Finding it hard to find a foundation that won’t irritate your sensitive skin?
After 26 hours of intense research, we have got you covered with our list of the top 5 foundations for sensitive skin.
Maybe you’re on a budget? Have very dry or ultra oily skin? Maybe you’re looking for a full coverage cream product, or interested in trying airbrush makeup – no matter your needs, our list has a foundation to suit your sensitive skin.
Just keep reading to find your best match!
♥ Best For Dry Skin: Hourglass Veil Foundation
- 1 fl oz
- 11 shades
- Parabens, sulfates, and phthalates free
- Oil free
- Vegan
- Anti-ageing ingredients
- Lightest shades are good for pale skin
- Poor shade range
- Claims it’s without fragrance, but the sunscreen ingredient has a scent
- Doesn’t cover pores well
Designed for aging, dry skin – the ingredients make it great for sensitive skin
This foundation is specially designed for dry, mature skin. It also works great for sensitive skin with rosacea, blemishes, and redness because of the ingredients. The formula is free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, oil, and fragrance. It’s vegan friendly.
Great for mature ladies, the added skincare ‘Matrix Regeneration Complex’ (Matrrixyl Synthe’6) helps to minimize the appearance of wrinkles. Hourglass Veil leaves a natural looking, radiant finish on dry skin.
There’s only 11 shades in the range. A little goes a long way – you only need to use a pump or so per application. It looks better when applied with a brush than a beauty blender.
Most customers really like the foundation, with very high reviews online.
One customer with very sensitive and very dry skin says it’s the only one that’s worked for her so far. Another with rosacea and eczema says her skin doesn’t get irritated or burn with this foundation, but it does with most others.
Generally reviews say they like the high coverage, hydrating lightweight feel, and smooth application. It doesn’t feel cakey on the skin.
Customers like that you only need to use one pump per use – it’s an expensive product, you don’t want it to waste fast. It also lasts a long time on the skin for many.
Although the coverage is buildable, it doesn’t cover up pores well enough.
The foundation is only available in 11 shades – not a lot considering it’s a luxury brand. A lot of customers have trouble finding the right shade for them. You may need to buy a couple of shades and mix them (which is quite expensive). The deeper shades tend to work well for darker skinned ladies, but it can make some look ashy. The lightest color suits very pale skin. The undertones are very yellow, so it’s not the best for cooler undertoned customers.
Do you have dry, sensitive skin? Hourglass Veil is a good option for you. It’s free from a lot of the harmful ingredients that can irritate the skin, and it’s oil free and vegan. It’s a good option for mature skin – the foundation is packed with anti-aging ingredients. However, the shade range is poor for a luxury brand foundation, and many customers say it doesn’t cover pores well.
Click here to view Hourglass Veil Foundation on Amazon
♥ Best For Oily Skin: Vichy Dermafinish Liquid Foundation
- 4 shades
- 1 fl oz
- SPF 30
- Allergy tested, tested on sensitive skin, sensitive eyes and contact lense wearers
- Non-comedogenic, oil and fragrance free
- Full coverage without caking
- Only 4 shades, can be too orange for some
- While the SPF 30 does protect from the sun, if you’re sensitive to SPF it may react with your skin
Tested on sensitive skin and sensitive eyes and contact lense wearers
A blendable, weightless foundation ideal for sensitive oily skin. Vichy claims the Dermafinish provides a high coverage, natural finish with twice the coverage of a traditional foundation. It’s a long wear foundation – with up to 12 hours of wear on it’s own, and 16 hours when worn with a setting powder.
No need to worry about it reacting with your skin – it’s allergy tested, tested on sensitive skin, those with sensitive eyes, and on contact lens wearers. It’s also non-comedogenic, oil and fragrance free.
The formula contains SPF 30 to protect your skin from harmful sun rays. It only comes in 4 shades.
Vichy promises full coverage without caking, making the skin greasy, or drying out the skin. It conceals redness, acne scars, and pigmentation while still looking natural. It’s formulated with Vichy’s Thermal Spa Water to keep the skin hydrated.
For best results, apply with fingers or a sponge.
Overall most customers like it, it has high average reviews online.
Most reviewers who say they have oily skin say it works well for them, even those with extremely oily skin.
Multiple customers with very sensitive skin said this foundation didn’t irritate their skin. A reviewer said she was about to give up on makeup for her sensitive skin before she found this product. One customer, however, is sensitive to SPF and therefore didn’t like this one – that’s something to bare in mind before purchasing this. If you’re sensitive to SPF, try a different foundation instead.
Overall reviews said it provides really great coverage, and it doesn’t look any more cakey than other foundations. Even thought it’s non-comedogenic, it can clog pores for some. Some customers said it didn’t blend well on their skin.
