Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of Allure editors and brandsSave this storySave this story
Matte foundation often gets a bad rap—after all, who hasn’t experienced a midday cakey emergency? The best matte foundations, however, are nothing like the dryness-inducing offenders you’ve tried in years past. When done right, matte foundation leaves skin looking velvety smooth and skin-like. The key is knowing what to look for: a lightweight, breathable formula with oil-controlling ingredients like silica or niacinamide, a blurring, texture-refining finish, and longwear technology that keeps your base in place and prevents it from settling into pores or fine lines. Beyond aesthetics, matte foundations offer a functional edge over dewy formulas: They photograph better under bright lighting, hold up longer on oily skin, and eliminate the need for constant touch-ups throughout the day.
Our Top Matte Foundations
- Best Overall: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Longwear Matte Foundation, $52
- Best for Hyperpigmentation: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation, $53
- Best Blurring: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, $52
- Best Full-Coverage: Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation, $95
- Best Buildable Coverage: Benefit The Porefessional Foundation, $47
Frequently Asked QuestionsLargeChevron
- Who is matte foundation best for?
- Many reach for dewy foundations for everyday wear but opt for matte on special occasions. Why?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Ahead, we round up the best matte foundations across every coverage level, skin type, and budget that Allure editors and experts actually stand behind.
Best Overall: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
Save to wishlist
Estée Lauder
Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Why we love it: For skin that tends to break down foundation by midday, the waterproof and sweat-resistant Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation goes further than most by helping reduce oil production over time. At the core of this lightweight, skin-care-infused formula—the 2.0 version of the original Double Wear—is AlgaNiacin, a proprietary blend of niacinamide and brown algae extract that helps curb sebum production and even out tone, as well as the polymer mesh matrix technology that provides comfortable, flexible wear. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin also step in to draw in moisture, maintain hydration levels, and keep skin feeling balanced throughout the day.
Tori Arthur, a Dubai-based makeup artist, has long relied on the formula and says that "it performs beautifully across many different skin types, withstands heat and humidity incredibly well, and has real staying power." As with most full-coverage formulas, Arthur recommends applying Double Wear in thin layers to ensure a skin-like finish, and building up as needed.” With a staggering 70 shades (an upgrade from an already impressive 55 shades) and longer-wearing color pigments that don’t get distorted after a few hours, finding your shade is a bit time-consuming, but a sure thing.
Allure content director Sophia Panych before applying Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup.
Sophia Panych
Panych after applying the Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup.
Sophia Panych
Tester feedback from content director Sophia Panych
LargeChevron
“For my everyday makeup, I prefer dewy skin tints, and this new version is still very much the opposite of that. One layer gives me all-over medium-to-full coverage, with a few additional dots on my cheeks and chin to cover the annoying splotchiness that's recently appeared. At first, I disliked how matte it made my face because I felt it made me look older, but I've come to appreciate that it doesn't budge (my beloved skin tints tend to disappear quickly) and, shockingly, that it doesn't settle into fine lines and pores. I initially thought I'd give my bottle to a friend, but after a few days of testing, I've decided it's a great formula to have in my makeup kit for big events and long days.” —Sophia Panych, content director
Tester feedback from editor in chief Jessica Cruel
LargeChevron
“You can feel the difference in the new formula instantly. It's more liquidy and looser than the original. Where one drop does the job with the OG formula, it takes two or three to get the same level of coverage. This allows the wearer to customize. The original had one speed: full coverage or bust. This version can be light, medium, or full. One note: You have to let each layer dry down a bit before adding more to get the best results. For Double Wear lovers, you can still get the finish you love; it just takes a little longer. It still has staying power and a matte finish—the proof was evident after I spent hours sweating and taking selfies at the launch party in LA. It was in the same condition from the first photo to the last.
