The 12 Best Foundations for Dry Skin That Offer Coverage and Hydration

Best Overall

Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

$48 at Sephora $58 at Walmart $48 at Nordstrom

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural/radiant | Shades: 40 | Cruelty-Free: No

Surprise, surprise—not only is this our favorite foundation out of the nearly 100 we’ve tested, but we also think it’s the best for dry skin (though it’s fantastic for all skin types). With a lightweight consistency and medium, buildable coverage, it blends into the skin seamlessly to create a smooth and even-looking complexion. It does an excellent job of covering redness and dark spots without looking mask-like, and we appreciate that it layers beautifully with whatever makeup we apply on top.

What makes it really stand out though is the finish—it’s radiant, yet natural-looking. It makes you look like you’ve slept well, are drinking water consistently, and have your skincare routine down pat. It doesn’t emphasize dryness or look greasy, making it an excellent choice for all skin types, especially those with dry or combination skin. It also wears well all day and comes in an extensive shade range.

Best Drugstore

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Foundation

$11 at Amazon $17 at Ulta $14 at Target

Coverage: Medium to full | Finish: Natural | Shades: 40 | Cruelty-Free: No

While we love this budget-friendly pick for all skin types, we especially appreciate it for dry skin because of the natural finish—making it a great option for those who don't want the standard dewy or radiant options that are catered to drier skin types. The liquid formula feels light on the skin, and we love that one layer offers medium coverage, while an additional layer or two can be added for full coverage. It covers pretty much everything you could want to conceal on your skin, though it doesn’t look heavy or cakey—so long as you exfoliate and moisturize before applying it. 

Once applied, it sets down to a skin-like finish and lasts all day and night without fading or creasing. Plus, it’s resistant to sweat, water, and transfer. It comes in 40 shades, which is impressive for a drugstore pick, and it contains SPF 25, which is a bonus.

Best Long-Wearing

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Foundation

View on Sephora $46 at Amazon $57 at Sephora

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural/radiant | Shades: 30 | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re looking for a foundation that delivers on longevity, this is the one for you. Formulated with hyaluronic acid and mandelic acid for a boost of hydration and gentle exfoliation, it offers nice-to-have skin benefits in addition to its impressive coverage, finish, and wear. The creamy texture is easy to blend out, and we love that the coverage is buildable. One layer offers medium coverage, while an additional layer offers coverage that falls somewhere between medium and full. 

It has a natural finish with a hint of radiance that helps give dry skin a subtle boost of luminosity, though it’s never oily. It’s suitable for everyday makeup looks as well as full-glam looks thanks to its long-wearing formula and buildability, making it a versatile pick to have in your collection.

Best Luminous Finish

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation

$65 at Ulta $65 at Nordstrom View on Chanel.com

Coverage: Light/medium | Finish: Luminous | Shades: 35 | Cruelty-Free: No

This luxe foundation from Chanel is perfect for those with dry skin who want to achieve a luminous, dewy finish without looking or feeling greasy. It offers a lightweight formula that blends out seamlessly with a foundation brush or a damp sponge for a glowy but natural finish.

It provides light to medium coverage that does a nice job at evening the complexion while still letting a bit of your natural skin peek through, though it’s worth noting that it’s not a super buildable formula. While a lot of glowy foundations don’t deliver on longevity, we found that this one wears beautifully all day, especially on people with dry skin who likely don’t get very oily in the T-zone. If you’re looking for a lightweight foundation that gives you radiant, fresh-looking skin, we highly recommend this one.

Best Natural Finish

Nars Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation

$52 at Sephora $52 at Ulta $37 at Walmart

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural/radiant | Shades: 36 | Cruelty-Free: No

Those who are looking for a foundation that mimics the appearance of real skin on your best skin day will love this option from Nars. It offers a natural finish with a hint of radiance that looks beautiful on all skin types, though we actually think it’s best for those with dry or balanced skin since it can get slightly oily in the T-zone after several hours of wear. 

The lightweight consistency feels comfortable and a bit hydrating on the skin, and one layer provides smooth, medium coverage. The formula is slightly buildable, allowing you to achieve some more coverage where needed, though we appreciate that an additional layer doesn’t create a cakey or heavy-looking finish. Between the inclusive shade range, lightweight and comfortable formula, and stunning, natural finish on the skin, this one has earned our stamp of approval for “woke up like this” looks.

Best for Deep Skin Tones

Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Foundation Stick

$29 at Amazon $29 at Sephora View on Amicole.com

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural | Shades: 16 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with deep and rich skin tones may find it more difficult to find a foundation that's a true shade match for them—especially since there can be so much variety in undertones. Ami Colé was founded specifically with melanin-rich skin in mind—so you'll be able to find your perfect match. Stick foundations can have a bad rap for having a dry consistency that's hard to blend, but you won't find that in this formula at all. It has a super creamy texture that glides across the skin easily, and you can buff it in with a brush or blend it out with your fingers. It has a slightly blurring finish, so even though it has medium coverage, your skin looks smooth and airbrushed without appearing cakey.

It's also formulated with ingredients to nourish dry skin types (which explains its silky finish) like shea butter and baobab seed oil. When we tried it, we found that it didn't cling to dry skin patches or emphasize dryness while wearing. While it does feel hydrating, it didn't become shiny throughout the day. We also love the feel on the skin—it doesn't feel like we have foundation on at all.

