By Sophie Joaman • October 24, 2022 • 16 mins read
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Finding the right foundation can be tricky at the best of times, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Knowing what type of skin types you have can make the process so much easier and help you to buy the perfect foundation in the first place. After all, no one wants to be throwing money away on a foundation that does nothing for their skin look. What about textured skin though? What exactly is it and which foundations are suitable for someone who does have this skin type? Luckily, we’ve done all the research so you don’t have to.
Read on if you have textured skin or are curious as to whether you do. Our guide will show you which foundations work best for your skin and which ones are worth investing in. For oily skin or acne, a matte foundation might be ideal to keep shine at bay, while for dry skin, you may want a luminous formula to hydrate and leave a dewy finish. If you’re looking for the best foundation for textured skin that won’t get cakey or accentuate redness, we’ve got you covered.
Textured skin can be defined simply as skin that is uneven or bumpy. It is often caused by age, lifestyle, environmental impacts, acne, or from a build-up of dead skin cells. While textured skin can make the individual self-conscious, in nearly all cases, it is completely normal. In fact, the majority of people experience some unevenness of skin, acne, or other related issues at some point in their lives. For others, their skin may be more textured, more frequently and that too is perfectly okay. If you have textured skin, you might also notice that your makeup does not always sit as well on your skin. Your foundation can look dry, and cakey and any bumps can be enhanced.
This in part is down to a combination of poor skin prepping and the wrong products. While your skin likely needs some extra TLC and a good skincare regime to address any problem areas, choosing the right makeup can be a huge piece of the puzzle. Get it right at the start with your foundation and the rest of your makeup will flow. So, are you ready to find your Holy Grail foundation? Well, we’ve got 13 of the best foundations for textured skin that are certainly worth the hype and money! Whether you prefer a liquid foundation, matte foundation for oily skin, or a more luminous formula to hydrate and leave a dewy finish, we’ve got you covered.
These foundations are formulated to give you the perfect foundation for your skin look, while helping to blur imperfections without emphasizing redness.
Maybelline has been a budget-friendly, brand favourite for generations, so it’s no wonder that their Fit Me Matte Foundation + Poreless Liquid Foundation has been so well received by the general public and beauty experts. The medium coverage helps to blur pores and create a smooth matte finish that you can build upon for your ideal skin look. The foundation itself is non-comedogenic, which means that it won’t block your pores and cause you any problems down the line.
This is the perfect foundation for textured skin that edges more on the normal to oily skin side. Your pores will look much more refined and your base will look seamless after application, plus it won’t break the bank. Whether you have acne, or oily skin, this matte foundation will help to minimize redness and provide a smooth, non-cakey finish, making it one of the best foundations for textured skin.
The best-selling Estee Lauder Double Wear is a firm favourite for anyone who wants incredible long-lasting wear of up to 24 hours. With a matte foundation finish, this foundation for mature skin is medium to full coverage and can be built upon for an impeccably smooth canvas skin look. Not only that, but this foundation is also sweat-proof, humidity-proof, and life-proof to keep your makeup from settling into the fine lines or looking cakey as the day wears on. It will also refrain from sliding as a result of excess oil on the skin (oily skin)—it is oil-free. The medium coverage likewise means that any imperfections, such as acne or redness, are hidden and unevenness is conquered.
With over 60 shades available, the Estee Lauder Double Wear offers something for everyone, no matter their skin types or concerns. A true classic that is most definitely worth investing in, this foundation is one of the best foundations for textured skin, offering a flawless, luminous, and dewy finish that will hydrate the skin all day.
A high-coverage liquid foundation that keeps your skin feeling lightweight and silky? Sounds too good to be true, except it’s not. The Ordinary Coverage Foundation offers the finish of a high-coverage foundation without dragging your skin down or drawing attention to any problem areas/aged skin. Instead, skin looks much more natural after application and appears smooth, hiding any bumps or textures that would otherwise be exaggerated by a heavier formula.
The high levels of pigment work to correct uneven areas, again offering you an exceptionally flawless base that will stay put. This is a great foundation choice for textured skin that is either oily skin, dry, or even both, thanks to the semi-matte foundation oil-free formula. You won’t need to worry about shine or any flaky patches of skin. This foundation for textured skin helps to minimize redness, creating a smooth, radiant finish without any cakey texture.
