The 13 Best Matte Foundations For A Smooth Finish – 2023
Stop worrying about your makeup melting down your face with the right formulations.
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Not everyone likes a shine on their face, and if you have been looking for the best matte foundation to keep your skin natural-looking, we have what you need. Matte foundation is perfect for people who like to keep their makeup intact all day. Be it sweat or excess sebum excretion; gloss foundation eventually melts away. A matte foundation absorbs the unwanted oil with its powdery texture. It also conceals the pores and lines and covers the spots evenly. Here are the 13 highest-rated matte foundations to help you flaunt a natural look.
In This Article
13 Best Matte Foundations
1. Best Long-Lasting Formula:Revlon ColorStay Matte Finish Liquid Foundation
Image: Revlon The Revlon ColorStay Makeup Foundation wears for up to 24 hours. It offers the best coverage with SPF 15. It glides on smoothly onto the skin and leaves a gorgeous look. It also withstands the oil and greasiness and stays on the skin throughout the day.
It does not settle into the fine lines. Its time-release technology, which is specially formulated for combination or oily skin, controls oil secretion and shine and leaves a matte finish. The foundation is available in 43 different shades, ranging from light to medium to dark.
Skin Type: Combination and oily, acne-prone skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- SPF 15
- Wears up to 24 hours
- Glides on easily
- Minimizes large pores
Cons
None
Pro Tip2. Best Lightweight:L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Foundation
Image: L'oreal Paris The L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Foundation gives you a matte finish and keeps oil at bay for up to 24 hours. It has medium coverage and is perfect for everyday use. It resists sweat, humidity, and heat. It leaves a buildable coverage. The product itself is lightweight and creamy. It glides onto the face smoothly. It creates a flawless base and blurs imperfections.
Skin Type: Normal to oily skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long-wearing
- Glides smoothly
- Transfer-resistant
- Sweat-resistant
- 24-hour shine control
Cons
- Leaves a streaky orange finish
3. Best Allergy-Tested:Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation
Image: Maybelline The Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation makes your matte stay for up to 16 hours with medium-to-full coverage. It is lightweight and mattifies effortlessly, leaving a shine-free finish. It does not leave a cakey appearance.
This long-lasting foundation mousse glides onto the skin easily and gives a flawless finish. The unique matte foundation for sensitive skin does not clog the pores and reduces pore size. It is allergy-tested, dermatologically-approved, and safe for daily use. Check out this video on YouTube for a detailed understanding of the product.
Skin Type: All skin types (including sensitive skin)
Texture: Mousse
Pros
- Long-lasting makeup wear
- Lightweight
- Glides smoothly
- Dermatologist-tested
- Allergy-tested
- Non-comedogenic
- Provides perfect coverage
Cons
- May dry the skin out
Pro Tip4. Best Fragrance-Free:Rimmel Stay Matte Full Coverage Mattifying Foundation
Image: Rimmel The Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation is lightweight. It has an airy mousse texture that will keep your skin from feeling oily or greasy throughout the day. It blends in well with the skin and minimizes pores.
It does not sink down into the fine lines and wrinkles and leaves no cakey appearance. The oil-free, silky-smooth formula offers an all-day shine-free natural finish. This long-lasting liquid foundation gives a baby-soft powder finish and poreless look that ensures long-lasting makeup wear. If you want to know more about this product, check out this video on YouTube.
Skin Type: Oily skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Fragrance-free
- Gives full-coverage
- Reduces the appearance of pores
- No cakey appearance
- Does not settle into fine lines or wrinkles
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Leaves orange streaks
- Could dry the skin out
- Consistency is too thick
5. Best For Buildable Coverage:NYX Professional Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder Foundation
The NYX Professional Powder Foundation creates a matter-finish to help you achieve a flawless complexion. It is lightweight and offers enough coverage to mask blemishes and redness. It offers buildable coverage for long-lasting makeup wear.
The powdery texture does not dry the skin out. It perfectly blends with the skin tone. You will look naturally flawless with minimal effort. This is an excellent matte foundation for combination skin, especially for those who are not a fan of liquid foundation and have just started their makeup journey. Go ahead and check out this YouTuber’s video for more details about the product.
