Undoubtedly, the best makeup look starts with healthy skin. Foundation then provides an enhanced finish. It’s important to find the foundation form most suitable for your skin’s tone (by season), texture and comfort as well as wear.
Our foundation product picks with deep shade ranges are paired with comments from a beauty CEO, consultation with a CHiC Pro and CHiC Clique Members who voted their favorite brands. Cast your vote - we'd love to know what you think too!
"I'm a makeup artist that likes coverage so I shy away from sheer liquids," says Fine.
"I wear liquid for a sheer look and feel when long-wear isn't as important," says Bernie.
Bernie, CEO COCOACHiC Beauty,
and Sam Fine, Makeup Artist
BRAND
PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION
BEAUTY CEO
T. Bernie
PRO
Sam Fine
YOU
CHiC Clique
Clinique
Perfectly Real Makeup
Shades
27
range of ethnic tones
Skin Types
normal
combination
oily
Claims
oil-free
medium coverage
non-acnegenic
natural look
Shade 49
The new shade 49
looks perfectly real on
me! It's smooth and
the full texture still feels
lightweight on skin.
Very natural looking.
Shade 49
This foundation has the sheerest coverage of them all! It's great for beginners and teens because it offers the lightest coverage and dries to a powdery finish...its mistake proof!
Claims
pearlescent
spf 15 sun protection
natural vibrancy
Shade NW 700
This pearly, shimmer foundation gives a gilded goddess finish to skin. Thoroughly blend small amount as a veil all over face or spot apply to areas for desired highlighting. Careful - too much or not blending properly and the iridescence will take on a disco ball effect.
Shade NW 700
This foundation offers a pearlescent finish and will make your skin appear more luminous. However, if you have skin concerns such as wrinkles, acne or enlarged pores, this foundation will emphasize these qualities. Best used to highlight and illuminate the skin (i.e. down the bridge of nose, along the crest of forehead, cheeks).
Bobbi Brown
Oil-Free Even Finish
Foundation SPF 15
Shades
16
range of ethnic tones
Skin Types
normal
combination
oily
Claims
oil-free
medium coverage
non-acnegenic
natural look
Shade 9
Love the way Bobbi products smell and go on skin. This shade was a bit too red/pink on my skin. But I won't knock it - will give an even finish for the right undertones.
Shade 9
Something for everyone! Rich color, medium coverage and wide range of shades! This 100% oil-free formula offers medium coverage and looks warm and luscious on even the deepest complexions!
Prescriptives
Flawless Finish
Total Protection Makeup
Shades
13
range of ethnic tones
Skin Types
all
Claims
lightweight
long-wearing
spf 15 sun protection
natural look
oil free
med to full coverage
Shade Cocoa
Of course I'm cuckoo for this product shade name, but also because I tested it and gave feedback while it was in development. To be fair, it may be a tad yellow for some. If so, Prescriptives is still the move because they offer custom blend foundation and powder in-person at department store counters to match your actual skin tone.
Shade Cocoa
Wonderful formula and true color! If you want light to medium coverage, this is the foundation for you! You can easily apply a thin layer for light coverage or build to achieve medium coverage.
Shade IV-10 W
Weightless, yes. Precise, not quite. A bit disappointed with the deeper shades in this line. They were all a bit grey - but with the 36 shades of beautiful brown skin people, it will work for some.
Shade IV-10 W
A great foundation that also provides buildable coverage and perfectly matches skin tone! This foundation spreads easily and dries beautifully, so it doesn't require a great deal of powder to achieve a matte finish.
Maybelline
Wonder Finish Powder Finish Foundation SPF 15
Shades
12
Skin Types
n/a
Claims
powder finish
oil-free
medium coverage
flawless
spf 15 sun protection
lightweight
Shade Caramel (Dark 2)
The dark shades didn't go as deep as I felt they should for a mass brand widely available in drugstores. I didn't find the coverage to be medium; I thought it was more lightweight. If nothing else, good for the price.
Shade Caramel (Dark 2)
This is also a sheer foundation, yet not too sheer to offer a bit of coverage. It turns to a powdery finish, which makes it a long-lasting foundation without requiring a setting powder or tedious touch-ups throughout the day.
“As women of color we have a lot of oil in our skin. Stick foundation is fast and no need for concealer,” says Ms. Evelyn.
“Stick foundation wears throughout a hectic day right into night”, says Bernie.
Bernie, CEO COCOACHiC Beauty,
and Vanessa Evelyn, Makeup Artist
BRAND
PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION
BEAUTY CEO
T. Bernie
PRO
Vanessa Evelyn
YOU
CHiC Clique
Black Opal
Crème Stick Foundation
SPF 8
Shades
7
range of ethnic tones
Skin Types
all
Claims
full coverage
spf 8 sun protection
PABA-free
velvet finish
hypoallergenic
non-comedogenic
Shade Carob
This shade is my true skin color and the feel is like second skin – straight up, no blending necessary. I don’t know what I would do if it discontinues or they alter the formula.
Shade Suede Mocha
I love the richness and creaminess. The formula captures both red and yellow undertones. Great flawless coverage. No need for concealer. Love it!
Claims non-powdery
creamy texture
sheer to medium coverage
spf 30 sun protection
UVA/UVB
paraben-free
natural look
use as under-eye concealer
anti-oxidant vitamins A, D, and E
Shade Molasses
The next best thing! This is a close second to my tried & true Black Opal in Carob – actually a tad creamier, oil-free, stays put all day and a real-skin shade match. Perfect diameter for spot, under eye and on the go application. It’s inching to be my favorite.
Bernie loves BECCA!
Shade Molasses It has a velvety texture, clean application and sleek presentation. Matte finish of the stick package gives good grip. Great as a concealer with coverage both thick and versatile enough to go as sheer as you would like.
Shade 8 Walnut, etc.
None of the shades – 7 Almond, 7.5 Warm Walnut, 8 Walnut, 9 Chestnut, 10 Espresso – match appropriately. To get Walnut 8 to work for me required a lot of blending and counter balancing its red undertone with a yellow undertone concealer and powder. Texture is good.
Shade 8 Walnut 10 Espresso All the shades tended to have a pink cast so almost better used as a natural-looking cream blush stick. Great package and texture. It was a little hard to apply as it didn’t lay smoothly. It is a bit dry and powdery and requires a little work to put on.
Shade NW47 While MAC many times won’t fail and is quite far-reaching across the spectrum, the formula falls a bit short being a little too slick to stay on. Nothing some primer and powder blending can’t fix.
Shade NW47
It has a grainy texture. It also doesn’t hold and has a consistency that resembles melted chocolate – oily so will glide right off. Not long lasting. Very pink undertone in darker shades.
Shade I
Quiet as kept, a lot of Stila makeup looks great on my skin. However, this shade was not the move for me. The texture and all day wear is just shy of “perfect” for my normal skin so I can’t wait to try the deeper shades.
Shade I Great package. Good shade match (perfect for COCOACHiC Color of Hue Cappucino-skin shade Ms. Evelyn), especially the medium tones but need more shades. Texture is a lot like melted chocolate. This formula is not summer-wear friendly, consistency lends itself to fall/winter.