A foundation that looks like you’ve been airbrushed! We’re sold. Thankfully such a foundation exists thanks to Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Longwear Liquid Foundation. The super blendable medium to full-coverage foundation works to even skin tone for a beautifully smooth base that can be built upon if desired. It is also non-comedogenic, so your pores won’t get blocked. The medium to fuller coverage is a perfect foundation for anyone who is worried about uneven areas of skin or any bumps that otherwise show up under makeup.
The hydrating properties of this foundation also mean that you’ll never have to deal with cakey foundation again. This liquid foundation offers a luminous and dewy finish that will hydrate your skin all day, leaving it looking flawless without emphasizing redness or imperfections. It’s one of the best foundations for textured skin, especially for those with oily skin or acne.
The Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick excels for textured skin through its concentrated, highly pigmented formula that requires minimal product for full coverage. Its creamy consistency melts into skin rather than sitting on top, while light-refracting particles visually blur imperfections. The stick format enables precise application, allowing targeted coverage only where needed. Once set, this waterproof, oil-free formula stays put without settling into texture, pores, or fine lines. It even acts as its own primer, eliminating the need for additional products that might emphasize texture.
Another luxury ‘treat yourself’ foundation, the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, tackles uneven skin, blemishes, acne, and those problem areas to give you the ultimate silky matte foundation base. Your skin look will be gorgeously flawless, while pores will appear blurred for that airbrushed finish. It is worth noting that this is more drying than other foundations, so would be preferential for people who have oily skin and enlarged pores. This foundation not only corrects unevenness but also acts as a serum to protect your skin’s barrier and reduce the appearance of fine lines with continued use.
If you ask us, that is a fantastic investment! For those with textured skin, this is one of the best foundations for textured skin, as it provides a luminous finish that controls shine without being cakey or too drying, helping to balance the skin types while still providing a flawless, long-lasting effect.
Morphe’s Filter Effect Liquid Foundation gets to work on your skin at first spritz, to blur imperfections and correct skin tone, giving you a soft-focus filter effect. You can expect your skin look to be utterly healthy thanks to the infusion of Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid, which will nourish your skin and keep it protected throughout the day.
This is a good foundation choice for anyone who suffers with blemishes and skin imperfections (including acne and skin sensitivities) thanks to its skin ‘rich’ ingredients. If you find that your skin needs a little extra love, then the Morphe Filter Effect Foundation will offer you a powerful boost of moisture.
Suitable for anyone who has dry, textured skin, this foundation for mature skin is also great for providing a luminous and dewy finish that will hydrate and leave you with a radiant look without becoming cakey. It’s a perfect foundation for all skin types, including those with oily skin looking for a balanced formula.
A true favourite of professionals, the MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation is oil-free and sweat-proof, which is great for anyone who has oily skin. The coverage is lightweight but blendable so that you can build upon your base to minimise pores and blemishes. While mattifying, the foundation is not too drying, which allows you to get the best out of your makeup if you have combination skin types.
Plus, with long-lasting results of up to 24 hours, this is a hero product to take you from day to night without melting, sliding or cakey. We love that this foundation also contains SPF 15. It is vital to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, especially if you already have textured skin or sun damage.
This is therefore a brilliant option for anyone with textured skin to protect your skin look from becoming damaged. The matte foundation formula also helps reduce redness and leaves a smooth, even base for a flawless finish without compromising your skin’s natural balance, making it one of the best foundations for textured skin.
The iconic Born This Way Liquid Foundation is a firm favourite thanks to its flawless results. Your skin look and makeup become one to enhance your natural beauty while giving you all the coverage you need to hide any imperfections and build up your radiant base.
The foundation is oil-free while the coconut water and alpine rose protect and replenish the skin, providing a luminous and dewy finish that won’t leave you looking cakey. This makes it an ideal choice for all skin types, including those with acne or oily skin. If you’re looking for the perfect foundation that helps minimize redness while keeping your skin hydrated, this is a great option. It’s definitely one of the best foundations for textured skin, offering a smooth and natural finish without feeling heavy.
The Tarte Amazonian Clay Liquid Foundation comes in full coverage for an airbrushed finish that blurs pores and hides imperfections. The clay itself is skin nourishing and packed full of vitamins, natural minerals, and anti-inflammatory emollients which can help to reduce irritation and skin redness.
