The 10 Best Matte Foundations for Pristine Skin in 2024

Top 10 Best Matte Foundations 2024

1. Best Overall Matte Foundation: Revlon ColorStay Liquid Foundation 15 SPF

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Demi-Matte
• Skin Type: All
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Color Range: 43
• Longevity: 10-12 Hours
• Packaging: Glass Bottle with Pump
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

Revlon’s ColorStay foundation has been around for a very long time, and it’s been a favorite drugstore matte foundation pretty much from the onset. It’s an exceptional option at a budget-friendly price point.

To start, it makes the skin look truly stunning, with a fantastic pore-blurring effect and a demi-matte finish that flatters all skin types. The coverage is medium when it’s applied with a sponge, but a second layer or a brush application brings it up to a glamorous full coverage.

Since the coverage can be high, you’ll need to find a precise color match. Thankfully, it comes in 43 shades, and Revlon even included a color chart in the Amazon photo gallery to give you an idea of the undertones.

As for longevity, you can trust this foundation to keep you looking put-together even on the longest days. You can expect a minimum of 10-hour wear, but with some powder and setting spray, it even has the potential to live up to Revlon’s 24-hour claim.

Beyond the basics, there are few other things we appreciate. To start, the glass packaging feels nice and hefty, with a pump that keeps things hygienic and makes dispensing the foundation easy. We also appreciate that it includes a 15 SPF because every little bit of sun protection helps.

The main drawback to this foundation is that it doesn’t like to play nice with primers, so it can pill up or settle into skin texture. However, there are no such issues when you wear it alone, so if anything, using it will save you an unnecessary step.

For some, the fact that it’s not cruelty-free may also be an issue, in which case, the HD Foundation by Catrice offers similar finish, coverage, and longevity, although with a much smaller shade range.

2. Best Premium Matte Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Very Matte
• Skin Type: Oily and Combination
• Coverage: Very Full
• Color Range: 42
• Longevity: 12-14 Hours
• Packaging: Glass Bottle
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

As a brand, Estee Lauder doesn’t have a reputation for being trendy or youthful, but this foundation managed to strike a nerve, especially with the makeup lovers on Instagram. It’s a high-end option that absolutely merits the high-price point.

It’s an intensely matte, full-coverage foundation that turns the skin into a flawless canvas, and saves you the need for a concealer. It pairs especially well with the “Instaglam” style of makeup, with sculpted features and pristine brows. It looks gorgeous in photos because it camouflages all discoloration and leaves the skin looking poreless.

It’s also impressive when it comes to longevity. Because it’s so matte, it sets itself without powder. You can apply it in the morning before work, and it won’t need any touch ups throughout happy hour drinks or even a late-night out.

If you love going all-out with your makeup and you want a very mattifying, oil-controlling foundation, there aren’t many better options out there. However, keep in mind that it will look like foundation on the skin. It’s not possible to apply it lightly and fool people into thinking your skin is naturally flawless. If you’d prefer a more natural look, the Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation from Maybelline will be a better fit for you.

The most major drawback to this foundation (other than its premium-level price) is the bottle. It may look elegant, but actually getting foundation out of it isn’t very easy. You have to flip the bottle over to get the foundation to drip out, so you can’t control the amount of product you dispense. You can buy a pump that fits it, but considering the price point, we think it’s Estee Lauder’s responsibility to improve the packaging.

3. Best Long-Wearing Matte Foundation: L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Very Matte
• Skin Type: Oily
• Coverage: Full
• Color Range: 28
• Longevity: 9-12 Hours
• Packaging: Squeeze Tube
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

This matte foundation means business. It has incredible coverage, so it saves you the need for concealer, and its oil-controlling effects rival more expensive foundations.

L’Oreal describes this formula as demi-matte, but we have to disagree. In practice, it has a very powdery matte finish that keeps shine at bay for hours. Even as oils start peeking through, the foundation itself doesn’t fade so the skin still looks flawless even if the finish becomes a little less matte.

One factor that really stands out is how quickly this foundation self-sets. Most foundations take a few minutes to dry down, which gives you time to blend them out, but this one dries down within half a minute or so.

If you’re a little newer to makeup, you may find that challenging, so our tip is to apply it to the skin in small sections and to blend immediately after laying it down. If you’re more experienced, you might appreciate how quickly it sets on days when you need to get your makeup done quickly.

The main drawback to this foundation is that it’s not very forgiving of texture issues, regardless of whether they’re caused by large pores, dry patches, or anything else. In other words, if you’re looking for a smoothing foundation, this one isn’t it.

If you’re not willing to compromise on skin smoothness but also want the intense matte finish and high coverage, you might want to splurge a little more on a foundation like Double Wear from Estee Lauder.

4. Best Budget Matte Foundation: Maybelline Fit Me Liquid Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Matte
• Skin Type: Oily, Combination, and Normal
• Coverage: Medium-to-Medium-Full
• Color Range: 40
• Longevity: 6-8 Hours
• Packaging: Glass Bottle or Pouch
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

This is one of the most popular foundations in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Most matte foundations are designed to have a high-coverage look that leaves the skin looking almost unreal. However, for the average makeup wearer, that’s far too much for every day.

