14 Best Silicone Based Foundations in 2021 – Reviewed
- By Catherine Jordan
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Silicone-based foundations are the newest trend in makeup. They’re lightweight, long-wearing, and waterproof. You’ll love how they feel on your skin.
Some people prefer silicone-based foundations because they’re lightweight and natural-looking. Others like liquid or powder-based makeup because it offers more coverage.
A silicone-based foundation is a lightweight, natural-looking makeup option that is popular with many celebrities. This type of foundation can look very natural on your skin since it goes on smoothly and has a satin finish.
However, finding the best silicone-based foundation can be a challenge. There are so many different types of foundations on the market, and it’s hard to know which one is right for you.
So, we have done all the hard work and listed here the 14 best silicone-based foundations that you can buy for yourself and get a hassle-free foundation on your face.
1. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation is a liquid foundation that’s oil-free and provides coverage for a wide array of skin tones. It has never been so easy to find your perfect shade.
It is a lightweight liquid foundation that gives you a natural, matte finish. It provides a natural and oil free look on your face. The SPF 18 sunscreen protects against sun damage too.
This foundation has a matte finish and contains salicylic acid which helps keep pores clear of excess oil. The formula contains micro-powders that absorb excess oil for up to 8 hours and helps minimize the appearance of pores and shine.
This oil-free liquid foundation is formulated with Micro-Blurring technology to help diminish the appearance of pores and imperfections for a smooth finish.
The lightweight formula glides on smoothly and blends easily for a natural-looking matte finish that lasts up to 12 hours without caking or settling into fine lines.
This foundation comes in 40 shades, from Ivory to Mocha, so you can find the right fit for every skin tone. The best part is that it’s buildable coverage means you can customize your look to be as natural or as dramatic as you want.
It gives you the freedom to be your own kind of beautiful with a fresh, natural look and feel that lasts all day.
2. Milani Creamy Vanilla Cruelty-Free Liquid Foundation
Milani Creamy Vanilla Cruelty-Free Liquid Foundation is a multi-tasker that provides a flawless, airbrushed finish and helps combat under-eye circles, redness, and other skin imperfections with our water-resistant formula.
This Foundation is a creamy rich, oil-free foundation that conceals imperfections and provides medium to full coverage while creating the perfect natural-looking satin-matte finish.
This foundation covers blemishes, dark spots, discoloration, and other skin imperfections for a flawless complexion. This long-wearing formula will keep your skin looking beautiful all day long with just one application. [1]
A creamy, rich formula that applies evenly to perfect and conceal imperfections with a natural-looking satin-matte finish. It is oil-free, medium-to-full coverage, long-wearing & water-resistant for a beautiful, even skin tone.
For best results, one to two pumps is all you need to create a flawless canvas. Apply to clean, dry skin with even strokes and blend seamlessly into skin. This foundation can also be used with your favorite beauty blender or foundation brush for a silky smooth finish.
It is available in 45 different long-lasting shades, this cruelty-free foundation + concealer can be worn alone or layered over your favorite moisturizer to create the perfect coverage for any occasion.
This cruelty-free makeup provides buildable coverage to help you achieve your desired look with just one product. Use your fingers, your favorite beauty blender, or a foundation brush to apply this 2-in-1 formula to clean, moisturized skin.
3. Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation
Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation is the long-lasting, full coverage foundation that goes on smoothly and stays put for up to 24 hours.
Maybelline New York Super Stay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation also has SPF 18, which helps protect against UV rays, keeping your skin healthy and radiant. This innovative formula provides lightweight, high-impact coverage that glides effortlessly onto skin for flawless makeup results.
The non-drying formula is infused with conditioning ingredients to leave skin feeling hydrated all day long while the soft matte powder leaves a smooth, natural finish.
It provides complete coverage while feeling lightweight on your skin. The matte finish won’t leave you looking shiny throughout the day or night. This foundation comes with a sponge applicator for easy application and blending.
Maybelline SuperStay Full Coverage Foundation is available in 18 shades ranging from very fair to deep dark tones to match every complexion. It features an exclusive Micro-Flex Powder Technology that allows the foundation to move with your skin for a natural look and feel all day.