"The pigments in this new formula have also been updated, which makes for a bit of confusion when looking for your shade. I have always been 6W1 Sandalwood. In this new version, I went from 6W2 to 6C1, and I'm still not quite sure which one is the best fit. There's a 50% chance you'll have to change shades, so I definitely recommend going to get matched before committing to the new Double Wear.” —Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: AlgaNiacin complex (niacinamide and brown algae extract), hyaluronic acid, glycerin
- Shades: 70
- Coverage: medium to full
Best for Hyperpigmentation: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation
Save to wishlist
Lancôme
Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Allure contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai applying the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation.
Deanna Pai
Why we love it: When a product features "24 hours" in its name, you know it's not playing around. Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Wear 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation blends seamlessly over dark spots and discoloration, providing full coverage with a natural matte finish that never looks heavy. The all-day formula wears well without creasing, caking, or fading, so your coverage looks as fresh at the end of the day as it did at the beginning. A blend of four active ingredients working in tandem is the reason: Hyaluronic acid attracts moisture, vitamin E helps smooth and protect, moringa seed extract supports the skin barrier, and prebiotics help keep skin balanced and comfortable.
Pai before applying the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation.
Deanna Pai
Pai after applying the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation.
Deanna Pai
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
LargeChevron
“While I usually prefer a lightweight foundation, there's nothing I trust more than this to get me through a breakout or the usual post-inflammatory dark spots that follow. It gives me just enough coverage to even out my skin, but doesn't ever feel cakey, and the transfer-proof, sweat-resistant formula can hold up even on the hottest days.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, moringa seed extract, prebiotics
- Shades: 55
- Coverage: full
Best Blurring: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Save to wishlist
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Ulta Beauty
Allure director of social Kassidy Silva applying the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation.
Kassidy Silva
Why we love it: Full coverage and dry skin often clash because heavier formulas can emphasize texture, settling into fine lines, and making them more noticeable, but Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Foundation defies the odds. The brand’s proprietary Powder Blur AirTech diffuses light to soften the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven texture, creating “an airbrushed finish that photographs beautifully for events and weddings,” says Arthur. Because it’s a full-coverage formula, she recommends applying “very sparingly in thin layers, as a little product goes a very long way.”
Silva before applying the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation.
Kassidy Silva
Silva after applying the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation.
Kassidy Silva
Tester feedback from social director Kassidy Silva
LargeChevron
“Whether it's for a TV appearance or a family photo session, the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation is my go-to base product. This heavy-duty, full-coverage formula lasts all day long. I'm not one for touch-ups, and it smooths out every imperfection. If you have fine lines like me, you want to be careful around your eyes, going very light on application, and anywhere you tend to crease. I'll lightly tap the product on with a makeup sponge or dust with a smaller foundation brush to achieve coverage in those areas. I finish off the look with a light setting powder, and I'm set for up to 10, even 12 hours. For the price, I find it worth the splurge since I use it sparingly.” —Kassidy Silva, social director
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: powder blur AirTech
- Shades: 36
- Coverage: full
Best Full-Coverage: Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation
Save to wishlist
Tom Ford
Architecture Soft Matte Foundation
Nordstrom
Bluemercury
Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation
Jailynn Taylor
Why we love it: Covering everything while looking like you're wearing nothing is exactly why the Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation took home a Best of Beauty Award in 2025. The lightweight formula builds to full coverage without ever feeling like a mask or settling into texture over the course of the day. The soft-focus microsphere powders are the star of the show, diffusing light across the face to blur imperfections and keep oil in check. It also pumps moisture into the skin throughout the day, preventing the flat, chalky dryness that comes with prolonged wear. The result is a velvety, dimensional finish that moves with your face, resists sweat and humidity, and never creases, cracks, or fades.
