Best foundations for mature skin, starting from just £7.99

This iconic foundation that was launched in 2000 is our top pick for mature skin overall, and it is hard to find fault with. With close to 40 shades to choose from it is no surprise to hear users still raving about this “cult product” because as well as providing a palette for all skin tones, it is suitable for combination, oily and dry faces so is accessible to everyone.

An oil-free liquid foundation, it really does feel like silk as the name suggests, and it glides on to skin effortlessly. Thanks to its exclusive Micro–fil™ technology that helps brighten, and as one user described “create a radiant aura”, I love the way it makes my skin glow. Only a tiny amount is needed and I found just one application was good enough to cover my ageing spots and pigmentation, with very little blending needed. I did not need to touch it up so top marks also for long-lasting wear.

As with all foundations for mature skin, hydrating properties are vital and the Glycerin ingredient in this product (which works by boosting moisture levels to help soften and calm dry, dehydrated skin), ensured my face felt smooth and dewy all day. A mid-priced foundation that is cost-effective as only a little is needed, so definitely one to splash the cash on.

As we get older, the pores on our face often grow due to loss of skin elasticity, so anti-ageing ingredients that go to work on helping minimise them are important. And what I love about this liquid foundation is not only is it vegan and cruelty-free but it boasts the super-hero niacinamide ingredient. As well as helping to reduce large pores by unclogging them, niacinamide is also an anti-inflammatory ingredient that helps to calm pimples so I always reach for this foundation when the first sign of a spot appears on my chin.

Available in 30 shades, it is a light buildable foundation and when testing its 16-hour claim of wear, I can confirm it didn’t budge. If you are confused by what the IRL filter means, my take on it after wearing this foundation for months on end, is that it creates a flawless finish. It glides on like a second skin and whilst covering up my blemishes and pigmentation, doesn’t make it look too cakey or heavy. In fact, at times I forgot I was even wearing foundation.

In the words of one user: "This is like the best skin in a bottle, love this foundation. Coverage is fantastic. It leaves that beautiful soft filter finish that looks amazing in both real life and on photographs.” Forget the Instagram filters and reach for this best vegan and cruelty-free foundation for mature skin instead!

Firstly, I’m not quite sure why a 35-hour staying power is needed in a foundation and I’m never one to sleep in my make-up but either way this fluid foundation is a bargain buy. The biggest appeal factor for my mature skin is that it is full of nourishing ingredients including hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E and niacinamide – all of which help add in moisture and soothe any sore parts of the face. I’m quite conscious of a flaky patch on the side of my nose and this foundation doesn’t cling to it, but helps smooth it out. I’m also a huge fan of multi-tasking products and love the fact this has an SPF 20.

The consistency of the formula is quite thick so I apply this with a blending sponge to ensure even coverage and the result is a matte base with a slight glow. As for its 35-hour claim, whilst I only wore it for 12 hours with no need to reapply. One reviewer wrote: “While the 35-hour wear claim may be ambitious, the foundation does hold up remarkably well throughout a full day and evening, even in challenging conditions like heat and humidity.”

Quite often a beauty product goes viral on social media and although I don’t tend to get sucked in, I can understand why so much love has been posted about this Laura Mercier foundation. With 32 shades in the range, and a formula created to suit all skin types, it is one of the most weightless foundations I have ever worn. I use about three pumps of the applicator for full coverage and it glides on to the skin like butter, so much so I tend to use my fingertips, rather than a brush, to blend it in.

Any dry patches tend to fade away immediately and when I have a cold and the skin beneath my nose is a bit sore, this covers up all redness. My skin tends to burn very easily so again, I am wearing it post summer holiday to help even out my skin tone. With many foundations, I tend to apply concealer on top to add additional coverage to the fine lines and wrinkles at the corner of my eyes but I don’t need to with this one as it cleverly blurs and covers them up. I’d even go so far as saying it helps them vanish. In fact, numerous reviews praise this Laura Mercier foundation for not gathering in fine lines and wrinkles too.

