10 Of The Best Foundations For Dry Skin

Anyone who has used a tretinoin product before will know that the dryness is almost impossible to cover: even the most moisturising formulas highlight flakiness.

Well, MAC’s recently made-over Studio Radiance foundation is the solution. The light, watery texture skims over those peeling patches, making everything look hydrated and happy – even at close range.

It won’t cover blemishes or thread veins, but will deliver that glowy, glass-skin effect on skin that's so dry it's literally flaking away. It’s too viscous for a brush, so apply with fingers for the best results.

There's at least one member of team ELLE that has worn this every single day since it landed on the desk. The ultimate dewy-skin shortcut, Saie's aptly named new launch is essentially a milky hydrating serum packed with skin-brightening colour: think of it as pigmented skincare, and you're on the right track.

As for application, fingers will suffice, but if you're planning on building it up over areas of redness, the brand's stubby Base Brush is worth investing in.

The best high-street base product to have landed on our desks for quite some time, this silky BB cream packs in a surprising level of pigment, making skin look both unified and mega-hydrated.

An investment worth making, Gucci Westman’s foundation sticks are raved about by just about every beauty editor we know.

A far cry from the stick formulas of old, they’re creamy enough to sink into thirsty skin, bringing life to sallow patches and masking redness with ease.

Use yours as the revered make-up artist would: to strategically cover specific areas of the face, rather than blending all over.

Ilia's skin tint combines surprisingly high coverage with SPF 30, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. It's definitely the dewiest of the whole bunch – so much so, we're surprised there are no oils involved. One use, and you'll fully understand why it's Sephora's bestselling base product in the States. The only downside is the smell: it's not artificially fragranced, so does have a bit of a musty aroma.

It’s a bold statement, but we think this is Charlotte Tilbury’s best base product yet. Lighter and creamier than the original Magic Foundation, it delivers easily buildable coverage without ever veering into cakey territory – even on the driest of complexions.

A densely packed brush works best for everyday – the brand’s own Hollywood Complexion Brush is ideal – but try it with a beauty sponge for that red carpet airbrushed effect.

L'Oréal is on fire at the moment – the brand has released so many outstanding complexion products. For light and luminous skin, the True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum still wins, but anyone looking for a little extra coverage should try the newly reformulated True Match Super-Blendable Foundation. It’s soft and satiny, but cleverly contains a tiny amount of reflective pigment, meaning you get the radiance without compromising on longevity.

Ok, so this isn’t strictly a foundation, but if you’re dry-skinned and haven’t tried NARS’ cult tinted moisturiser, you’re really missing a trick. As hydrating as a face cream but satisfyingly well-pigmented, this all-in-one winner softens and quenches while unifying skin – it’ll even mask those pesky dark circles, leaving your concealer obsolete.

This one definitely falls into the ‘treat yourself’ camp, but boy is it worth it. Sisley’s most raved about foundation really does make skin look amazing: think, fresh and luminous, not plastered in product. The water-based formula is comfortable to wear and undetectable on skin – ideal for anyone who finds most foundations tend to settle in their pores.

This rich, creamy serum foundation is heaven on persistently dry skin. Apply it over a decent moisturiser (and SPF, of course), and you'll get light-reflecting radiance alongside proper coverage that doesn't slip and slide after a few hours.