The 19 Best Lightweight Foundations for Smooth Coverage, Vetted by Editors and Makeup Artists

We are big fans of this lightweight foundation. It's formulated with fermented arnica to reduce redness, medicinal herbs to calm your skin and antioxidants to protect against environmental stressors. We also appreciate that a little goes a long way in the coverage department. (Seriously, a dab can cover half our face, which means it gives you a heck of a lot more bang for your buck.) "Everyone is looking for more modern formulas and this one is weightless, clean and offers medium coverage," says Tanno. "It's almost undetectable and feels like you're wearing your favorite skincare serum. My skin has never felt so good."

Upon testing, we found that it did settle into the creases under our eyes a bit, but if we used concealer there instead, it was perfect.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 51

This hybrid offers lightweight coverage and sun protection. It's formulated with prickly pear and white sage extract to reduce redness, restore moisture and protect against blue light. You'll also find zinc oxide, which protects the skin from UVA/UVB damage. It's editor- and expert-approved, as Mellinger explains, "As someone with eczema, I love everything from Tower28 as everything is specifically formulated for sensitive skin. SunnyDays contains mineral sunscreen, which is not only better for sensitive skin for everyday use, but better for everyday use in general."

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 17

Brace yourself, this foundation has 60 shade options (the most on the entire list), so you can finally account for your warm or cool undertones. "I have a hard time finding foundation that doesn't look too light or too dark on my skin, so I was shocked to find one that offers an exact match, which looks like second skin," says Candelario. We found this one to be super hydrating with skincare favorite ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and raspberry leaf extract. We love the soft matte finish that never felt drying or cakey throughout the day. Bottom line: The formula is creamy yet buildable, which allows us to apply it for a natural luminous finish.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: soft matte finish
• Shades Available: 60

While we could bombard you with facts about this Typology tinted serum, Commerce Director Nicole Briese sums it up as such: "It's light—incredibly light—and when it's fully blended in, you can barely tell a difference between your skin and where you put it on (which is kind of the point). Normally, I like something with heavier coverage, as lighter formulas don't tend to do much for my red spots or dark circles, but this offers a great balance, so I don't have any complaints there. It also doesn't pill on my uber-dry skin—something I see a lot with lighter 'hydrating' formulas."

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: radiant finish
• Shades Available: 6

If you've ever had a tough time finding a foundation match, Rare Beauty can help. It has 48 shades and a serum-like consistency that has a forgiving application and finish. We found it was a great pick for dry skin and matches well with all skin tones, especially those with dark skin. Plus, the nourishing formula includes lotus, gardenia and water lily to smooth and blur your skin without clogging your pores.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 48

This skin tint is the ultimate choice for non-makeup wearers who want a little bit of coverage. Its lightweight formula contains diamond powder, which gives a brightening effect while minimizing the appearance of pores. It also features glycerin to keep your skin nice and moisturized. We love that it can blur our minor imperfections, without feeling at all heavy. One editor noted, "I don't expect it to cover pimples, but it does cancel out redness nicely and I find it helps my concealer blend in more seamlessly with my skin."

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: radiant finish
• Shades Available: 12

This drugstore pick offers light coverage and a dewy glow. It's infused with nourishing ingredients like coconut milk and aloe extract to maintain moisture and plump your skin. Its vegan blend also promises a smoother, even complexion. If you're looking for a daily foundation, this one can't be beat. In a review of the budget-friendly pick, associate editor Chelsea Candelario raved, "Aside from how it blended well with my complexion, it felt fresh on my skin. There were times throughout the day when I forgot I was even wearing foundation in the first place."

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 12

This Caliray foundation just launched in 2022 and it's already become a staple in our makeup bag. We love how it blurs imperfections and reduces redness, while gliding smoothly on our skin. While the formula can come out a bit watery at first, a good shake is all you need to do to bring the shade to life. Formulated with prickly pear extract, glycerin and natural silica, it helps even skin tone and provide a natural finish for daily wear.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 15

This Charlotte Tilbury foundation checks all of the boxes. Not only does it feel like nothing on, but it also illuminates, smooths, hydrates and visibly minimizes pores and dark spots thanks to hyaluronic acid and rose complex in the formula. It's Commerce Director Nicole Briese's everyday foundation for a dewy glow. She explains, "It has a good shade range and it's packed with hyaluronic acid for a dewy, moisturizing glow and it doesn't settle into cracks or creases. That said, while it is lightweight, it's definitely on the heavier side of the foundations on this list, so it may not be for you if you're looking for something light as air."

