I admit it. My skin and I are hitting a few of those age milestones that once seemed a long way off. I don’t know how it happened, but I recently realized that I really haven’t changed my foundation, or my basic makeup routine, in a very long time, despite the fact that my once luminous complexion has changed a lot.
I can’t honestly complain, because, for an oldie like me, my skin still looks pretty good. But I owe that to good genes, (thanks Mom,) and an unwavering commitment to impeccable cleansing, moisturizers, and steady use of SPF. In spite of my good luck and best efforts, I’m starting to see those laugh lines and crow’s feet when I’m neither laughing nor squinting, darn it.
My oily t-zone is still shiny by end of the day, and my pores, once almost invisible, are starting to show on the bridge of my nose and around my mouth and chin. Because I’m at least minimally vain, I figured it might be a smart idea to try out some foundations for older skin.
While they don’t exactly label these foundations that way, (apparently the marketing gurus don’t find the term “aging skin” to be the best sales pitch,) they do offer added hydration, along with awesome, wrinkle-fighting antioxidants.
If you’re ready to change up your makeup routine, lots of products can enhance both the health and look of your (slightly older) skin. When it comes to feeling beautiful, take it from this slightly older writer – it’s a worthwhile investment. Here are my recommendations for the Best Foundations for Mature Skin.
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1.
stila Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer
Pros:
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Good for oily and combination skin
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Glides on smoothly, so a light touch is all you need
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Comes with matching concealer
Cons:
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Super spendy
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Peach undertones in concealer aren’t great for every skin color
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Foundation has a tendency to settle into fine lines and wrinkles
Searching for a foundation for aging skin isn’t an easy task. Lots of them are filled with oils that leave a greasy sheen, assuming that everyone with older skin has dry skin. If you’re oily like me, stila’s oil-free, high definition, high performance foundation does what it says.
It “stays all day”, and delivers a flawless finish. This foundation contains Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex, a proprietary blend of 15 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It easily glides onto your skin, immediately going to work to help minimize skin blemishes and imperfections.
These innovative extracts also help to slow down the onset of premature aging, promoting healthy, hydrated and vibrant skin. This multi-tasker also contains a creamy, full coverage concealer, cleverly hidden inside the cap (along with a handy mirror) that instantly hides blemishes, dark circles and age spots. In my book, that earns it a vote for best foundation for older skin.
Prep your skin with stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm, a primer that helps reduce pore size, provides oil and blemish control, and reduces redness and skin irritation.
Make sure your lips are as luscious as the rest of your face with stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick. This full-coverage lip color is enriched with vitamin E and avocado oil, to hydrate and soften lips.
Find more stila Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer information and reviews here.
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2.
Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation
Pros:
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Provides long lasting wear
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Great for special events and photo shoots
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Easily covers flaws and skin imperfections
Cons:
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Not wallet friendly
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Too heavy for everyday wear
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May separate over time
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Can be difficult to remove
For those of you with oily/combination skin like me, there are those times when you want to be picture perfect, and you’re willing to wear makeup that’s a little thicker than normal to get that flawless look. While I wouldn’t wear this foundation everyday, for my aging skin, it delivers long lasting performance for special occasions when I know I’ll look back and wish I’d paid more attention to my makeup that day. Think weddings, photo shoots, TV interviews, whatever.
This hydrating foundation creates a pretty, flawless, radiant canvas that can last up to 12 hours. It feels mostly comfortable on your skin, and well hides even hard-to-cover imperfections. This moisturizing, long-wearing formula smooths skin texture and visibly evens skin tone.
It applies and blends easily. To keep your foundation looking good all day, start with Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. It contains jojoba oil, along with vitamins A, C and E that revitalize and hydrate aging skin. If you simply want a healthy glow for everyday wear, skip foundation altogether with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with a touch of blush, followed by loose powder.
Regular exfoliation is another great way to enhance the way your skin looks both with and without makeup. No need to hit the spa though, because you can use exfoliating pads a few times a week at home. Check out guide to the best exfoliating pads here.
Find more Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation information and reviews here.
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3.
Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Serum
Pros:
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Very sheer coverage – almost like you’re not wearing makeup
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Nicely evens out skin tone
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Minimizes wrinkles and firms skin
Cons:
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Crazy expensive
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Dropper syle bottle is messy
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Few color choices
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Not enough coverage for some
Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation is an apt description for this incredibly lightweight sheer liquid. It delivers a matte finish, evening out your skin tone without leaving you feeling made up. This foundation is great for aging skin because it’s formulated with neuropeptides, that help to firm skin and minimize wrinkles and pores.
Its downside is that it comes in a single color, and to get the perfect match, you need to mix it with a bit of No Makeup Bronzer to deepen the shade if you need it. Because it’s so sheer, it will work well on many different skin tones without looking like a crazy bad match, and it’s that sheer effect you’ll love.
