Choose the best foundations for your skin type from my collection of light, medium, and full-coverage foundations that are formulated to look gorgeous on all skin textures.
9 minute read
Darlings, the foundation you choose can make or break a look! The success of your foundation look largely depends on whether the formula is suitable for your skin type. Some foundations will wear beautifully on dry skin but can cause problems for oily or combination skin and vice versa, so knowing your skin type is the secret to choosing the best foundation for you and avoiding any foundation creasing, caking, or separating.
In this guide, I’m sharing my tips and tricks on choosing the perfect foundation for normal, dry, oily, and combination skin types. I’ll also introduce you to my magical foundation collection and give some tips and tricks on which one I think you’ll love the most!
Tilbury Tip: Not sure what skin type you have, darling? Discover my guide to skin types, here!
Item 1 of 108
Item 2 of 108
Item 3 of 108
Item 4 of 108
Item 5 of 108
Item 6 of 108
Item 7 of 108
Item 8 of 108
Item 9 of 108
Item 10 of 108
Item 11 of 108
Item 12 of 108
Item 13 of 108
Item 14 of 108
Item 15 of 108
Item 16 of 108
Item 17 of 108
Item 18 of 108
Item 19 of 108
Item 20 of 108
Item 21 of 108
Item 22 of 108
Item 23 of 108
Item 24 of 108
Item 25 of 108
Item 26 of 108
Item 27 of 108
Item 28 of 108
Item 29 of 108
Item 30 of 108
Item 31 of 108
Item 32 of 108
Item 33 of 108
Item 34 of 108
Item 35 of 108
Item 36 of 108
Item 37 of 108
Item 38 of 108
Item 39 of 108
Item 40 of 108
Item 41 of 108
Item 42 of 108
Item 43 of 108
Item 44 of 108
Item 45 of 108
Item 46 of 108
Item 47 of 108
Item 48 of 108
Item 49 of 108
Item 50 of 108
Item 51 of 108
Item 52 of 108
Item 53 of 108
Item 54 of 108
Item 55 of 108
Item 56 of 108
Item 57 of 108
Item 58 of 108
Item 59 of 108
Item 60 of 108
Item 61 of 108
Item 62 of 108
Item 63 of 108
Item 64 of 108
Item 65 of 108
Item 66 of 108
Item 67 of 108
Item 68 of 108
Item 69 of 108
Item 70 of 108
Item 71 of 108
Item 72 of 108
Item 73 of 108
Item 74 of 108
Item 75 of 108
Item 76 of 108
Item 77 of 108
Item 78 of 108
Item 79 of 108
Item 80 of 108
Item 81 of 108
Item 82 of 108
Item 83 of 108
Item 84 of 108
Item 85 of 108
Item 86 of 108
Item 87 of 108
Item 88 of 108
Item 89 of 108
Item 90 of 108
Item 91 of 108
Item 92 of 108
Item 93 of 108
Item 94 of 108
Item 95 of 108
Item 96 of 108
Item 97 of 108
Item 98 of 108
Item 99 of 108
Item 100 of 108
Item 101 of 108
Item 102 of 108
Item 103 of 108
Item 104 of 108
Item 105 of 108
Item 106 of 108
Item 107 of 108
Item 108 of 108
Creating my foundation formulas has been a labour of love, darlings. I’ve formulated each of my foundations to look gorgeous on every skin type, blending colour and science to create formulas that were born to take over the runway and the world!
In my collection, you’ll find sheer, light, medium, and full-coverage options, including my NEW! skin tint, [Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint hydrating foundation stick!] Each of my foundations are special, but if you want to find the formula that perfectly complements your skin type, discover my guide to choosing the best foundation for your skin and learn foundation tips and tricks for dry, oily, combination and normal skin types, below.
Discover more about my foundations in my guide to foundation finishes
Dry skin types are prone to dry patches, skin redness, and flaking. This can cause problems when applying foundation as skin texture can become rough and chapped which prevents foundation from gliding on smoothly.
Hydrating ingredients to rehydrate skin and create a smoother-looking skin texture
Cream or liquid formulas that are emollient and won’t cling to dry patches
Glowy or radiant finishes that illuminate dull-looking skin
Dry skin is prone to dry patches and flaking, so it’s important to use a hydrating foundation that helps to quench skin with moisture. Using a foundation that’s enriched with hydrating skincare ingredients helps dry skin to look and feel smooth and supple while creating a beautiful base for the rest of your makeup. I like to use dewy and glowy foundations like my Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint hydrating foundation stick on dry skin types because they hydrate the complexion while creating a luminous finish that helps dry, sullen skin to look healthy and full of life.
Charlotte’s Best Foundation for Dry Skin: NEW! Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint light-coverage stick foundation
Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint hydrating foundation stick is a perfect foundation for dry skin. It’s an emollient-rich stick foundation that glides on to create a super-natural, no-makeup look. Powered by a skin barrier defence-boosting matrix of hyaluronic acid, Daikon radish seed oil, and vitamin E, Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint helps skin to retain more moisture while delivering a soft-focused, ring light-effect glow that lights up the look of even dry and dehydrated skin.
