The Best Foundation for Mature Skin, Tested by Women 35 to 65+

Jennifer Chan is a shopping writer at PEOPLE with over 20 years of editorial experience as a beauty expert, on-air TV host, and journalist. She has tested hundreds — if not thousands — of products throughout her career, including high-tech curling irons, depuffing eye treatments, and more.

With age comes wisdom, incredible life experiences, and yes, more mature skin. 

While bouncy, youthful skin is widely celebrated, there’s something special about complexions that have enjoyed an illustrious life — even if that means the appearance of fine lines, crepey texture, or pesky wrinkles. If you’ve been on the hunt for a reliable foundation that glides on and makes you feel gorgeous at any age, we’re here to help. 

We tested dozens of foundations on real people with common skin concerns and even asked a celebrity makeup artist for her pro tips. Whether you’re looking for a full-coverage liquid that blurs imperfections or a hydrating superhero formula that simply won’t settle into unsightly cracks and crevices, we rounded up the top contenders on the market. 

Our testers ranged from 35 years old to over 65, and each person carefully applied foundation on dry, bare skin using both a foundation brush and a makeup sponge. Since there are endless options out there, we’re eager to share which ones made the cut. 

Keep reading to discover the standout foundations for mature skin.

Our Stars

Reviews

Dior Backstage Face and Body Foundation

Our tester gave this luxe designer formula two enthusiastic thumbs up. They noted that one simple swipe worked wonders on camouflaging adult acne scars, red patches, and under eye pigmentation; it also magically made fine lines “evaporate” with just one layer. 

Our tester particularly loved how smooth and even the coverage was, and they noted that it dried down to a beautiful satin finish that impressively didn’t require setting powder. For $43, this complexion multitasker is worth its weight in gold and is a solid choice for most skin types. 

Size: 1.7 ounces ($0.04 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane | Number of Shades: 43

Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation

This hydrating foundation is ideal for anyone seeking a lightweight consistency without sacrificing coverage. Our tester has dry post-menopausal skin and noted that this formula glided over her skin and didn’t cling to any fine lines or wrinkles. She also loved how seamlessly it blended into her complexion and described the final effect as her skin “but better” — which also helped justify the price tag. 

This one is available in just 10 shades, so it may not be a fit for everyone, but if you can find your perfect match, this may very well be the magic you’ve been missing. 

Size: 1 ounce ($96 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Light-diffusing minerals and botanicals | Number of Shades: 10

Makeup Forever Reboot Active Care Revitalizing Foundation

If you’re looking for a formula that’s lightweight yet buildable, this is it. Our tester, 38, loved how easily this Makeup Forever foundation blended into her skin tone, and she raved about the blurring effect (bye bye, texture and redness) it delivered with just one layer.

With a second layer, she noted that unsightly blemishes were fully camouflaged, which gave her the boost of the confidence she was hoping for. Best of all, this versatile formula looks natural and not the least bit cakey, which is ideal for anyone who wants the best of both worlds. 

Size: 1.01 ounces ($42 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Ginseng, Camellia Japonica, Mondo Grass | Number of Shades: 6

Gucci Éternité de Beauté Foundation SPF 15

This high-end foundation doesn’t disappoint. Our tester described Gucci’s full-coverage foundation as highly pigmented yet “totally weightless”, which left their skin feeling hydrated and smooth for hours on end.

They also noted that this one impressively evened out their skin tone, blurred and smoothed imperfections, and covered dark circles with just one layer. If you’re looking for a flexible formula that moves with you and doesn’t settle into pores or fine lines, this is it.

Size: 1 ounce ($70 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, black rose oil, bamboo powder | Number of Shades: 40

Blk/Opl Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation

For a budget-friendly foundation that caters to deeper skin tones, Blk/Opl has you covered. According to our tester, 49, this one blurred and smoothed areas of concern and delivered a satin finish that was natural looking and comfortable on their combination skin.

The formula rivals much more expensive brands our tester has tried in the past;  they were particularly impressed with how even their complexion looked when the product dried down. Most importantly, this drugstore find didn’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles and glided right over the skin. 

Size: 1 ounce ($12 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Shea butter | Number of Shades: 10

Chanel Ultra Le Teint All-Day Comfort Flawless Foundation

This Chanel foundation is a total crowd pleaser. Our tester loved how “soft and silky” it felt on their skin and noted that it erased blemishes and dark spots with one effortless application. It dries down quickly to a matte finish, so you can save time, skip the setting powder, and let this one work magic all on its own. If you’re looking for a base that will give you all-day coverage with a subtle blurred effect and won’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles, this classic formula is it. 

Size: 1 ounce ($65 per ounce) | Key Ingredients: Luminous Perfection Soft-Focus Powder | Number of Shades: 40

More Foundations Our Testers Liked

When it comes to foundation for mature skin, there’s no shortage of buzzy brands to test. We tried dozens of formulas, and while several delivered pretty effective smoothing and blurring results at first glance, the real evaluation came when we compared finish, comfort, and performance over time. Some popular brands struggled to glide over fine lines and problem areas, which is a critical component for makeup coverage on mature skin.

Our testers largely preferred a lightweight and natural look, so any heavy or cakey formulas were immediately weeded out. Honorable mentions go to Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation, which boasts 50 shades (truly something for everyone), and  the newly launched Lawless Forget the Filler Line-Smoothing Foundation, which I personally tested recently. This hydrating formula impressively plumps the skin and gives a bouncy, youthful glow in no time, but I’d recommend using a setting powder on top, especially if your skin tends to be on the oily side. 

I’m also loving the Doll 10 TCE Super Coverage Serum Makeup with Peptides when I need to look my absolute best on camera or have a long day ahead of me. I get an instant confidence boost when I apply this full-coverage foundation that’s packed with good-for-you skincare ingredients, including vitamin C, green tea extract, aloe vera extract, and more. 

How We Tested

All of our testers started with clean, dry skin. They checked for oil production and hydration levels before and after testing using blotting paper and a moisture reader respectively. Foundation was applied with both a makeup sponge and a foundation brush on different sides of the face and strategically timed to ensure coverage and wear was taken into account for our findings.

Fun fact: Apansewicz also uses a similar method when applying foundation on her celebrity clients to ensure optimum results. “I’ll apply skincare and let it sit for a few minutes and then use a blotting paper to remove any excess product sitting on top of the skin. This way, foundation adheres to the skin better and won’t be mixed topically with any skincare residue.” 

Makeup artists — they’re just like us! 

More Winning Beauty Products

Now that you’ve landed on your favorite foundation for mature skin, take a look at other beauty products that also received superior marks from our testers. Whether you’re on the hunt for a highly pigmented cream blush that’s as hydrating as it is long lasting, or a truly weightless setting powder that diffuses right into the skin, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. 

Shop more top-rated overachievers below.