The easy-to-use formulas are made for every need, from oily to dry skin.
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Liquid foundations, powder foundations, cream foundations, even airbrush foundations — it seems there's a formula for everyone. If you're looking for a portable, easy-to-use option, try a foundation stick.
While they're especially great for travel (you don't have to worry about liquids spilling!) and taking on-the-go (its small size will easily fit in a purse for mid-day touch-ups), foundation sticks aren't just convenient. Like their liquid counterpart, they can be used to even out complexions on a variety of skin types, depending on your concern. Foundation sticks "contain the same ingredients as liquid foundations, and the addition of waxes to the formula makes them solid," says GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, we've tested countless foundations over the years — so we know what goes into making a good formula. In our tests, we evaluate whether formulas are easy to blend, give buildable coverage, spread easily on skin and more. All of these aspects are important to consider in any foundation, regardless of the format.
To create this list, alongside the expertise of our GH Beauty Lab experts, we also tapped celebrity makeup artist and founder of Jamie Makeup, Jamie Greenberg, and beauty entrepreneur and celebrity makeup artist Elaina Badro. Ahead, the best foundation sticks you can buy, from drugstore buys to formulas for mature skin.
Looking for more complexion enhancers? Check out our guides to the best foundations for dry skin and for acne-prone skin.
Recommended by both makeup artists, Butler and one of our editors, it's safe to say this Hourglass foundation stick is widely loved by experts. They note that it offers full coverage and can also be great for oily skin (one of our editors who had oily skin in high school swore by this product to keep shine at bay).
Butler adds that "it's highly blendable and just a few dots of the product on the face give skin a perfected look." You can expect a smooth, satin-matte finish with this stick, Butler advises. Though it's on the pricier side, it lasts a long time, so it's a good investment.
A well-priced pick, this foundation is a multitasker that can act as concealer too, making it an even smarter buy. GH Beauty Director April Franzino recommends this product, sharing that she uses it "as a concealer and loved how seamlessly it blended." She adds that it felt very silky and hydrating on her skin. An online reviewer finds it looks greasy on their face, so consider setting it with a face powder if this happens to you.
Make wearing your sunscreen even easier with this bargain foundation stick from drugstore icon L'Oréal Paris.
Badro loves that this product contains SPF in it, though it comes in the form of octinoxate (important to note if your skin gets irritated by chemical sunscreen). With nearly 4,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, consumers agree that it's a great buy, often noting that a little goes a long way and enjoying the higher coverage it provides. "Soft, smooth, fast and easy to apply," one reviewer simply writes.
While foundations can provide a small amount of protection, you likely won’t apply enough to get the SPF listed on the package. Remember to apply a face sunscreen of at least SPF 30 to protect your skin, and apply foundation on top.
Both makeup artists love this foundation stick; Badro even recommends it specifically for mature skin, noting that it "offers a natural finish" that some mature skin types prefer. GH editor Stephanie Dolgoff also uses this one, sharing that she has "lines, and somehow this stick doesn't accentuate them." She also finds that it's "not heavy or thick and can be used under my eyes without getting cakey and creased when I smile." Take note that some online reviewers find that it doesn't blend well.
Two GH staffers with sensitive skin use this foundation stick. GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann loves using it "like a concealer where there is redness or to even skin tone," she says, and she even uses it under the eyes as well.
GH staffer Lis Engelhart, who also has sensitive skin, uses it as a concealer as well; she shares that "it's lightweight and buildable, which is great for me since I prefer a 'no makeup' look. It goes on easily and I just blend with my fingers, so it's perfect for on-the-go." Online reviewers with dry skin said it accentuated dryness and texture, so this can be better for oily and combination skin types.
Thanks to what Badro calls "skin-loving ingredients" and a nourishing formula, this foundation stick is a great choice for dry (or even sensitive!) skin. Along with Badro, Greenberg and Butler also recommend this medium coverage product. It "has a creamy texture and contains a blend of oils including squalane and camellia seed," says Butler. "It feels a bit heavier but more moisturizing than other stick foundations. I love how it melts into skin and looks very natural."
There's no denying that this is a pricey foundation stick, but it was recommended by both of the makeup artists we consulted. Greenberg highlights the formula, calling it "super creamy, very silky and luxurious on the skin." She adds that "it adheres well to the skin," which is important when you want to your makeup to last all day. "It's also very buildable and leaves the skin looking fresh and glowy while still giving whatever level of coverage you need," she adds. Plus, Badro loves that you can use it on "dry, combo and normal skin," she says.
Mented's foundation stick includes skin-friendly ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf extract and grapeseed oil. Achieve hydrated, natural-looking skin and customize your coverage level with the buildable formula that reviewers find blends evenly and smoothly. Reviewers with oily skin claim it's great for mattifying and smoothing without triggering breakouts, but note that one GH Beauty Lab tester noted it "may be too heavy for dry skin."
