8 Best Stick Foundations for the Fastest Base Routine Ever
Looking to streamline your makeup routine without compromising on flawless coverage? Multipurpose makeup with easy applications is the way to go. Our favorite? Stick foundations, there is seriously nothing more convenient.
Say goodbye to bulky bottles and messy spills from your liquid foundation—compact concealer and stick foundations cut down time in your makeup routine and space in your makeup bag. Plus, they help us achieve the no-makeup-makeup look we love.
Read on for the top picks of stick foundations, promising not just flawless skin but also a touch of fun and simplicity to your makeup routine. Get ready to swipe, blend, and slay with the best foundation sticks that are about to become your new beauty besties!
1. Best Overall Stick Foundation:
HOURGLASS COSMETICS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
Luxury in a stick? This is it. It feels as good on skin as it looks on your vanity. With its creamy yet lightweight texture, it effortlessly blends into the skin, delivering seamless coverage that looks and feels natural. It’s designed to be long-wearing and hydrating, the HOURGLASS foundation stick ensures a luminous and radiant look that lasts all day.
2. Best Stick Foundation Shade Range:
BOBBI BROWN Cosmetics Skin Foundation Stick
Makeup enthusiasts know and love this product. Coming in an impressive 18 shades and a variety of undertones, it gives natural looking coverage while still being a buildable formula. You’ll be sure to find your perfect match. Its creamy texture glides on smoothly, providing long-lasting wear without feeling heavy or cakey. Formulated with skin-nourishing ingredients like olive extracts and shea butter, the BOBBI BROWN Skin Foundation Stick hydrates and conditions the skin while evening out the complexion and minimizing the appearance of imperfections.
3. Best Stick Foundation for Dry Skin:
DOLL 10 BEAUTY Precision Concealer
While not explicitly a foundation, this concealer stick is suitable for your whole face. It can cover imperfections, tone redness, and brighten under eyes. If you like minimal makeup, have dry or mature skin, then this is a great product to try and it can help provide medium to full coverage wherever you need it to. We love that it has peptides and hyaluronic acid, it not only conceals but also nourishes and hydrates the delicate under-eye area, leaving it looking smooth and refreshed.
4. Best 2-in-1 Foundation Stick:
TRÈSTIQUE Foundation Stick
Always doing touch ups on the go? Then this is the foundation stick you need. It conveniently comes with a dual end, featuring a sponge to blend and blur after you apply. Whether you're touching up throughout the day or creating a full face of makeup, the TRÈSTIQUE Foundation Stick + Sponge is the perfect companion for achieving radiant, picture-perfect skin.
5. Best Stick Foundation for Oily Skin:
PÜR 4-in-1 Foundation Stick Cream-to-Velvet Matte Foundation
If your skin is a bit on the oily side, finding makeup sticks can be a challenging task. They’re often concentrated and nourishing which can make skin appear more oily when you already produce excess sebum. Like all PÜR products, this foundation stick is cruelty-free and free of gluten, petrolatum, mineral oil, and SLS, meaning this is a formula you can feel good about. Plus, the brand’s age-defying Ceretin Complex and skin-nourishing Energy Complex helps brighten, hydrate, and protect against environmental stressors while leaving behind a beautiful (not cakey!) matte finish.
6. Best Blurring Stick Foundation:
AMI COLÉ Skin-Enhancing Stick
Everyone needs to have a blurring stick in their makeup collection! Infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, this product from AMI COLÉ not only conceals imperfections but also hydrates and nourishes with great coverage. Whether you're aiming for a natural, everyday look or something more glamorous, the AMI COLÉ Skin-Enhancing Stick is the perfect addition to your makeup routine.
7. Best Light Coverage Foundation Stick:
MERIT BEAUTY The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
MERIT BEAUTY is quite literally the poster child for effortless, minimalist beauty essentials. So, of course it’s fitting they have the perfect foundation stick for light coverage and complexion touch-ups. We love the easy application for its ease and blending and flexible shades as your skin tone transitions between seasons. If you’re aiming for a sheer, natural finish or something more polished, this stick will never disappoint. It's makeup that feels like an extension of your skincare routine. If you love the formula and its consistency, we recommend getting a darker shade for bronzer or contour too.
8. Best Drugstore Stick Foundation:
THREAD BEAUTY Face It Complexion Stick
With its creamy texture, this $8 makeup find effortlessly glides onto the skin, providing buildable coverage that can be tailored to your desired look. Formulated with nourishing ingredients, it not only conceals blemishes but also hydrates and soothes the skin, leaving behind a radiant and healthy complexion. This compact stick is perfect for on-the-go touch-ups and offers long-lasting wear, ensuring your makeup stays flawless throughout the day.
On a quest for your favorite foundation? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your own IPSY beauty subscription. Already an IPSY member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.
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