When looking for the best foundation with SPF there are a lot of factors to consider. What sort of coverage do you need? Is your skin goal natural and glowy or velvety and polished? Then there’s the protection level. Will a higher factor result in a less appealing formula?
Ideally, the best foundations with SPF will help to protect the skin without compromising on a luxurious feel or flawless finish. But, will it replace the best facial sunscreen? Absolutely not – a separate sun cream for the face is essential, as is applying each product correctly. “To create an even layer of your SPF foundation, use a buffing brush and apply your base in circular motions,” says Rose Gallagher, makeup artist and ambassador for IT Cosmetics UK and Ireland, who then advises applying your sunscreen, "in a full, even layer.”
Think of foundations with built-in SPF as a beauty bonus, offering an added layer of protection, the equivalent of a wide-brim sun hat for your complexion. More sun protection can only ever be a good thing. Here, we've rounded up our favorites.
The best foundation with SPF, picked by our beauty experts
Best foundation with SPF overall
RRP: £53
Shades: 18
SPF: 40
This is one of those makeup products that you can’t wait to pick up in the morning. The pump action is smooth and the foundation is creamy, not runny so it doesn’t trickle down your hand. Half a pump was enough to cover our face and neck so one bottle, while undeniably expensive, lasts a while.
The secret is 75% skincare-inspired ingredients. SPF40 is one of the most comprehensive on this list (the foundation also defends against free radicals, blue light, and pollution) but it doesn’t affect the formula’s silky texture. In fact, of all the foundations, this felt the most imperceptible, as if we weren't wearing anything except a great skin cream. This is on the lighter side of the coverage spectrum - it lets your natural skin peek through. So, if you need something that completely masks your skin’s quirks, this probably isn’t the foundation for you.
Reasons to buy: Glowy finish that is hydrating
Reasons to avoid: An expensive option
Best tinted moisturiser with SPF
RRP: £26
Shades: 24
SPF: 20
After wearing Rare Beauty's tinted moisturiser for a week, we're convinced this is one of the best lightweight foundations as well as best foundations with SPF. The moisturiser comes in a squeeze tube, which made it easy to apply and blend. But be careful not to apply too much. We made the mistake of thinking we would get a moisturiser-like finish when in actuality, you get a light to medium coverage with a blurring effect. So it's safe to say a little goes a long way.
Regarding texture, this is a bit thicker than a moisturiser but still blends into a 'your skin but better' finish. Along with SPF 20, the tinted moisturiser is formulated with vitamin E and the brand's signature botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white lily. All of these sweet ingredients left our skin feeling soft and hydrated. So if you're looking for a lightweight summer foundation that'll protect your skin and give you a flawless, radiant base, this could be the one for you. And if you want a natural sun-kissed look, we recommend first applying a rosy cream blush before topping it off with this tinted moisturiser.
Reasons to buy: Moisturises and blurs imperfections
Reasons to avoid: Lower SPF than some others
Best budget BB cream with SPF
RRP: £14.99
Shades: 5
SPF: 30
Wearing this nostalgic Maybelline BB cream took us back to our first year of high school, when we first started getting into makeup and didn't want anything too extreme. And that's what this BB cream is; a lightweight tinted cream for when you don't necessarily need makeup but want to add a little colour and hydration to your skin.
This BB cream has a watery texture and feels great on the skin, giving you a natural skin-like finish with a subtle hydrated glow. Unfortunately, one of the less positive throwbacks of this product is that the brand still hasn't broadened its shade range. We were a little nervous when applying their darkest shade because it looked extremely light on our brown skin, but it did blend in the more we massaged it into my skin. It still won't work for everyone though. So, if you have a deeper skin tone, we recommend snagging the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect BB Cover instead.
Reasons to buy: Glowy finish and affordable
Reasons to avoid: Small shade range
Best glowing tinted moisturiser with SPF
RRP: £18
Shades: 14
SPF: 30
If you want to achieve the no-makeup makeup look, we recommend adding this SPF 30 tinted moisturiser to your routine ASAP. Its formula consists of vitamin C, citric acid, hyaluronic and lactic acid, and glycerin, all working together to brighten and moisturise the skin for up to 24 hours. It not only left our skin hydrated and glowy but blurred our hyperpigmentation as well.
The tinted moisturiser comes in a pump squeeze tube for you to apply directly on your face and blend with your fingertips. This is something we appreciated the most because we didn't waste any product or have to clean our makeup sponges. And how did this compare to the Rare Beauty tinted moisturiser? For starters, the Morphe moisturiser isn't as thick, and it gives you more of a natural glowy finish. And with its slightly lighter formula, we didn't have to be too generous when applying it to our face.
Reasons to buy: Hydrating and very glowy
Reasons to avoid: Not full coverage
Best high street foundation with SPF
RRP: £13
Shades: 40
SPF: 25
Much as we love the best drugstore foundations, it can be challenging for budget bases to level up with their expensive counterparts. This is particularly true when you throw an extra formulation challenge in the mix, like SPF. So when we tested the L'Oreal Infallible Fresh Wear SPF Foundation we were amazed by how flawless and smooth it left our skin, just like some of the high-end options we tried.