This foundation doesn’t seem to seep into fine lines and wrinkles so it leaves you looking hydrated, rather than like you’re wearing heavy foundation. No Makeup Blush allows you to accentuate the look of prominent cheeks, and, as an added bonus, it protects your skin with a broad spectrum, mineral SPF 30.
If you love the “No” line, try the No Makeup Mascara, a two in one lash treatment and mascara, that strengthens and conditions your lashes every time you use it. While it might not be bold enough for serious mascara lovers, it still gets reasonably good reviews.
Find more Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum information and reviews here.
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4.
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Cream Makeup
Pros:
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Goes on smooth and feels hydrating
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Lasting color without that heavy feeling
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Ceramide formula is anti-aging
Cons:
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A hit to your wallet
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Feels a bit greasy to some
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May not provide enough coverage for some
If your skin has gotten dull with the years, you might be looking for a luminizing foundation. Flawless Finish Sponge-On Cream makeup is infused with micronized diamond powder to reflect light. It’s also super-popular with users who rave about its brightening effects. As one of Elizabeth Arden’s best foundations for wrinkles, this formula reflects light and instantly diminishes the appearance of discolorations and fine lines. The result is perfectly even, radiant-looking skin. Plus, light-diffusing particles instantly diminish the look of pores, blemishes, scars and dark spots.
This anti-aging foundation formula delivers both color and comfort to your face. The ceramide plumping technology, or CPT as they call it at Arden, visibly plumps, lifts and firms your skin’s appearance. The ceramide triple complex helps to strengthen and re-texturize your skin’s appearance, holding vital skin-plumping moisture within the skin, leaving it feeling super smooth, replenished and comfortable.
Women rave about its full coverage without a heavily made up look and feel. It comes in a wide range of shades so you can easily match one to your skin tone. It hydrates for up to 12 hours and can be applied either wet or dry, depending on your preference. You’ll also love that it stays true to color all day long.
If you’re looking for a moisturizing boost, Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation is formulated with hyaluronic acid to help your skin retain moisture all day long. It comes in nearly three dozen color options! Pair either of these foundations with Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Radiance Blush for a glowy look.
Find more Elizabeth Arden Makeup information and reviews here.
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5.
Best Vegan Formula: EVXO Natural Coverage Liquid Mineral Foundation
Pros:
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Skin calming formula
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Moderately priced compared to some
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Vegan formula with wonderful natural ingredients
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Lightweight and dewy
Cons:
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Coverage too sheer for some
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Colors tend to run dark
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Not super long lasting
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Sweet scent unpleasant to some
When it comes to looking for the best foundation for my aging skin, I’m often likely to lean toward those cosmetics that use science over nature. That’s what makes this liquid mineral foundation from EVXO a bit of a stretch for me. But because, as a rule, I love natural and organic cosmetics as a whole, this vegan, cruelty-free formula is worthy of consideration.
It uses the power of plants and vitamins to bolster the health of your skin and to fight the signs of aging. It feels fairly lightweight, compared to some, but still offers adequate coverage. This formula contains lots of fun, skin friendly ingredients. First, it features chamomile, an herb known for its strong anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it great for irritable older skin.
It also has thyme, which fights blemishes – and yes, even older women struggle with breakouts. It’s enriched with vitamin E oil, which fends off those nasty free radicals that play a huge role in the aging process. Vitamin E helps keep your skin looking younger.
EVXO also offers organic and natural mascara, highlighters, eyeshadow and lipstick that are 100 percent vegan and always cruelty free. Their products are all quite highly rated by users who love their planet friendly philosophies toward makeup.
Find more EVXO Natural Coverage Liquid Mineral Foundation information and reviews here.
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6.
LORAC POREfection Foundation
Pros:
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Anti-aging antioxidant formula
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Lots of color options
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SPF 20 is a bonus
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Nice, natural ingredients
Cons:
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Super spendy
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Too heavy for some
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Not as long lasting as some others reviewed
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Tends to settle into lines and wrinkles
Because I have oily/combination skin, I’m always on the lookout for an oil free foundation that doesn’t feel dry or look cakey. That’s not always an easy score, but the POREfection foundation from LORAC is a nice option, especially because it’s also paraben and fragrance free.
This foundation formula is infused with anti-aging antioxidants, including vitamins A and E, along with olive leaf extract, lemon fruit extract and papaya fruit extract to help soothe, nourish and rejuvenate your aging skin. I also give this foundation high marks for having SPF 20, which, as you know, provides protection from UVA/UVB rays to help keep skin healthy, youthful and radiant.