It has a matte finish and can be applied with either a sponge or a brush. The product comes in a variety of shades, including: “Ivory”, “Natural Beige”, “Sand Beige”, “Creamy Natural”, “Nude Beige” and more.
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4. L'Oreal Paris Makeup Foundation
This L’Oreal Paris Makeup Foundation provides medium to full buildable coverage and a natural finish. The three oil absorbers resist sweat, water, and transfer, SPF 25 to protect, are non-comedogenic, and suitable for all skin types.
The ultra-thin liquid makeup glides on like silk yet delivers buildable coverage with a natural finish available in 40 shades, the breathable liquid goes on smoothly for a healthy-looking complexion, color stays true and blends in evenly.
This cushion-to-pump foundation offers medium coverage and can be applied by using the sponge applicator or a brush for more control.
It’s formulated with Light Reflecting Microspheres to help brighten your complexion and provide an airbrushed effect. This oil-free formula contains Hyaluronic Acid to give you long-lasting hydration throughout the day.
The formula is infused with hydrating ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera, and vitamin E so it won’t dry out your skin.
It’s oil-free, lightweight, and has buildable coverage for natural-looking skin with no shine. For all-day flawless wear, L’Oreal Paris Foundation delivers up to 16 hours of shine control and stays true without fading or caking.
5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation is a lightweight, long-wear liquid makeup that provides natural-looking coverage and stays fresh all day.
The foundation comes in 40 shades and provides medium to full buildable coverage with a natural finish. Its ultra-thin formula goes on smoothly for a healthy-looking complexion that lets skin breathe.
The color stays true and blends evenly, while the advanced formula resists sweat, water, and transfer so your look lasts all day (and night). The formula’s three oil absorbers resist sweat, water, and transfer while the SPF 25 protects your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays.
It is a long-wearing makeup with 15-hour staying power that looks flawless and natural, lasts through heat, humidity, nonstop activity, and won’t change color smudge, or come off on clothes. Feels lightweight and comfortable.
For a look that lasts all day without touch-ups then use Semi-Matte oil-free fragrance-free Full Size 1oz/30ml In Box. You can use your fingertips to apply the liquid foundation over your skin for a look that lasts all day without touch-ups.
The right foundation can make all the difference to your look – whether you’re going for full coverage or something more natural-looking.
6. Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Medium Coverage Liquid Foundation
Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation is a medium coverage foundation that provides natural, radiant finish lasting up to 16 hours. It is suitable for normal to combination skin types as well as dry skin.
This Foundation provides a healthy, radiant glow with medium coverage. The foundation is formulated with ingredients to help combat the signs of fatigue and boost radiance for a fresh looking complexion.
It has a non-comedogenic formula, which means that it won’t block your pores.This liquid foundation provides medium coverage to the face.
It’s an anti-age formula with a blend of vitamin C that gives anti-fatigue effect, vitamin E that performs anti-oxidant action and vitamin B5 that tonifies the skin. It has SPF 15 PA++ which protects against UVA & UVB rays.
It has an anti-fatigue formula that contains a hyaluronic acid derivative to provide 24 hour hydration, spherical powders for a soft focus effect and optically blurring the blemishes.
This Foundation is a liquid foundation with medium coverage that provides an immediate semi-matte finish. Its melting texture blends ideally into the skin and stays comfortable all day long while fighting fatigue.
The formula contains anti-fatigue ingredients to boost your energy, fight against signs of fatigue and leave your skin looking radiant. It is a great choice for those who want to hide imperfections, even out and brighten their complexion. [2]
The formula is suitable for all skin types, especially dry skin. It is available in 8 shades from 01 Ivory to 08 Tan, this long-lasting foundation makes you look fresh and radiant all day long.
7. Max Factor Long Lasting Performance Foundation
Max Factor Soft Beige Foundation provides a long-lasting, flawless finish that is perfect for every skin tone. This foundation has a creamy texture and blends easily with your skin, providing medium coverage.
The formula is also designed to be long lasting, so you don’t have to worry about touch ups throughout the day. The oil-free formula helps prevent shine and keeps your skin looking fresh and healthy throughout the day.
It creates a radiant complexion and stays on all day without fading or smudging. The soft beige shade is ideal for women of color who want to even out their skin tone and appear fairer.