The brand claims it stays put for up to 24 hours, and although we weren't able to wear it for the full 24 hours, it didn't budge during a 12-hour day, which is still impressive. With its semi-matte finish we wouldn't be surprised if it does last an entire day and night. This is a buildable foundation, but with just one layer our blemishes were covered and we found we didn't need another. However, for a very full-cover look, you can apply more without it pilling or caking.
Reasons to buy: Brilliant shade range and breathable formula
Reasons to avoid: Doesn't give a dewy finish
Best CC cream with SPF
RRP: £36.50
Shades: 22
SPF: 40
Weighing up foundation vs CC cream? There’s a common misconception that CC and BB creams lack coverage but anyone who’s tried IT Cosmetics’ award-winning CC+ Cream will attest to its flawless skin finish. This Nude Glow version offers slightly softer coverage than the original best-seller but corrects uneven tone. This is the perfect example of a 'skin-dation' – a makeup base with skin-perfecting ingredients, that make up an impressive 90% of the recipe.
The skincare base contains niacinamide, revered for its brightening results, moisture-magnet hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant green tea extracts. Skin appears filtered, with a smooth, even-looking, and bright finish. It has a sweet, sherbety fragrance – it's subtle but we liked it. For anyone who doesn’t possess the skin (or confidence) to pull off a sheer skin tint, the coverage is excellent and confidence-boosting. It ticks off many of our foundation non-negotiables including hydrating ingredients, a glowy finish, and decent, buildable coverage.
Reasons to buy: Formula is 90% skincare
Reasons to avoid: Coverage might not be enough for some
Best matte foundation with SPF
RRP: £42
Shades: 15
SPF: 15
This foundation is quintessentially Chanel – chic, elegant, and the ultimate luxury. We found it looked best when applied with fingers over a brush, as the warmth of our hands seemed to fuse the foundation with our skin and made everything a lot smoother and more even. For us, the coverage was ideal. The blurring effect powders helped obscure any textural issues, redness, or patches of pigmentation in our complexion, without completely caking. Our skin still looked like skin, only better. If you’re looking to cover dark spots or acne, you might want to go in with a separate concealer.
Our dry-skinned tester usually steers away from a matte finish. Even the best matte foundations will latch onto flakes so our skin looks ‘off’. Chanel Ultra Le Teint Velvet is an anomaly. The result (which, by the way, has impressive staying power) is creamy, natural, and smooth without looking flat.
Reasons to buy: Long-wearing for combination skin
Reasons to avoid: Blemishes may require more coverage
Best BB cream with SPF
RRP: £11.99
Shades: 6
SPF: 50
This is a recent find but one that we’ve been relying on as our daily base. Yes, we know it’s technically a BB cream, but this does everything you want a foundation to do. It also includes Vitamin B3, which helps to correct pigmentation the more you wear it.
We applied this foundation to one half of our face, and took a look in the mirror to observe the difference, before going in on the other side. The difference between the two camps here is startling. In a good way. This makes any complexion look smooth and (almost) poreless. Although the finish is fresh and natural, its coverage is buildable, and never seems to cake on areas that require a little more concealment. The fact that it has SPF50 is just another tick in an exhaustive list.
Reasons to buy: High protection and vitamin-enriched
Reasons to avoid: Limited shade range
Best long-wearing foundation with SPF
RRP: £30
Shades: 67
SPF: 15
Let’s get the negative out of the way. This foundation doesn’t come with a pump. It’s available to buy separately but dispensing the foundation can be a tad messy without the pump. That being said, we applaud MAC for pushing sustainability. The beauty of buying the pump is once you’ve got it, you can re-use it with your next bottle.
You can build up the coverage from medium to full, so blemishes and dark spots are easily swiped from view. It’s a modern matte finish – polished and perfected, with a natural, healthy brightness that we really weren't expecting. As well as an inclusive shade selection (making this one of the best foundations for dark skin on our list) this looked smooth, creaseless, and even for hours. It’s also sweat- and humidity-resistant so if you prefer to stick with a full foundation during the warmer months, this base is going to stay exactly where you want it.
Reasons to buy: Huge shade range and 24-hour wear
Reasons to avoid: No pump included
Best foundation with SPF for mature skin
RRP: £30
Shades: 24
SPF: 15
If scented products are a turn-off, look away now, because this has the most beautiful, fresh aroma that lingers on the skin. This was the thickest formula we tested, and yet, it slipped across our skin effortlessly. We tend to use the back of our hand as a palette so having something slightly richer was easier to control. If you’re expecting a baby-faced sheen, you might be left wanting. Everlasting Youth Fluid offers a healthy gleam rather than anything overtly dewy,
The perk here is that the combination of pigments and soft-focus powders helps to conceal the bits of untouched skin you’d rather not reveal. The coverage is fantastic, but chicory is incorporated to create a denser collagen network and improve skin luminosity and firmness. Then to shift any dead skin cell build-up, you have red jania extract. We're intrigued to see whether we notice the long-term benefits of smoother, more refined skin. Until then, we love this flawless base.
