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Byrdie / Michela Buttignol
There are few things we like more in the beauty world than multi-tasking products. They save not only time, but also precious space in your makeup bag or bathroom drawer, not to mention are a great way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your beauty purchases. One of our favorite types of multi-tasking products is a good anti-aging foundation. As the category name suggests, these complexion enhancers offer all the same benefits of traditional foundations—coverage to even out skin tone and minimize the look of imperfections—but with the added benefit of simultaneously delivering youth-boosting ingredients to make your skin look better in the long-run, too.
Byrdie Researched & Approved
Our best overall pick is Lancôme Renergie Lift Makeup Lightweight Liquid Foundation SPF 27, which helps to lift the appearance of skin and also contains hydrating ingredients for a creamy base. We love that the formula provides, antioxidant protection, and SPF, too. For a more affordable pick, consider L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation, which glides on smooth and comes in 30 shades.
While they won’t necessarily totally replace a straight-up anti-aging skincare staple (like a retinoid serum), anti-aging foundations are a great way to get a little extra boost from your makeup. Also nice? Anti-aging foundations tend to be much more hydrating, meaning they won’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles, but will create the appearance of plumper, glowier skin, notes celebrity makeup artist Todd Harris.
We conducted hours of research on the best anti-aging foundations, evaluating each formula on coverage and finish, as well as taking into account the active ingredients that help deliver youth-boosting benefits to skin.
Keep reading to learn more about the best anti-aging foundations for a flawless complexion.
Best Overall: Lancôme Renergie Lift Makeup Foundation SPF 27
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Courtesy of Ulta
Made for all skin types
SPF 27
Feels light on skin
Contains parabens
What do buyers say? 1,200+ Ulta reviewers rated this product 4.2 stars or above.
This checks all of our anti-aging boxes. Not only does it contain a contouring complex of ingredients that helps make skin look more lifted for up to 12 hours, it also is nice and hydrating, and touts antioxidant protection in the form of vitamin E and caffeine. There’s oh-so important SPF in the mix too, and, on the makeup side of things, we appreciate that it can easily be built-up from medium to full coverage.
Coverage: Medium to full | Shade Range: 25 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Budget: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector
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Sheer, buildable coverage
Contains retinol
SPF 20
Shade range could be expanded
This pick contains the king of all anti-aging ingredients: retinol. The vitamin A-derivative is well-known for its wrinkle-fighting, skin-smoothing effects, and this is one of the few makeup formulas we’ve seen that contains it. It contains antioxidants and broad-spectrum SPF 20 as well; we just wish it came in a slightly more extensive shade range.
Coverage: Sheer | Shade Range: 6 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1 fl. oz | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Sheer Coverage: Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Serum Broad-Spectrum SPF 20
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Courtesy of Perricone MD
A little goes a long way
Natural-looking finish
Feels light on skin
SPF 25
Expensive
For those who like their base light and sheer, rather than full and heavy, this aptly-named option is choice. The serum-based formula goes on extremely sheer (though can be built-up), and instantly color corrects to help hide dark spots and uneven tone. At the same time, bisabolol, a skin-brightening antioxidant, delivers longer-term effects, as do youth-boosting neuropeptides and DMAE, a compound that helps fight the signs of aging.
Coverage: Medium to full | Shade Range: 8 | Finish: Semi-matte | Size: 1 fl. oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best CC Cream: IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
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Macy's
SPF 50
Provides smooth, even coverage
Hydrating formula
Can oxidize
There’s good reason(s) why this formula (developed with the help of derms and plastic surgeons( is a veritable cult-classic. Even though it’s technically a CC cream, it still packs a powerful punch of pigment for full-on coverage, all in a creamy base that’s packed with hydrating hyaluronic acid to help make skin appear plumper and smoother. In related news, it also contains collagen and wrinkle-fighting peptides, and a whopping dose of SPF 50. There are 12 shades to choose from, a lot for a CC cream, and we also like that it comes in a convenient mini size that’s great for travel.
Coverage: Full | Shade Range: 12 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Shade Range: L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation
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Courtesy of Amazon
Great shade range
Very hydrating
Affordable
Not clean or cruelty-free
Harris is a fan of this pick. Credit the use of vitamin B3, AKA niacinamide, which both helps keep skin hydrated, is anti-inflammatory, and can brighten discoloration, too. From a makeup perspective, we love that it comes in an extensive line-up of 30 shades with varying undertones, offering something for all complexions.
Coverage: Light to medium | Shade Range: 30 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
What Our Experts Say
“The lightweight foundation evens skin tone, provides light to medium coverage, and contains SPF 50 in a serum formula.” —Todd Harris, Celebrity Makeup Artist
Best Splurge: Chanel Sublimage L’Essence De Teint
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Chanel
Amazing texture
Natural, skin-like finish
Not clean or cruelty-free
Very expensive
This guy is pricey, yes, but worth every penny. Harris lauds the rich, serum-like texture that’s deeply hydrating, as well as the addition of skin-loving plant-based antioxidants (many of the same ones that are found in the brand’s skincare line of the same name). The medium coverage also blurs away the look of imperfections, while mica creates a perfectly luminous-yet-natural finish.