This matte drugstore foundation from Maybelline has a medium coverage level, which many shoppers prefer. It looks and feels natural on the skin, without the mask-like appearance that full coverage foundations can sometimes have.

However, its coverage is still buildable. You can start off slow and easy with a thin layer that perfects your skin, and then amp things up just in the areas where you need more coverage. It’s excellent for work or school days, when you want that slight oil-control without it being obvious that you’re wearing makeup.

The color range is impeccable, with a wide range of shades and realistic undertones. If you normally struggle to find a foundation that matches your skin tone, we think you’ll find an option that works for you here.

As for issues, the glass bottle this foundation comes in used to be a point of complaint, since getting the product out could be awkward. Recently, Maybelline fixed the issue by releasing a new, lightweight plastic pouch package. The pouch costs about the same as the glass bottle, but it comes with a little more product and is much easier to use.

The only actual drawback to this foundation is that it doesn’t have the same longevity as some of the more intense options on the list. It fades away elegantly, but you can expect reduced coverage and a bit of shine after half a day or so.

If you’re not willing to compromise on longevity or a natural look, but you don’t mind lower coverage, you can try the Clean Matte BB Cream from CoverGirl, instead.

5. Best Matte Foundation Powder: bareMinerals BarePro Powder Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Pressed Powder
• Finish: Matte
• Skin Type: Oily and Combination
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Color Range: 35
• Longevity: 8-10 Hours
• Packaging: Compact
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes

Powder foundations offer the easiest way to mattify and cover the skin in seconds. There are many out there on the market, but bareMinerals is the OG. This foundation powder comes pressed into a compact, so it’s sleek and portable, making it ideal for any situation.

Applying it is laughably simple. You can quickly brush it on with a fluffy brush when you want to smooth out and mattify your skin just a little, or you can take a few extra seconds to buff it in with a firmer brush when you want full-coverage. No matter what kind of coverage you like, you can put it on and be out the door in no time!

This powder is made with quite a bit of silica, a natural mineral with a gorgeous pore-blurring effect, almost like a primer. Because of that, even though it mattifies the skin well, it never makes it look too dry or textured. It also has very decent longevity, as it keeps oils from showing up for around 5-6 hours, while the coverage itself doesn’t fade for a few more hours after that.

It’s a real workhorse, and if you have a very long day planned, touching it up will be easier than with most other foundations. If you’re a busy, working person and don’t have time to fuss with your makeup at any point in the day, it’s a dream product.

There’s not much to complain about with this powder, although the price point might make it inaccessible to some. Additionally, while we love the extensive shade range in which this matte powder foundation is available, we do wish they were kept more consistently in stock.

If your skin is a little drier or you have a tighter budget, you might prefer L’Oreal’s True Match Powder Foundation.

6. Most Natural-Looking Matte Foundation: CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Matte
• Skin Type: Oily, Combination, and Normal
• Coverage: Light-to-Medium
• Color Range: 6
• Longevity: 10-12 Hours
• Packaging: Squeeze Tube
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes

Just because you want a matte finish doesn’t mean you’re looking for intense coverage. When it comes to a daily foundation, you might want something that goes lightly over the skin and makes you look a little better while still allowing your natural coloring or freckles to come through. If that’s what you’d like, Covergirl’s Clean Matte BB cream is perfect!

Since BB creams can be functionally identical to foundations, we had no issues including this lovely product on our list. It’s a true matte cream that gives the skin a velvet finish, and its coverage can go from light to medium without any issues. Despite the matte finish, it doesn’t emphasize texture or even dry patches, although you shouldn’t expect it to cover blemishes or discoloration.

It helps to keep shine at bay, but it’s not overly drying. If you have oily skin, it may start developing a slightly dewy sheen after a few hours, while over normal or dry skin it’ll look softly and pleasantly matte. Its longevity is phenomenal, which is not necessarily what one expects from such a natural-looking formula.

With only 6 colors available, this isn’t a great shade range. It’s partially forgivable, since the coverage is low enough that a single shade can work across multiple skin tones, but even so, we think it could include a few more options, especially for deeper complexions.

7. Best Foundation for Acne-Prone Skin: Neutrogena SkinClearing Oil-Free Makeup

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Demi-Matte
• Skin Type: All, Especially Acne-Prone
• Coverage: Light-to-Medium
• Color Range: 14
• Longevity: 6-8 Hours
• Packaging: Glass Bottle
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

If you prefer a matte foundation, chances are it’s because your skin is on the oily side. While having oily skin has major benefits, like being less prone to dehydration and premature aging, it also comes with a higher propensity for acne. That’s why we wanted to include this unusual but exciting foundation.

Neutrogena is primarily known as a skincare brand, so it’s not surprising that their makeup is also formulated like skincare. The star ingredient in this foundation is salicylic acid, a fantastic acne-fighter that cuts through oils, unclogs pores, and even helps suppress inflammation and bacteria. At 0.5%, it’s enough to be effective without irritating your skin. You certainly won’t need to worry about it clogging your pores, since it’s formulated to do the exact opposite.

