We've tested hundreds of formulas, these are the 6 best foundations for seamlessly full coverage

RRP: £34 | Formula: Liquid | Number of Shades: 67

Tested by: Rhiannon Derbyshire

This foundation has earned cult status, and with good reason. It’s favored by professional make-up artists backstage at catwalk shows and on shoots and one is sold every 60 seconds in the UK and Ireland. Firstly, the shade range is phenomenal. They are divided up into different tones—C for cool, N for neutral, NC for neutral cool, and NW for neutral warm—so there truly is a shade for every skin tone and undertone.

Then there is the texture, it’s so creamy and lightweight in a way even the best full coverage foundations struggle to manage usually. It creates a matte finish but it’s not flat, making this one of the best foundations for combination skin on our list. If you did want to use it for a lighter finish it’s compatible enough to add a few drops to your best face moisturizer and then be applied to the skin. But for maximum, full coverage results it needs to be applied with a brush. Not only will it unify the skin tone but it will minimize the appearance of pores and create a gorgeous, flawless base. It also has amazing durability and stays on the skin as first applied for 24 hours (not that we’re suggesting you should wear it for that long.)

RRP: £63 | Formula: Cream stick | Number of Shades: 19

Tested by: Naomi Jamieson

When make-up guru Gucci Westman creates a product you know it's going to be excellent. And this full coverage foundation stick is more than just excellent. It's next-level outstanding. She has managed to infuse the formulation with lots of skin-loving ingredients such as antioxidants to protect against things that like to damage the skin as well as squalane, which makes the skin feel gorgeously plump. It also means the texture of the foundation glides on really easily, making it incredibly effortless to blend in, which is not always the case with heavier foundations.

Thanks to it being in a stick you can use your fingers to dab the formula on where needed and then blend with a brush or sponge. Or can you sweep your brush over the stick and apply it that way. There is also a brilliant online shade matcher tool on the Atelier Westman website to ensure you end up with your perfect shade, which is essential when spending this amount on a product. But we can promise it's a purchase you won't regret—this isn't just one of the best foundation sticks, it's one of the best foundations in any texture

RRP: £13.99 | Formula: Liquid | Number of Shades: 30

Tested by: Jess Beech

Aside from its fairly functional-looking bottle, you don't have to compromise on anything with this full coverage foundation. It contains moisture-boosting ingredients to keep your skin feeling hydrated when you wear it, but also to prevent the finish from looking cakey and heavy.

It feels light on the skin but delivers amazing coverage, in fact the advertised staying-power is very impressive indeed. It doesn't transfer and in rigorous testing, it didn't fade for 12 hours, so should you choose to wear it for that long, once it's on it won't budge. The shade range is excellent too, with 30 options, although as you can see from our L'Oreal True Match Foundation review this brand has the power to take things even further in terms of shade matching, which would be great to see across every foundation they offer.

See our full L'Oreal Infallible 32hr Freshwear Foundation Review

RRP: £10.99 | Formula: Liquid | Number of Shades: 20

Tested by: Annie Milroy

Proving that a great base doesn’t need to cost the earth, this was the best-selling foundation of 2020 and we can see why. It has an almost serum-like consistency, thanks to it containing hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to keep skin looking plump, feeling hydrated, and creating a silky feeling to the product. And once it’s in place it really does stay put. So much so the brand has declared it ‘mask-resistant’, which—after much testing—we can say is absolutely true.

It has an impressive shade range and the formulation is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog your pores. The finish is velvety matte and it keeps shine at bay for at least 24 hours. Whilst we’re not suggesting you should wear your foundation that long, it’s reassuring to know that how you look when you first apply it is how you will look by the end of the day.

RRP: £42 | Formula: Liquid | Number of Shades: 36

Tested by: Rhiannon Derbyshire

This very clever foundation contains photochromic technology, a ‘photo friendly’ powder that adjusts the tone of the complexion depending on the intensity of light it’s in so that you never appear washed out. It also contains prism-like pigments that help light reflect off the surface of the skin creating a radiant, glowy dewy makeup finish—something even the best full coverage foundations often struggle to achieve.

All of this comes in a super-light, ultra-breathable consistency all whilst delivering amazing coverage in a brilliant range of shades. And if you’re already a NARS base fan then all the shades correspond, making it very easy to find your new one.

RRP: £61 | Formula: Liquid | Number of Shades: 36

Tested by: Naomi Jamieson and Aleesha Badkar

This serum-like foundation is truly a game-changer for those seeking buildable, photo-ready coverage that doesn't sacrifice on glow. It's lightweight but buildable, with every layer adding more coverage but again, remaining luminous and natural-looking, as opposed to cakey and very obviously foundation-y, unlike some full-coverage formulas we've tried.

It features a hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid and ceramides, as well as 'Diamond Core Powder,' which offers a blurring, light diffusing effect that leaves our tester's skin looking so smooth. As mentioned, its serum-like consistency feels so comfortable on the skin but still offers 12 hours of wear. Another pro in its favour is that it's non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores, which can be the fear with some more heavy-duty, full-coverage foundations.