Think of it like a face mask, your skin is absorbing all the goodness, whilst you are getting the best out of your makeup. This is a great selling point if you do happen to have textured skin that gets irritated. Many people have even reported that this skin-friendly foundation, has even improved their textured skin over time. We think this lightweight foundation would be perfect for those individuals whose textured skin needs a dewy and luminous finish that also helps to hydrate without becoming cakey.
This is an excellent choice for skin types with acne or oily skin, providing a matte foundation finish that doesn’t compromise on hydration. It’s definitely one of the best foundations for textured skin, giving you a smooth, even skin look while improving your skin’s health.
The Giorgio Armani Luminous Liquid Foundation is a dewy foundation that works to improve the look of the skin’s texture and reduce the appearance of imperfections and fine lines. Once applied, you will be able to immediately notice that natural healthy glow to the skin. Although the finish is more dewy, this is a good all-around foundation regardless of whether your skin types is more on the dry or oily skin side.
The fact that it is also oil-free means that you won’t have to worry about your makeup budging either. This is the perfect foundation for luxury lovers. Whether it’s your wedding or just a special occasion, this foundation gives you a smooth, luminous skin look that hydrates without becoming cakey. It’s also one of the best foundations for textured skin, providing a flawless finish while reducing redness and imperfections.
The E.l.f Flawless Satin Liquid Foundation works to even skin tone with buildable medium coverage that can be blended effortlessly into the skin. The finish is semi-matte foundation so that any imperfections are hidden, but your skin appears velvety, with a slight luminous glow. Thankfully, E.l.f is also free of nasty chemicals such as parabens and sulphates, which can aggravate certain skin types. With this foundation, you can rest assured that the product will be gentle on your skin.
This is a great drugstore buy for anyone with textured skin who wants a foundation that will be gentle on the skin but absolutely produce the results that you are looking for. Whether you need to control oily skin, reduce redness, or achieve a smooth, dewy finish without looking cakey, this foundation for textured skin is a perfect foundation. It will also hydrate the skin while giving a healthy, flawless skin look.
The Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte Foundation does exactly what it says on the bottle. It blurs and smooths imperfections so that you can’t tell they were ever there in the first place. The soft focus microsphere powders mattify the skin for a gorgeously flawless canvas that still looks like natural skin.
Not only that, but it keeps the vibrancy of your makeup alive for up to 10 hours without fading and helps to retain moisture in your skin at the same time, thanks to the infusion of hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C & E, and Caffeine for longevity. This foundation is matte foundation but does not finish completely matte nor dry, which makes it a great choice for those who want to have that natural, effortless glow to their skin even if they do have oily skin. It won’t draw attention to enlarged pores nor will it show off any redness or acne.
This is an ideal choice for those with textured skin looking for a perfect foundation that gives a smooth, flawless, and luminous skin look without becoming cakey.
The best type of foundation for textured skin is medium to full coverage and one that can be built up for desired results. If your skin airs more on the oily skin side, then a matte foundation could be better for you. If you have drier skin, then perhaps choosing one that is semi-matte or has hydrating properties in it can prevent any dry textures from being enhanced. As someone with textured skin, you also want to consider what is in the foundation, to prevent any skin problems from occurring.
For example, will it block your pores, or is it non-comedogenic? Is it gentle on the skin? Many foundations now come with skin-nourishing ingredients that can help improve the appearance of textured skin. When looking for a foundation that caters to your needs, you might want to explore water-based foundations. These are a great option as they provide a lightweight feel while offering buildable coverage, making them perfect foundation for textured skin.
While choosing the right foundation is step 1, you can also improve the results of your foundation and make it look good on your textured skin by prepping your skin before applying foundation. Use a moisturiser and primer to set your base up and then apply a little foundation at a time with your brush or beauty blender.
Starting off lightly allows you to see how much foundation you actually need or even want. If your foundation is looking textured, don’t add more on, this can make your face look heavy and draw attention to problem areas. Instead, work on blending the foundation into your skin well. Using a setting spray at the end of your application can also help to even out skin tone, so don’t be afraid to use it! If you have textured skin, then you certainly have come to the right place. Our guide to the best foundation for textured skin will save you time and money.
Although it’s hard to pick just one, our personal favourite foundation has to be the Estee Lauder Double Wear. It is a true classic that always looks gorgeous on the skin, even if you have areas of texture. With Double Wear, you are guaranteed to feel like the best version of yourself, and that to us is the magic of makeup! The foundation provides a smooth, luminous finish that hydrates and minimizes redness while offering a flawless skin look—the perfect combination for oily skin and acne!