The shade range is very limited. The colors are too orange for multiple customers.
If you have oily, sensitive skin this is a good option for you. It’s safe for those with sensitive skin, eyes, and contact lens wearers. It contains SPF 30, so if you’re sensitive to SPF it’s not a good option for you. The shade range (just four shades available) is very limited.
Click here to check out Vichy Dermafinish foundation on Amazon
♥ Best Cream Formula: COVER FX Total Cover Cream Foundation
- 40 shades
- 0.42 oz
- Great shade range – 40 shades with undertone options
- Can also be used as a concealer or contour
- Free from mineral oils, fragrance, talc, parabens, gluten
- Free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates
- Full of emollients and antioxidants like vitamin E and C to protect from free radicals
- Less product than most of the liquid foundations
- Pricey
A full coverage cream foundation that can be used as a concealer or contour
It’s free from mineral oils, fragrance, talc, parabens, suflates, phthalates, and gluten – so you don’t have to worry about irritated skin.
The ingredients include emollients and antioxidants like vitamin E and C to protect from free radicals.
If you like to cover all imperfections on the skin, this full coverage (32% pigment) foundation is a good option for you. Cover FX claims it’s for all skin types, and it has a long wearing natural, radiant finish.
Accidentally buy it in the wrong shade? If it’s two dark it can be use for contouring, and a lighter shade works well as a concealer.
The foundation comes in a whole 40 shades, and you can pick your undertone (pink, neutral, golden, golden plus) so you don’t have to worry about not finding one that matches you.
Overall customers like the cream, with high average reviews online.
Many reviewers liked the very full coverage, one review said it’s one of the highest coverage foundations they’ve ever used.
Reviewers that mentioned sensitive skin said it works well. One with extremely sensitive skin was impressed that it didn’t break her out. A lot said it didn’t clog their pores or break them out. However, others did find it clogged their pores. It’s not for everyone.
Unsurprisingly because it comes in 40 shades, most reviews said the color matches their skin really well. Even those with very pale skin said they w ere able to find a match. Customers with oily skin said the cream doesn’t grease up on oily skin.
A lot say it feels light even though it’s such high coverage. If you do find it cakes on you, you can use it as a spot concealer instead.
If you’re looking for a very full coverage cream foundation that will work well on sensitive skin, this a great option. It can be used as a concealer or contour if you buy the wrong shade. It comes in 40 shades, with different undertone options – if you usually find it difficult to find something that matches you, give this a try. However, it is expensive and it contains half the amount of product in a typical liquid foundation.
Check out Cover FX Cream Foundation on Amazon here
♥ Best Budget: Physicians Formula The Healthy Foundation
- 1 fl oz
- 12 colors
- SPF
- hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic
- Inexpensive
- Vegan friendly ingredients
- SPF if sensitive, has an SPF like scent
- Could have more shades
- Many don’t like the unhygienic doe foot applicator
An affordable foundation suitable for all skin types with sensitive skin
A drugstore foundation for buildable coverage, it’s more affordable than the other foundations on the list. Physicians Formula claims it works for all skin types and provides an ultra-blendable, lightweight, breathable coverage.
The Healthy foundation is vegan, non-comedogneic, and hypoallergenic for sensitive skin. Although it’s marketed as ideal for sensitive skin, it does include SPF and has an SPF like scent.
Even though it’s affordable, it’s still enriched with vitamins and antioxidants. The foundation is infused with Chinese Wu-Zhu-Yu Extract and Hyaluronic Acid to brighten, hydrate, and even the skin tone.
Overall most customers seem to like it, with high average reviews online.
Most customers that mentioned they have sensitive skin really like it. One customer said it’s their all time favorite, holy grail foundation.
Many reviews say it works well for their mature skin. Customers of all skin types like it, even those with very dry or oily skin.
Even though it’s non-comedogenic, a few customers said it settles into their pores.
In terms of coverage, generally reviews say it provides good coverage, but not as natural looking as they suggest.
A common complaint is the packaging – the doe foot applicator is not the most hygienic for a foundation. Others don’t like the SPF smell.
If you’re on a budget, this is a good option for sensitive skin of all skin types. If you react to SPF or SPF fragrance, give this one a miss. The foundation is vegan friendly, enriched with vitamins and antioxidants, and hypoallergenic. The doe foot applicator isn’t the most hygienic.
Check out Physicians Formula The Healthy Foundation on Amazon here
♥ Best Airbrush: TRU Airbrush Makeup Kit
- Inventory: 3 speed Airbrush compressor with AC adapter, single action stainless steel stylus, 3 mineral foundations (1/2 ounce each), 1 mineral blush (1/2 ounce), carrying case.
- Available in fair, light/medium, and dark.