If you’re looking for foundation with medium to full coverage, this might be the option for you, even though it wasn’t for me. I like a lighter option. Nicely, it is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
For more sheer looking coverage, LORAC Sheer POREfection Foundation is well rated and has a more natural look, with the same great anti-oxidents. If you dull looking skin, LORAC Light Source Illuminating 3 in 1 Primer can help give you a brighter look with a touch of shimmer, when used prior to applying your foundation.
Find more LORAC POREfection Foundation information and reviews here.
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7.
Best Buy: COVERGIRL+Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation
Pros:
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Contains a built-in primer
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Very reasonably priced
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Hydrating without being oily
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It blends well and a little goes a long way
Cons:
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Heavier than some other reviewed foundations
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Can dry a little cakey
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May irritate sensitive skin
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Tends to collect in fine lines and wrinkes by end of day
In searching for a non-greasy, full coverage foundation that didn’t leave me feeling like I was wearing a makeup mask, it was awesome to step into what I consider a budget brand, when testing. Plus, I love it when two big brands like Covergirl and Olay team up to try something innovative for their customers.
The Simply Ageless liquid foundation promises to instantly reduce wrinkles, even your skin tone, and deliver firming hydration. I don’t know that I’d say I had less wrinkles after trying this out, but I do love the fact that this best foundation for mature skin comes with anti-aging primer built in. My skin tone looked great, but I think that’s more a function of foundation coverage – we’ll see, given a little more time with the product.
Because it’s a full coverage foundation, it did indeed reduce the look of age spots (or in my case, blemish marks,) and at least early in the day, helped improve the look of my fine lines and wrinkles. Like every foundation on the list, I still end the day with more of it in my creases and crevices, but that could be a function of having fairly oily/combination skin.
To cover dark circles and diminish the look of puffy eyes, COVERGIRL+Olay TheDepuffer is a quick and easy solution to combat evidence of those late work and party nights. If you’re a fan of lightweight coverage that also offers anti-aging benefits, COVERGIRL+Olay Facelift Effect Firming Makeup contains Olay FaceFirm complex to help firm skin after a few weeks of use, and it’s also well rated by users.
Find more COVERGIRL+Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation information and reviews here.
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8.
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream
Pros:
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SPF 30 is a face saver
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Makes skin look radiant
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Very light and sheer
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Nicely moisturizes
Cons:
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A bit on the spendy side
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Feels too greasy for some users
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Contains coconut oil which can clog pores
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May cause breakouts
I always thought mineral foundation was a definite reject, once my skin got a little older, but this multitasking gel cream changed my mind about that. It combines hydrating skin care benefits with natural looking, radiant coverage. It gives you a sort of dewy look, and with sheer-to-medium coverage, it delivers a pretty smooth looking finish.
Don’t be confused. While this seems kind of like a tinted moisturizer or BB cream, it’s a whole lot more like a foundation, because it leaves your skin feeling moist and refreshed. Plus it comes in lots of colors, so finding a perfect match for your skin is a snap. An added bonus is that it was the best for not settling into my fine lines and wrinkles.
For a more mattified look, sweep on a bit of bareMinerals BareSkin Perfecting Veil, which helps to absorb excess oil and blur the appearance of pores. bareMinerals Bareskin Complete Coverage Concealer is great for masking those little imperfections not covered by your foundation and powder.
Find more bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream information and reviews here.
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9.
Bella Mari Moisturizing Foundation
Pros:
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Never feels heavy or greasy
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SPF 30 is a huge plus
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Natural and organic
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Mineral formula looks very natural
Cons:
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Pretty darned spendy
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So light it seems more like tinted moisturizer
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Fragrance is too much for some
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Leaves skin a bit shiny
I am a huge fan of makeup that gives you some protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. SPF is one of the surest ways to protect your older skin from aging even faster. This creamy foundation has an SPF30, which should be an essential part of your facial routine every single day.
This foundation for older skin features a formula that’s is fortified with organic moisturizing ingredients, including olive oil, organic sweet orange oil, Bilberry leaf, burdock root, geranium rose oil and oil of bergamot. Excellent for all skin types, including delicate and sensitive skin, this foundation covers natural imperfections lightly, without feeling greasy or heavy.
This mineral and plant based foundation uses zinc oxide, rather than chemical components, which accounts for the high SPF. I especially love the colors of Bella Mari lisptick. It goes on creamy and lasts a long time.
Looking for a natural face moisturizer to go along with your organic foundation? Check out our list of recommendations here.
Find more Bella Mari Moisturizing Foundation information and reviews here.
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10.
