Foundation preference is extremely personal. Some people love flawless, full-coverage formulas so much that they won't use anything else. Often, these individuals prefer their foundation to have a matte or matte-adjacent finish. Other people swear by light- to medium-coverage formulas. These individuals are probably partial to the sheer, natural-looking effect of skin tints and serum-like products.
While coverage is a critical consideration when choosing a foundation formula, it's not the only one. In fact, most people are missing a pretty serious component—their skin type. Yep, your skin type dictates which foundation will work best for you. Dry skin? You need a formula that will hydrate your skin and resist settling into pores, lines, wrinkles, and uneven texture. Oily skin? You need a formula that will wick away excess shine and resist slipping, sliding, and smudging. Combination skin? You need one of those magical, diamond-in-the-rough formulas to balance your complexion's contradictory needs.
Many foundations are suitable for at least one of the three major skin types, but there's only one foundation formula that works well and looks flawless on everyone—yes, every skin type. Even facialists agree, saying it won't clog pores or cause breakouts for even the most sensitive and acne-prone clients.
The Foundation That Works for Every Skin Type
Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural/Radiant | Formula: Oil-Free | Shades: 40
Three different celebrity makeup artists swear by the iconic Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation. Kelli Anne Sewell, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Makeup by Kelli Anne, calls it her tried-and-true foundation. "This formula works no matter the skin type, and I love that it gives you the perfect bouncy skin that looks hydrated but not overly dewy or overly matte. It's a beautiful natural finish, no matter the skin type!" she says.
Celebrity makeup artist Tobi Henney agrees, noting she loves to use it on dry skin especially. "I love Armani Luminous Silk, as it creates such a healthy-looking glow to the skin," she says. "It has buildable coverage, which works perfectly depending on how you like your skin to look."
Last but certainly not least, we tapped Etienne Ortega, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Ortega. His clients include Lana Del Rey and Christina Aguilera. He calls it his "favorite foundation of all time." He recommends it for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin types but adds that "it is extremely versatile for all sorts of skin."
Even skin experts swear by it. Take it from esthetician Dakota Katt, who says, "I always recommend Armani Luminous Silk to my clients with oily or acne-prone skin. Its light, oil-free formulation gives your skin a luminous glow—just like its name promises—without causing any acne or congestion!"
There you have it. Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation won't exacerbate acne or increase clogged pores, yet thanks to hydrating ingredients like glycerin, it also benefits those with dry skin who need a little more moisture from their foundation. It's basically the foundation equivalent of a unicorn.
The Real-Life Reviews
Kaitlyn McLintock, Beauty Editor
Kaitlyn McLintock wears Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation
"I will literally only wear a foundation if it provides natural-looking coverage. I want my skin to look like, well, skin. This foundation does just that. It disguises my rosacea and discoloration, evening out my skin tone with flawless precision, yet it never looks heavy, fake, or cakey. The lit-from-within radiance is unreal." — McLintock
Maya Thomas, Associate Beauty Editor
Maya Thomas wears Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation
"I love this one because it offers natural-looking coverage without completely erasing my skin texture and tone. It also gives the perfect amount of glow and dew, especially when paired with the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer." — Thomas
Alyssa Brascia, Associate Beauty Editor
Alyssa Brascia wears Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation
"Never have I ever used a more weightless, skin-perfecting, yet radiant foundation. I opt for this formula most days because of its lighter-than-air feeling (which is equally comfortable on hot summer days and bitter winter ones) and its sheer, luminous finish that makes my skin look like my skin—just brighter, much more even, and better than it does normally." — Brascia
The Best Foundations for Dry Skin
Coverage: Full | Finish: Natural/Radiant | Formula: Not Oil-Free | Shades: 34
Ortega recommends Nars's Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation for parched skin. "For dry skin, I tend to go for an oil-based foundation," he says. "It helps balance the skin and give it that extra moisture that it needs."
Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural | Formula: Not Oil-Free | Shades: 51
Sewell loves this TikTok-viral foundation for dry and combination skin. "It gives you a nice, hydrating base while also providing a blurring effect to the skin! It also has great control and gives you a dewy glow where you want it," she says.
This is also an editor-favorite foundation. Take it from Brascia, who says, "When I want an extra shot of moisture or something that I know will have staying power, I gravitate toward this Haus Labs foundation. It offers an extra layer of hydration that my skin soaks up in the colder months, yet this formula defies sweat and humidity the most during brutal NYC summers. It's a perennial favorite for its dependable long wear (great for busy days spent running from the office to events) and the healthy glow it imparts, even when my skin is angry and dry."
The Best Foundations for Oily/Acne-Prone Skin
Coverage: Full | Finish: Matte | Formula: Oil-Free | Shades: 56
When it comes to oily and acne-prone skin, Henney recommends Estée Lauder's full-coverage, matte-finish Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation without hesitation. "Estée Lauder Double Wear is great for oily skin," Henney says. "It helps the makeup stay in place for the day and keeps oil at bay."
Coverage: Medium | Finish: Matte | Formula: Oil-Free | Shades: 40
This drugstore foundation is a great option for oily and/or acne-prone skin. It's matte, oil-free, and long-wearing, and it lasts up to 12 hours without slipping, smudging, or sliding off of oily skin. It's all thanks to a cool formula that contains micro-powders. They control shine and keep excess oil at bay—no blotting papers or setting powder required.
The Best Foundations for Combination Skin
Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural Matte | Formula: Oil-Free | Shades: 37
Henney's favorite foundation for combination skin is this Make Up For Ever pick since it has a radiant formula, buildable coverage, and a natural-looking finish. "Make Up For Ever HD is a beautiful foundation that suits those with combo skin," she says. "It has great coverage and creates the most flawless finish."
Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural | Formula: Not Oil-Free | Shades: 51
Remember how Sewell recommended this Haus Labs foundation for dry and combo skin? Yeah, there's a reason for that. Thanks to a hydrating base, it plays well with drier areas, and its arnica-infused formula reduces redness and blurs oily and acne-prone areas. Again, this is a Who What Wear team favorite thanks to its flawless finish and versatile formula.
How to Prep Skin for Foundation
As any makeup artist will tell you, foundation is nothing without the right skin prep. Whether it's a moisturizer, skin mist, or primer, prepping the skin ahead of makeup application can make or break the final result. "Skin prep, to me, is the most crucial step and more important than foundation," Sewell says. "Skin prep is 1000% dependent on skin type. If you're oily, I recommend a water-based moisturizer to avoid additional oils on your face. I would also recommend using a mattifying primer in your T-zone. On the flip side, for someone with dry skin, I would recommend a rich cushion cream similar to Summer Fridays' Rich Cushion Cream Ultra Plumping Moisturizer."
For all the best skin-prep recs, check out the "Back to Basics: Skin Prep" video on her app, Makeup by Kelli Anne.
Ortega's skin-prep product of choice is the TikTok-favorite Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer if you want a full-coverage, long-lasting application. He has another recommendation for light- to medium-coverage looks…
Ortega loves using Bobbi Brown's Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer to prep the skin for light- and medium-coverage foundation.
For dry and combo skin, Henney starts skin prep with a hydrating mist—MAC's iconic Fix+ Primer and Setting Spray, to be specific. She follows it up with Rationale's #1 The Serum ($125) and Augustinus Bader's The Cream ($190).
For oily skin, Henney uses this mattifying primer. "I use this a lot for men's grooming too. It is perfect for the center of the face to keep the shine off the T-zone," she says.
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