Best Drugstore Foundation for Combination Skin

Although combination skin is one of the most common skin types, finding the best drugstore foundation for combination skin feels like a daunting challenge. Give us a product that removes the shine from our T-zone while hydrating the dry patches on our cheeks and we might just pass out.

The problem is that many products on the market promise to help you control oils and reduce flakiness. How can you tell which one is right for you? Head down to find out everything you need to before buying foundation for your fickle-minded skin type.

What to Consider Before Shopping

Here are a few things you should keep in mind before purchasing a drugstore foundation for combination skin.

• Make Sure It’s Oil-Free. If you already have a shiny T-zone that you’re trying to cover, then an oil-based foundation will only exacerbate the problem. In less than half an hour after application, your nose, chin, and forehead will probably be as shiny as a light bulb.

Opt for a powder or liquid foundation with a high water content (at least 55%.) That way, the product will absorb the excess oil from your T-zone while ensuring the rest of the face stays hydrated.

• Find the Right Formulation. Keep in mind that combination skin can have an uneven tone, so it’s best to go for a foundation that has a medium coverage level. A moisturizing liquid foundation has a light texture that doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. Moreover, it hydrates the skin without being greasy. Creams to powder foundations are also an excellent choice as they can balance the oiliness and dryness in your skin.

• Avoid Products That Contain Fragrance. A fragrance foundation might smell nice, but the ingredients included will affect your dry areas tremendously. As a result, your cheeks might get dull and flaky.

Keep This in Mind

Finding a foundation that strikes the right balance for your tricky skin can be hard. Oily T-zones and the dry patches on your cheeks require a blend of special ingredients to provide a natural look. Pay attention to the tips below if you want to find the best drugstore foundation for combination skin.

• Avoid Pore-clogging Products. You want to cover your imperfections and obtain an even skin tone, and even though they your pores to breathe, your T-zone is already susceptible to breakouts due to excess sebum. So, go for a lightweight foundation that will allow your skin to breathe.

• Make Sure It Provides Enough Coverage. One of the biggest problems people with combination skin have to deal with is enlarged pores. Foundation tends to exaggerate pores, so make sure to look for a product that evens out the skin tone.

As an extra tip, scrub the areas with excess sebum before applying foundation so that you’ll reduce the pores’ size. Plus, a clean skin will offer better support for the foundation.

• Stay Away from Irritating Ingredients. Both your enlarged pores and your dry cheeks will be affected by irritating substances, such as sodium lauryl sulfate. At the same time, a high alcohol concentration or silicones will take their toll on your T-zone by causing breakouts. They can also affect your cheeks by making them red and itchy.

Top 5 Picks

1. L’Oreal Paris True Match Mineral Foundation

L’Oreal Paris True Match Mineral Foundation is the overall highest rated drugstore foundation for combination skin.

What sets this powder foundation apart from other similar products is that it comes with a special brush that ensures an even and flawless cover.

Free of any preservatives, talc, or even fragrance, L’Oreal Paris Match Mineral Foundation is also oil free. You can now enjoy a luminous sheer without worrying about a shiny nose, redness, pores or fine lines. The medium coverage can help you hide any imperfections while still maintaining a natural look. Not to mention, it feels so light that you’ll forget you’ve applied foundation before leaving your home.

Another great thing about this foundation is that it offers UVA and UVB sun protection. This mineral formula comes with an SPF 19 protection.

Overall, if you are looking for the best drugstore foundation for combination skin, then L’Oreal Paris Match Mineral Foundation is the right product for you.

2. COVERGIRL Age Defying Foundation

If you’re familiar with COVERGIRL’s products, then you know they’re dedicated to creating great cosmetics. Advanced Radiance Age Defying Foundation makes no exception.

Due to its creamy liquid consistency, this foundation is incredibly easy to apply. Just a drop is enough to cover the face and give you a youthful appearance that will last for eight hours. Plus, it won’t accentuate your pores or wrinkles, so you’ll get a glowing look.

Its water-based formulation won’t clog your pores, irritate or cause breakouts. That way, you can build up more coverage along the way, without risking the cakey aspect we all know and dread.

One of the things we loved most about Advanced Radiance Age Defying Foundation is that, unlike other drugstore foundations for combination skin, it provides a natural and beautiful finish without mattifying the skin too much. The result is a fresh and radiant complexion everyone will envy.

3. Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation

Lightweight, safe for sensitive skin, and affordable, Advanced Radiance Age Defying Foundation is an excellent foundation for your combination skin.

Now you can control excess oil and have a matte complexion with a single sweep of a brush. Built to last for up to 16 hours and with a formula that is transfer resistant, this liquid mousse foundation will turn any combination skin into a flawless one in just a few steps.

If you’re the type of women that doesn’t have the time to apply liquid foundations or like to adjust your makeup throughout the day, then Maybelline New York Dream is the best fit for you.

It will prevent your T-zone from shining due to a smooth matte finish while the hydrating formula will protect your cheeks from getting flaky. More than that, it will also minimize your pores, making your skin look flawless.

To conclude, Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation is a long-lasting product that can help you control shine and reduce flakiness.

4. COVERGIRL Advanced Radiance Age-Defying Pressed Powder

Right off the bat, one of the things that is worth mentioning about this cover girl Advanced Radiance Age defying pressed Powder Foundation is the fact that it is totally cruelty free and has never been tested on animals. This product is designed to be used for combination skin but can be used for all sorts of skin types, including dry skin and oily skin too.

With that being said, generally speaking it is best used for people that have oilier skin as it comes complete with ingredients that actually help to absorb the oils from your skin, thus helping to prevent breakouts and irritation from occur in.

You may really like how this particular product will provide you with a radiant finish. What needs to be said is that this product has been dermatologically tested and has been proven to be suitable for sensitive skin. You may also appreciate how this product comes complete with skin brightening ingredients as well as skin conditioning ingredients.

In other words, this pressed powder foundation comes complete with a variety of minerals and vitamins designed to help hydrate and nourish your skin, not only to make you look younger, but also to help your skin from suffering from breakouts. Depending on how you use it, this foundation can also be used to cover up fine lines and wrinkles. it’s all about covering those fine lines and evening out your skin tone to provide you with more youthful looking skin.

5. Max Factor Pan Stik Foundation

If you are looking for a very small bottle of foundation, something that works well for being on the go and is extremely portable than this Max Factor Foundation could be right for you. Now it is a very small container of course, so it won’t go a very long way, but with that being said, it also comes in at a very reasonable price.

One of the things that you do need to keep in mind here is that it comes in about 7 different shades of beige. In other words, this product is designed for people who have fair skin, but unfortunately does not come in any darker shades.

What is very beneficial about this Max Factor Foundation is the fact that it works really well at hiding pigmentations, birthmarks, and other blemishes. In fact, this product is actually designed to provide you with on the go coverage, so you can use it to cover up blemishes whenever you aren’t at home.

It’s all about being able to do handy and quick touchups while you are on the go. Let’s also keep in mind that the formula used here should help to absorb some oils from your skin, thus preventing breakouts from occurring.

This product also comes complete with a stick applicator to allow for easy and quick application. Not to mention the fact that it also allows for full coverage. This foundation is so good that it even has the ability to hide wrinkles and fine lines as well as pores.

You may also appreciate how this Max Factor Foundation have really creamy texture that provides you with a soft and dewy finish. The fact that you can get such a high quality powder foundation for such a low price is definitely something that we can all appreciate.