- Mineral and water based
- The natural ingredients are good for sensitive skin
- Paraben, silicone, talc, oil, alcohol, gluten and fragrance free.
- Long wearing due to added soy protein
- Made in the USA
- It’s possible to mix different colors of the foundation
- TRU have a color match guarantee
- One year warranty on compressor and airbrush stylus
- The kit is only comes with 3 foundation colors
- Doesn’t have as high reviews as others on this list
An airbrush system kit specially designed for sensitive skin
Just because you have sensitive skin, it doesn’t mean you need to stick to a standard foundation. If you’re interested in trying something new, an airbrush foundation is a great way to go.
TRU was formulated by a pharmacist with the explicit intention of developing an airbrush kit suitable for sensitive skin. The founder wanted to provide airbrush makeup that wouldn’t cause breakouts or flare ups for those that suffer from sensitive skin.
It’s a relatively basic airbrush system kit. It doesn’t include much (only 3 foundations and one blush), but it’s less expensive than a lot of other airbrush system kits.
A matte finish, the high quality ingredient formula covers imperfections
The foundation is made from high quality ingredients including natural preservatives and minerals. The matte finish works well with any skin type.
Just because it’s designed for sensitive skin, it doesn’t mean they’ve skimped on the coverage. Tru claims the mineral foundation can cover acne, redness, large pores, birth marks, scars, hyper-pigmentation, and uneven skin. Ideal for mature skin, too – the foundation conceals wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots.
Formulated in the US, without harsh ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin
The airbrush makeup is free from fragrance, alcohol, oil, talc, silicone, and paraben – ingredients that can commonly cause irritation on sensitive skin.
The formula contains soy protein that helps the makeup wear longer on the skin – up to 18 hours.
Although set up times and cleaning can take longer with airbrush makeup, the actual application only takes 2 minutes – good if you’re in a hurry in the morning.
Worried about getting the right shade? Tru provide a color match guarantee for peace of mind. No more orange face white neck, or looking like a ghost!
The reviews aren’t as good as others on this list, but the reviews are still relatively good for an airbrush kit.
Great for sensitive skin, but contains some unnatural ingredients
Multiple customers with sensitive skin said they didn’t experience any irritation.
Although the ingredients are advertised as natural, one customer said she was unimpressed that the ingredients list includes propylene glycol and acrylates copolymer.
Even though it’s advertised as long wearing (with added soy protein), some customers said it can sweat off easily or wipe away in the rain.
The airbrush system is surprisingly easy to use
Some reviewers said they put other airbrush makeup in the gun and it worked well (this can void the warranty – be aware!).
Many, even beginners, said it was surprisingly easy to use the airbrush system. Others noted they liked that the videos providing detailed instructions.
The airbrush gun can be faulty, but there’s a warranty and customers are impressed with the excellent customer service.
If you’re interested in trying airbrush makeup, this is a good option. The airbrush makeup is formulated for sensitive skin, and the kit also contains blush – so it’s not just foundation. It doesn’t come in many colors, so you may find it difficult to get your shade match. The reviews aren’t as high as the other products on this list, but it’s still highly reviewed for an airbrush kit.
Click here to see the TRU Airbrush Kit on Amazon
♥ TL;DR – Which Foundation Is Best For Me?
- If you have dry, sensitive skin Hourglass Veil Foundation is a good option. It’s oil free, vegan, and parabens, sulfates, and phthalates free. It also contains anti-aging ingredients. The shade range is poor though, and it doesn’t cover pores completely.
- Oily, sensitive skin? Check out Vichy Dermafinish Liquid Foundation. It works well for most with sensitive skin and eyes, however it does contain SPF. If you’re sensitive to SPF, bare that in mind. The shade range is limited.
- Maybe you’re after a very full coverage formula? COVER FX Total Cover Cream Foundation provides high coverage on sensitive skin. It can also multitask as a concealer or contour (in a darker shade). The shade range is broad – with 40 shades, and various undertone options. It is expensive, and it contains half the foundation in a normal liquid foundation.
- If you’re on budget check out Physicians Formula‘s The Healthy Foundation. It’s suitable for sensitive skin of all skin types. The foundation is hypoallergenic, vegan friendly, and enriched with vitamins and antioxidants. However, it contains SPF – bare that in mind if you’re sensitive to sunscreen. Some customers don’t like the doe foot applicator.
- Looking to try something new? Airbrush makeup is a great way to inject the fun back into your makeup routine. TRU Airbrush Makeup Kit is specially formulated for sensitive skin. It comes with not just foundation, but also a blush. However, the shade ranges are limited, so you may not be able to get a match.
Check out our other foundation top picks: the best foundations for dry skin, best airbrush foundation and airbrush kits, and our favorite non-comedogenic makeup and mineral foundation picks!
