Best makeup for mature dry skin

As the skin starts to lose its elasticity and so less moisture and nutrients can keep in your skin, it will begins to become drier. Makeup alone could not solve the problem. You need a different approach on how to apply makeup especially for mature dry skin . When you select makeup for older skin you need something that would be able to fare well with the deficiency on hydration, even if your mature dry skin does not need as much hydration as others.

It can be difficult to find the right makeup for mature dry skin. The good news is, we’ve done the research for you!

The best makeup for mature dry skin is a foundation that provides light coverage and evens out skin tone while keeping your face hydrated. A thick moisturizer helps to keep moisture in your skin, so make sure to use one before applying your foundation.

When choosing a lip color, look for something that provides moisture and has a matte finish to prevent your lips from drying out. Blush should be applied lightly and only to the apples of your cheeks, avoiding any product getting onto the fine lines around your mouth.

Dry skin is not just uncomfortable: It can make you desperate to cover up facial redness and dry, flaky patches on your face caused by irritation. But, as anyone with dry skin knows, layering makeup on top of parched areas can actually highlight dryness rather than conceal it.

“The goal for [anyone] who has dry skin is to pick a foundation that will make skin look moisturized, fresh and luminous,” says makeup artist Erica Whelan. The best foundations for dry skin will actually prevent flaking and cakey finishes and provide plenty of moisture to keep your skin looking and feeling smooth. To find the best foundation for dry skin, the analysts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab tested 30 different foundations to find the ones that won’t crack, flake or slip. After tallying up and ranking data from over 990 questions answered inour tests, we’ve found the very best options you can buy, including the best drugstore foundations for dry skin.

Our top picks:

1 BEST OVERALL FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKINLuminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless FoundationGiorgio Armani $45 AT NORDSTROM
2 BEST VALUE FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKINSimply Ageless Instant Wrinkle-Defying FoundationCovergirl & Olay $14 AT AMAZON
3 BEST FOUNDATION FOR DRY, MATURE SKINAge Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm FoundationL’Oreal Paris $12 AT AMAZON
4 BEST FOUNDATION FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKINLift & Luminate Triple Action Serum FoundationNo7 $13 AT TARGET
5 BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKINNU Bare Look Tint Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Yves Saint Laurent $38 AT SEPHORA

Scroll to the bottom of this article for more information on how we test foundations, how to choose the best foundation for dry skin and application tips to make any facial dryness history. And if you’re battling chronic dry skin, don’t forget to moisturize with the best moisturizers for dry skin.

BEST OVERALL FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN

Giorgio Armani

Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Foundation

Giorgio Armani

$45 AT NORDSTROM $45 AT BLOOMINGDALE’S $45 AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Smooth, easily blendable liquid formula
Seamless, silky coverage

This foundation blew away the competition in Lab testing: It earned a perfect score for having the smoothest texture, and got top scores for being easily blendable and providing smooth, nearly undetectable coverage. It’s also a favorite of numerous editors in the Beauty Lab, who say it blends into the skin seamlessly to give medium coverage and a silky finish that works well on both dry and mature skin. Testers and pros alike love that it seamlessly glides over skin and perfects complexion without making it look like you’re wearing makeup.

• Coverage: Sheer to medium
• Shades: 40
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: None

BEST VALUE FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN

Covergirl & Olay

Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle-Defying Foundation

CoverGirl

$14 AT AMAZON

Anti-aging cream formula
Skin-perfecting ingredients

This pick is a hybrid of Olay moisturizer, hyaluronic complex and vitamin C for hydrated, nourished skin that looks even-toned. Although it’s lightweight and “goes on like a face moisturizer,” testers love its medium- to full-coverage formula and SPF 28 for added protection from sun damage. And with over 15,000 reviews on Amazon, reviewers say they “like how soft, creamy and dewy it goes on and STAYS that way, without settling into fine lines.”

• Coverage: Medium to full
• Shades: 12
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: 28

BEST FOUNDATION FOR DRY, MATURE SKIN

L’Oreal Paris

Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Face Balm Foundation

L’Oreal

Now 31% off

$12 AT AMAZON $12 AT WALMART $17 AT ULTA BEAUTY

Formulated with anti-aging and hydrating ingredients
Easy-to-apply balm formula

A GH Beauty Award-winner and GH Seal holder, this balmy base has smoothing, hydrating and anti-aging properties. Our Beauty Lab evaluations showed it instantly made skin look smoother. While its main claim to fame is firming and smoothing skin, it’s also formulated with proven hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, making it perfect for anyone with dry skin and fine lines.

