A foundation can make or break a look. Not only can finding the right shade be challenging but picking a foundation that will soften the look of textured skin can be overwhelming. With the right products, you can turn your skin into a smooth canvas. These are the best foundations for textured skin!
What is Textured Skin? What Causes Textured Skin?
When you struggle with textured skin, the skin of your face can have the appearance of being uneven, bumpy, and dull. Dermatologists have a long laundry list of reasons as to what causes textured skin.
While several dermatologists point to the effects of the environment, aging, acne scarring, and smoking, there is one culprit that is the leading cause. The buildup of dead skin cells along the surface of your skin gives you the appearance of uneven, textured skin.
What Can Foundation Do for Textured Skin?
A good foundation, and the right application, can create the illusion of even, flawless skin. Less is more when it comes to textured skin. You want to skip a powder foundation to avoid a “cakey” look piling on top of your skin. Before settling on a good liquid foundation, you’ll want to prep your skin.
Follow your regular skincare routine (which ideally includes a cleanser, moisturizer,, and an SPF), followed by applying a premier, and grabbing your favorite makeup sponge to create a more natural-looking foundation base. Remember, when trying to disguise textured skin and try and achieve the look of perfect skin, we want to introduce more moisture to our skin by using products that contain key ingredients that help the texture of our skin improve over time.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the endless choices of foundations for textured skin. I’ve narrowed it down for you!
Making the Cut: The 11 Best Foundations for Textured Skin
#1 e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
This velvety liquid foundation will give your skin a soft, dewy glow. This foundation gives you a complexion that “looks healthy and more radiant”. The secret lies in the product’s ingredients. This foundation is “infused with skin-loving squalane and hyaluronic acid that work to enhance the overall look of skin while rendering a soft-focus, effortless radiance.”
#2 MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
Offering 24-hour coverage in 63 different shades, this liquid foundation has a matte finish which means it “won’t cake, crease or settle into fine lines or pores.” This foundation is perfect for textured skin because its lightweight, oil-free formula will give your skin hydration all day long (hydration and textured skin are BFFs).
#3 Tarte Amazonian Clay 16-Hour Full Coverage Foundation
Available in 46 shades, this liquid foundation has the consistency of a lightweight mouse and is said to “glide on like silk.” This foundation is great because it’s jam-packed with all the things your textured skin craves, including vitamin E and mineral pigments that will give your skin a smooth look. An added bonus? It’s vegan and dermatologist tested.
This foundation also ranks on our list of best foundations for acne-prone skin!
#4 L’Oreal Paris Infallible Total Cover Foundation
This liquid foundation’s formula “creates the perfect canvas for flawless makeup application.”
Offering 24 hours of full coverage, this lightweight foundation effortlessly blends. Makeup lovers are raving about this product. “I tried [so] many different foundations and was on the verge of giving up [until] I found this one. I love the creamy texture, it provides full coverage, and love the convenient tube.”
#5 Iris & Romeo Best Skin Days SPF 25
This liquid foundation has a 5-in-1 formula that’s worth splurging on! This product gives textured skin everything it needs to see improvement over time. It contains a serum, moisturizer, sheer coverage, sunscreen, and blue light/pollution protector. This foundation will give textured skin a
natural coverage and a dewy, glowy finish, while also protecting against UVA and UVB sunlight and oxidative stress caused by blue light.”
This product scores high as a quality product that gives results. One of its countless 5-star reviews boasts “I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed this foundation. The color match was perfect. It feels lightweight but covers well leaving my skin looking natural and beautiful.”
#6 Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint
This liquid foundation allows textured skin to breathe due to its ultra-thin formula. It “evens out skin’s appearance for a smooth, dewy finish.” This vegan and cruelty-free product is fragrance-free, making it suitable for all skin types.
The reviews are in! “I needed to change my foundation…This skin tint is perfect light coverage, [it] helps even out my tone, blends PERFECTLY… It really has been a game changer.”
#7 Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25
This foundation is a game-changer for textured skin! It visibly smoothes your skin’s texture thanks to a “powerhouse blend of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, squalane, Vitamin B5, arnica + caffeine is clinically proven to hydrate, brighten, soothe, plump + protect.”
This dermatologist-tested foundation offers medium coverage that won’t cake and offers protection from the sun with SPF 25. Reviews sing nothing but praise for this product. “This foundation is so light and natural that it feels like a second skin yet it also has great, long-lasting coverage and even SPF 25. My skin actually looks better and better with every use—blemishes are improved, and I look more moisturized and radiant overall.”
#8 Too Faced Born This Way Undetectable Medium-to-Full Coverage Foundation
This foundation gets its superpowers from its key ingredients, coconut water, alpine rose, and hyaluronic acid. Coconut water helps replenish your skin’s moisture levels, while alpine rose supports your skin’s overall health and resilience. Hyaluronic acid is what gives your skin a smoother appearance. Available in 30 different shades, this foundation provides 12 hours of coverage.
#9 ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
This foundation is a winner! Not only is it a favorite of makeup lovers, Allure and Glamour named it “Best Clean Foundation” in 2020. What makes this foundation great for textured skin is it contains active levels of skincare ingredients to help create an even skin texture over time.
This foundation has a “first-of-its-kind formula fuses skincare, makeup, and sun protection into one easy step: a lightweight serum that leaves your skin looking like skin.” An added bonus? This product contains SPF 40 coverage to protect your skin from Non-Nano UVA, UVB, UVC, blue light, and pollution.
(Interested in learning more about skin tints vs foundation? We have a whole article to help!)
#10 Urban Decay Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation
Infused with marula oil and kombucha filtrate, this foundation makes skin 30% more hydrated. These key ingredients are heaven-sent for those looking to improve the look of their textured skin. Marula oil hydrates skin, while kombucha filtrate is rich in antioxidants to help brighten your skin.
The reviews say it all! “I have dry skin that usually looks patchy and flaky under foundation, but my skin looks SO GOOD with this foundation. It leaves a very dewy glow that looks so nice.”
#11 Nudestix Tinted Cover Foundation
This lightweight foundation contains hydra-technology and 18 natural extracts to soften skin, while also protecting skin from “environmental stressors, provide anti-aging benefits, and improve overall texture.”
Free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten, and fragrance, this foundation is suited to all skin types. Those struggling with textured skin love this foundation! “My go-to foundation. Lightweight for my very dry skin and it doesn’t look cakey, even my skin tone and looks very natural.”
Final Thoughts on Foundations for Textured Skin
Don’t be discouraged by your textured skin; it’s just as common as red skin, dry skin, and oily skin, and there are foundations for those too! Whether your textured skin is uneven, bumpy, or dull, there are countless foundations that will help create the illusion of soft, even skin. The key is selecting a product that will help improve the look of your skin over time.
Whether your skin texture is in need of hydration or minerals or protection from environmental elements, there is a foundation on the market to suit your skin’s needs and improve its overall texture.
Hollie McLaughlin-Martin is a freelance writer and associate television producer based in Los Angeles. She is passionate about fashion, writing, and travel. She is an avid world traveler and thinks everyone should try solo traveling at least once!