The Best Drugstore Powder Foundations
Because matte skin is so in.
If, when it comes to your base makeup, you’re a matte-over-dewy type of person, you’ll be pleased to know that powder foundations have come a long way. Even better? You no longer have to drop serious coin on a silky, high-quality formula, because today’s drugstore foundations rival their department store counterparts. The best drugstore powder foundations offer long-wear coverage, feature formulas enriched with good-for-skin ingredients, and come in a wide range of shades. To find the perfect match for your skin type, keep reading.
What To Consider When Shopping For A Powder Foundation
If you’re concerned about your foundation exacerbating breakouts, you’ll want to opt for a mineral-based or noncomedogenic formula that won’t clog your pores. And if you fear that a powder formulation will mask your skin care base, you can choose a foundation that’s enriched with moisturizing ingredients and antioxidants to help fortify your skin and enhance it with hydration.
To ensure your foundation goes on smoothly, you’ll want to prep your skin with a hydrating serum and/or lightweight moisturizer prior to applying your base. That said, make sure you give your skin care products — including your sunscreen — time to dry down fully before applying your foundation to avoid a streaky finish.
Shop The Best Drugstore Powder Foundations
In a hurry? These are the best drugstore powder foundations:
- The Overall Best Drugstore Powder Foundation: L’Oréal Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation
- The Powder Foundation With Over 45,000 5-Star Ratings: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless pressed Face Powder
- The Best Skin Care-Enriched Powder Foundation: Covergirl Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle Blurring Pressed Powder
- The Powder Foundation With The Best Shade Range: e.l.f. Camo Powder Foundation
- The Best Powder Foundation If You’re Willing To Splurge: Mineral Fusion Pressed Powder Foundation
1. The Overall Best Drugstore Powder Foundation
Fast Facts:
- Medium to full coverage.
- 24-hour wear.
- Lightweight feel.
- Waterproof.
- Available in 20 shades.
Powder foundations have a reputation for not providing as much coverage as their liquid and cream counterparts. But if you’re torn between the mattifying powers of a powder foundation and the full-coverage look of a liquid foundation, you’ll want to check out L’Oréal’s Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation. This powder foundation has 24-hour staying power and feels lightweight on skin, despite offering full coverage with a matte finish. As it takes away excess shine, it also gives your skin a blurred look, so it’s a nice choice for anyone with who loves a smooth, airbrushed-like effect.
2. The Powder Foundation With Over 45,000 5-Star Ratings
Fast Facts:
- Medium coverage.
- 12-hour wear.
- Noncomedogenic formula.
- Reviewer-loved and internet-viral.
- Available in 24 shades.
Maybelline’s Fit Me line has long been a fan favorite across the internet, first making rounds on Youtube and now planting its place as a TikTok-loved collection. The Fit Me Matte + Poreless pressed Face Powder moves with your skin throughout the day while blurring your pores and providing mattifying benefits. With a 12-hour wear time and noncomedogenic formula, this best-selling powder foundation will slot easily into anyone’s makeup routine.
3. The Best Skin Care-Enriched Powder Foundation
Fast Facts:
- Medium coverage.
- Enriched with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
- Provides a matte yet radiant finish.
- Available in 8 shades.
Nowadays, many cosmetic formulas offer skin care benefits, too — the idea here is that since makeup is typically worn for extended periods of time, there may as well be good-for-your-skin ingredients sitting on top of your complexion throughout the day. This Covergirl Simply Ageless pressed powder contains skin care actives like hyaluronic acid to plump your skin and deliver water to the deeper layers of the dermis, while vitamin C has long-term brightening benefits. Although this foundation does provide a boost of radiance with its buttery texture, it also helps to mattify and blur the skin, being a powder in nature.
4. The Powder Foundation With The Best Shade Range
Fast Facts:
- Medium to full coverage.
- Has the widest shade range of all the products on this list.
- Contains a built-in primer.
- Has both blurring and mattifying effects.
- Available in 30 shades.
E.l.f.’s Camo Powder Foundation takes the cake for having the widest shade range available in drugstores while offering many benefits in terms of its staying power and skin-enhancing effects. This powder foundation is infused with a primer to blur the appearance of pores while staying in place for hours on end. Although this powder feels lightweight, it has medium to full coverage that’s easy to build up to your desired results.
5. The Best Powder Foundation If You’re Willing To Splurge
Fast Facts:
- Buildable, medium to full coverage.
- Boasts a triple-milled, mineral-based formula.
- Noncomedogenic.
- Safe for sensitive skin.
- Available in 24 shades.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more money, Mineral Fusion’s Pressed Powder Foundation features a powder formula that’s been triple-milled during production for a super-fine texture, so it’ll never look cakey on your skin. Additionally, this is a mineral-based formula that’s noncomedogenic and safe for people with skin sensitivies. To top it off, it’s made with nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and cucumber, which both work to soothe redness while hydrating the skin.