Those with oily skin often are also dealing with large pores, so finding a foundation that minimizes the look of pores is a must-have. Butler loves "the blurring ability of this tint stick and how it conceals my pores!" Like many other picks on this list (and something that's important for any foundation stick), she also shares that "it glides on skin so smoothly and blends effortlessly." It leaves a soft finish and offers medium coverage. According to some online reviewers, it comes off of skin easily, so it's not the most long-lasting product.
From dark circles to blemishes to scars, this foundation can hide it all. It provides full coverage with a velvety finish, according to the brand. A reviewer raves that "it blurred so much of my texture. I did not need a primer or powder, but I did use a setting spray."
Another reviewer who says they've been using the product for more than 15 years adds that "when it says total coverage, believe it. This foundation covers everything." Plus, it has SPF to protect your skin from the sun. Note that some online reviewers find that the online shade match offered isn't always accurate, so it may be easier to go into a store to find the right shade in person.
Non-irritating ingredients are great for combination skin: Greenberg likes that this foundation stick includes marshmallow root and chamomile, so "it will soothe your skin while giving great coverage," she says. She also likes that it's not prone to creasing and adds that "Milk has a great selection of shades too, so you can find your perfect match." While online reviewers love how convenient this product is for on-the-go, some do say they need to touch up their makeup throughout the day since it can rub off the face easily.
For a lit-from-within natural look, reach for this wallet-friendly buy. Greenberg says this Joah foundation stick "looks like a gorgeous second skin." Though it's lightweight, she finds that the glowy formula is "buildable and provides the perfect amount of coverage without being too heavy." Note that this stick can also be used as a highlighter, so if you're looking for something with fuller coverage, this likely isn't the one for you.
Between its famed long lasting formula and its built-in kabuki brush, Lancôme couldn't make it any easier to contour with this foundation stick. Badro loves it for contouring, noting that "it's full coverage and will allow for sculpted cheekbones."
The rounded tip also makes contouring easy, and you can just flip it around to the brush side to blend out. However, online reviewers also love it as a regular foundation, so you can use it for both, depending on the shades you buy. Some online reviewers found it hard to find a color that matched them well and hope for a more expanded shade range.
Make Up For Ever is well known for its ultra long lasting foundations, with some of the formulas even performing very highly in GH Beauty Lab testing. This foundation stick is no different: Greenberg calls it "very long lasting and super buildable." While some long-wear foundations can feel sticky, this one "provides full coverage without being too heavy, so it still looks very natural," Greenberg adds. A few online reviewers do find it a bit cakey and difficult to blend, though.
In the GH Beauty Lab's foundation tests, our scientists evaluate everything from whether they're easy to blend to if they provide buildable coverage and spread easily on skin. All of these aspects are important to consider in any foundation, regardless of whether it's a stick, liquid, powder or cream.
Alongside the decades of expertise from the GH Beauty Lab, we also worked with celebrity makeup artist and founder of Jamie Makeup Jamie Greenberg and beauty entrepreneur and celebrity makeup artist Elaina Badro, who provided their insights into what to look for in a foundation stick as well as some of their favorite products they keep in their makeup kits.
It's important to consider your needs when shopping for any foundation, especially because it acts as a base for your makeup.
✔️ Coverage level: Foundation sticks "tend to offer higher coverage," explains Butler, so they can be used in place of a concealer if you want. However, "some sticks offer extremely high coverage," she adds, so "consider whether you want that high coverage or something lighter."
✔️ Finish: Depending on what you'd like your skin to look like, "different formulas will address your skin concerns differently, whether you need something that's silky, matte, hydrating or dewy," says Greenberg.
✔️ Ingredients: Pick a product that's formulated for your skin type and skin needs in mind. "If you have dry skin, pick one with hydrating ingredients," says Badro. "Also, some offer SPF and some don't." So, make sure to take into account your preferences.
GH Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzahn works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to help deliver fact-based, science-backed beauty coverage. Over the years, she has interviewed experts, written product reviews and tested hundreds of makeup products including foundations, with one of her favorite products included in this roundup.
For this story, she interviewed the following experts:
Catharine (she/her) is the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and Prevention, working closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to write science-backed beauty content. She was previously an assistant beauty editor at Group Nine Media and returned to Hearst in 2022 after having held editorial internships at Harper’s Bazaar and CR Fashion Book. Catharine received a B.A. in journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Chiara (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she conducts hands-on testing of health and beauty products. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Columbia University. Before joining GH in 2022, she worked as a cosmetic chemist, formulating skincare products for a variety of brands and learning to decode ingredient lists, evaluate ingredient efficacy and scrutinize product claims.
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