Dionne Brighton
For most makeup-wearers, some kind of base product, be it foundation or tinted moisture, is a staple feature. The best cream foundations, for example, combine moisturising benefits with a flawless-yet-natural-looking finish – which makes them particularly ideal for more mature skin, which tends to be drier.
Among the best foundations, cream formulas usually contain skin-benefitting ingredients alongside the pigment. “[They] can be a beautiful choice for someone looking for great coverage with a natural, balmy, skin-like finish,” says makeup artist Jessica Kohn, education and events manager for Laura Mercier. “Because of the cream-wax base, cream foundations look beautiful on dry skin types, skimming over any texture issues and nourishing skin."
Such formulas melt into the skin without caking or pilling, also blending seamlessly with the best cream blushers and best cream bronzers. Another perk is their coverage, says Kohn: “The high pigment load means that you can use a small amount of product to cover a variety of skin concerns."
That said, “The specific benefits of a cream foundation may vary depending on the brand and formulation,” pro makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis adds. But whether you prefer the ease of foundation sticks, the no-spill advantages of a more solid cream-balm or a squeezy tube, after much testing, we've reviewed the very best options here.
The best cream foundations, reviewed by our beauty team
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £44 | Coverage: Light/medium | Finish: Dewy | Number of shades: 16
The brainchild of legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown, Jones Road has steadily built a legion of fans since launching in 2020. What The Foundation quickly became a cult buy, too, thanks to its fresh finish. Part foundation, part moisturising balm, it has a slightly oily consistency – in fact, at first we could see where the oils had separated from the formula in the jar and needed to mix them with the pigment again before applying. But this oil content is why it glides so seamlessly onto the skin; dry and dehydrated complexions will lap it up.
If your skin is rough and thirsty – i.e. you want to know how to fix dry skin – you'll love how this foundation instantly brings life, vibrancy and a bucket load of glow. We found it has a glossy, almost shiny, finish that initially left our skin was left feeling damp – which may be a turn-off for anyone with oily skin, but welcome for drier complexions. You can apply this with fingers but, because it's a pot, we found this method got messy quite quickly. A brush or sponge is your best bet – especially if you want to avoid ruining a white shirt.
Reasons to buy: Feels nourishing
Reasons to avoid: You have oily skin
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £29 | Coverage: Light | Finish: Creamy | Number of shades: 25
We found Fenty's Eaze Drop Foundation Stick a joy to apply. Swipe a little onto your forehead, your nose, each cheek and your chin and, in our experience, that's enough coverage for your entire face. You can use a brush to blend things out, but we found the quickest way to apply it was definitely with our fingers. Its texture is so light that it melts into the skin almost instantly, so there's no cakey finish to contend with. It's creamy, not at all oily and builds nicely, too. One particularly exhausted morning, we also added a sweep under each eye and it worked wonders in disguising our tell-tale dark circles.
There is also the added benefit of some skincare ingredients here, namely murumuru butter to nourish and sodium hyaluronate for hydration. Plus, the packaging is 100% recyclable, so once you've used your last swipe it can go directly into your plastic recycling without any real need for rinsing or scraping.
Reasons to buy: Creamy finish; convenient stick format
Reasons to avoid: You like fuller coverage
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £68 | Coverage: Medium | Finish: Radiant | Number of shades: 23
Great coverage and a radiant finish don’t always come as a pair, but we can confirm that this cream foundation prioritises both. Expect SUUQU’s cutting-edge tech and a luxurious-feeling formula that's infused with 13 Japanese extracts, including silk protein and green tea, a powerful antioxidant. We did find the jar made applying it a bit messy, but scooping out the formula did emphasise its sensorial, silky texture. In a few sweeps, our skin tone looked more even, while our dark circles were no longer visible.
The real USP for us, however, is in the sunlit luminosity. SUQQU describes this foundation as having a "self-renewing glow," meaning it gets better the longer you wear it. There are three stages. When first applied, the immediate freshness comes from the moisturising reflection oils. As these sink into the skin, pearlescent pigments come into play, reflecting light. Then later, your natural sebum mixes with the foundation for more natural skin show-through. It’s probably not as suitable for blemish-prone and oily skin, but it’s a tonic for dry, dull skin.
Reasons to buy: Shades available in different undertones, glowy finish improves with wear
Reasons to avoid: You don't want the messiness of a pot
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £126 | Coverage: Medium/full | Finish: Luminous | Number of shades: 30
The idea of foundation isn’t to pad out wrinkles like Polyfilla, but to simply even out the complexion and leave it looking healthy and radiant. This is our top pick for mature skin for several reasons. Firstly, rather than being a foundation with added skincare, it feels more like a face cream with added pigment (and exceptional payoff at that). It marries Japanese tech with precious ingredients, such as platinum golden silk essence, plus it boosts skin repair and improves its brilliance over time.