Skin Type: Combination skin
Texture: Powder
Pros
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Non-comedogenic
- Controls oil secretion
- Shin-control finish
- Buildable coverage
- 100% vegan
Cons
None
6. Best For Enlarged Pores:Covergirl TruBlend Matte Made Liquid Foundation
Image: Covergirl The Covergirl TruBlend Matte Liquid Foundation is formulated with Flexi-hold technology. It creates a strong yet flexible film on the skin that delivers a smooth, flawless, matte-finish look. This unique matte foundation for acne-prone skin absorbs excess oil and reduces the visible appearance of pores. The soft matte formula glides effortlessly with the skin tone and stays up to 12 hours for long-lasting makeup wear.
Skin Type: Normal to oily skin, and acne-prone skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Absorbs excess oil
- Minimizes the appearance of pores
- Long-lasting wear
- Provides a strong, flexible film
Cons
- Not transfer-proof
- Not sweat-resistant
7. Best Waterproof:Phoera Oil-Control Liquid Foundation
Image: Phoera If you want a two-in-one foundation that brightens your look and conceals imperfections, the Phoera Oil-Control Liquid Foundation is the right pick. This waterproof foundation provides full coverage with a soft matte finish. It is lightweight and easy to blend.
It contains whitening and mattifying ingredients that correct an uneven skin tone and plump your skin. This liquid foundation can mask fine lines and wrinkles and reduce pore size. It boosts radiance for 24 hours and leaves skin feeling silky smooth and shine-free.
Skin Type: Dry and oily skin
Texture: Thick Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Easy to wear
- Provides 24-hour makeup wear
- Long-lasting
- Protects the skin
Cons
- Leaves orange streaks
8. Best Vegan Formula:bareMinerals Matte Foundation
Image: Bareminerals The bareMinerals Matte Foundation is formulated with mineral sunscreen with a broad spectrum SPF 15 that protects your skin from sun damage. It delivers breathable, buildable sheer-to-full coverage with a silky matte finish.
The product claims to reduce the appearance of pores by 93% and improves skin clarity by 85%. It is oil-free, and its baby-soft powder finish absorbs excess oil and soothes your skin, and leaves a shine-free, flawless look. It is ultra-lightweight, 100% vegan, and non-comedogenic.
Skin Type: All skin types (except sensitive skin)
Texture: Translucent powder
Pros
- Provides buildable coverage
- Lightweight
- 100% vegan
- Non-comedogenic
- Breathable
- No settling into fine lines
- SPF 15
- Control excess oil secretion
Cons
- Expensive
9. Best Shine Control:Clinique Stay-Matte Makeup Foundation
Image: Clinique The Clinique Stay-Matte is a lightweight makeup foundation perfect for the ‘no-makeup look’. It is humidity-tested and absorbs shine, controls oil, and resists sweat for a flawless matte finish. This is a true liquid foundation that holds your natural finish all day long and controls excess oil secretion for 8 hours. This natural matte finish formula comes in 20 different shades.
Skin type: Normal to oily skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Fragrance-free
- Controls oil secretion
- Medium coverage
Cons
None
10. Best Transfer-Resistant:Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
Image: Estee Lauder The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup is an oil-free, oil-control foundation that provides a matte finish for over 24 hours. The transfer-proof foundation has buildable coverage and is perfect for all-day wear, even for the most active and demanding lifestyle. It has SPF 10 which gives you some protection against UV rays. The lightweight liquid foundation glides smoothly, keeping your skin looking fresh no matter what the day throws at you. The formula is available in a wide range of shades to suit different skin tones, including warm, neutral, as well as cool skin tones.
Skin Type: All skin types
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Transfer-resistant
- Waterproof
- Oil-free
- Matte finish
- Lightweight
Cons
- Expensive
11. Best Oil-Free:Almay Skin Perfecting Comfort Matte Foundation
Image: Almay The Almay Skin Perfecting Comfort Matte Foundation delivers a natural-looking, flawless matte finish. It offers long-lasting makeup wear for up to 16 hours. This oil-free foundation provides buildable coverage that blurs fine lines, wrinkles, and blemishes. It blends easily with the skin tone. It leaves the skin feeling velvety soft and silky smooth.
Skin Type: All skin types
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Paraben-free
- Phthalate-free
- SLS-free
- Mineral oil-free
- No formaldehyde
- Hypoallergenic
- Fragrance-free
- 100% vegan
- Oil-free
Cons
- Not suitable for mature skin
12. Best Skin Brightening: Cover FX Power Play Foundation
Image: Cover Fx The Cover FX Power Play Foundation has a lightweight and breathable formula. It is designed to provide full coverage and a natural matte finish. It contains an ultra-fine powder trio to conceal pores and a fermented algae component to shield against free radicals.