Coverage: Medium | Shade Range: 12 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1.35 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Medium Coverage: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Foundation
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Sephora
Extremely hydrating
Great shade range
Long-lasting
Has a strong fragrance that might aggravate break-outs
According to Harris, hyaluronic acid is one of the best ingredients to seek out in an anti-aging foundation. The humectant attracts water to and traps it in the skin, making it appear plumper, more supple, and smoother almost instantly. It’s the star of the show in this new formula, which also contains plant-based antioxidants, helps to blur the look of pores, and has 16-hour staying power.
Coverage: Medium | Shade Range: 30 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Full Coverage: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Foundation SPF 15
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Courtesy of Derm Store
Extremely hydrating
Long-lasting color
Could contain a higher SPF
Not clean or cruelty-free
If you’re after a foundation that packs serious, full-on coverage, go with this one. It’s rich, cushiony, and creamy, and has special polymer-coated pigments that keep the color consistent and true. In the skincare department, it has a ceramide triple complex; as a quick reminder, ceramides are essential components of your skin barrier, responsible for keeping moisture locked in and irritants locked out.
Coverage: Medium to full | Shade Range: 7 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Drugstore: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Treatment Foundation Makeup
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Courtesy of Walmart
Very affordable
Long-lasting
Built-in applicator
Could contain a higher SPF
Not clean or cruelty-free
Limited shades
It may be the concealer from this line that gets all the attention, but don’t sleep on the foundation. Harris says it has a natural finish and texture that won’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles, and has medium to full coverage that lasts all day. It contains protective antioxidants (namely, goji berry), and we also like that it has a built-in applicator that’s antimicrobial.
Coverage: Medium to full | Shade Range: 6 | Finish: Natural | Size: .68 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No
Runner-Up, Best Drugstore: COVERGIRL Simply Ageless + Olay Liquid Foundation
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Affordable
Good combination of skincare ingredients
Does not contain SPF
This pick is so much of a hybrid that it’s actually the result of two major beauty juggernauts coming together—Covergirl and Olay. It contains both hyaluronic acid as well as skin-brightening, wrinkle-smoothing vitamin C, housed in a serum that you can see swirled in with the foundation. It can also be built-up from sheer all the way to full coverage, depending how and how much is applied.
Coverage: Sheer to full | Shade Range: 12 | Finish: Natural | Size: 1 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Concealing Redness: Chantecaille Future Skin Oil-Free Gel Foundation
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Chantecaille
Very buildable coverage
Melts into skin
On the pricier side
Best applied with a brush
Harris says it’s important to look for an anti-aging foundation that can conceal redness, which becomes more prominent as we age; this one excels at doing exactly that. “It’s also incredibly hydrating, without ever looking greasy, and the texture basically melts into skin,” he says. It’s oil-free and made of 60% water.
Coverage: Sheer to full | Shade Range: 15 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 1.05 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Dry Skin: Monika Blunder Blunder Cover
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Very versatile formula
Variety of shades
Contains hydrating ingredients
Some users report creasing, especially under eyes
Fun fact: Skin gets naturally drier as we get older, which is where this creamy base can help. It’s packed with hydrating aloe and natural oils (castor seed, soybean, safflower, and more) as well as tons of plant-based antioxidants.
Coverage: Varies | Shade Range: 20 | Finish: Radiant | Size: .62 fl. Oz. | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
What Our Experts Say
“Mix it with your favorite moisturizer to sheer it down, or use it straight up as a concealer.” —Todd Harris, Celebrity Makeup Artist
Final Verdict
Anti-aging foundations really do offer the best of both the skincare and makeup worlds, in one convenient bottle. The Lancôme Renergie Lift Makeup Lightweight Liquid Foundation SPF 27 is our favorite of the bunch, offering lifting and hydrating benefits, antioxidant protection, and SPF, too. There are also some great options to check out at the drugstore, such as the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation (which happens to come in an extensive line-up of 30 shades), and the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Treatment Foundation Makeup (which touts a built-in applicator).
Meet the Expert
Todd Harris is a celebrity makeup artist, groomer, and skincare expert. He’s also the co-founder of the Trans Beauty Clinic.
What to Look For in an Anti-Aging Foundation
Texture
Thicker foundations may end up highlighting lines and pores even more, so it's best to opt for a thinner and lighter texture. It'll help smooth all of those itty-bitty lines and keep your skin looking it's best. You'll also want to stay away from anything powder-based for the same reason, since it'll highlight lines instead of conceal.
Finish
Sometimes luminous finishes can be too glowy and matte finishes can be too dry for more mature skin. Something in the middle-ground, like a natural finish, will help achieve the most flattering results. You want your foundation to look like your skin, but better, so remember to keep that in mind.
SPF
Opt to find a foundation with SPF. It helps protect against the sun's UV rays, which can cause skin to age prematurely. Not to mention that it also helps prevent against skin cancer.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. While she doesn’t wear foundation regularly, whenever she does, she opts for an anti-aging formula to give her skin a little extra boost.
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