19 Full-Coverage Foundations That Can Cover Up Basically Anything

Just because a base product is full-coverage doesn't mean it has to have a matte finish. The Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation has a glowy look to it (hence the Radiant in its name). Plus, each of the 33 shades is made with a blend of apple, watermelon, and raspberry extracts that smooth the texture of the skin and reveal noticeable radiance over time.

After winning a Best of Beauty Award back in 2018, we still swear by the Maybelline New York Super Stay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation. Available in 24 hues, this lightweight foundation has an oil-free formula that leaves skin looking matte and smooth for hours upon hours.

We all know Rihanna changed the game with Fenty Beauty, but more specifically, the Best of Beauty-winning Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation. This breakthrough foundation changed the industry's standards of an inclusive shade range when she dropped 50 colors, spanning the full skin-tone spectrum. The formula is also so good, too — it's lightweight, buildable, and covers any dark spots or blemishes with ease.

Combo skin, meet your new go-to base. Tarte's Amazonian Clay 16-Hour Full Coverage Foundation relies on — you guessed it — Amazonian clay to target skin imbalances and absorb excess oil. Plus, it's infused with skin-loving vitamins A and E, which thwart free radicals and reduce inflammation, respectively. The formula itself veers on the thick side, though it's still buildable and dries to a lightweight satin-matte finish.

Forget flashback, Wet n Wild's Photo Focus Foundation was literally invented to thwart that snowy sheen that can rear its unwanted head in photos. In fact, it was tested in seven different lighting settings — from a nightclub to a sunny day — just to prove it. Consider this formula your insurance policy for powder-free candid (or "candid") shots.

Contrary to the old adage, you can judge a book by its cover with Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation, as not only does it look like it was practically made for #shelfies, but it's equally as photo-worthy on skin, thanks to teeny powder-filled microspheres which impart a blurring effect. The formula is oil-free, fragrance-free, and silicone-free. Plus, it's 100 percent vegan.

As far as drugstore buys go, L'Oréal Paris's Infallible Pro-Matte 24 Hour Foundation can't be beaten. The coverage is full but not over-the-top; the finish is matte, but natural-looking; and the velvety texture rivals that of far-pricier department store brands. It's also a great pick for those with acne-prone skin, as the creamy formula expertly absorbs oil, keeping shine at bay for up to 12 hours.

Giorgio Armani Beauty's Power Fabric Longwear High Coverage Foundation — an Allure Best of Beauty winner — is like the matte, full-coverage cousin to the brand's iconic Luminous Silk Foundation — except it boasts an almost paradoxically lightweight-yet-heavy-coverage combo. One Allure reporter compares the feel of this formula to a tinted moisturizer, yet swears she can skip concealer when she wears it.

If Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation looks familiar, that's because it is; the brand has been doling it out for years, and for good reason. The oil-free formula has a velvety matte finish with medium/full, long-lasting coverage. Lancôme is up to 50 total shades, so finding the perfect hue of this classic is easier than ever.

Make Up For Ever's HD Skin Undetectable Longwear Foundation is easy to blend, and it's got the perfect natural finish, so you can use it to spot-correct without getting an obvious blotch of dewy or matte foundation on otherwise bare skin. Blended on with a damp makeup sponge, redness and blemishes are fully camouflaged and skin looks even and fresh.

Best suited for serious concealment (think: tattoos, scars, or birthmarks), Dermablend's Cover Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 30 gets the job done in a single layer. Though the finish is smooth and natural-looking, this much concealment can look a bit over-the-top in natural light. Instead, try diluting it with moisturizer for daytime wear, or stick to using it only when you need serious cover (for stage or Halloween makeup, for example).

Whereas many full-coverage foundations end up feeling cakey after a few hours of wear, BareMinerals' Original Liquid Mineral Foundation SPF 20 stays fresh and natural-looking for up to 24 hours, thanks to special technology that literally binds the color pigments to the skin's natural lipids. (Still, we wouldn't recommend sleeping in it.) 

In addition to its serious, lasting coverage, the SPF 20 formula is infused with bamboo extract and papaya enzymes to improve the complexion over time, meaning you'll need less in the long run. Talk about a win-win.

There's a reason Huda Beauty's #FauxFilter Foundation is constantly running out of stock at sephora.com. It's incredibly high coverage without caking in the way an equally-pigmented foundation might. A single pump of this formula goes a long way, meaning there's no need to build — even for concealing blemishes and hyperpigmentation. One caveat: this formula does have a slight floral fragrance (we're into it, but it's something to consider if you're scent-sensitive).

This formula is a departure from Dior foundations of the past: not only is it contained in a plastic squeezy bottle (as opposed to a frosted glass one), but it's also considerably higher coverage and more matte than the quintessential luminous finish we've experienced with other Dior foundation formulas. Dior's Forever Undercover 24H Full Coverage Foundation is water-based and lightweight, but it's also a master at camouflaging blemishes and redness for up to 24 hours.

Google "best full-coverage foundations," and there's a good chance Estée Lauder's famed Double Wear Foundation would be at the top of every list you find. This iteration of the classic boasts more coverage and staying power than the original, for maximum complexion perfection. Our only complaint? We wish it come in more shades, as the 11 available don't offer a ton of variety.

Hourglass's Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick is a must-have for those rushed mornings. The unique formula covers like a concealer but blends like a foundation for easy, quick application, and the dewy, lightweight finish works well on all skin types. We're also impressed with the 32-strong shade range, which includes a rainbow of colors from the lightest fair to the darkest deep.

Bobbi Brown's Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15 could be considered a medium-coverage formula upon first swipe, but give it another pass and you'll find it's incredibly buildable. It can be made full-coverage without looking mask-like — for this reason, it's handy for post-work touch-ups (a.k.a. when you don't have time to start from scratch before happy hour ends). Plus, the formula contains mineral powders for absorbing excess oil, so you can say goodbye to shiny foreheads stealing the spotlight.