Taylor before applying the Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation
Jailynn Taylor
Taylor after applying the Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation
Jailynn Taylor
Tester feedback from contributor Jailynn Taylor
LargeChevron
“Tom Ford Architecture Soft Matte Foundation truly feels like a second skin. Despite its matte finish, it never pulls too dry on my face. What I love most is how it keeps my skin from turning oily hours into the day. As someone who just got back from vacation, I found shade matching tricky, with a fading tan and my neutral undertone, but the range of shades and undertones is so extensive that I actually had two good options. I went with 9.5 Warm Almond, though I could have easily gone with another close match. For application, I prefer using a dense foundation brush to really buff it into the skin; then I’ll go in with a damp sponge if I want to sheer it out for a seamless finish. One layer is all it takes to cover my hyperpigmentation and undereye discoloration.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: caffeine, vitamin E, milk thistle extract
- Shades: 34
- Coverage: full
Best Buildable Coverage: Benefit The Porefessional Foundation
Save to wishlist
Benefit
The Porefessional Smoothing & Blurring Foundation
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Benefit The Porefessional Smoothing & Blurring Foundation.
Sarah Han
Why we love it: Not every day calls for the same amount of coverage, and Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Smoothing & Blurring Foundation adapts to your day-to-day needs. Starting at a weightless medium coverage, the formula layers seamlessly, giving you control over how much or how little you want to wear. The blurring finish does its best work at any level of coverage, smoothing skin and refining the look of pores both immediately and over time. Niacinamide drives that pore-smoothing effect while contributing to hydration. Rosehip extract further refines skin texture, while glycerin locks in moisture throughout wear. Forty shades across cool, neutral, and warm undertones round it out, making it as easy to shop as it is to wear.
Han before applying Benefit The Porefessional Smoothing & Blurring Foundation.
Sarah Han
Han after applying Benefit The Porefessional Smoothing & Blurring Foundation.
Sarah Han
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
LargeChevron
“I’m way more of a dewy skin tint or foundation type of girl, but some days when my skin is looking particularly rough and raw, I’m more than happy to wear a fuller-coverage formula that helps smooth and blur. That said, it still has to be buildable, because I don’t apply an even layer all over my face; I have bouts of redness or rogue dark spots I like to concentrate extra product on. Benefit The Porefessional covers everything I don’t want to show but feels like air on my skin, and I can definitely see it as my special-event foundation—even if those are few and far between. I also found a true neutral understone, which isn’t always guaranteed, even with wider shade ranges.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, rosehip extract, glycerin
- Shades: 40
- Coverage: medium to full
Best Self-Setting Formula: Urban Decay Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation
Save to wishlist
Urban Decay
Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Taylor applying the Urban Decay Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation.
Jailynn Taylor
Why we love it: If you already have an extensive makeup routine, you’ll love hearing that you can skip setting powder with Urban Decay’s Face Bond Foundation. The moment it hits, self-setting powders bond to your skin and start absorbing sweat and sebum, delivering all-day hold without the added (read: cloying) powder layer. The medium, buildable coverage delivers a natural-matte finish that's both smudge- and transfer-resistant, so you can go from the gym to the office to happy hour without breaking a sweat. Three percent niacinamide gives the formula a welcome skin-care boost, helping to visibly reduce redness, blemishes, and the look of enlarged pores.
With a robust shade range of 40, including dedicated options formulated with chromium oxide green pigments for olive undertones. These targeted pigments act as built-in color correctors, neutralizing reddish or overly orange hues, ensuring that the shades accurately reflect olive undertones, preventing the color from appearing muddy or gray.
Taylor before applying the Urban Decay Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation.
Jailynn Taylor
Taylor after applying the Urban Decay Face Bond Self-Setting Waterproof Foundation.