With the addition of Camelia Seed, Vitamin E and Cacao Extract – that help improve the texture of the skin and add hydration to it – this is the perfect foundation for mature skin; it is definitely my runner-up in this review! And I think one user has summed it up perfectly: “I have NEVER left a review on anything in my 40 years! But THIS foundation is just gorgeous. Truly like a second skin but BETTER! My go to!”

This product is described by the brand as being a foundation that is a “light fluid formula for a flawless glass skin effect that lasts all day.” And that much is true! Despite needing to use more of the formula than the other foundations, because it does come out quite thin, it surprises me just how lightweight it is. You feel that you are not wearing foundation and instead as though you have smothered your face in silk; such is the smoothness of the foundation.

Dull skin is completely transformed as the foundation gives it a glow; thanks to its light-reflecting and colour-correcting pigments that create an even and luminous complexion. I found on using it over several months that I began to feel less self-conscious of the patches of pigmentation on my face, knowing that I could reach for this foundation and rely on it for coverage on days when I wanted a minimal make-up look. It is no surprise for me to see reviews praise this foundation for covering up skin imperfections, with one user saying: “My skin is very sensitive and has marks from rosacea. This is the best foundation—natural with great coverage."

Finding a lightweight foundation for mature skin that delivers on comfort, coverage and longevity (it takes me from morning to night without needing a touch up), makes this a worthy winner for the best lightweight foundation for mature skin.

This made the list because I love the fact it has such a strong SPF, compared to others that don't go much higher than a factor 25. And I’m always in a rush in the mornings so to find a multi-tasking product that is amazing as this is a winner. As someone with older skin, I can vouch this does not dry it out or cake whatsoever. It also has a lovely coverage that hides my pigmentation. I have worn this off and on for a while but used it daily on my recent summer holiday to California and my face did not burn at all. In fact, even with the high temperature, it didn’t budge when I sweated.

Consistency wise it does come out rather runny so be mindful of only using a little bit; as that is all you need to achieve the skin glow effect. And it most certainly glows, I’d describe my skin as having a luminous look to it when I wear this foundation, with make-up gliding perfectly on top.

I agree with the endless positive reviews of this foundation that point to it being like wearing a second skin, provided you colour match perfectly. I recommend you do that in store as the website is more of a guessing game.

I absolutely adore this product and if it wasn’t for the luxury price tag, it would certainly take top spot as the overall best foundation for mature skin. It delivers flawless coverage and my skin looks absolutely beautiful with it on. Being a cream foundation it really melts into the skin, and provides full coverage with just two small squeezes of the tube – a small amount goes a very long way. It instantly covered up my pigmentation and the speckle of sun spots I have on the side of my face, leaving skin looking dewy and radiant.

The foundation comes in 31 shades and it is quite easy to colour match online as you enter a brand you are used to wearing and it helps compare. Out of every foundation I have tried, this worked the best in totally brightening my under eye area that can sometimes look a bit dull. Infused with Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, known to brighten skin and even out its tone, this ingredient really does pack a punch in making skin look radiant.

One reviewer took the words out of my mouth saying: “This foundation is exactly what it claims, flawless. I'm 42 with sun spots on my cheeks, fine lines and wrinkles and I can’t begin to tell you how stunned I was by how beautiful my skin looked after applying this foundation.”

In a nutshell, a buildable product means that you can apply a second layer of the foundation if you want deeper and more coverage. Many foundations claim they are “buildable”, yet when tested I have found that is not so much the case on my mature skin, with it going on to cake and settle in to fine lines around my eyes. The reason I have picked NARS foundation as the best buildable coverage for mature skin is because it does neither of these things.

I wear this product for evening wear when I want to glam up and use two coats of the foundation, letting the first one dry for a few seconds before applying the second. It blends so easily and covers all my skin imperfections and makes it look immaculate. And at no point does it feel heavy on the skin. Often if I have spots on my chin I am conscious of not overlaying them thickly with make-up but this is a very breathable foundation. It also contains all the skin-loving ingredients such as Glycerin and a blend of Turmeric and Vitamin C to correct skin’s dullness and improve texture over time. Reviews praise this foundation for its hydrating properties, level of coverage and ease of use, with one user writing: “This foundation is my absolute holy grail. I will never use another foundation again. Gives a beautiful, sheer finish but also buildable to create a more full coverage look.”