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 30

A lightweight foundation with SPF 30 is a great choice, especially for dry skin. We appreciate that it's packed with skincare ingredients, which hydrated and plumped our skin. The formula features niacinamide and caffeine to brighten and even skin tone, as well as squalane and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and balance excess oil. The shade range also assured we had a perfect match with our undertones.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 36

If you're dealing with redness or dark spots, this LYS Beauty foundation should be on your radar. Its ingredient list features ashwagandha to reduce the appearance of fine lines, turmeric to brighten and even skin and hyaluronic acid to boost hydration. We believe this product delivers a natural finish for any occasion in your calendar—whether we're using a brush, fingers or a makeup sponge.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 35

Whether you're a pro or a beginner, this foundation is a great choice for daily wear. We found it's transfer-proof and hydrating on the skin. Formulated with hyaluronic acid and adaptogens, this foundation helps balance oil production, hydrate the skin and be buildable for light to full coverage. Plus, it promises to wear for up to 16-hours without feeling cakey.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 30

This water-based and oil-free formula works wonders for oily and acne-prone skin (because we don’t do clogged pores around here). It aims to provide a natural matte finish that won't leave your T-zone shiny. Lightweight as it feels, it still offers impressive coverage for up to 16 hours, so your skin looks more even without feeling like you're wearing a ton of makeup. It's also MUA-approved, as one expert previously praised the foundation for being user-friendly, blendable and comfortable on her skin.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 26

This Trinny London foundation recently launched in September 2023 and we can't praise it enough. First, we appreciate the shade range, which offers option even for hard-to-manage pink undertones (and FYI, the brand's site has a shade finder to find your exact shade match, which nailed our color). After testing it out, we like how it feels almost like a moisturizer as it glides smoothly on the skin. It did tend to emphasize our larger pores and under-eye creases in comparison to some of the other formulas on the list, but if you've got tighter skin, it's a great choice.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 18

Looking for a day to night foundation that won't budge or crease? Check out Dior's Forever Skin Glow Foundation, which promises up to 24 hours of wear. Formulated with iris extract, hibiscus extract and wild pansy extract, the creamy formula hydrates, brightens and protects the skin all day. We appreciate the lightweight formula that's buildable, reduces the appearance of pores and contains SPF 30.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: radiant finish
• Shades Available: 42

Quick question: Is there anything that Fenty Beauty can’t do? When the Eaze Drop launched, it quickly became a favorite among makeup wearers. The buildable formula features a HydraBlend complex that offers light-to-medium coverage and promises to leave your skin smooth without creasing throughout the day. With 1,000 5-star reviews, shoppers say it's breathable, feels like second skin and can cover most blemishes/dark spots.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 25

Pat McGrath Labs reigns supreme in the makeup space and this foundation offers clear evidence as to why. We found it's super lightweight, easily buildable and blends effortlessly with some moisturizer. With more than 1,000 5-star reviews, the Sublime Perfection Foundation builds from sheer to medium coverage. Its creamy formula (featuring polymers, amino acid pigments and diamond powder) also makes blending the product a breeze for the most natural finish.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 33

This tried-and-true pick has been a staple for celebrities, makeup artists and regular folks for many years. Formulated for all skin types—yes, even sensitive skin—the Studio Face and Body Foundation is waterproof and offers sheer coverage. We love that it's buildable, it feels breathable on the skin and provides long-wear (for up to eight hours) without ever getting cakey.

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: matte finish
• Shades Available: 7

If you're searching for a no-makeup makeup look, this Armani Beauty foundation should be on your radar. Loved by celebrities (like Meghan Markle, FYI), content creators and beauty experts, this buzzy item delivers a luminous glow and a natural finish. It's formulated using Micro-fil technology, which helps blend the product seamlessly for a buildable medium-coverage look. The foundation also promises to hydrate the skin and improve your texture without feeling greasy or cakey later on. In our experience, it was actually a little *too * light to cover dark circles and problem areas and a bit too fair to nail our skintone, but if that's not a concern, it may be just what you're after. 

Fast Facts

• Coverage Type: natural finish
• Shades Available: 40