Makeup Artists Share the Best Foundations to Fake Perfect Skin—Here’s the Reveal

When choosing a liquid foundation, it helps to think of the type of finish you’re looking for. “Do you like a more dewy, transparent finish or a full-coverage, matte finish? And everything in between,” says Mia Jones, a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Cindy Crawford, Chelsea Handler, and Rosario Dawson. “For me personally, it comes down to weight on the skin. If I feel the base makeup is too heavy, I feel uncomfortable and that the foundation is actually wearing me.”

Since liquid foundations are super blendable, celebrity makeup artist Christine Cherbonnier recommends buying a couple of shades to better customize your foundation color, especially if you have multiple tones throughout your face and neck. She buys her winter and summer shade at the same time and mixes them together throughout the year.

Even though a foundation can give you perfect skin, you still don’t want to skip the skincare step. “A common mistake these days is choosing a foundation with added skincare benefits to replace actual skincare,” Jones says. “The work should always start with the skin by using proper skincare products.”