Reasons to buy: Firming effect and lovely scent
Reasons to avoid: Not as luminous as we hoped
Best powder foundation with SPF
RRP: £37
Shades: 24
SPF: 15
If you’re turned off by powders, stay with us. This one has earned its cult status as one of the best powder foundations with dial-up coverage that somehow never cakes on dry skin, clogs pores, or creases in fine lines. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide a physical, mineral-based shield against UVA and UVB rays, which won’t aggravate sensitive eyes or skin. It’s particularly great for blemish-prone complexions, not only concealing current breakouts but helping to prevent future ones.
There’s a unique method for applying loose mineral foundation. Unlike liquid foundation, the minerals need to be activated and warmed, transforming from powder to cream. It goes like this – tip a little powder into the cap then swirl it around with a flat-headed kabuki brush. Tap the excess then buff it into the skin in circular motions. If you need more coverage, repeat the process until you’ve got the finish you’re aiming for.
Reasons to buy: Customisable coverage
Reasons to avoid: Loose powder can be messy
Best foundation with SPF for dry skin
RRP: £39
Shades: 28
SPF: 45
With one of the highest protection factors on our list, this is a solid makeup choice for extra defence against sun damage. And yet its formula is light, breathable, and deeply moisturising. It promises a 12-hour radiant glow as if flicking on your complexion like a light switch.
Senior Beauty Editor, Rhiannon Derbyshire is always happy to heap praise on Estee Lauder’s SPF base. “This is one of my all-time favourite foundations – it's lightweight but still has a nice buildable coverage, and gives a flattering, radiant finish. It's also really moisturising, which is a bonus for my thirsty skin. To me, it's the perfect hybrid between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation – it feels super comfy to wear, but it still gives a flawless finish with great staying power. Truthfully I didn't realise it had SPF until very recently (some foundations with SPF can look a bit ghostly), but that just gives it some extra bonus points in my book.”
See our full Estee Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue review
Reasons to buy: High factor and moisturising
Reasons to avoid: Oily skin may find it slips
How we tested the best foundation with SPF
Since SPF can change the texture of a foundation, we wanted to make sure every foundation on this list felt comfortable on the skin. Each base has been worn by us for at least a couple of days to test the feel of the formula (particularly given the added UV filters) how well it fared throughout the day, and of course, how it looked on. We also wanted to assess value for money considering the coverage, finish, and level of sun protection.
As any beauty editor worth their salt will tell you, facial sunscreen is a non-negotiable element of a morning skincare routine. With that in mind, we tested all of these foundations on top of our usual sunscreen to see how well they layered. We can’t speak to the standalone efficacy of the sun protection in each foundation, but applied on top of a separate sunscreen each of these offers an extra insurance policy against sun damage.
How to choose the best foundation with SPF
So what should the holy grail of SPF foundation look like? Obviously, if you want your face to stay pillowy-plump and flawlessly toned, the higher the factor the better, but with this comes a formula kickback. “SPF will alter the consistency of a product and make it slightly denser in texture,” explains Gallagher. To allow for this slightly heavier feel and enhance comfort, Rose recommends formulas with added skincare elements. “Look out for ingredients like niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid to allow for a fresh, hydrating finish.”
If you’re planning on putting your best face forward for a photo worthy of a spot on your grid (if you know, you know), it’s also worth keeping in mind the type of filters used in your foundation with SPF. “When you use flash photography, SPFs can flash back in photos, essentially leading to your face looking much paler in the photo than it does in real life,” says Gallagher. “A physical or mineral-only SPF means you won’t see any flashback.” To pick out a mineral block, often found in the best sunscreens for sensitive skin, look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide listed in the ingredients on your foundation.
Does the SPF in foundation work?
Sunscreen isn't the preserve of family-sized bottles destined for long-haul flights. Nowadays you’ll find UV protection in everything from face moisturiser with SPF to the best foundation with SPF. But is it enough to rely on makeup and moisturizers as your main source of sun defence? Abi Cleeve, MD of Ultrasun, says not. “Many foundations with SPF only offer protection from UVB rays and not UVA rays, which penetrate the skin’s surface and do long-term damage,” she explains.
The other issue is the amount you’d need to apply to achieve the protection advertised on the bottle. “The official guidelines given by Colipa (the European cosmetic industry association) are 2mg/cm2 – approximately one teaspoon worth for the face,” says Cleeve. If you applied that much foundation to your face and neck, you’d be pretty caked, as Abi acknowledges: “SPF foundations are applied a lot more thinly, thus not providing the same level of protection as ‘pure’ sunscreens.” The message is clear: layer up your protective makeup with a separate sunscreen for rigorous protection against UV exposure. Abi recommends using a facial sunscreen of SPF30 or above. “Choose one with broad spectrum protection to prevent damage from both UVA and UVB rays.”
However, while even the best foundation with SPF fails to offer the same level of broad-spectrum cover that sunscreens do, Abi sees SPF makeup as a positive. “SPF in the foundation is great as a bonus, and also contributes to the overall awareness of the need for UV protection, but a separate SPF is vital for long-term protection.”
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