Thanks to their portability and seamless application, stick foundations are the ultimate travel makeup essential. The most beloved options on the market can create a smooth and airbrushed base that’s ready for any further makeup application (like our best stick foundation pick the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation). “You can think of it as your concealer and foundation all in one,” says LA-based makeup artist Pati Dubroff. “It’s going to give you a little bit more denser coverage, so you can definitely use it with moderation.”
When narrowing down the best stick foundations, we considered coverage, shade range, skin type and ... [+] price point.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERSWhen narrowing down the top options, we considered coverage, shade range, skin type and price point. “Everyone can use a stick foundation,” says NYC-based makeup artist Raisa Flowers. “And because it’s a cream formula, you can manipulate it.” From luxury versions to affordable formulas, here are our expert-approved picks for the best stick foundations.
Sephora
Shades: 17 | Coverage: Medium to full | Finish: Satin
A stick version of its liquid counterpart (Ultra HD Liquid Foundation), this lightweight, super creamy and satin finish product is one of Flowers’ go-to stick foundations. And no wonder: It delivers a smooth base and covers any texture expertly. “It has a dry down with a medium coverage,” she says, “and it creates more of a skin-like effect.”
Wet N Wild Beauty
Shades: 21 | Coverage: Full | Finish: Semi-matte
Just as the name implies, the Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation Stick delivers an airbrushed, semi-matte finish to make it look as if you’ve applied a filter. It provides instant hydration due to its blend of argan and sunflower seed oil, and for a very affordable price it contains just as much product as its luxury counterparts.
MOST POPULAR
Westman Atelier
Shades: 21 | Coverage: Light to medium | Finish: Natural
Created by veteran makeup artist Gucci Westman, who has worked on celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway and Reese Witherspoon, our luxury go-to stick foundation pick is rich in antioxidants to soothe redness and boost hydration. This unique formula delivers a natural finish and includes vegetable-derived squalane, berryflux vita extract, camellia seed oil and coconut oil. Westman’s makeup technique is best described as a second-skin finish, and this stick foundation delivers just that.
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
Shades: 43 | Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural
Perfect for parched complexions and infused with olive extract and shea butter, this emollient formula is hydrating upon contact and delivers a natural, radiant finish. Weightless yet buildable, Bobbi Brown’s stick foundation iteration melts into skin. And because of its weightless texture, it’s a great undereye concealer and doesn’t get cakey or crease.
Hourglass Cosmetics
Shades: 33 | Coverage: Full | Finish: Natural
Long-wearing and budge-proof, this sleek stick foundation—which has a unique angular shape to reach all areas of the face—glides on like a liquid with concentrated pigments and a natural finish. Pro tip: Pick a darker shade than your go-to base and use the jagged applicator to contour and carve out your jawline and cheekbones.
Amazon
Shades: 22 | Coverage: Medium to full | Finish: Matte
Lancôme’s dual-sided stick includes foundation on one end and a kabuki buffing brush on the other. Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation Stick is perfect for oily skin since its formula is free of oil and delivers medium-to-full coverage with a powder-like matte finish. And thanks to the convenient brush, it’s also a boon for the avid traveler looking for excellent portability.
Merit Beauty
Shades: 20 | Coverage: Light to medium | Finish: Natural
Perfect for on-the-go touch-ups due to its versatile circular applicator (it conceals and contours, too), Merit’s stick blends fatty acids to lock in moisture and sea daffodil extract to help diminish the appearance of pigmentation and dark spots. The formula was created in partnership with Los Angeles-based acne expert and aesthetician Biba de Sousa, so blemish-prone complexions were top of mind.
Sephora
Shades: 40 | Coverage: Light to full | Finish: Natural
Basma Beauty’s one and only product, a stick foundation, was created when the founder, Basma Hameed, turned to makeup after surviving third-degree burns. She was disappointed by the lack of shade ranges and cakey textures. Her solution? An extremely buildable foundation that glides on thanks to its hydrating properties, including ingredients like vitamin E, aloe vera extract and apricot butter.
Fenty Beauty
Shades: 25 | Coverage: Light | Finish: Dewy
Think of this stick foundation as a tinted moisturizer. Blended with skincare ingredients like murumuru butter and sodium hyaluronate, this blurring skin tint has a lightweight and dewy finish, unlike most of its makeup counterparts. “The Fenty Beauty foundation stick has great coverage and also has a skincare base,” says Flowers. “So it’s not too heavy.”
The Forbes Vetted team comprises makeup devotees and experts who know the research needed to determine the best stick foundations. Author of this story Jayme Cyk is a veteran beauty reporter with over a decade of experience. This story was edited by deputy editor Jane Sung, who has covered makeup and skincare topics for over 15 years. Cyk also tapped two experts to better inform her research: LA-based makeup artist Pati Dubroff and NYC-based creative and makeup artist Raisa Flowers. Both shared their stick foundation know-how on application and benefits.
When putting together this list, we considered price point, skin type and shade range. We also tested many versions featured on this list. We combed through customer testimonials and expert commentary via social media to determine the best of the best. To ensure we provided the most helpful information, our team considered makeup artists’ expert advice alongside diligent research around ingredients and versatility to help you make the most informed purchasing decision.
Foundation is a mainstay in almost any makeup routine, and for good reason. With just one product, you have the power to even out your skin tone, conceal blemishes, and turn your complexion into a stunning, glowing canvas.
But with so many different options out there, it can be overwhelming to nail down what foundation is right for you, your skin, and your makeup needs. Makeup is never one size fits all and finding your perfect shade is only part of the puzzle—first, you’ll need to make this decision: do I want to use liquid foundation, powder foundation, or stick foundation?
All three foundation types are very popular in the makeup world and lend their own virtues to your routine. The final answer really comes down to your unique skin type, desired coverage, and ideal finish.
To help you navigate the foundation aisles and discover your perfect formula, we’ve broken down the benefits of each foundation format so you can put your best face forward.
Liquid foundation is a blanket term that describes foundation that comes in a liquid format (it’s often water-based, oil-based, or silicone-based). Makeup-skincare hybrid products, like BB and CC creams, skin tints, and tinted moisturizers (aka, a hydrating moisturizer and foundation in one) can also fall under this category, offering light-to-medium coverage and skin-loving benefits for a glowy complexion.
Benefits of liquid foundation include:
Try a Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 which offers your makeup, skincare, and sun protection in one step for a bright, smooth complexion. The plant-powered liquid formula works to moisturize your skin, blur imperfections, and delivers buildable coverage for a dewy finish.
Made up of pigments and minerals, powder foundations are available in pressed powder or loose powder formats, delivering more lightweight wear and a “no makeup” makeup finish. Foundation powder requires a brush for application (like our oval-shaped cruelty-free Buffing Brush ) to give you more of a light- to-medium coverage finish.
Benefits of powder foundation include:
Try Bio Powder Foundation, a weightless pressed powder foundation with ultra-fine pigments that smoothes the skin. The plant-powered vegan formula is infused with olive-derived squalane, organic corn starch, and mica to help control excess oil for a smooth, semi-matte finish.
Stick foundations, which are essentially cream foundations in a convenient twist-up format, have more recently taken off in popularity. They’re loved for their multifunctional abilities, easy targeted application, and fresh, full-coverage finish.
Benefits of stick foundation include:
Try Bio Stick Foundation, a multi-use foundation stick that melts into skin for a fresh, healthy glow that lasts all day. The creamy vegan formula is infused with castor seed oil, safflower seed oil, and vitamin E to deliver hydrating skincare benefits and a naturally radiant glow.