Buying guide for Best longwear foundation
Foundation can be a lifesaver for anyone who wants to even out skin tone, cover up acne and other discolorations, or soften the look of fine lines. But there’s nothing worse than taking the time to apply foundation only to find that it’s faded or melted off by midday. With a longwear foundation, you can trust your makeup to stay on from day through night.
Longwear foundation is designed to hold up no matter how your skin behaves during the day. Traditional foundation can start to fade or melt when the natural oils in your skin break down the formula over the course of the day. If you have dry spots, a regular foundation may cling to those areas while fading everywhere else, giving you a patchy look. A longwear foundation holds up to oil, dehydration, sweat, and other factors to stay in place all day.
Our shopping guide has all the information you need to find the best longwear foundation.
Key considerations
Skin type
Most longwear foundation formulas are designed with oily skin in mind. That’s because it’s typically more challenging to keep makeup on the skin when there’s an excess of oil on the surface that can break down makeup. For oily skin, opt for an oil-free longwear foundation so you don’t have to worry about any additional oil being added to your skin that can affect the makeup or cause breakouts. Some longwear foundation products that are suited for oily skin also contain ingredients that absorb oil or prevent it from breaking through. Silicone-based formulas with added ingredients like salicylic acid and rice powder are ideal options.
If you have dry skin, you may still have an issue with your makeup not lasting through the day. That’s because as your skin loses hydration, dry patches become more apparent, causing your foundation to cling to those areas and fade in other spots. To maintain a flawless complexion all day, choose a longwear foundation that contains hydrating or moisturizing ingredients. Formulas with squalane, hyaluronic acid, and natural oils like argan, sesame, and avocado usually work well.
Formula
Most longwear foundation comes in either a liquid or powder formula. Cream and stick foundation formulas are usually too emollient to last that long on the skin. Both liquid and powders can hold up well, but you may prefer one over the other depending on your skin type and how you plan to use the foundation.
Liquid longwear foundation is suitable for most skin types. If you have dry skin, though, you should definitely choose a liquid formula because powders usually don’t offer any hydration. Many people prefer the finish of a liquid foundation over a powder foundation as well.
Powder longwear foundation can be extremely effective at soaking up excess oil, which makes it an ideal match for oily skin. Powder foundation is usually easier to carry with you in your bag for travel, too. A liquid foundation can open and spill inside a suitcase or bag.
Wear time
Many types of longwear foundations make specific claims about how long you can expect the makeup to last on your skin, usually ranging from 15 to 24 hours. For most people, 12 hours of wear time is enough to get through the average work or school day, so any longwear foundation should work well. If you’re out of the house for extremely long periods, though, you may prefer a foundation that promises 24-hour wear.
Features
Coverage
Most longwear formulas offer full coverage, which usually means they can cover acne, dark circles, hyperpigmentation, redness, freckles, and birthmarks without needing any concealer. Full-coverage foundation can be an ideal option if you have a lot of imperfections you want to cover, but it can have a heavy look and feel on the skin. Many people prefer to save full-coverage longwear foundations for special occasions.
You can also find some types of longwear foundations that offer light to medium coverage. Foundation with light coverage usually can’t cover particularly dark acne spots or hyperpigmentation, so you need to follow up with a concealer. They feel lighter on the skin, though, and provide a more natural makeup look. Medium-coverage longwear foundation can cover most redness and spots but still allow your freckles and skin to show through. Light- and medium-coverage longwear foundation is best for everyday use.
Shade range
Choosing a foundation color that matches your skin tone for a seamless look is a challenge for most people. In addition to getting the shade right, you also have to find the right undertone. Warm-toned skin looks best in foundation with yellow undertones, while cool-toned skin looks best in foundation with pink undertones. Neutral-toned skin falls in between.
To make sure you find a shade that matches your skin tone, consider a longwear foundation that offers a large shade range. Some brands only offer four or five shades, which can make it extremely difficult to find a match, especially if you are very fair or dark. Other brands offer over 40 different shades, which makes it much easier to find the ideal shade and undertone for your particular skin tone.
Finish
In the past, nearly all longwear foundation formulas had a matte finish because they were targeted mainly at oily skin. A matte finish means the foundation has no shine, so it counteracts the shine from the skin’s natural oils. Some users find that matte-finish foundation can look a little too flat on the skin, though, particularly if you have normal or dry skin.
Some longwear foundation offers a natural or natural matte finish, which doesn’t appear as dry as a classic matte finish. Instead, it more closely resembles natural skin. A natural finish can be a good option for slightly oily or normal skin.
You can also find some longwear foundation that provides a radiant, luminous, or dewy finish, which adds a subtle glow or shine to the skin. This type of finish is ideal if you have dry skin that normally looks a little dull on its own.
Packaging
If you’re purchasing a liquid longwear foundation, take a moment to consider the packaging. Most liquid foundation comes in a bottle, but only some formulas offer a pump dispenser, which makes it much easier to get out the precise amount of foundation you need. If the bottle doesn’t have a pump, you have to pour out the foundation, which often comes out quickly and can lead to a mess and wasting product.
Did you know?
Many longwear foundation formulas are cruelty-free. You can even find some vegan options.
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Longwear foundation prices
Longwear foundation varies in price based on the quality of the ingredients and the coverage. Most foundation formulas range from $6 to $65.
Inexpensive
The most affordable longwear foundation usually has lower-quality ingredients and offers light to medium coverage. These drugstore brands typically cost between $6 and $15.
Mid-range
These longwear foundation formulas may be full-coverage with lower-quality ingredients. These usually range from $15 to $20 and can be found at the drugstore. You can also find some brands of longwear foundation with high-quality ingredients that offer light to medium coverage and cost between $20 and $36. These are sold at higher-end makeup retailers.
Expensive
The most expensive longwear foundation is usually a full-coverage formula with high-quality ingredients. These typically range from $36 to $65 and are found at higher-end makeup retailers like Sephora.
Tips
- Even if you’re using a longwear foundation, you should always apply a primer first to help the makeup last longer. Oily skin should use a mattifying or oil-absorbing primer, while dry skin should opt for a hydrating or moisturizing primer.
- Use as thin a layer of longwear foundation as possible to get the coverage you want. Applying the makeup too thickly will lead to an unflattering cakey look.
- If you have oily skin, set your longwear foundation with powder to help it last even longer.
- Consider applying a setting spray after you’ve applied your longwear foundation, which helps lock your makeup in place so it lasts even longer.
FAQ
Q. Is longwear foundation bad for the skin?
A. In most cases, longwear foundation doesn’t affect the skin any differently than regular foundation. However, oil-free, mattifying formulas can be drying, so they aren’t the best choice for normal to dry skin.
Q. How do I remove longwear foundation?
A. Most longwear foundation can be washed off with water and your usual facial cleanser. You may have an easier time if you use a two-step cleansing process, though. Start with a product designed specifically for makeup removal, and then follow up with your regular facial cleanser to make sure you remove all of the foundation.
Q. Does longwear foundation work well for photos?
A. For casual, candid photos, longwear foundation can work just fine. However, if you’re taking studio photos or snapping pictures in a setting with bright lights, longwear formulas have a tendency to look heavy and unnatural on the skin.