Secondly, we found that the radiant, lit-from-within finish acts like a kind of airbrushed filter, reflecting light and making everything look smoother. Because of all these lovely nourishing ingredients, the foundation bends with lines and creases rather than (sometimes visibly) sitting in them. The result is radiant, healthy-looking and natural – in fact, we found it hard to tell where skin and makeup meet. Throw in a bit of sun protection and this makes for one of the best foundations with SPF to support your daily facial sunscreen. That's a home run in our book.
Reasons to buy: Works to improve skin over time
Reasons to avoid: You're on a budget, as this is extremely expensive for the size
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £15.99 | Coverage: Full | Finish: Natural matte | Number of shades: 16
It was bafflingly difficult to find reasonably-priced cream foundations, but this compact is both fairly affordable and performs well – though we must point out there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of its shade range. The case is sturdy and the formula solid, meaning you can chuck it in your bag without the worry of spillages. A squidgy sponge sits in the top, with the cream-to-liquid base underneath. Said sponge worked well enough and got right into the niches of our faces, but it also applied nicely with fingers, especially on areas we felt needed more coverage, as well as wtih one of the best makeup brushes.
Though enriched with hydrating hyaluronic acid, this is the most "solid" base on our list, so we were concerned it might look flaky on any dry areas. But it skimmed over this without caking, blurred pores and flexed with our facial creases. The product description is a bit misleading with words like "radiance" and "glow", as we found the finish was demi-matte (velvety, not dewy).
Reasons to buy: Formula is enriched with hyaluronic acid
Reasons to avoid: You don't want particularly full coverage
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £83 | Coverage: Medium to full | Finish: Naturally radiant | Number of shades: 21
Even the best cream foundations don’t always play so well with oily skin. That’s why we’ve included Chantecaille’s award-winning base in our round-up. The oil-free formula and lightweight gel-cream texture work well for those with oily and combination skin types, in our experience, though would suit drier skin over the top of a nourishing skincare routine, too. This was also one of the longer-lasting foundations we tried – it still looked pretty even and uniform by the end of the day, which impressed us. However, we would point out that the shade options could span a broader range for darker skin tones.
The jar packaging – with its additional internal plastic lid that is inevitably always covered in foundation when you open it (you know what we're talking about, right?) – was again something we found a bit messy here. But from there we found it easy to blend this foundation and melted into skin. This can probably be attributed to the 60% water formula, which is boosted by a raft of natural botanicals including aloe and arnica.
Reasons to buy: Provides immense coverage
Reasons to avoid: You have a smaller budget or a deep skin tone
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £34 | Coverage: Light to medium | Finish: Naturally radiant | Number of shades: 20
MERIT has amassed a legion of unwavering fans in its first few years. The formulas are powered with vegan ingredients that work to improve the skin, and we love that they play into that glowy, "no-makeup-makeup" look. The Minimalist is one of their most popular products, offering mess-free application in a travel-friendly format and combining the benefits of foundation and the best under-eye concealers in one twist-up stick. It’s also got some great skin-loving credentials, with plant-based squalane, vitamin B5 and antioxidants to keep skin soft and smooth, plus sea daffodil to target dark spots.
The coverage is less than some others on our shortlist, enhancing rather than plastering over your natural skin. However, the stick format makes it possible to build coverage on precise areas to somewhat disguise any "imperfections". The stick itself is more "solid" than Milk Makeup's, so we found it easier to blend with a brush over fingers. But if you assume stick foundations are always heavy and cakey, this lightweight base will surprise you.
Reasons to buy: Acts as a lightweight foundation and concealer in one
Reasons to avoid: Coverage, though buildable, isn't especially full
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £59 | Coverage: Medium to full | Finish: Luminous | Number of shades: 16
If your skin is desperate for serious replenishment of its hydration levels, this cream foundation from RMS will help to re-plump itself with moisture. Enriched with organic coconut and buriti oils, to us it felt quenching as soon as it hit our skin, like a lovely, rich night cream – except here, there's also a phenomenal colour payoff that immediately disguised any dark spots and redness or other discolouration we had in our skin.
We enjoyed this foundation's dewy and light-reflecting finish, which left our skin looking like we had just checked out of a five-star spa. We can’t say from firsthand experience whether or not it has a soothing effect on reactive skin, as our tester's is fairly hardy, but what we can say is that it's a fantastic choice for particularly dry and/or mature skin types.
Reasons to buy: Deeply moisturising formula
Reasons to avoid: Won't suit oily skin types
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £40 | Coverage: Full | Finish: Matte | Number of shades: 15
If you're after full and uncompromising coverage, then this foundation could be The One. The long-wearing, waterproof formula and matte finish make this Estée Lauder base a great option for any time you need real staying power from your foundation. Not everybody feels comfortable wearing only a sheer tinted moisturiser, but this masks any skin gripes without melting off or clogging pores. Speaking of which, this probably offered the best concealment of all the products in our entire guide, disguising acne scars, redness, dark spots and even varicose veins. It is, quite simply, a confidence boost in a tube.
All that said, it's worth noting that, with such a high level of coverage, you can expect this base to feel a little heavier on the skin. We learned firsthand that a little goes a long way and it looks best applied with a makeup sponge to skin that is well moisturised.
