Building a makeup collection is a difficult and expensive process. You never know which formula is best for you or which products are best to spend a little bit more money on.

In the past, we’ve written a full guide to the makeup essentials every woman needs. Today, I’m going into depth on base makeup, which forms the basis of your look.

Below, I’ll show you how to shop for base makeup and share my picks for the best foundations, concealers, and powders… ever.

Table of Contents

First Things First:

Before applying any makeup, it’s important that you start with a solid skincare routine! By adhering to a good skincare routine you will have a better surface to apply your makeup onto and you will be able to wear less product.

If you don’t have a skincare routine in place, start by reading our guide to a basic skincare routine. After that, customize your basic routine with our recommendations for dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, and body care.

Now onto the makeup!

Foundation

Foundation is great for smoothing and evening the look of your skin and it comes in a few different forms. You can get foundations in liquid, cream, stick, and powder forms. Deciding which one is best for you depends on your preferences. I’ll outline each one below.

Best Liquid Foundations

Liquid foundation is easy to find and comes in all finishes: You can get a great matte look or something more dewy — it’s all up to you.

One of the best liquid foundations out there is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Foundation which has a soft matte finish and an extensive shade range. (See our Fenty Pro Filt’r Foundation review for more on this amazing product.)