Best Light Coverage

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint

$36 at Sephora View on Danessamyricksbeauty.com View on Beautybay.com

Coverage: Light | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 16 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for a sheer foundation that you can apply and run out the door for a day of work or running errands, we love this option. With a lightweight consistency and coverage, it looks and feels natural on the skin. The coverage helps give your complexion a more even appearance overall, but it still lets some natural texture and imperfections peek through. 

The finish is quite dewy, which is not necessarily ideal if you get greasy in your T-zone throughout the day, but it's great for people with really dry skin who crave some added radiance. Plus, the formula contains collagen peptides, ceramides, and cactus extract, so it does offer real hydration benefits, too. Lastly, we appreciate that it’s fragrance-free for those who may be sensitive to fragrance.

Best Medium Coverage

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Foundation

$49 at Sephora $49 at Nordstrom View on Charlottetilbury.com

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural | Shades: 30 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you like having a good amount of coverage that won't look too heavy, this medium coverage option from Charlotte Tilbury will do the trick. It's able to provide coverage that lasts 16 hours, and has a blurring formula that smooths the look of pores and texture. We love that it's also packed with ingredients to hydrate and illuminate the complexion—like hyaluronic acid and rosewater—for healthier, more hydrated skin with continued use. Coming in 36 shades, they have a variety of options for each skin tone and undertone so that you can find the one that matches your skin. Our favorite thing however is the pump applicator, making it easy to dispense onto your brush or apply directly onto the skin.

Best With SPF

It Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Foundation

$47 at Sephora $33 at Ulta View on Itcosmetics.com

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 22 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Although it’s important to apply a separate SPF underneath your makeup, the added benefit of SPF protection in your foundation is certainly nice to have. This one offers SPF 40 in addition to other skincare ingredients, like hyaluronic acid for hydration benefits and niacinamide, which helps to smooth skin texture and reduce the appearance of dark spots over time. 

The formula is lightweight and easy to apply no matter your preferred application method. It provides medium coverage and a radiant finish that gives dry skin a healthy-looking glow. Beware that this foundation does transfer quite a bit, so we recommend setting it in place with a light layer of powder if transfer is a concern for you. But, it’s still a high-quality formula that looks and feels incredible on dry skin.

Best for Mature Skin

Make Up For Ever Reboot Active Care Foundation

$42 at Sephora $42 at Nordstrom View on Makeupforever.com

Coverage: Light | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 22 | Cruelty-Free: No

It’s very common for those with mature skin to also have a complexion that leans dry. If you resonate with that, we recommend checking out this option that we loved during our test for the best foundations for mature skin. Created with moisturizing glycerin and ginseng which can help with collagen production, the lightweight, water-rich formula feels soft and moisturizing on the skin, and doesn’t cling to dry patches. 

It blends out seamlessly with your fingers, a brush, or a sponge, and we enjoyed that just one pump was all we needed to achieve light, even coverage that took care of redness and discoloration without looking heavy. Although it won’t yield much more coverage, we did find that an additional layer added a bit more, further blurring imperfections in the skin. 

If we could change anything about it, it would be the shade offering. We appreciate that it ranges from light to deep, but we wish there were more options for fair skin and dark skin, as well as more diversity in terms of undertones. However, if you can find a good shade match, we think those with dry and/or mature skin will appreciate the lightweight, moisturizing formula and the radiant finish.

Best Stick

Westman Atelier Vital Skin

$68 at Sephora $68 at Nordstrom $68 at Goop.com

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural/radiant | Shades: 21 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Perfect for those who are on the go or simply prefer the convenience of a stick product you can quickly swipe on, this foundation stick from Westman Atelier helps you even out your complexion fast. While some foundation sticks feel stiff, this one is emollient and moisturizing thanks to the inclusion of squalane in the formula. This consistency makes it very easy to spread, and we love that it looks smooth over textured skin and offers a glowy finish. A few swipes offer medium coverage, though it’s easy to add more product and coverage in specific areas since the stick format allows for targeted application. 

We did experience some transfer during our blotting test, so we recommend setting it in place with powder. No need to worry about this formula feeling dry on your skin throughout the day though (even if you set it)—it feels even more radiant and hydrating as you wear it.

Best Hybrid

Saie Lightweight Hydrobounce Serum Foundation

$40 at Sephora View on Saiehello.com $40 at Kohls.com

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 36 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you don't love the idea of a full coverage foundation that feels heavy on the skin, you need this skincare-makeup hybrid from Saie in your arsenal. It has a liquid serum texture and contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, peptides, squalane, and more to add in hydration while providing medium coverage that feels lightweight. They have 36 shades that cater to each skin tone and undertone so that it's easier to find your match, and it has a radiant, glowy finish that doesn't look make the skin look too greasy.

When the we tried this foundation for ourselves, we loved how it felt on the skin—it was barely noticeable. We were also impressed by the coverage— it covered hyperpigmentation and evened out the skin tone, and it's definitely buildable if you want to cover a little bit more. While we were surprised with the somewhat runny texture, it didn't make application more difficult and it blended into the skin seamlessly. Since it has such a hydrating finish, we recommend this pick for those who find that the standard foundation emphasizes their dry patches.