Jailynn Taylor
Tester feedback from Taylor
LargeChevron
“I never thought I'd say my go-to everyday foundation would be a matte formula. What initially drew me in was the shade range: It's one of the few foundations I've come across that perfectly matches my neutral undertone in shade 25 and offers shade 28 that transitions to my deepened summer complexion. The finish is what kept me, though. It never looks flat or cakey, and I can use it to spot-correct without it looking glaring. And buffed out with a foundation brush, it's completely undetectable. Since the formula sets itself, I don't need a separate powder.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: niacinamide
- Shades: 40
- Coverage: medium to full
Best for Large Pores: Nars Natural Matte Longwear Foundation
Save to wishlist
Nars
Natural Matte Longwear Foundation
Nordstrom
Sephora
Ulta Beauty
Why we love it: Most matte foundations make large pores more apparent by settling into them, but the Nars Natural Matte Longwear Foundation has a serum-light texture that blurs and refines, rather than sinks in, emphasizing every bit of texture. This unique fluidity comes from Nars's proprietary Advanced Flexible Film, a lightweight film-former that lies on the skin as a single, flexible sheet, paired with oil-absorbing mineral microspheres to glide over texture without a dry feeling. What makes it work long-term is the brand's target pore-refining trio. This specialized blend utilizes niacinamide to resurface uneven skin tone and a dipeptide complex to actively balance sebum production. Offered in 40 shades, it provides shine-free control and wears comfortably throughout the day without sacrificing a skin-like finish.
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, dipeptide
- Shades: 40
- Coverage: medium to full
Best Lightweight Formula: Dior Forever Skin Wear Blurring Natural Matte Foundation
Save to wishlist
Dior
Forever Skin Wear Blurring Natural Matte Foundation
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Why we love it: The new and improved Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation takes complexion perfection to the next level by functioning as both a medium-to-full buildable foundation and a daily serum. Dior has overhauled the original formula by introducing a triple-action skin-care trio of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides that hydrates, refines texture, and improves the appearance of skin over time. Other callouts: The formula includes broad-spectrum SPF 20, an upgrade from its original 15 (a nice bump in UV protection, but you absolutely need a standalone sunscreen with SPF 30 or more), and comes in 42 shades across warm, cool, and neutral undertones, allowing for a more precise and inclusive match.
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptide
- Shades: 42
- Coverage: medium
Best Radiant Matte: YSL Beauty All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation
Save to wishlist
YSL Beauty
All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation
Nordstrom
Sephora
Why we love it: YSL Beauty’s All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation delivers a finish that sits between a natural glow and a softly set, powder-like effect. Makeup artist Arthur puts it best: The foundation is "amazing for someone who wants longevity and oil control whilst still achieving a more luxurious, radiant skin finish.” She reaches for it on "mature, combination, or normal-to-oily types who still want their skin to look healthy, fresh, and naturally radiant."
That radiance comes down to the formula's 77% skin-care base. Hyaluronic acid delivers continuous hydration throughout wear, jasmine petals from the YSL Ourika community gardens bring dullness-fighting properties, and taurine works against fatigue for a complexion that looks rested and healthy rather than covered. The brand’s Neo-Skin Powder controls shine, while broad-spectrum SPF 30 adds UV protection, and transfer-resistant, waterproof wear extends longevity.
More to know
LargeChevron
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, jasmine petal, taurine
- Shades: 32
- Coverage: medium to full
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is matte foundation best for?
Matte foundation is best suited for "naturally oily skin, which tends to break makeup down more quickly throughout the day,” says Arthur. ”Excess oil can make foundation separate or slide around," so matte foundations use “ingredients such as silica or oil-absorbing powders to help keep the skin looking smoother for longer.” As a result, you don’t need to constantly touch up throughout the day.
Many reach for dewy foundations for everyday wear but opt for matte on special occasions. Why?
It comes down to how light interacts with skin under event conditions, says Arthur. "For photo shoots or events with bright lighting, too much glow can sometimes read as excess shine on camera." Studio lights in particular, she notes, "tend to pick up every reflective area of the face, which can leave the skin looking overly shiny rather than healthy and radiant." To avoid that, we recommend applying an all-over matte base and adding glow “strategically onto the high points of the face where you actually want light to hit," as Arthur sums up, for a balanced finish.
Meet the experts
- Tori Arthur is a makeup artist based in Dubai.
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but, for example, hair-care products and tools are another story. While some hair products can be used across different textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, and colors (natural and unnatural), they are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are formulated to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls, right?
And for our reviews of the best concealers for dark spots, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, cosmetic chemists, and makeup artists with a range of experience studying and using these products. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture, experience, and formula. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