Avon's Head of Beauty, Hannah Lally says, "Mature skin is known for being drier, so opt for a moisturising formula to give you a natural, dewy finish. Light, buildable foundations are great for mature skin, such as Avon's Longwear Foundation, as you can add more coverage where you feel you need it."

Customer reviews praise this foundation for its full coverage and longevity. It's also great value for money.

This foundation only has SPF10, so do add more, but it lasts on the skin and doesn’t feel heavy. Reviews said it looks natural and blends easily.

You know you can trust No7 for quality products, and their skincare range is praised for its effectiveness. This foundation is reasonably priced for what it promises—smoother-looking skin, thanks to a unique blend of optical blurring and light-reflecting particles. In addition, this foundation contains collagen-based peptides for firmer and healthier skin.

It offers a matte finish rather than a glow and only has SPF 15, so make sure you use a moisturiser or primer with added SPF.

Reviews have praised the foundation's coverage and blending ability, albeit it doesn't give a dewy finish. Its anti-ageing properties are excellent, with 93% of testers saying they saw a reduction in age spots.

With 50 shades of foundation, Fenty Beauty prides itself on being one of the most inclusive makeup brands. If you're looking for a foundation that stays in place throughout the day, the Fenty Beauty PRO FILT'R foundation is worth a try, especially if you are noticing changes in your skin as you age.

Reviews praise this Fenty matte foundation for staying flawless all day and not gathering in fine lines and wrinkles. This is a great option if you prefer a matte look and have mature skin. In addition, a little goes a long way and it doesn't look too heavy or unnatural when applied on top of moisturiser and primer.

Charlotte Tilbury has a range of fantastic products that we love here at Yours, and this foundation is no exception. It's a light to medium-coverage foundation that contains several skin-loving ingredients to create a glowing complexion, and it’s perfect for mature skin.

Reviews praise this foundation for gliding on uneven skin, wrinkles, and lines. It conceals redness and small veins. Although not a thick formulation, it covers very well and lasts all day.

We love the longevity of this foundation, and it does a great job of smoothing out fine lines. Best of all, the compliments that follow are priceless! Price-wise, it’s not really a budget buy, but it is a quality buy and one we think is worth investing in.

If you're prone to redness, a CC cream (colour or complexion corrector cream) for mature skin is ideal for neutralising skin imperfections and discolouring. A quick makeup product , CC cream can be applied using the fingertips and feels more like wearing a moisturiser than a full face of makeup.

This formula from IT Cosmetics is particularly suitable for mature skin, because it's not heavy and it gives a fresh-looking complexion.

This CC cream contains hyaluronic acid, which is great for plumping fine lines. It also offers an SPF of 50. Reviews state that it’s easy to apply, and a little goes a long way. It’s easy to see why it’s become a cult favourite in the beauty world.

This foundation is suitable for all skin types and has been reviewed by many users as great for sensitive skin. This bareMinerals foundation is free from oil, parabens, sulfates, and fragrance. Plus, it's non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. It also evens skin tone and is designed for long wear.

Reviews praise this foundation for its great coverage, even over skin that suffers from redness.

It's at the pricey end of our range but worth it if you have susceptible skin.

This foundation from Clinique helps skin retain moisture while providing moderate coverage and minimising fine lines. It’s also suitable for combination skin, which we like as we often find we have dry and oily patches. 

Reviews praise its ease of use and level of coverage. It works with skin, to hydrate dry patches and reduce oily areas. In addition, it's gentle on sensitive skin and it contains SPF to protect against environmental stressors.

This foundation by Bobbi Brown will work wonders if you have naturally oily skin but are looking to retain a matte finish. Although coverage is lightweight, it still does a great job of concealing redness or discolouration. It also has added glycerine for extra hydration, so your skin shouldn’t dry out.

Reviews praise its coverage, lightweight consistency and longevity. However, some reviews differ, so it's worth popping along to your nearest Bobbi Brown beauty counter and having a beauty consultant guide you on the ideal skin tone and the best way to apply this foundation.