Our Best Foundations to Use for Dry Skin

When it comes to finding the right foundation, there are several things to consider such as your skin type. And if you have dry skin, you know that it can complicate the search because you need to find a formula that will give you the coverage you need without drying out your skin even more. But not to worry, Maybelline New York has you covered with our wide range of foundations for dry skin. From Dream Radiant Liquid Hydrating Foundation to Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation, we have a foundation that will give you the flawless look you want without sacrificing your skin's hydration.

OUR BEST OVERALL FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN: DREAM RADIANT LIQUID HYDRATING FOUNDATION

Dream Radiant Liquid Hydrating Foundation is our best foundation for dry skin and offers a whopping 12 hours of hydration. This lightweight, medium-coverage, longwear foundation is formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin E to hydrate your skin and give you a naturally radiant finish. It also has SPF 30 to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays.


Benefits:


  • Hydrates skin with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin E
  • Gives you a naturally radiant finish
  • Has SPF 30 to protect your skin from the sun
 

OUR BEST VALUE DRUGSTORE FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN: FIT ME DEWY + SMOOTH FOUNDATION

  • Fit Me® Dewy + Smooth Foundation Makeup
    310
    Buy now

If you’re looking for a drugstore foundation that stands up to its prestige counterparts, delivering dewy, hydrated skin, look no further than Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation. It has a lightweight feel but delivers intense moisture thanks to glycerin and vitamin E. The result: a dewy, natural finish. Plus, it’s formulated with SPF 18 for an extra boost of sun protection. Pro tip: apply on top of your daily sunscreen– dermatologists agree that more is more. 

 

Benefits:


  • Moisturizes skin with glycerin and vitamin E
  • Gives you a dewy, natural finish
  • Has SPF 18 to protect your skin from the sun
  • Best drugstore foundation for dry skin

OUR BEST ANTI-AGING FOUNDATION FOR MATURE DRY SKIN: INSTANT AGE REWIND ERASER TREATMENT

  • Instant Age Rewind® Eraser Treatment Makeup
    310
    Buy now

One of the biggest concerns for people with mature skin is dryness, and while you want a foundation that will offer you adequate coverage, you don’t want something that’s going to be drying or settle into fine lines. 

Enter: our Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment. It’s a full-coverage foundation that packs collagen, hyaluronic acid, and goji berry to hydrate your skin, but it simultaneously helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and give you an overall more youthful look. Another top concern for aging skin is sun damage, so it’s super important to wear sunscreen; Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment offers SPF 15.


Benefits:


  • Hydrates skin with collagen, hyaluronic acid, and goji berry

  • Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

  • Gives you a more youthful look

  • Has SPF 15 to protect your skin from the sun

  • Best foundation for mature dry skin 

Our Best Skin Tint for Dry Skin: Super Stay Up to 24HR Skin Tint with Vitamin C

  • Super Stay® Up to 24HR Skin Tint with Vitamin C
    129
    Buy now

Say you don’t want a full coverage foundation and would rather use something that’s lightweight and more of a skin tint, but also has skincare benefits. You’ll love our Super Stay Up to 24HR Skin Tint with Vitamin C. Not only does it give you light to medium coverage, but it’s also hydrating. The piece de resistance, though, is that it’s formulated with vitamin C to brighten your skin and give you a more radiant complexion. What’s more, this one-and-done skin booster also has SPF 30.

Benefits:


  • Hydrates skin with vitamin C
  • Brightens your skin and gives you a more radiant complexion
  • Has SPF 30 to protect your skin from the sun
  • Best skin tint for dry skin 

OUR BEST BB CREAM FOR DRY SKIN: DREAM FRESH BB CREAM

  • Dream BB Fresh® BB Cream
    Light/Medium
    Buy now

Are you a no-makeup-makeup, girly? We love the no-fuss formula of Dream Fresh BB Cream. It offers 8 skin-loving benefits including hydrating, smoothing, and blurring for undetectable, sheer, and natural finish. It's perfect for those days when you want a little bit of coverage without feeling weighed down.


Benefits:


  • Hydrates skin with glycerin and vitamin E
  • Protects your skin from the sun with SPF 30
  • Gives you a sheer, natural coverage
  • Best drugstore foundation for dry skin

ALL ABOUT THE ALL-STAR INGREDIENTS...

If you have dry skin, there are a few key ingredients that you should look for in your foundation. Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin E are all great ingredients for hydrating your skin. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that helps your skin retain moisture, while glycerin is an emollient that helps to soften and smooth your skin. Lastly, Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to protect and repair your skin from damage. 

In addition to these key ingredients, it’s smart to look for foundations that contain SPF to help protect your skin from sun damage. It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean you should skip your daily sunscreen; using a foundation with SPF is just an added bonus. And if you have dry skin, it’s especially important to practice safe sun, as it can make your skin even drier and cause other cosmetic concerns like discoloration and wrinkles (in addition to more serious issues).
 

Foundation for Dry Skin FAQ

There are a few things you can do to soothe dry skin. First, make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Then, take a look at the skincare products you’re using and ditch anything that’s too harsh or stripping including scrubs and chemical exfoliants. A gentle cleanser and moisturizer are the basis to a good skin routine. If you find that your skin is red and irritated as a result of dryness, go for formulas that have soothing ingredients such as aloe and ceramides. The best foundations for dry skin are those that are have hydrating ingredients and leave your skin feeling moisturized. Look for foundations that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin E. You may also want to look for foundations that have a dewy or satin finish, as these will help to keep your skin looking hydrated, whereas matte finishes can exacerbate dryness. Moisturizing foundations will typically contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin E. They also tend to impart a dewy or satin finish. If you're not sure if a foundation is moisturizing, check the label to see if it contains any of these ingredients. And even better if you’re able to swatch it, because that will give you a better idea of how the formula will perform on your skin type.  There are a few reasons why your makeup might look dry. First, you may be using the wrong type of foundation for your skin type. If you have dry skin, you should use a foundation that promises to be hydrating or moisturizing. Second, you may not be applying your foundation correctly. Make sure to apply your foundation to a clean, moisturized face. And rather than using a brush, it may help to use a damp beauty sponge, which will help your foundation formula to melt seamlessly into your skin rather than sit on top. Using the wrong foundation shade can also contribute to your makeup looking off. To ensure you’re wearing the right foundation shade, be sure to apply it in natural light.  While you can use powder foundation on dry skin, you should know that it may call attention to the dryness– making dry patches appear flakey or dull– and even cause skin to feel even drier. If you do use powder foundation, make sure to apply it with a light hand and blend it well into your skin. To strike a happy medium, we recommend applying a liquid foundation first, and then use powder just in the areas that may need it such as the forehead, nose, and chin.