• Coverage: Light to medium
• Shades: 8
• Finish: Luminous
• SPF: None

BEST FOUNDATION FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN

No7

Lift & Luminate Triple Action Serum Foundation

No7

Now 20% off

$13 AT TARGET

Line-blurring liquid formula with satiny finish
Packed with skin-friendly ingredients

This drugstore buy goes on smoothly and leaves a dewy, satiny finish on dry skin. It’spacked with firming and brightening ingredients and has anti-aging benefits to smooth fine lines and blur imperfections. In our Institute’s research, professional makeup artists said it works best for dry, sensitive and mature skin types. Experts love that it can provide buildable sheer or medium coverage and ranked it highly for ease of use and performance.

• Coverage: Sheer to medium
• Shades: 13
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: 15

BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN

Yves Saint Laurent

NU Bare Look Tint Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation

YSL

$38 AT SEPHORA

Natural-looking, lightweight coverage
Long-lasting wear

True to its name, this barely-there skin tint gave skin light, dewy coverage that lasted all day in Beauty Lab evaluations. Testers found that the light, gel-like formula spread easily and subtly blurred imperfections while evening skin tone. “I liked the dewy light coverage I get with this tinted moisturizer-like formula,” said one tester. It’s made with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and mallow to hydrate and boost skin’s glow.

• Coverage: Light
• Shades: 20
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: None

BEST FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN

It Cosmetics

Bye Bye Foundation Full Coverage Moisturizer with SPF 50+

It Cosmetics

$44 AT ULTA BEAUTY $45 AT WALMART

Dewy, satiny smooth formula
Easy to blend

Of all the products we tested, It Cosmetics’ foundation scored highest for mature, dry and sensitive skin. It creates a dewy, satin-like finish, and it got perfect scores for providing smooth, even coverage on dry skin. Our testers loved that it dispensed the exact right amount of product and blended easily over skin. Not to mention, it’s a2-in-1 product with enough SPF to protect your skin from the sun. For best results, apply it with your fingers or using a sponge.

• Coverage: Full
• Shades: 12
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: 50+

BEST TINTED MOISTURIZER FOR DRY SKIN

Lancôme

Skin Feels Good Hydrating Skin Tint

Lancome

Now 15% off

$31 AT NORDSTROM $30 AT WALMART $36 AT ULTA BEAUTY

Hydrating liquid moisturizer formula
Makes skin glow

Tinted moisturizers are skin care/cosmetic hybrids, which means that you should expect serious hydration power but lighter coverage. We haven’t tested this pick in the Lab yet, but it’s GH Beauty Director April Franzino’s go-to — sheswears it hides imperfections and discoloration “without settling into lines or caking,” while adding a gorgeous glow.

• Coverage: Light
• Shades: 15
• Finish: Natural
• SPF: 23

BEST CC CREAM FOR DRY SKIN

Olay

Tone Correcting CC Cream

Olay

$27 AT AMAZON $27 AT WALMART $24 AT BED BATH AND BEYOND

Moisturizes without feeling heavy
Minimizes brown spots and pores over time

Only available in one shade

CC creams (or “color correcting” creams) are a combination of skin care and foundation, that offer very lightweight coverage while perfecting skin. This Good Housekeeping Seal-holder is a standout for its moisturization abilities: In Lab tests, it boosted skin hydration levels by an impressive 36%. Bonus: Over time with continued use, the Lab found that it minimized the appearance of brown spots and pores. Its only pitfall? It’s only available in one light shade.

• Coverage: Sheer to medium
• Shades: 1
• Finish: Radiant
• SPF: 15

BEST BB CREAM FOR DRY SKIN

Maybelline New York

Dream Fresh BB Cream

Maybelline

Now 17% off

$7 AT AMAZON $9 AT ULTA BEAUTY

Proven hydrating formula
Sheer, comfortable wear

Limited shades

“BB” stands for “beauty balms,” and BB creams are known to even skin tone and correct blemishes without being as heavy as traditional foundations. Testers loved the “natural” look of this super affordable BB cream, and it really works to increase hydration: It amped up skin moisturization by 11% in Lab tests. The one downside is its limited shade range.

• Coverage: Sheer
• Shades: 3
• Finish: Natural
• SPF: 30

BEST CUSTOM FOUNDATION FOR DRY SKIN

Lancôme

Le Teint Particulier Custom-Made Foundation

Lancôme

$88 AT NORDSTROM

Over 72,000 options for the perfect match
Customizable hydration

Pricey

For a truly perfect shade and formulation match, look no further than this 2017 Beauty Award-winner from Lancôme, which not only allows you to choose your perfect tone, but hydration level as well: the brand says there are 72,000 possibilities for an exact color and texture match. “I chose the most hydrating formula and found it felt softening and more like a face cream than makeup on my skin,” says GH Beauty Director April Franzino. In Lab tests, it matched a range of light, medium and dark skin tones, and testers loved the finish on skin.

• Coverage: Customizable
• Shades: Customizable
• Finish: Customizable
• SPF: None

Best makeup for mature dry skin