Reasons to buy: Waterproof, 12-hour wear
Reasons to avoid: Very full coverage won't appeal to all
How we tested the best cream foundations
To thoroughly assess each contender for our list of the best cream foundations, we wore each base for at least a full day – some were tested for two or three days in a row, others for even longer. While we were keen to cover all budget levels, we found that the caveat to rich, indulgent formulas that are loaded with skincare ingredients is that they tend to be pricier. Therefore most of the products we tested came from mid-range brands and luxury designer names.
As well as the price in line with a foundation's value for money, we took the following factors into account during the testing process before settling on our list of the very best.
- Packaging: Did this make it easy to dispense the formula, or a bit fiddly and/or messy? Those featured ideally came with a good user experience (although the highest importance was on the formula).
- Number & range of shades: Spanning a decent and inclusive range is important, ideally with a good choice of options
- Ease of application: How easily did the foundation blend apply and blend, either with a brush or fingers?
- Level of coverage: Did the formula and pigment load
- Finish: Did the foundation have more of a matte, satin or dewy finish?
- How it looked and felt on the skin initially: What kind of effect did it have on the skin? Was it comfortable and barely detectable on our complexions, or did it feel at all heavy?
- How it wore through the day: Did the coverage last well, barely fade and do so evenly? Or did it migrate, become patchy or oily with wear?
How to choose the best cream foundation
To ensure your new cream foundation meets your skin's unique needs, there are a few things worth bearing in mind while shopping to help you settle on your perfect match.
- Formula: Though most cream foundations suit drier skin types, some formulas are non-comedogenic and oil free, and therefore play well with oilier types.
- Price point: As with any beauty purchase, have your budget in mind before you set out – though cream foundations can be pricier than their liquid counterparts, some high street brands like Max Factor do offer more affordable options.
- Packaging: Cream foundations are often housed in jars, which feel luxurious but aren't as travel-friendly as tubes, so bear this in mind if you regularly do your makeup on the go.
Your cream foundation questions, answered
Is cream foundation better than liquid?
Liquid foundations are probably more familiar to you than a denser cream. So, what’s the difference? “As its name implies, cream foundation has a thicker consistency than liquid foundation,” explains makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, founder of RMS Beauty. “This usually means the ingredients are more hydrating than liquid formulas.”
The other key difference is in the coverage. “Cream foundation often contains a higher pigment load than a liquid foundation or even a powder,” Kohn explains. “Liquid foundations often have a more water-like base and therefore are thinner in texture and can vary in coverage from sheer to medium-buildable.” Cream foundations, therefore, tend to lend themselves better to creating a really even base.
How should you apply a cream foundation?
The texture difference in liquid vs cream foundation means that the best application method varies slightly. "Since cream foundations are slightly thicker, they may require more work to apply so if you aren’t particularly good with blending, it’s best to use a foundation brush or beauty sponge to apply these to your skin," says Swift.
Kohn likes to apply Laura Mercier's Silk Crème Foundation using her fingers. “This allows the warmth from your fingers to melt the product into the skin and means you use the smallest amount of product to get your desired result," she explains. "This is important to prevent product overload and possible creasing throughout the day. I then take a damp sponge and press it over the top to make sure the product is diffused and blended to perfection.”
Is cream foundation good for mature skin?
Nguyen-Grealis says yes – for several reasons. "Mature skin tends to be drier and cream foundations are typically more hydrating than, say, powder," she explains. They can help nourish the skin and prevent a cakey or dry appearance."
"They also provide buildable coverage, allowing you to conceal age spots, fine lines and imperfections without looking heavy or settling into creases,” she continues. “They’re also easy to blend, which gives a smoother appearance. Finally, cream foundations are comfortable to wear, feel more lightweight and are less noticeable on the skin than other types of foundation.”
If you choose the right formula for your skin type, they can last well throughout the day, too, meaning you're less likely to feel the need to reapply. “Remember, the key to flawless makeup application on mature skin is proper skincare and preparation,” Nguyen-Grealis stresses. “Ensure your skin is well-hydrated and use a good primer before applying foundation for best results.”
Is cream foundation more expensive than other types?
After extensive testing we found that, unfortunately, you often need to pay more of a premium for the best cream foundations – which is why those included here in our rigorously tested guide are generally mid-to-luxury in price. But that extra investment does pay off by leaving the skin with a comfortable, glowing finish that looks natural and wears well throughout the day.
Our expert panel
Stephanie is an experienced beauty editor who works across Future's women's lifestyle titles, including woman&home. With more than 15 years in the industry, she has tried dozens – if not hundreds – of foundations, including cream formulas, and was the main tester for this guide.
Jessica Kohn works as the Lead Artist within the Laura Mercier team. She has loved beauty from a young age and has developed a signature look that involves glowing skin with a touch of lip colour.
With more than two decades of experience, Lan is a well-established makeup artist who has worked with celebrities including Beverly Knight, Paloma Faith and Nicole Scherzinger.
Rose-Marie Swift is a makeup artist with more than 30 years of experience. She is also the founder of makeup brand RMS Beauty, which makes one of the cream foundations in our guide.