Apart from being waterproof, sweat-proof, and transfer-proof, it also provides effective protection against pollution. This matte foundation is free from harmful chemicals and is available in a wide range of shades to suit a variety of skin tones.
Skin Type: Normal, combination and oily skin
Texture: Liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Non-comedogenic
- Water-proof
- Sweat-proof
- Transfer-proof
- Talc-free
- Paraben-free
- Fragrance-free
- Mineral oil-free
- Gluten-free
- Sulfate-free
- Phthalate-free
Cons
None
13. Best Pigmented Formula:A. Girl Pro Matte Foundation
Image: L.a. Girl The L.A. Girl Pro Matte Foundation is a liquid weightless formula that provides smooth and buildable coverage for both day and night wear. The creamy formula is infused with vitamins E and B5, and sunflower oil that smoothen and soften the skin. The foundation leaves an airbrushed matte finish.
The antioxidants work on the blotting effect to help minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines. The foundation does not leave a cakey appearance. This highly pigmented makeup foundation brightens the skin tone. It is perfect for all skin types.
Skin Types: All skin types
Texture: Creamy liquid
Pros
- Lightweight
- Paraben-free
- 100% vegan
- Highly pigmented
- Non-comedogenic
Cons
None
These are the 13 best matte foundations available online. In the following section, we will see what a matte foundation is.
What Is A Matte Finish Foundation?
A matte finish foundation often has a powdery texture and absorbs excess oil. It leaves one with a velvety finish that pulls light inward. If you want oil-free makeup that lasts from day to night, a matte foundation works like a miracle. It perfectly suits oily complexions. It blurs pores and reduces excess sebum from the sebaceous glands, leaving an airbrushed look all day long.
Let us now check out the benefits of matte finish foundations.
Benefits Of Matte Finish Foundations
- They offer a lightweight texture and will not leave the skin feeling heavy or cakey.
- They are easy to blend and provide buildable coverage.
- They are effective in absorbing excess oil without clogging the pores.
- These oil-free foundations are often sweat-resistant and are appropriate for hot, humid climates.
The following section discusses the factors you need to look for before purchasing a matte finish foundation.
Best Matte Finish Foundation – A Buying Guide
- It should be oil-free and non-comedogenic to perfectly suit an oily skin tone.
- It should be able to provide medium to full coverage for an all-day makeup hold.
- It should have a powdery finish that absorbs excess oil and sebum without stripping off the skin’s natural moisture.
The Bottom Line
For more natural-looking makeup, you can try different matte foundations in accordance with your skin type and tone. Matte foundations don’t offer shine; rather they absorb extra oil from your skin and prevent excess sebum production. The Revlon ColorStay Matte Finish Liquid Foundation is ideal for oil-control and is crease-resistant, while the L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Foundation is sweat-resistant and offers a buildable creamy coverage. The Covergirl TruBlend Matte Made Liquid Foundation offers a long-lasting hold and works for acne-prone skin. These matte foundations glide smoothly while reducing greasiness from your face. While choosing the best matte foundations, find the ones that provide buildable coverage. However, steer clear of the matte foundations that cannot hydrate or nourish your face after application.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Baishali Bhattacharya is certified in makeup techniques and loves to review different makeup products. After thorough research, she has provided a detailed list of the best matte foundations in this post. She went through numerous reviews and feedback on multiple forums and brand websites to help you pick the best matte foundation that absorbs unwanted oil with a powdery texture. The products listed in this post withstand the oil and greasiness and stay on the skin throughout the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skin type is matte foundation best for?
Matte foundation is the best for combination and oily skin types.
Is matte foundation better for older skin?
No, matte foundations settle into the fine lines and wrinkles and accentuate them. So, it is not good for older skin.
Can I use a dewy concealer with my matte foundation?
Yes, you can use a dewy concealer with a matte foundation. This helps take care of the oily zones without leaving traces of patches and dry skin.
Does mixing loose powder into a foundation actually make it more matte?
No, it does not make the formula matte, but it helps control the oiliness and holds the matte look for longer hours.
Do you need setting powder for matte foundation?
No. Using setting powder for a matte foundation is not necessary, but it helps keep your makeup in place and prevents oiliness in the T-zone.
Which is better: matte or liquid foundation?
The matte finish and liquid formula foundation are suitable for oily and combination skin types and offer long-lasting, full coverage. But a matte finish foundation is better for controlling the oiliness of the skin.