It is a long-lasting, oil-free foundation that provides a flawless look for up to 16 hours. It’s formulated with Microspheres, which absorb excess sebum so your skin looks fresh and shine-free all day.
This product is recommended for daily use with its soft beige tone. It also comes in 35 ml. The long lasting performance foundation by Max Factor is one of the best foundations you can find on the market today.
The foundation is designed to look as if you have nothing on, but with the coverage of a full face of makeup. This foundation provides buildable coverage to provide the perfect amount of coverage needed for any occasion. Whether you need full coverage or light coverage this foundation will provide it all.
8. TEMPTU S/B Silicone-Based Airbrush Foundation
TEMPTU S/B Silicone-Based Airbrush Foundation is the original airbrush makeup, made with silicone-based pigments that blend seamlessly into skin for a natural-looking, dewy finish.
This Airbrush Foundation is an innovative foundation that provides a dewy, natural-looking finish. This PRO AIRBRUSH FORMULA provides buildable coverage and can be applied effortlessly with our patented airbrush system.
It can be mixed for a customized color and applied by airbrush, fingertips, brush, or sponge. Temptu’s Silicone Based Airbrush Foundation gives you a natural-looking, long-lasting finish.
It is used by professional makeup artists and models around the world to achieve flawless coverage. It will not fade or streak even in extreme conditions from high heat to high humidity.
The long-lasting formula leaves skin glowing all day while soft-focus powders create a demi-matte finish that flatters every complexion. This Airbrush Foundation provides buildable coverage and is available in 12 custom-blendable shades to match any skin tone.
It lasts throughout the day and night, so you don’t have to worry about reapplying makeup as often. This foundation is available in three colors: Natural Beige, Classic Beige, and Honey Beige
9. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
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The NARS Sheer Glow Foundation is a lightweight foundation that provides long-lasting moisture and protects your skin against dryness. It blends into your skin for an even, radiant finish.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation is a luminous, natural radiant finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage that immaculately evens skin tone.
The oil-free formula is infused with light-diffusing pigments to create natural luminosity. This sheer coverage foundation helps correct and perfect the look of skin while providing comfortable wear all day long.
The NARS complexion brightening formula leaves skin hydrated, more luminous, softer, and smoother. This oil-free foundation features SPF 15 sun protection. Available in 30 shades to perfectly match all skin tones.
This liquid foundation provides sheer, natural-looking coverage that’s long-lasting and perfect for normal skin. It’s formulated with Hyaluronic Acid to help keep skin hydrated and features an oil-free, non-comedogenic formula that won’t clog pores.
The lightweight texture blends easily onto the skin, while optical blurring technology helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
This foundation has a sheer, demi-matte finish that looks luminous on the skin. Available in 26 shades, this foundation has a weightless feel that’s ideal for normal skin types.
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10. MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation is an oil-free foundation that provides a natural matte finish for all skin types.
This Foundation is a foundation that provides full coverage with a natural finish. It’s designed to be used by professional makeup artists and it is popular among celebrities.
It helps control shine and keep your makeup looking fresh all day long. This foundation gives you buildable coverage from sheer to medium, and it blends beautifully on the skin.
The Foundation SPF 15 is a modern foundation with a natural matte finish and broad-spectrum protection. The oil-free formula blends easily for an even, smooth application and won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.
It provides medium coverage that looks natural on the skin while protecting against UVA/UVB rays, environmental irritants, and acne-causing bacteria.
It’s ideal for normal to oily skin types, but can be used by all complexions looking for a fresh, flawless look without shine.
This Foundation is a versatile foundation that can be worn alone or under powder foundations to make them more long-wearing and resistant to transfer and smudging.
This foundation comes in many different shades including NC30 – Light Medium Golden which provides light to medium color coverage with a golden undertone.
This Foundation has an oil-free formula, so if your skin tends to get oily you may want to consider using this product. You can apply this foundation using either your fingers or a brush.
11. Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation is a long-lasting, transfer-proof formula that glides on and blends seamlessly for a natural finish that’s luminous, yet never greasy.
The skin-loving formula is infused with hyaluronic acid for effortless, comfortable wear that won’t dry out or settle into fine lines. It features a unique soft matte powder that gives you a beautiful airbrushed look.
