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The Best Foundations for Dark Skin

By Finlay Ferdinand and Carly Cochrane - 3 years ago | Updated
best foundations for dark skin

It can be hard looking for a new foundation, but even more so if you’re brown or darker skinned. Having to search the shelves high and low can be futile and tiring because despite there being many foundations on display, the shades probably won't stretch past a medium tone. Sigh.

That's why we've taken it upon ourselves to devise a list of the best foundations for dark skin. With many of these brands focusing on both shade range and skin undertones, you can finally discover a foundation that will fit your complexion to a T.

Keep scrolling to discover the best foundations for dark skin.

Stila Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer

£31.90 £35.40 (10% off)

This cult-favourite foundation from Stila is a perfect option for darker skin tones. Loved for its oil-free formula, the foundation lays down a matte finish that stays put from A.M to P.M. The best part? The 2-in-1 product also features a matching concealer within the cap for extra creamy, full-coverage pigment.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick

£31.61 £39.00 (19% off)

Bobbi Brown has been a leader in the game for while now, especially when it comes to a diverse range of makeup shades. So much so, that their stick foundation is still up there with the best.

It boasts a super blendable, matte-like formula, meaning it's great for those with oily or combination skin. Plus, the quality of this foundation is undisputed as it's both long-lasting and offers buildable coverage.

Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation

£9.89 £10.99 (11% off)

If you're deep into your post-holiday or post-shopping spree bank balance, then you're going to want to grab this budget-friendly formula.

It’s not often that we can find a wide range of shades by high-street brands, but Maybelline has come through. Great value for money, the Fit Me Matte and Poreless offers medium to full coverage, is mattifying (duh) and blurs skin to perfection.

Inglot Cosmetics HD Perfect Cover Up Foundation

£31.86

Looking for a high-definition finish? Allow us to introduce you to Inglot Cosmetics. This cult-favourite foundation is designed to leave your skin flawless and radiant. Most-loved for its epic full-coverage, true filter-like effect and 24 hour wear, this foundation is ideal if you're wanting full glam makeup that lasts from A.M to P.M (or vice versa).

Benefit Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation

£29.20

We are obsessed with the whole concept behind Benefit. Their products are fun, results-driven, flawless and cater to all. Working to camouflage blemishes, scars, pigmentation and everything in between, this lightweight foundation is your fast track to a glass-like complexion.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

£16.50 £33.00 (50% off)

Bringing the 'I woke up like this' mantra to life is the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation. The formula has been expertly designed to enhance your true complexion. It packs all the benefits found in a liquid foundation (blurs imperfections, colour corrects and evens skin tone) but it also goes the extra mile to disguise skin conditions such as acne, scarring and pigmentation without looking cakey.

The Ordinary Serum Foundation

£6.40 £6.64 (4% off)

The Ordinary has taken into account all skin types and skin tones in order to serve up an impressive collection of foundation. With a complete collection of shades up for grabs, your true match is ready and waiting. We particularly love this formula as it's super lightweight but provides a natural matte finish that covers all imperfections.

bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Foundation SPF 20

£33.00

This liquid foundation is an award-winner and bestseller for bareMinerals, and for good reason too. It comes in a variety of shades that will fit all complexions, all whilst providing 24-hour wear.

It’s non-caking, buildable formula doesn't transfer, so you can live your best life without worrying about your makeup fading or melting throughout the day. This foundation is a must-have that many beauty YouTubers adore, so we know you'll love it too.

Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation

£46.39 £57.60 (20% off)

If there's anyone you can trust to perfect your complexion, it's Kevyn Aucoin. The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation allows you to wave bye-bye to Facetune and filters as it blurs imperfections and leaves skin photo-ready. The medium coverage feels weightless and wears comfortably all day long, so you can successfully take your looks from the office to the dance floor.

Sculpted by Aimee Matte Finish Second Skin Foundation

£22.28 £24.73 (10% off)

This foundation offers a second-skin, matte effect, buildable coverage and incredible longevity. Additionally, if you have oily or combination skin, this treasure is oil-free, non-comedogenic and made with minerals, so it won't clog your pores. Instead, let skin breathe and enjoy a healthy, radiant complexion.

