundation for acne prone skin. The added SPF 40 is always a bonus that I'm fully on board with, and this is easily one of the best foundations for oily skin around.
When it comes to affordability and shade range, Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation ticks all my boxes, making it one of the best drugstore foundations, in my opinion. 40 shades is quite impressive for any foundation, let alone one that’s suitable for oily skin types and very affordable.
There's a real lack of shade diversity when it comes to foundations for acne-prone skin, but Maybelline is leading by example—and despite the fact that I did find that this foundation did need a little topping up throughout the day, it did a pretty good job. Considering its price tag, it’s definitely a good choice.
This higher-end foundation looked like another, more polished, perfected layer of skin. In just one application uneven textures, visible pores, and red blemishes were smoothed over, with no gathering around any dry patches or particularly nasty breakouts—which is why it's one of the best foundations for acne-prone skin.
It won't give super full coverage, but I actually liked that. I could still see a glimpse of my freckles and natural complexion, but the foundation covered imperfections expertly. It gives an almost airbrushed finish to skin, while still feeling very natural and not at all cakey. The staying power was also truly impressive, staying put all day despite the natural-looking, satiny finish.
"This foundation has stayed by my side for years and never failed me," says My Imperfect Life's deputy editor Aleesha Badkar. "Its silky texture buffs in smoothly and feels comfortable when wearing but, despite being slightly thinner than some other foundations, it doesn't sink into my large pores. The light-reflecting particles also leave my skin with the most incredible glow, like golden hour in a bottle. Despite its silky and light formula, it's got immense staying power; I wore it to my best friend's long, busy, outdoor wedding in France on the hottest day of the year and, despite running around as maid of honor, it was still going strong at the end of the night—right up until we jumped in the pool in our dresses!"
See our full, in-depth review of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation here.
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