Tilbury Tip: If you have dry skin but are looking for more coverage, discover my medium-coverage foundation Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation; it bathes skin in brightening rose complex and hydrating hyaluronic acid for a beautiful, radiant finish. For a full-coverage option, choose AIRbrush Flawless Foundation with youth-boosting REPLEXIUM™, and always remember to prep your skin with Charlotte’s Magic Cream before applying for a rush of hydration – it’s my immediate skin revival moisturiser that leaves skin feeling instantly 2x more hydrated!*
Item 1 of 27
Item 2 of 27
Item 3 of 27
Item 4 of 27
Item 5 of 27
Item 6 of 27
Item 7 of 27
Item 8 of 27
Item 9 of 27
Item 10 of 27
Item 11 of 27
Item 12 of 27
Item 13 of 27
Item 14 of 27
Item 15 of 27
Item 16 of 27
Item 17 of 27
Item 18 of 27
Item 19 of 27
Item 20 of 27
Item 21 of 27
Item 22 of 27
Item 23 of 27
Item 24 of 27
Item 25 of 27
Item 26 of 27
Item 27 of 27
Oily skin can affect the longevity of a foundation. People with oily skin can experience foundation separating, creasing, and breaking down on the face, and their skin can become shiny as excess oils begin to seep through foundation.
Oil-free + water-based formulas to avoid adding more oil to your complexion
Self-setting and longwearing formulas that lock down and are resistant to creasing
Natural or matte finishes that help to mattify shine and blur the appearance of pores
Foundation can apply seamlessly onto oily skin, but as time passes and the skin’s natural oils begin to seep through, it can start to break down and slide around the face. I’ve formulated all of my foundations to wear beautifully on every skin type, but for those with oily skin that want some extra reassurance that their foundation is going to stay all day, I always recommend Airbrush Flawless Foundation. Foundation can apply seamlessly onto oily skin, but as time passes and the skin’s natural oils begin to seep through, it can start to break down and slide around the face. I’ve formulated all of my foundations to wear beautifully on every skin type, but for those with oily skin that want some extra reassurance that their foundation is going to stay all day, I always recommend AIRbrush Flawless Foundation.
Charlotte’s Best Foundation for Oily Skin: AIRbrush Flawless Foundation full-coverage foundation
AIRbrush Flawless Foundation is my full-coverage, natural-matte foundation for airbrushed, flawless-looking skin! It’s a self-setting foundation that’s formulated to stay all day, gliding onto oily skin and locking down with longwearing coverage that’s resistant to sweat, water, humidity and transfer. It provides full, reliable coverage that feels weightless on the skin, helping oily skin types to create a flawless, poreless-looking base with superstar staying power!
Tilbury Tip: If you have oily skin but prefer a light or medium-coverage foundation, Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint and Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Foundation can work for you, too! Use my AIRbrush icons Airbrush Flawless Finish and Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray to set your foundation for a wear time up to 16 hours!**
Item 1 of 36
Item 2 of 36
Item 3 of 36
Item 4 of 36
Item 5 of 36
$58.00
Item 6 of 36
Item 7 of 36
Item 8 of 36
Item 9 of 36
Item 10 of 36
Item 11 of 36
Item 12 of 36
Item 13 of 36
$58.00
Item 14 of 36
Item 15 of 36
Item 16 of 36
Item 17 of 36
Item 18 of 36
Item 19 of 36
Item 20 of 36
Item 21 of 36
Item 22 of 36
Item 23 of 36
Item 24 of 36
Item 25 of 36
Item 26 of 36
Item 27 of 36
Item 28 of 36
Item 29 of 36
Item 30 of 36
Item 31 of 36
Item 32 of 36
Item 33 of 36
Item 34 of 36
Item 35 of 36
Item 36 of 36
The nature of having combination skin is that different parts of the face have different qualities, so it can be difficult to find a foundation that works with the driest and oiliest parts of your complexion.
Buildable and customisable formula that can be layered and blended out effortlessly
Oil-free and water-based to avoid adding excess oil to the T-zone
Hydrating texture that nourishes skin while meshing well with powder
Combination skin can become dry and oily in different areas. To get a flawless-looking foundation application for combination skin, you first need to identify the skin concerns for each part of your face. The oiliest areas of the face are usually the T-zone and around the mouth, and dry patches can emerge in areas like the nose, cheeks and forehead. When applying foundation, you’ll want to hydrate any dry patches while mattifying any areas that are prone to excess oils.
Charlotte’s Best Foundation for Combination Skin: Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Foundation medium-buildable foundation
Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation is perfect for combination skin. It has medium-buildable coverage and a hydrating, skincare-infused formula that allows you to customise your coverage for an even, healthy-looking complexion. Applying Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Foundation over dry patches floods skin with a rush of hyaluronic acid, hydrating the complexion and helping to create a smoother-looking finish. Then, on the oiliest parts of the face, the formula is easy to build up and helps to cover the look of pores. It also pairs perfectly with my Airbrush Flawless Finish pressed powder, so you can apply powder to your oily areas like your T-zone to reduce the look of shine while leaving the rest of the face looking hydrated with a gorgeous glow!