Milani Screen Queen Foundation

£17.65

Milani ensure that your skin is always photo-ready with this foundation line-up. Expect a light-to-medium coverage that never looks or feels cakey on the skin, as well as a flawless finish, diverse shade range and pocket-friendly price!

ZOEVA Authentik Skin Foundation

£24.73 £25.00 (2% off)

Zoeva give you total control over how much skin you want to show with the Authentik Skin Foundation. Offering customisable coverage and a real-skin matte finish, this formula can be used for both 'no makeup' makeup days and full glam looks.

Jane Iredale Beyond Matte Liquid Foundation

£34.95 £53.00 (35% off)

Taking your makeup looks from day to night is easy with this formula as it offers self-adjusting shades that adapt to your individual skin tones. Indulge in the soft matte finish, buildable coverage and skin-enhancing benefits and get ready to put your best face forward.

L.A. Girl Pro.Coverage HD Long Wear Illuminating Liquid Foundation

£9.95 £14.12 (30% off)

With a seriously inclusive line-up on offer, L.A. Girl make it all the easier to find your true match. This foundation provides a semi-matte, luminous medium coverage, meaning even the most tired complexions can be brightened and perfected. Not to mention, the water-proof, sweat-proof and flashback-fee formula ensures that you're always photo-ready.

Colorescience Natural Finish Pressed Foundation SPF 20

£45.00

Staying true to its name, this foundation from Colorescience gives you your skin, but better. Indulge in a lightweight, medium coverage that blurs imperfections, minimises the appearance of pores and boosts your natural glow, whilst good-for-you ingredients get to work on the long-term effects by smoothing, hydrating and refining skin texture with every application.

SOSU by SJ Dripping Gold CC Me In Foundation SPF 45

£21.06 £22.08 (5% off)

This CC cream-foundation hybrid is a must-have for off-duty days. The weightless, liquid foundation can be customised and built to suit any mood, style or occasion. It hides blemishes, blurs pores and boosts your natural radiance, all whilst lacing skin with a real-life Instagram filter. Plus, it's packed with skin-perfecting ingredients and innovative technology that improve your skin on both the inside and out.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation

£25.50 £30.00 (15% off)

If we're keeping it real, Rihanna completely turned the beauty world upside down when she launched an inclusive foundation line consisting of 50 shades. She set the bar and ever since, beauty brands have stepped up. How about a round of applause?

Seriously though, we adore the Fenty Beauty foundation. It's everything you need and more; long-wearing, long-lasting, shine-free, buildable and the list goes on. Plus, it's super easy to find your true shade, including undertones.

Bobbi Brown Skin Long Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15

£42.00

Bobbi Brown's shade range is that good, we had to include it twice. This time we're bringing you the Long Wear Weightless Foundation - a best-selling liquid matte formula that's infused with true-to-skin pigments. Once applied, it reflects light to enhance the skin's natural contours and dimension, creating a youthful and radiant visage.

bareMinerals Original Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15

£16.93 £29.00 (42% off)

If you're looking for a flawless coverage formula that'll keep an oily complexion in check, allow us to introduce you to the bareMinerals Original Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15.

This ultra-matte foundation provides an all-day finish that actually lasts. You'll never have to worry about the midday slick again as the waterproof, transfer-proof and sweat-proof formula keeps your skin looking flawless from sunrise to sunset.

Added bonus: the foundation is non-comedogenic so it won't clog pores or cause breakouts!


And that's a wrap: Cosmetify's pick of the best foundations for dark skin so you'll never have to scour the shelves again! Still not found what you're looking for? Maybe our roundup of the best foundation for Asian skin can help.

Carly Cochrane

Written by Carly Cochrane

As the Senior Content Editor for Cosmetify, Carly is the go-to for all the latest (and greatest) beauty tips, tricks and trends. With over six years of experience in the industry, she knows all the ins-and-outs when it comes to health, beauty and wellbeing. 

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