Ready for Your Close-Up? Here Are the 8 Best Foundations for Photos
We’ve all experienced it before: We pick out a brand new foundation that we’re excited to wear (likely because it was expensive, so you think it’s going to be fire), and then you go out with your besties, snapping tons of photos along the way, only to wake up and recap, noticing your face looks like a pale, weird, blotchy mess.
We feel you! This has happened to everyone, so if it happened to you, you can officially say you’re part of the club. But we’re also here to help. Picking out the best foundation for photos is all about finding the right color match, going lightweight and building from there, and checking out the ingredients. If you’re on the hunt for your next best foundation to wear that looks picture-perfect in photos, we tapped a few pro makeup artists and experts to give you the low-down on what to look for.
Meet the Expert
Drita Paljevic is a pro makeup artist based in New York.
Mila Thomas is a celebrity makeup artist and educator based in Los Angeles.
Sandra Saenz is a pro makeup artist and KVD BEAUTY global artistry ambassador.
Anthony H. Nguyen is a celebrity makeup artist and KVD BEAUTY global veritas artistry ambassador.
1. Best Drugstore Foundation for Photos:
MAYBELLINE Dream Urban Cover Flawless Foundation
“Look for a lightweight foundation with buildable coverage,” says makeup artist Mila Thomas. “I recommend starting with a light amount of coverage and adding additional foundation in places where you need it most, or where photos are most likely to pick up on any imperfections, like a pimple, or dark under eyes.”
Thomas loves this pick to help “even out the skin tone and help conceal blemishes and other imperfections, without looking cakey.”
2. Best Foundation for Photos Without SPF:
KEVYN AUCOIN The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation
Makeup artist Drita Paljevic recommends skipping a product that has SPF in it to wear on a night out when you’re going to take a lot of photos, or during the day when you want photo-ready skin and you won’t be in the sun. Why? “Sometimes SPF can reflect in photos, especially when taking photos with flash,” she says.
For her clients, she reaches for KEVYN AUCOIN’s The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation, which has medium to buildable coverage and is packed with moisture so you’ll look like dewy perfection behind the camera.
3. Best Foundation for Photos With Skincare Benefits:
YOUNIQUE TOUCH serum+ foundation
New to using foundation? Thomas offers these pro tips: “Make sure you apply your foundation in a spot with plenty of natural light, especially if you plan on taking pictures outdoors. Start with clean, dry skin, waiting a few minutes after applying moisturizer and sunscreen before starting your makeup routine,” she says. Always prime your skin first and apply a few drops of foundation directly onto a makeup brush, so you can start to dab the foundation, “starting in the center of your face, slowly blending outward,” she adds. From there, do a second sweep over spots that need more coverage.
For this, it’s best to reach for a buildable foundation, like YOUNIQUE’s serum + foundation, which Thomas recommends to clients. It’s also packed with skincare ingredients like amino acids to protect skin all day long from blue light damage.
4. Best Flashback-Free Foundation for Photos:
KVD’s Good Apple Full Coverage Serum Foundation
Makeup artist Sandra Saenz says shade matching is key to getting your foundation to look great on camera. You don’t want to finally get pictures back, only to notice that your face is a completely different shade from the rest of your body. “Top priority is to look for the correct shade match by understanding your undertone,” says Saenz. “From there, focus on texture, finish, and longevity of the foundation.”
“Flashback-free foundations don’t create a white or ghostly appearance when photographed with flash,” explains Saenz. “They are formulated to minimize this effect, while making skin look natural and well matched to your body in photos taken with flash. This KVD BEAUTY foundation is flashback free and noncomedogenic.”
5. Best Matte Foundation for Photos:
WET N WILD Photo Focus Foundation Matte
Saenz also loves this matte drugstore option from Wet n Wild that also comes in a dewy finish if that’s what you prefer. This foundation was specifically tested under different photo lighting options to ensure that you never get a flashback when wearing it.
6. Best Sheer Foundation for Photos:
ARMANI Luminous Silk Foundation
Makeup artist Anthony H. Nguyen loves this foundation option for those who want sheer coverage that’s similar to a tinted moisturizer, but will still evenly cover imperfections. This option is oil-free and buildable so you can work it up to the coverage you want. Nguyen says this foundation has an illuminating effect in photos.
7. Best Blurring Foundation for Photos:
MAKEUP FOREVER Undetectable Longwear Foundation
“Foundation needs to look like skin for photos,” explains Nguyen. “Nothing too heavy or with too much flashback from SPF, and the foundation shade needs to match your neck and body.”
MAKEUP FOREVER’s Undetectable foundation instantly blurs imperfections, has a natural finish, and is sweat- and water-proof, for all-day wear, which is important if you’re going to be out and about in the world snapping photos!
8. Best Light-Reflecting Foundation for Photos:
NARS Light-Reflecting Skincare Foundation
Paljevic recommends this foundation that actually helps to improve skin’s overall appearance overtime, after you wear it for six weeks. If you typically avoid foundation because you think your skin needs to breathe, this is a great option for you. It won’t clog pores or weigh you down. It’s also packed with ingredients that strengthen the skin’s barrier and helps to protect against blue light free-radical damage. Even better? It comes in 36 shades.
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