Coverage and Beyond: These Supercharged Foundations Deliver Skincare Results
August 25 | 3 minute read
Words by The MECCA Memo
As MECCA’s Makeup Category Education Lead, Jeremy, explains: “Skincare-infused foundations go the extra mile beyond just providing coverage. They’re full of potent ingredients that improve the way skin looks and feels over time.” He adds: “Everyone can benefit from skincare-infused formulations, but they can be extra helpful for those whose skin needs some extra TLC or those who don’t have time for skin prep on busy mornings.
“The right skin-loving formula can help foundation apply smoothly over dry skin or can provide a dewy glow, no illuminator required. It's all about your lifestyle and how you want to harness the power of skincare in each step of your routine.”
How to Choose a Skincare-Infused Foundation
Just as you would select a serum, picking a skincare-infused foundation depends on your skin type, concerns and preferred coverage. Dry or dehydrated? Look for thirst-quenching ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane. If you’re sensitive or prone to redness, keep an eye out for soothing formulas that support your barrier with ingredients like oat or ceramides. For those with combination or oilier skin, lightweight formulas with oil-controlling ingredients, such as niacinamide, are your friend.
For glowing skin long after you’ve washed off your makeup, here are our favourite foundations supercharged with skincare.
Best for: Lightweight coverage and powerful skincare benefits
Victoria Beckham and Augustinus Bader are both legends in their fields, so when they teamed up for a skin-first foundation, it was almost inevitable that a cult-favourite product would result: "We created The Foundation Drops for minimalists like me,” says Beckham. Combining Professor Bader’s TFC8® blend of powerful vitamins, lipids and peptides with VB’s luxurious approach to makeup, it’s a two-steps-in-one powerhouse: instantly perfecting while benefitting your skin over time.
Best for: Sensitive and breakout-prone skin
What looks like a foundation, works like a serum and feels like nothing? The newest formulation to join the lineup of eczema-friendly products from Tower 28. This medium-coverage formula loves sensitive skin, with the receipts to prove it: the US National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, and official Bronze Partnership with the Eczema Association of Australasia. With Portulaca oleracea extract to help target breakout-causing bacteria and fermented oat for hydration and barrier support, it’s fussy skin’s new BFF.
Best for: Customisable coverage and barrier support
If you like to choose your own adventure with your coverage, this is the product for you. Don’t let the bottle size fool you – a little goes a very long way. From the brand behind your favourite sunshine-in-a-bottle bronzing drops, this is similarly packed with skin-boosting ingredients. Peptides for plumping and protecting that all-important skin barrier, blended with plant oils and squalane for moisture and antioxidants. Simply mix one drop (or more, depending on your desired coverage) into your moisturiser, serum, or face oil and let these wonder drops work their magic, or apply directly to skin and blend out, building up as needed.
Best for: Oily and combination skin that needs long-lasting coverage
If the words ‘matte’ and ‘long-wear’ make you think ‘dull’ and ‘dry’, this formula will make you think again! Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation goes against full coverage stereotypes, bringing life and expert-level camouflage to faces everywhere. Recently reformulated, its benefits extend beyond the promised 36-hour wear time – balancing oil with niacinamide and maintaining moisture levels with hydrating glycerine and hyaluronic acid. Get yourself a foundation that does both (and then some).
Best for: Combination and oily skin
Earning the much-deserved title of a triple threat, this award-winning multitasker is a makeup, skincare and broad-spectrum SPF30 boost in one. On the surface, it blurs imperfections, controls oil and leaves a natural matte finish. Behind the veil, squalane and electrolytes are hard at work to hydrate and even out texture – with a pleasantly refreshing ‘water burst’ sensation included.
This is a secondary sunscreen, designed to complement your primary SPF as top-up protection.
Best for: Dull skin that needs brightening
If there’s one thing RMS Beauty is known for, it’s how to formulate long-wearing complexion products improve your skin while you wear them. Thanks to the additions of niacinamide, peptides, jojoba oil and bisabolol (a calming active derived from chamomile), this tinted moisturiser delivers the benefits of visible firming, smoothing, brightening and soothing, alongside natural, sheer coverage that just looks like great skin. What’s even better? The seamless addition of SPF.
This is a secondary sunscreen, designed to complement your primary SPF as top-up protection.
Best for: Uneven skin tone and fuller coverage
When making this viral foundation, Polite Society’s co-founder, Jerrod Blandino, says he reverse engineered his favourite serums to create a next generation formula. With comfortable all-day wear and a skin-like finish, it gives you the coverage you want and works overtime to leave skin brighter and more even-toned thanks to niacinamide, willow bark and hyaluronic acid.
Best for: Dry skin and lightweight coverage
According to ILIA founder Sasha Plavsic, it took three years to perfect this foundation-meets-serum-meets-SPF, but we’re glad she did – there’s nothing like protection you actually want to wear. Just like your favourite hydrating serum, this tint contains niacinamide, squalane and hyaluronic acid to plump and smooth skin. It also contains zinc oxide for added sun protection, though we always recommend layering with a primary SPF underneath. This sheer wash of colour has a dewy finish, is best applied with fingers and is the perfect one-and-done complexion step for busy mornings.
This is a secondary sunscreen, designed to complement your primary SPF as top-up protection.
Best for: Dry skin that needs hydration and glow
Recreate the ‘I’ve just had a facial’ glow every day with this skincare-infused tint, created by the pioneer of no-makeup makeup, Gucci Westman. These easy-going drops are designed to work with your skincare, not over it. Packed with serum-strength actives and the brand’s antioxidant-rich Skin Vitality Complex™, they instantly hydrate and soothe while working to brighten and improve skin texture over time. The cushiony serum texture starts off as a lightweight oil that sinks into the skin for buildable coverage and a luminous finish.
Now you’ve chosen your skincare-supercharged foundation, only one question remains: which shade? We’re glad you asked! Meet your match with our newly upgraded shade finder tool: select your foundation online or via the MECCA App – make sure you have the latest version! – then tap ‘Need help finding your shade?’ (it’s right above the shade selector). Watch our eCommerce Manager Steph take you through the steps here.