It is formulated with high-tech pigments that mimic the skin’s natural color and reflect light for a truly flawless look. This oil-free foundation provides medium to full coverage, is transfer-resistant, has SPF 20, and is long-wearing.
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, a hydrating foundation that gives you a more youthful look and feels in just one application. With its lightweight formula, this creamy foundation blends easily onto your face for buildable coverage without the heavy or cakey feeling.
This oil-free, water-resistant formula provides medium coverage with a weightless feel for up to 8 hours of wear. The result is a natural-looking flawless finish that feels comfortable all day long. [3]
The antioxidant-rich formula also contains hyaluronic acid for anti-aging benefits. It is available in 16 shades, including warm tones designed to flatter all skin tones.
12. FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA Foundation
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation is full coverage, matte finish foundation that provides a soft-focus effect. This high-performance makeup looks natural and feels comfortable all day long.
The liquid-to-powder formula contains light-diffusing spherical particles to blur imperfections and reflect light to minimize the appearance of fine lines and pores for beautifully smooth skin.
This unique formula blends pigments with liquids like a powder for buildable coverage that’s never cakey or heavy looking. This product is a soft matte foundation that gives the skin an instantly smooth, pore-diffused, shine-free finish and easily builds to medium to full coverage.
The oil-free formula is made with climate-adaptive technology that resists sweat so it won’t clog pores and humidity to keep it in place for up to 8 hours. It also adjusts to the temperature around your skin for a perfect shade match and won’t clog pores.
Best of all, this long-wearing, light-as-air texture is undetectable on skin—so you always look like you.
The color payoff is high, but the formula is lightweight so it feels like nothing on your lips. It is available in 20 shades of nude, pink, red, and berry tones.
13. RIMMEL LONDON Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation
Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation is a liquid foundation that provides medium coverage. This foundation provides you with the coverage that you need while still looking natural.
It is formulated with absorbing powders that help control excess sebum production, resulting in matte skin throughout the day. The formula of this foundation contains micronized pigments that blend seamlessly into the skin to help achieve an airbrushed effect.
This water-resistant liquid foundation features a unique brush applicator that allows you to blend the product seamlessly onto your face for flawless results. It has been dermatologically tested and approved for all skin types. It helps to even out the skin tone and hide imperfections.
It has great coverage so it can replace your concealer without leaving any uneven areas on your face. This oil-free foundation contains SPF 15 to help protect against harmful UV rays from sun exposure.
It has an airy, lightweight texture. This formula offers all-day shine control and an oil-free matte finish. The silky-smooth texture incorporates state-of-the-art gel emulsifiers that glide over the skin to deliver a flawless application with buildable coverage.
It is easy to apply and easy to take off at the end of the day, making it ideal for people on the go who don’t have time to deal with messy makeup removal routines.
It is available in 16 shades, it is made for any complexion and can be worn alone or used as a primer under your favorite powder foundation for added staying power.
14. Christian Dior Diorskin Forever Undercover Foundation
Christian Dior Diorskin Forever Undercover Foundation is a long-lasting, natural and matte foundation that gives you an even complexion.
With its anti-aging properties, it helps fight against the first signs of aging for younger-looking skin. It contains high pigments to create an ultra-fine, weightless finish on the skin.
The formula is enriched with Pure Vitamin C and Ceramide which helps maintain moisture levels in the skin, preventing dryness and dehydration.
The formula offers a perfect combination of matte and radiant finish which makes it suitable for all skin types. It’s the first water-based formula to offer full coverage with a natural finish. It blends into your skin for a flawless look.
It has been dermatologically tested and proven non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). This product is free from fragrance, oil, and parabens. The formula has been enriched with the latest skincare technology to provide 24-hour hydration and instant comfort.
Its unique technology allows it to be applied smoothly and evenly while leaving no trace of makeup on the face. Dior’s exclusive Air Focus Powder ensures flawless complexion by diffusing light reflections.
This foundation offers you an invisible yet flawless complexion every day of the week.It is available in 12 shades, this long-wearing foundation is ideal for all skin types and tones.