Tilbury Tip: I recommend prepping combination skin with Charlotte’s Magic Water Cream; it’s a fragrance-free gel moisturiser that feels ultra-lightweight on oily skin and provides deep hydration to help remedy dry patches. It pairs magically with each of my foundations including Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint and AIRbrush Flawless Foundation and is perfect for combination skin.
Item 1 of 26
Item 2 of 26
Item 3 of 26
Item 4 of 26
Item 5 of 26
Item 6 of 26
Item 7 of 26
Item 8 of 26
Item 9 of 26
Item 10 of 26
Item 11 of 26
Item 12 of 26
Item 13 of 26
Item 14 of 26
Item 15 of 26
Item 16 of 26
Item 17 of 26
Item 18 of 26
Item 19 of 26
Item 20 of 26
Item 21 of 26
Item 22 of 26
Item 23 of 26
Item 24 of 26
Item 25 of 26
Item 26 of 26
Having a normal skin type means that your skin isn’t overly oily or dry. Normal skin types tend to work well with many types of foundation from matte to luminous to natural-finish options. With all of these options open to you, it’s always best to choose a foundation that feels comfortable to wear and will be good for your skin, too!
Infused with skincare ingredients to benefit and improve the appearance of skin
Feels lightweight and skin-like to offer a comfortable, barely-there feel
Has good longevity and requires minimal touch ups
Darlings, if you don’t tend to experience excess oil or dryness on the face, then you have what is considered normal skin. Since normal skin types don’t have specific skin concerns to address, choosing a foundation comes down to personal preference. Whether you choose a barely there foundation like Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint for a little added coverage or a full-coverage foundation like AIRbrush Flawless Foundation for a full-blown, full-glam makeup look, you can find your flawless foundation match at Charlotte Tilbury Beauty!
Charlotte’s Best Foundation for Normal Skin:
Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint light-coverage stick foundation for no-makeup days
Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Foundation medium-buildable foundation for a healthy-looking foundation look
AIRbrush Flawless Foundation full-coverage foundation for high-glam, full-coverage makeup looks
Each of my foundations is unique and takes a different approach to beautifying the complexion: Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint is a light-coverage dream that softly illuminates the look of skin with a dewy, ring light effect; Charlotte's Beautiful Skin Foundation is a medium-buildable foundation that gives the skin a healthy-looking glow while building coverage to create your best skin look; and Airbrush Flawless Foundation is a full-coverage foundation formulated to stay all day, providing maximum coverage while feeling weightless and looking flawless!
Item 1 of 94
Item 2 of 94
Item 3 of 94
Item 4 of 94
Item 5 of 94
$58.00
Item 6 of 94
Item 7 of 94
Item 8 of 94
Item 9 of 94
Item 10 of 94
Item 11 of 94
Item 12 of 94
Item 13 of 94
Item 14 of 94
Item 15 of 94
Item 16 of 94
Item 17 of 94
Item 18 of 94
$32.00
Item 19 of 94
Item 20 of 94
Item 21 of 94
Item 22 of 94
Item 23 of 94
Item 24 of 94
Item 25 of 94
Item 26 of 94
Item 27 of 94
Item 28 of 94
Item 29 of 94
Item 30 of 94
Item 31 of 94
$32.00
Item 32 of 94
Item 33 of 94
Item 34 of 94
Item 35 of 94
Item 36 of 94
Item 37 of 94
Item 38 of 94
Item 39 of 94
Item 40 of 94
Item 41 of 94
Item 42 of 94
Item 43 of 94
$33.00
Item 44 of 94
Item 45 of 94
Item 46 of 94
Item 47 of 94
Item 48 of 94
Item 49 of 94
Item 50 of 94
Item 51 of 94
Item 52 of 94
Item 53 of 94
Item 54 of 94
Item 55 of 94
Item 56 of 94
Item 57 of 94
Item 58 of 94
Item 59 of 94
Item 60 of 94
Item 61 of 94
Item 62 of 94
Item 63 of 94
Item 64 of 94
Item 65 of 94
Item 66 of 94
Item 67 of 94
Item 68 of 94
Item 69 of 94
Item 70 of 94
Item 71 of 94
Item 72 of 94
Item 73 of 94
Item 74 of 94
Item 75 of 94
Item 76 of 94
Item 77 of 94
$33.00
Item 78 of 94
$32.00
Item 79 of 94
Item 80 of 94
Item 81 of 94
$33.00
Item 82 of 94
Item 83 of 94
Item 84 of 94
Item 85 of 94
Item 86 of 94
Item 87 of 94
Item 88 of 94
Item 89 of 94
Item 90 of 94
Item 91 of 94
Item 92 of 94
Item 93 of 94
Item 94 of 94
With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.