The texture is incredibly light, so you won’t need to worry about it feeling heavy or gross on your skin. The finish is demi-matte, which is the ideal balance of keeping the skin looking shine-free without enhancing the flakiness that can be caused by active breakouts.

As a makeup product, it’s a nice choice for day-to-day. It has light coverage at first, but it builds up nicely when you need a little more. If you do have prominent blemishes, you might still need to layer some concealer on top just to hide those, but on clear skin days, it’s perfect. It wears well, so while your skin may get a little shiny after 4-5 hours, your skin is still going to look nice and even.

All in all, it’s a fabulous formula for casual makeup days, and our only major complaint is that the shade range is far too small. With more options, it’d be a big winner. The packaging itself also leaves us a little cold, since it’s quite fussy without a pump or dispenser, but if you don’t mind the effort, it’s well worth the minor inconvenience.

8. Best Matte Foundation for Dry Skin: Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Demi-Matte
• Skin Type: All
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Color Range: 23
• Longevity: 10-12 hours
• Packaging: Glass Bottle With Dropper
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes

If you have normal or dry skin, you will like this unusually soft and forgiving matte foundation. It has a very natural looking demi-matte finish that’s not powdery at all. It looks like a natural, second-skin, and yet it manages to cover quite well. Additionally, it’s one of the few cruelty-free matte foundations that managed to impress us.

The liquid itself is very light and easy to spread. It goes on the skin easily, with a thin, lightweight texture that eventually dries down and self-sets. It’s very easy to spread it out for a more natural, medium coverage look, but building it up to full coverage is just as simple. It’s definitely a great, versatile option.

Once the foundation is on, it tends to stay put very well. A little bit of shine will peak through after 2-3 hours if you have oily skin, which can be nice if you don’t want to look overly matte all day long, but your skin will stay covered easily for the entire day and well into the evening.

The glass bottle packaging can be polarizing. We love how hefty it feels, and there’s certainly something special about dispensing your foundation like an alchemist dispensing a magical elixir. However, squeeze tube packaging would be more convenient in nearly all situations. It’s still superior to glass packaging without a dispenser, however.

The one area where this foundation disappoints is with its shade range–23 shades are not enough, especially when considering the relatively high level of coverage it offers.

9. Best Demi-Matte Powder Foundation: L’Oreal Paris True Match Mineral Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Powder
• Finish: Demi-Matte
• Skin Type: All
• Coverage: Medium-to-Full
• Color Range: 13
• Longevity: 6-8 Hours
• Packaging: Shaker Jar
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

If you want the ease of a powder foundation but with a slightly softer appearance, this foundation from L’Oreal is a phenomenal choice. It offers the same quick application as the bareMinerals BarePro Foundation, with a slightly less matte finish that’s better suited for normal skin or those who just don’t want such intense oil-control.

Like the barePro Foundation, it’s also a medium-to-full coverage option. This means that you can adapt the coverage based on your mood or how your skin is doing on any given day.

It looks very velvety and natural on the skin, and it keeps excess oil from peeking through for at least a few hours. After 5 or 6 hours of wear, however, you might develop a slight dewy sheen, especially if your skin is oily. The actual coverage lasts for up to 8 hours, which is serviceable for a typical workday, but won’t be enough for those with very long, demanding hours.

While the powder itself is exquisite, the packaging is a little awkward. It comes in a shaker, with a brush attached to the lid and a clear “cup” over the brush. To use it, you can shake the powder out into the clear cup, and then dip your brush in. It’s easy enough to do at home, but it’s not portable.

Additionally, we find that the brush that it comes with the foundation isn’t very comfortable on the skin, so you’re better off applying the foundation with a separate brush or sponge.

10. Best Matte Foundation for Oily Skin: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Quick Facts:

• Type: Liquid
• Finish: Very Matte
• Skin Type: Oily
• Coverage: Full Coverage
• Color Range: 26
• Longevity: 6-8 Hours
• Packaging: Squeeze Tube
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

This incredibly affordable matte foundation offers exceptional oil-control and coverage. It has a creamy, mousse-like texture that glides over the skin beautifully and has a really nice pore-blurring effect.

The coverage is high and heavy-duty, so you can rely on it to hide blemishes and discolorations without the need for a concealer. As for matte-ness, it’s very matte–so matte to the point that some shoppers find that it dry out their skin. In other words, it’s a decent choice for those with oily skin who want coverage and mattification, on a budget.

Despite the intense mattification, however, we find that it doesn’t have the best longevity. It’ll last you through your school or workday, but you’ll probably need to touch it up afterward.

As far as skin texture goes, we find that it’s extremely forgiving of large pores or indentations in the skin, but it’s not very suitable for dry skin texture issues like fine lines or dry patches. If you have mature skin, you might be nonplussed to find it settling into creases.

In general, we think Stay Matte is most comparable to the Pro-Matte Foundation from L’Oreal, but while it’s better at hiding texture issues, it doesn’t have the same immense longevity or shade range. If you don’t have skin texture issues and you want the intense long-wearing effect, you might prefer L’Oreal over Stay Matte.