L’oreal Paris Visible Lift Blur Foundation
Pros:
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Evens skin tone
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Super affordable
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It's fairly lightweight
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Nicely covers skin imperfections
Cons:
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Takes a bit longer than some to dry completely
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Can leave skin looking a bit shiny even after setting
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Not enough coverage for some
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Feels a bit greasy
If only we could look as gorgeous as L’Oreal Paris spokesmodel, Andie MacDowell, who is only a few months younger than me, but looks at least a decade my junior. That’s what convinced me to try the Visible Lift Blur Foundation. Well, that, and the fact that it doesn’t cost a fortune to test it out.
Age minimizing makeup has a petty irresistible allure because who doesn’t want their older skin to look younger at the same time it looks prettier? This foundation for aging skin really does even out skin tone, but I think that’s true of almost all foundations. That’s the point of wearing them.
I did like the lightweight formula, but while it claims to not settle into lines and wrinkles, by the end of the day, it does. What was impressive enough to make me buy it was the results the manufacturer posted from consumers. They really are impressive: 45 percent of users reported more even skin tone; 72 percent saw more youthful skin; 75 percent saw a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles; 79 percent saw fewer imperfections; and 90 percent said they had smoother skin. Not too shabby. I can’t say that I’ve seen all these things, but I haven’t waited the mandatory four weeks of daily use.
I will say that I like the look of this foundation on my older skin, and when applied with a sponge, gives enough coverage without being too heavy and thick. For those hard to cover blemish marks and other imperfections, L’oreal Paris Visible Lift Blur Concealer does a great job of hiding them, along with dark under eye circles. Creamy blushes are easy to blend and can look a lot more natural than powder blushes. The L’oreal Paris Visible Lift Blur Blush looks pretty and goes on easily, although if you have oilier skin like me, you’re better off using a powder blush. It does get the nod as Amazon’s Choice, however.
Find more L’oreal Paris Visible Lift Blur Foundation information and reviews here.
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11.
Lune+Aster CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
Pros:
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Corrects existing damage and covers flaws
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Very lightweight option that's great for summer
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Hyaluronic acid helps to plump skin
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Diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles
Cons:
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Not the best for oily skin
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Feels a bit greasy
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Not as many color options as many others
When you’re after the best look for your less than perfect skin, sometimes less is more, and that’s just the case with this Lune + Aster CC Cream. More than a simple tinted moisturizer, this lightweight cream corrects flaws and offers sheer coverage along with protection thanks to SPF 50+ that protects you from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Formulated with skin plumping hyaluronic acid, it minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles, while keeping your skin hydrated and healthy looking all day long. Vitamin E packs a powerful punch to existing damage, while Sea Buckthorn helps to rejuvenate and protect your skin from environmental aggressors.
This CC Cream comes in seven luscious colors that leave a perfectly dewy finish and never look heavy. This is a great foundation option especially for the summer months.
Find more information and reviews for Lune+Aster CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ here.
Do Antioxidants Matter in My Foundation?
Wondering if you need those antioxidants? Check out this article to find out more about why they're good, good, good for your body and skin.
Some of the free-radical fighting formulas we've featured also include SPF. As you know, I'm a huge believer in sunscreen as one of the best ways to fight fine lines and wrinkles, but if you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe the American Academy of Dermatology.
A few of the best foundations for mature skin create a blurring effect that, at least early in the day, seems to diminish pores, fine lines, and wrinkles. I will tell you that I didn't find a single foundation that didn't eventually settle into the lines on my face. Maybe it's my own weird body chemistry, but I don't think so.
Should I Use Moisturizer Before Applying Foundation?
If you want a step up in terms of plumping up those fine lines, prior to putting on your foundation, I'd suggest a collagen face cream. Keep in mind, if you're planning on using a moisturizing foundations, things can start looking a little slick if you use a heavy moisturizer too.
And remember, foundation actually has to set or dry a bit. So do up your lashes, eye shadow, and brows while you wait to add blush and powder. And don't forget to give your face a spritz of finishing spray to set your makeup before heading out.
How Can I Avoid That "Makeup Mask" Look?
Another thing to think about when you're selecting the right foundation for your skin is that, in most cases, less is more. If you're like me, the last thing you want is to look like you're wearing a ton of makeup. That "makeup mask" really doesn't look great on anyone, no matter their age, but it seems to be even more unnatural on more mature women.
Because I'm a huge fan of simply wearing tinted moisturizer on most days, I save my serious makeup for an evening out, business appointments, and special occasions. That's why I don't balk at the price of some of these, because they'll last a long, long time at the rate I'm using them.
As you'll discover, I have a few favorites. They're the lighter-weight foundation formulas. But, because we're all different, I've included a wide variety of foundations from super sheer to supermodel photoshoot-worthy. Whichever you choose, you'll get long-lasting wear and a better final look if you start with clean skin, followed by a face primer.
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