Silicone Based Foundations: What you Need To Know
“Silicone-based” means that your foundation or makeup may contain one of the following types of common silicones:
1. Cyclomethicone
Cyclomethicone is a form of silicone that is specifically made to be used in makeup. It boasts a lightweight texture that feels like water when it’s applied to the skin but is also able to provide medium-to-full coverage.
Cyclomethicone contains Cyclopentasiloxane as well as dimethicone to help achieve a silky smooth application onto the skin. It also helps provide control over oil production on the face while keeping your makeup looking fresh all day long.
Many makeup artists feel that this silicone oil provides superior hydration to other formulas on the market because of its ability to soak up moisture and not “drink” it in like other silicone oils that can create an excessively oily look or feel on the skin.
2. Dimethicone
Dimethicone is another silicone oil that can be found in many formulations of makeup and skincare products.
It’s a very popular silicone because oftentimes it feels more lightweight than other silicones and, like cyclomethicone, it has an unlimited ability to soak up moisture.
What separates dimethicone from other silicon oils though is its paste-like consistency as well as the fact that it doesn’t feel tacky or grease-like on the skin after being applied to damaged areas like dry patches, sun spots, etc. [4]
Although this specific type of silicone helps provide more hydration for dry skin types, some people swear by using them on oily skin because they do not leave behind any residue at all.
3. Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Trimethylsiloxysilicate, more commonly referred to as trimethylsiloxy silicate or simply tri-methyl silicate, is another formula that has been used for many years in makeup.
It’s a silicone oil that is quite thick and heavy and therefore doesn’t feel as lightweight on the skin as Cyclomethicone or dimethicone do.
What attracts people to this formulation of makeup though is its ability to provide full coverage while also providing superior hydration at the same time.
It can be used on all types of skins because it won’t clog pores or leave behind greasy residue but will still allow your skin to breathe.
4. Cyclopentasiloxane
Silicones are chemical compounds with multiple silicon atoms bonded together, which makes them extremely long chains filled with silicon dioxide molecules and an oily liquid inside the long chain.
Silicones make up about 75% of the cosmetic industry, found in everything from skincare products to mascaras to eye shadow (R).
Each different type of silicone has similar characteristics but can also have some small differences depending on where they are sourced from and how they are processed into the finished product.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a foundation that will provide medium to full coverage, you should take a look at this list of 14 best silicone based foundations. All these options are long-wearing and offer different finishes depending on your skin type or personal preference.
Our favorite is L’Oreal Paris Makeup Foundation because it’s available in an array of shades with SPF 20 which protects against UV rays. We hope our list helps answer the question “What are the best silicone based foundations?” Feel free to ask us any questions about how we picked these products or why they made our top 14!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use a water-based primer with a silicone-based foundation?
Water-based products go on top of silicone oils which means that they will not bind with your makeup.
Silicone-based primers work best when applied to bare skin or over a layer of hydrating serum or moisturizer if you have dry skin.
2. Is silicone bad for primer?
Silicones are actually good for the skin as long as it is used in moderation and is combined with other skincare ingredients like glycerin, Vitamin E, aloe vera, etc.
Silicones are often added to sunscreen and moisturizing creams because of their ability to not only provide hydration but also create a protective barrier between your skin and things that can damage it like pollution, UV rays, bacteria, etc.
It is worth noting that ingredients like Dimethicone have been shown to increase skin pigmentation in some cases over time, which can cause unwanted discoloration or patchiness around the face.
To reduce this risk, look for formulas that contain silicone oils blended with silica or other polymers.
3. Why are Silicones used in makeup?
Silicone-based makeup has several benefits including a natural ability to blend into the skin without ever feeling greasy and clogging pores.
It also travels friendly because it does not need to be refrigerated and will not melt off when exposed to extreme heat as well as being waterproof and lasting all day long.
4. How can you tell if a foundation is silicone-based?
By reading the label on the bottle or by searching online for an ingredients list from the manufacturer’s website.
If it says Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, or Sepiolite on the ingredient list then it is likely that your foundation contains at least one type of silicone oil.
Skincare products like makeup foundations should be labeled clearly with their active ingredients so there shouldn’t be any guessing involved when looking for them in stores.
Silicones have been around for decades and are proven to be effective cosmetic ingredients so there should be no cause to worry.
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